THE PIECES ARE FALLING INTO PLACE!

In Matthew 24:3, we read, "And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be; and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the (age)?'"  Verses 4-32 lists those things that will be occurring when Jesus returns.  And then in Matthew 24:33, we read, "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors."  In other words, the generation alive when all of these signs occur, will also see the Second Coming of Christ.  So what are "all these things?"

1)  Perhaps both those claiming to be Christ, and those who claim Jesus is the Christ (v. 4-5).
2)  Modern communication:
     a.  Hear of wars and rumors of wars around the globe (v. 6-7).
     b.  Hear of famines around the glove (v. 7).
     c.  Hear of pestilences around the globe (v. 7).
     d.  Hear of earthquakes around the globe (v. 7).
     e.  The Gospel will be preached world-wide (v. 14).
3)  The fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 - the Abomination of Desolation (v. 15).
4)  The beginning of the persecution of the Jews (v. 16).
     a.  The persecution of those at home (v. 17).
     b.  The persecution of those working outside the home (v. 18).
     c.  Those around the globe experiencing Winter, or the Sabbath (v. 19).
     d.  Those who are pregnant and those nursing infants (v. 21).
5)  The persecution spreads against all who will not bow to Antichrist (v. 21).
     a.  God mercifully shortens the time of persecution (v. 22).
6)  While in hiding, false claims of Christ's Second Coming will abound (v. 23-28).
7)  His Coming will follow the budding of the fig tree (Israel) (v. 32-33). 
      a.  Israel is symbolized by the fig tree repeatedly throughout Scripture:  Jud. 9:10-11;
           Jer. 24:1; Hab. 3:17; Mt. 21:18-20; 23:1-3; Mk. 11:12-14; Lk. 3:7-9; 13:6-8; 21:29; etc.
      b.  Israel was recognized as a nation on May 6, 1948. 
8)  Mankind will be totally corrupt and evil when Jesus returns (v. 37-39).  That cannot be said of the world at this moment, because even though born again believers are far from perfect, we are not as bad as Genesis 6:5 describes ALL of humanity then:  "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually."  For me, that factor, apart from where Jesus and Paul spoke of the Rapture (Jn. 14:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:48-53; 1 Thes. 4:13-18), is the most significant proof of the Rapture of the Church!

The born again believer looks forward to Christ coming for us.

The lost either don't believe it will happen, or they dread it!

Which are you?