TUESDAY August 2, 2022

Know the Times and Seasons

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority....”
Acts 1:6-7

We are living in a time period known as the Last Days. Interestingly, in his sermon, the Apostle Peter quoted from Joel 2:28, a prophecy about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these difficult times of Church History:

“ ‘...it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.’ ”

When Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, He also prophesied about a future event––the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-2). The disciples wondered when this event would happen, but they also asked Him other things: Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).

Nonbelievers worry about the end of the world––the total destruction of our planet––but end-time prophecies are a subject Christians often like to discuss. They look forward to the coming of Christ. The sequence of events will be: His coming, the Millennium Period, the Resurrection, the Last Judgment, and the destruction of this world and its restoration (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20-21).

Some people have tried to set dates for Christ’s Coming, but no one can predict it. The Bible plainly tells us: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). We do not know when Jesus will return, but there are specific signs to observe and many prophecies fulfilled, such as Israel becoming a nation on May 14, 1948, (Isaiah 43:5-6; Matthew 24:32). In these last days, whether you are saved or unsaved, the main thing is to be ready for Jesus’ coming! As a Christian, serve the Lord and be a witness for Him; but if you do not know Christ, make today the day of salvation!

“...be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Matthew 24:44

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!