Paul tells Timothy “that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”—2 Timothy 3:1-5, New Living Translation

Perhaps Paul is looking back to Proverbs Chapter 29 and verse 18 where Solomon is writing prophetically saying “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is one who keeps the Law.” When we include verse 16 with verse 18, we get a clear vison and timing of what Paul calls the last days: “When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall. When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”—NLT

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word in Prov. 29:18 translated “vision” is H2372 châzôn (khaw-zone’) and means “a sight mentally, revelation, dream, or oracle.” The meaning of vision here in Proverbs is a prophecy and all Biblical prophecy is from God.

With the vision so clearly stated, why doesn’t mankind recognize their sin-sick condition, repent and turn to the Lord? We are told by our Lord Jesus that at this time, the deep things of God are meant for those in relationship with Jehovah. Jesus told his disciples, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. … This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’” (Matthew 13:11,14-15 NLT) Here, Jesus was quoting from Isaiah 6:9-10. Just think of how far the hearts of the Israelites were from God when while expecting the Messiah, they could not recognize Jesus as he walked among them. How much worse is the condition of the people in our day!

When Jesus was asked for a sign, he told the scribes and Pharisees that they were an “evil generation.” (Luke 11:29) He added that in the days of his return or the last days, it would be like in the days of Noah and Sodom. Mankind will be drinking, taking in marriage and doing all sorts of immoral acts and they will not see their destruction or repent of their ways. (Luke 17:26-33). Daniel adds, “the wicked will not understand the vision but the wise will understand.”—Daniel 12:10

Thus, to all those who would desire to be of the wise class spoken of by Daniel, and to understand the vision or prophecy of these last days, you must come into covenant relationship with the Heavenly Father, be found desiring to understand God’s word, striving to develop a Christ-like character and following the law of Love. These will be able to observe, through the calamity, the signs of the establishment of Christ’s kingdom here on earth and have great joy.—Psalm 50:5; 2 Timothy 2:15; Philippians 2:5; Romans 13:1

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The two most important events in world history are the first and second advents of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Wouldn’t you agree? Jesus’ disciples asked him an important question in Matthew 24:3: “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (Greek aion – age)?” As we consider the second coming of our Lord, we look at the scriptures and find something very interesting in the Greek of the New Testament. Did you know that according to the Rotherham Bible, the Greek word “parousia” typically translated “coming” in English language Bibles should be translated “presence” in most cases? Does it make a difference? Absolutely.

If I asked you if your spouse or friend was on their way home (coming) or if they were at the door of your home (presence), there would certainly be a shift in meaning. One is you’re on your way and the other is you’re there already. In the Rotherham’s Bible appendix, p. 271, it says that the original Greek word “parousia” being translated “coming” in Matt. 24:3 (and 21 other times in the New Testament) is obviously wrong. For example, in 2 Corinthians 10:10,“parousia” clearly means presence. In 2 Corinthians 10:10, the translators couldn’t translate the Greek word as “coming” because it would have been absurd to do so. Here, Paul is contrasting his bodily presence with his absence to the Corinthians. Paul is contrasting his bodily “presence” with his being away and writing letters to them. Neither in Philippians 2:12 could the translators substitute “coming” for “parousia.” The verse reads, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence (parousia) only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” “Presence” for the Greek “parousia” is obviously the only correct word choice. Not “coming”! Therefore, the question arises, why not always translate the Greek word “parousia” as “presence”?

Thus, the question Jesus’ disciples were asking him in Matt. 24 was, “what shall be the sign of thy presence”? Jesus could have answered, “Well, just look for me in the sky” – but he did not. Why? Because Jesus also said in John 14:19, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me (Greek: “to be a spectator”)no more.” That is a plain statement. The world sees Jesus NO MORE! Thus, Jesus said in the verses following in Matt. 24:3, do not be in too much of a hurry. A lot of events and time will pass before you see me again.

But since Jesus gave up his perfect human life as a ransom for all (I Tim. 2:5-6), he will not be taking it back again as a human being. Although Jesus appeared as a man several times after his resurrection (Matt. 28:9,10,16-20; Luke 24:15-31,36-51; John 20:14-23,26-29), his disappearance at the end of each showed that he was no longer human but a great spirit being, whose appearance in his spiritual glory blinded Saul of Tarsus. (Acts 9:3-8) Jesus will NOT fly through the sky in a rapture scenario for the world to see.

Instead, we will have to look for the signs of his invisible presence because he will never return as a human being again.  Even Paul told the Thessalonians in 2 Thess. 2:2, something quite similar when confronting those who were teaching that the “day of Christ” had already come. Paul could have said, “Christ could not be here yet, otherwise you would see him in the clouds.” That would have been a simple answer to their mistaken assumption. Instead, in verse 3 Paul gave them two signposts of events that would have to take place before Christ’s day would come and Jesus’ returned. Those signposts would be (1) a falling away of the faith and (2) the man of sin being revealed.

There are many signposts of Christ’s presence in the world today. Israel, returning to their land after 26 centuries, is a huge signpost (Daniel 12:1; Matt. 24:32,33). A time of trouble such as never was before in the world was prophesied by both Daniel (Daniel 12:1) and Jesus (Matt. 24:21,22) as another signpost. Daniel prophesied knowledge being incredibly increased, and travel being dramatically increased as well as signposts (Daniel 12:4). When reading Daniel 12: 1-4, recognize that Daniel’s people were Israel.

Most of the world and Christianity are in the dark regarding our Lord’s return. However, if you would like to walk in the light of what the scriptures give us as signposts of our Lord’s invisible return, we offer the booklet “Our Lord’s Return” listed below. For a more in-depth study, we offer the books The Divine Plan of the Ages and The Time is at Hand, both from the series Studies in the Scriptures. See the advertisements for these under the Books listed on our website.

May the eyes of your understanding be opened to this great truth is our prayer. Amen.

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“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Rev. 22:13) To understand these words, we go to John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

In these verses “the Word” is a translation of the Greek word Logos [Strong’s #G3004], and signifies mouthpiece or special messenger. This was Jesus’ name while he was a spirit being in heaven prior to being made flesh. Additionally, the phrase “was with God” in John 1:1 should read “was with the God,” and the phrase “was God” should read “a god was the Logos.”—vs. 1 Emphatic Diaglott

While Jesus was a human being on earth, he was holy and perfect, sinless, separate and peculiar from all others. (Heb. 7:26) As a result, “he taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matt. 7:29) “The officers to the chief priests … said … never man spake like this man.”—Matt. 7:45-46

Whatever others thought or said of him, he claimed to be sent of God. “I came down from heaven.” (John 6:38) “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” (John 6:51) Before the Pharisees, he declared, “I know whence I came and whither I go. … I am from above … I am not of this world … for I proceeded forth and came from God … he sent me.” (John 8:14,23,42) In John 8:58 he adds, “Before Abraham was, I am!”

These scriptures confirm for us the pre-human existence and glory of our Lord, as he expressed it in John 17:5, “O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Additionally, the Apostle John writes regarding Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”—John 1:10

The only way we can understand Jesus to be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the end, is to recognize that he was the first, only and last direct creation of God. (Rev. 1:8; 3:14; 21:6; 22:13) “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: [created before the rest of creation]; For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible … And he is before all things and by him all things consist.”—Col. 1:15-17

Jesus had left his spiritual wealth behind by humbling himself to be made flesh and taking the form of a servant. As a man Jesus had none of the world’s possessions. “The Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matt. 8:20) Jesus further humbled himself becoming obedient unto the death of the cross. Because of his faithfulness unto death, “God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow … and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Phil. 2:7-11

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