DISCERNING THE SIGNS 2
(week 45/14)
OLUBI JOHNSON
1Thessalonians 5:1-4 KJV: But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Now, we (just like the LORD JESUS DID NOT KNOW THE BEGINNING OF MIRACLES WOULD START AT THE WEDDING AT CANA OF GALILEE (JN. 2.4-11)) will NOT KNOW THE EXACT DAY OR HOUR, BUT we WILL KNOW THE TIMES AND SEASONS BY ACCURATELY DISCERNING THE SIGNS!
Mark 13:32 KJV: But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
This week, we will see HOW TO ACCURATELY DISCERN THE SIGNS.
To accurately discern the signs, we must understand that there are some major events that will have UNIVERSAL effects that will take place in this 3rd day of the Lord:
1. The manifestations of the Sons of God or emergence of the perfect church that will disciple ALL NATIONS: every tribe, tongue and kindred.
Romans 8:19 MKJV: For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Ephesians 4:12-13 KJV: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Ephesians 4:15 KJV: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Matthew 24:14 KJV: and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
2. The PRE-TRIBULATION rapture or catching up of the perfect man-child church.
Revelation 12:5 KJV: And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
3. The MID-TRIBULATION rapture of the 144,000 and two witnesses at the middle of the great tribulation.
Revelation 7:3-4 KJV: Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (4) And I heard the number of them, which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Revelation 11:3-4 KJV: And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Revelation 11:7-12 KJV: And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (8) And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (9) And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. (10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. (11) And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. (12) And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And THEY ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN IN A CLOUD; and their enemies beheld them.
Revelation 12:13 KJV: And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Revelation 14:1-3 KJV: And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (2) And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: (3) And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, WHICH WERE REDEEMED FROM THE EARTH.
4. The POST-TRIBULATION rapture of the elect remnant of the church.
Matthew 24:29-31 KJV: Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and THEY SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Revelation :12:17 KJV: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with THE REMNANT OF HER SEED, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
5. The PHYSICAL RETURN OF THE LORD JESUS AT THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON AND THE BEGINNING OF HIS MILLENIAL REIGN ON EARTH.
Matthew 24:29-30 KJV: Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and THEY SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY.
Revelation 6:12-17 KJV: And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; (13) And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. (14) And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (15) And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (16) And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Now, to accurately discern the signs, we need to know in EACH TIME AND SEASON WHICH SIGNS POINT TO WHICH OF THESE MAJOR EVENTS.
We will see this in more detail in our article next week.
