Portents of the Messiah's Return in the Bible
The second coming of Prophet Jesus (pbuh), a fundamental Christian belief, is revealed in the Bible. Moreover, the Bible states that true Christian believers must prepare for it in the best possible manner. For example: After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight… "Men of Galilee," they [the angels] said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9,11)
While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our savior, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
… This will happen when Jesus is revealed from heaven … He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
… and he will appear a second time … to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him … (Revelation 1:7)
In addition to mentioning the portents of this event, Jesus (pbuh) is depicted as telling his disciples about these portents in the following terms:
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." (Matthew 24:3-5)
"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He." (John 13:19)
The expectation of a savior Messiah is also a fundamental Jewish belief. This person will fill the world with justice, silence all wicked people, and follow behind all nations. He will be known as "Yahab" or "Shahab" (the "Bringer of New Order"). Some old Testament books, among them the Torah (the first five books), the Book of Psalms, and those that relate to the Israeli prophets, provide some information as well.
While examining what the Bible says about these portents, it becomes clear that the Messiah will come only after moral and social degeneration, great wars, terrible disasters, extraordinary events in the sky, the abandonment of religion's moral values, spreading injustice, the oppression of true believers, and the replacement of peace and security by chaos and anxiety.
In this chapter, we shall look at the Biblical portents of the Messiah's coming.
122. The Emergence of False Messiahs
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." (Matthew 24:4-5)
At that time, if anyone says to you: "Look, here is the Christ!" or, "There he is!" do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear… (Matthew 24:23-24)
… and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. (Matthew 24:11)
He [Jesus] replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. (Luke 21:8)
123. Some People Lose Hope in Messiah's Coming
First of all, you must understand that in the Last Days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will ask: "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
  |
Both the Qur’an and the Bible state that various people will claim to be messiahs. Such claims are baseless. When Prophet Jesus (pbuh) comes again, no one will find any reason to the truth of who he is. Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will appear in the clothes he was wearing when God raised him to Himself and will have unique superior characteristics. (Left ) Newsweek (April, 1997) (Right) They Burned Themselves (Tempo Magazine, 1993) |
124. A Rise in the Number of Earthquakes
As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another… (Luke 21:6)
… But see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:6-8)
There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from Heaven. (Luke 21:11)
 | |
|
125. Famine
… There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:7-8)
There will be great… famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from Heaven. (Luke 21:11)
  | |
|
 |
Every year 8 million people are influenced by starvation (Zaman, June 11, 2002) |
126. Major Wars Break Out
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom… (Matthew 24:6-7)
When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away. Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." (Luke 21:9-10)
 |
The First World War left 8 million dead, hundreds of ruined cities, and millions of wounded, disabled, homeless, and jobless people behind. The Second World War killed 50 million people and devastated countless cities. Following these bloody wars, the world became embroiled in conflict, civil war, and rebellion. No doubt, all of these herald the fact that we live in the End Times and that Prophet Jesus’ (pbuh) coming is close. This event will end these wars, and the world will become a place of peace and serenity. |
127. Love Is Diminished, and Anger and Hatred Increase
At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other… Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. (Matthew 24:10, 12)
People will be ...without love, unforgiving, slanderous; without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good; treacherous, rash, conceited; lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:2-5)
 |
The Guardian Weekly (July 31-August 6, 2003) |
128. People Move away from the Religion's Moral Values
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth, and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
The Spirit clearly says that in the latter times some will abandon the faith… (1 Timothy 4:1)
People will be … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:2-5)
(Above Right) In France, The Number of People Who Believe in Satan
has Increased (Hurriyet, May 3, 1994)
129. Disasters Inflict Terrible Suffering
Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world… (Luke 21:26)
… all nations of Earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
  | |
|
130. The Spread of Epidemics
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from Heaven. (Luke 21:11)
  | |
|
131. People Who Exploit the Religion for Their Personal Interests
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth, and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
... having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:5)
  | |
|
132. The Appearance of Portents in the Sun and Moon
There will be signs in the Sun, Moon, and stars. On Earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. (Luke 21:25-26)
Immediately after the distress of those days, the Sun will be darkened, and the Moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29)
… For the day of the Lord is near… The Sun and Moon will be darkened, and the stars [will] no longer shine… (Joel 3:14-15)
The stars of Heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising Sun will be darkened, and the Moon will not give its light. (Isaiah 13:10)
Resim yazısı ekle
5 Planets will be Stacked in a column on April 20 (Gunes, March 14, 2002)
Alarm on May 5! The Earth, Sun, Moon and 5 planets join in rare spectacle (Gunes, December 23, 1999)
Lunar Eclipse in Ramadan (Vatan, November 8, 2003)
The Sun paralyzed the world (Yarin, October 26, 2003)
Only the First Men Could See the Red Planet so Brightly (Vatan, Agust 7, 2003)
Magnetic Storm shakes the Earth (Vatan, October 26, 2003)
133. Extraordinary Events Take Place in the Sky
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from Heaven. (Luke 21:11)
At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of Earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
… The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and Earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
  | |
|
134. Moral Degeneration
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy; without love, unforgiving, slanderous; without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good; treacherous, rash, conceited; lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:2-5)
… In the latter times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
 | |
|
135. The Oppression of True Believers
136. The Emergence of Corruption That True Believers Should Avoid
So when you see standing in the holy place "the abomination that causes desolation," spoken of through Prophet Daniel, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again. (Matthew 24:15-16, 21)
Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. (Luke 21:21)
On that day, no one who is on the roof of his house with his goods inside should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. (Luke 17:31)
The Fine Art Society, London
137. Events That Inflict Pain and Suffering
At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of Earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. (Luke 21:23)
… Those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now - and never to be equaled again. (Mark 13:19)
… The great Day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly… That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness … (Zephaniah 1:14-15)
(1) The storm that raged Europe took 120 lives! (Gozcu, December 30, 1999)
(2) Italya'da 'Pompei 2000' (Newsweek, May 18, 1998)
(3) The World Broils (Milli Gazete, August 21, 2000)
(4) The World Combats Natural Disasters (Takvim, July 12, 2002)
(5) The World Sheds Blood (Posta, August, 23, 1999)
(6) The World Combats Natural Disasters (Aksam, May 10, 2003)
(7) Confession: Hot Weather Killed 5 Thousand People in France (Vakit, August 19, 2003)
138. The Coming of the Dajjal
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
