Jesus is Coming Again
Wayne C Solomon
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” New King James Version (NKJV)
Our text today comes out of the Book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is a prophecy given to John the Apostle while he was a exile on an Island in the Mediterranean called Patmos. Revelation explains the periods of the end times.
We are living in the Church Age. This will be followed by the Rapture or the Coming of Jesus. Next there will be a period of Tribulation that will last 31/2 years. That will be followed by another period of 31/2 years called The Great Tribulation. After the Great Tribulation there will be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Battle of Armageddon followed by the Millennium, satan’s little season, the Resurrection of the unjust, the White Throne Judgement, the earth completely purged by fire and the New Heavens and the New Earth.
Revelation is a book of: SEVEN CHURCHES, SEVEN SCENES IN HEAVEN, SEVEN SEALS, SEVEN TRUMPETS AND SCOURGES, SEVEN SIGNS, SEVEN PLAGUES, SEVEN BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH (OR ANGER) AND SEVEN VISIONS.
Our text found in Revelation 16:15 comes from the section on the Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath during the period of the Great Tribulation. To understand this text, we need to read the context that begins in Revelation 16:12.
Revelation 16:12 says, And the sixth angel poured out his bowl or vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. Understand this, the kings of the East refer to China and other nations in that part of the world. The Chinese Military is the largest in the world with nearly 2.7million soldiers. In addition, China has 619 million people fit for military service. To summarize Revelation 16:12, the Chinese and the other nations from the east will invade Israel in the end time. To get to Israel, they will have to pass through Iraq and in going through Iraq, they must cross the Euphrates River. That is why the river Euphrates will be dried up.
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Revelation 16:13, 14 says, And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon (satan), out of the mouth of the beast (the Antichrist), and out of the mouth of the false prophet (religious leader). 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings [g]of the earth (persuade the kings) and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty (Armageddon).
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
Revelation 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, [h]Armageddon.
Jesus is Coming again:
Our Text in the Words of Jesus says: “Behold, I am coming as a thief.”
Here is what the Bible says in Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” In order to prepare for His Return, we must observe the signs around us.
1. Signs in the Church
2. Signs in the World
3. Signs in the Middle East and Israel
4. Signs in the Earth
1. Signs in the Church
Matthew 24:11-13 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
This is a sign of the end time, but it has started to take place in the church already. Have you noticed the lawlessness in the church world? Unruly behavior people doing whatever they wish and they want to do it in the church and they are demanding that we accept it. Lying, hate, backbiting, gossiping, unfaithfulness, unholy talking, unholy dressing and unholy living are increasing in the church. Today in the church many people have a form of godliness, they just pretend to be Christians. Some people treat the church like a business. The Divorce rate among regular church goers is 38%. Suicide among pastors is increasing every year. 70% of Pastors suffer from constant depression.
2. Signs in the World:
The World Political Systems are gearing up for the rise of the Antichrist. Many people have been talking of a One World Government, but the United States was blocking that by being the World Super-Power and World Leader. America always looked out for every other nation but now things are changing quickly. Our new administration is focusing on America politically, economically and even in terms of military agreements. America is pulling out of many Global treaties, organizations and the Climate management agreement. America is changing its Immigration policies and will soon seal up our southern border. This will leave the leadership of the world up for grabs and I believe, the European Union will take over.
Even in terms of Domestic Affairs, America has many problems: Racism is still a big problem. Poverty is a huge problem. Health and wellness are problems, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, tobacco addiction, pornography addiction, gambling, gang activity, domestic violence, terrorism, mass shootings, school shootings, church shootings all these things are huge problems in America. Let me tell you the truth, this is just the beginning of troubles. Things will get worse. What we are seeing now are very strong warnings to let us know that Jesus is coming very soon.
a. Deceivers saying, they are the Christ—
Matthew 24: 3-5 “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.’”
Hundreds of people have claimed to be Jesus Christ but they were all proven to be false prophets just as Jesus said. Some of them are: Ernest Norman (1904–1971), an American electrical engineer, Krishna Venta (1911–1958), of San Francisco, Ahn Sahng-hong (1918–1985), a South Korean, Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012), Jim Jones (1931–1978), founder of Peoples Temple, Marshall Applewhite (1931–1997), an American, Charles Manson (1934–2017), American criminal, cult leader, and songwriter.[24] Laszlo Toth (1938–2012), Hungarian-born Australian, Wayne Bent (1941–), Ariffin Mohammed (1943–2016), Tony Quinn (1944–), José Luis de Jesús Miranda (1946–2013), Puerto Rican, Inri Cristo (1948–), a Brazilian, Thomas Harrison Provenzano[39] (1949–2000), an American Shoko Asahara (1955–2018) .
b. Wars
Matthew 24: 6-7 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for [a]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”
There are 805 Armed conflicts in 70 countries going on in our world these days. In 2017 nearly 300,000 children were fighting in wars around the world. Historians claim that 108 million people died in wars during the 20th century alone. Approximately 600,000 people died in the Iraq War and about 360,000 in the Afghanistan war.
Weapons of war are being stockpiled in countries around the World. Nuclear weapons are held by the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.
c. Perilous Times—2 Timothy 3:1
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
3. Signs in Israel and the Middle East
a. Euphrates/Tigris is Drying up—Revelation 16:12
In a July 13, 2009 New York Times article by Campbell Robertson titled “Iraq Suffers as the Euphrates River Dwindles,” we learn that the 1,720 miles long Euphrates River and Tigris River system is drying up. In some places it is just dust and cracked up mud, looking like a desert. This ground on the river bed will continue to harden so that the armies from the east that will march towards Israel to the valley of Megiddo will travel across and along the Euphrates River Bed at times instead of on the desert sands. But why will they be heading to Israel? The Chinese have already built a 46 billion dollars military superhighway from Northern China through the mountainous regions of Tibet, Kashmir, Pakistan all the way to Afghanistan. They now have a military base in Afghanistan. The next countries to cross on their way to Israel are Iran, Iraq and Jordan. Once they cross Afghanistan they do not need any roadway because their tanks can travel swiftly on the desert sands of Iran and Iraq and Jordan and on into Israel. China is building roads through Jordan to Israel. Israel and China are making trade agreements. China is working with 60 countries to develop the New Silk Road for trade that will stretch from China to Africa without using the once British controlled Suez Canal that was nationalized by Egypt last year. The new silk road will need to go through Israel all the way to Djibouti in East Africa and across the Ocean back into Asia and to China again. This will shift trading dominance from the Western powers. Israel is geographically strategic but and because of resources it is vital to this Chinese project. The Dead Sea is full of minerals and uranium. There is also Uranium in the Negev. Uranium is used for making nuclear weapons.
b. Israel’s Return
In AD 70, Jerusalem was invaded by the Romans under Titus the Roman General. They burnt the city and the temple and killed thousands of Jews crucified them on crosses and their blood ran in the streets like water. Those who escaped fled to all parts of the world but Israel returned to the land in 1948 and became a nation again. This was Prophesied.
Isaiah 43:5-6 - Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth--
Jeremiah 16:14-15 - "Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that it shall no more be said, `The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,' but, `The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.' For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.
Jeremiah 32:44 - "Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I will cause their captives to return,' says the LORD."
Ezekiel 37:12 - "Therefore prophesy and say to them, `Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel."
c. Hebrew is the official language of Israel. The Israelis are purifying their language getting rid of the German, Spanish, English and other languages that influenced their Hebrew.
Zephaniah 3:8-9 - Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD, "Until the day I rise up for plunder; my determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all my fierce anger; all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord.
According to the Talmud, being buried in the Land of Israel brings a certain measure of atonement for sins:
Rav Anan said, “Anyone buried in the Land of Israel is considered as if he was buried beneath the altar; it is written here,2 ‘An altar of earth (adamah) you shall make for me,’ and it is written there,3 ‘His land (admato) will atone for His people.”
d. Israel will be a democracy
Zechariah 12:5 - And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.'
e. Israel is the fourth most powerful military force in the world, and probably number one in terms of effectiveness. They are certainly the most powerful force in the region and currently the only nation with nuclear weapons.
Zechariah 12:6 - In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place-- Jerusalem.
Israel took control of Jerusalem in 1967 in the Six Day War for the first time since 70 A.D.
Luke 21:24 - "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
f. Israel will rebuild as in Biblical times
Israel will rebuild their cities and their names will be the same as in Biblical times. Even the little city of Cana is still called Cana.
Ezekiel 36:10-11 - "I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."
Three exceptions to Israel's rebuilding
Jesus cursed three cities where He did most of His witnessing and performed most of His miracles. These cities are uninhabited rubble to this day...
Matthew 11:20-23 - Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."
g. Israel is no longer a divided kingdom
When Israel returns to the land, they will no longer be divided as Israel and Judah was. Israel will again be one nation...
Ezekiel 37:16-17 - "As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.' "Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand."
Ezekiel 37:21-22 - "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again."
h. God has restored the land to Israel
Israel was a barren wasteland 150 years ago with no trees. Almost 2000 years of foreign conquerors had abused the land having no respect for it. Today there are over 400 million trees in Israel and rainfall has increased over 450% since the beginning of this century.
Isaiah 35:1-2 - The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God.
i. The desert is blooming
Israel is now the breadbasket of the Mideast exporting fruit all over the world...
Isaiah 27:6 - Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
Israel will grow more than one crop a year
When the Jews return to the land, they will grow several crops a year. Due to advanced irrigation in Israel this is a reality today...
Amos 9:11-13 - "On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name," says the LORD who does this thing. Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it."
4. Signs in the Earth
Matthew 24: 3, 6 and 8
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 6 And there will be famines, [b]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
The Bible says there will be famines. 108 Million people in 48 countries are in food crisis danger.
Pestilences refer to diseases and plagues. Epidemic diseases report for 2018 is cause for concern. They include Tetanus (0.5 million), Measles (1 million), HIV/AIDS (1 million), Hepatitis B (1.1 million), Malaria (2.1million), Diarrhoea (3.1 million), Tuberculosis (3.1 million) and Respiratory Infections (4.4 ... These diseases caused more than 16 million deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, outbreaks of Corona Human Virus, Zika, Ebola, Monkey pox, MERS Cov, Cholera, HIV, Typhoid fever, Polio, Rift Valley Fever, Yellow Fever and Nipah Virus have affected tens of millions of people worldwide. Not to mention Heart disease, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Hypertension, Diabetes and Strokes that are steadily increasing the death rates of many nations.
Earthquakes continue to increase worldwide. Everyday there are over1400 earthquakes that seismologists register. Hurricanes, volcanoes, Tsunamis, fires, floods, snowstorms, mudslides, sinkholes and tornadoes have become so frequent that every day we wake up to more and more bad news.
Another sign in the earth is being unfolded in Israel. Birds are coming to Israel by the millions every year and last year their number was over 500 million.
Look at Revelation 19:11-21: “11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He [e]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Beast and His Armies Defeated
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the [supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” The birds are gathering already.
Revelation 16:15
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Behold, I come as a thief - That is, suddenly and unexpectedly. See the Matthew 24:43 note; 1Thessalonians 5:2 note. This is designed evidently to admonish people to watch, or to be in readiness for his coming, since, whenever it would occur, it would be at a time when people were not expecting him.
Matthew 24: 36-43
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Blessed is he that watcheth—Matthew 24:42-44. The meaning here is, that he who watches for these events, who marks the indications of their approach, and who is conscious of a preparation for them, is in a better and happier state of mind than he on whom they come suddenly and unexpectedly.
And keepeth his garments - The allusion here seems to be to one who, regardless of danger, or of the approach of an enemy, should lay aside his garments and lie down to sleep. Then the thief might come and take away his garments, leaving him naked. The essential idea, therefore, here, is the duty of vigilance. We are to be awake to duty and to danger; we are not to be found sleeping at our post; we are to be ready for death - ready for the coming of the Son of man.
Lest he walk naked - His raiment being carried away while he is asleep.
And they see his shame - Compare the notes on Revelation 3:18. The meaning here is, that, as Christians are clothed with the garments of righteousness, they should not lay them aside, so that their spiritual nakedness should be seen. They are to be always clothed with the robes of salvation; always ready for any event, however soon or suddenly it may come upon them. Be ready because Jesus is coming again.
