When Will Jesus Return?

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Many people throughout history have thought that Jesus' return was imminent.  Even those in Jesus' day thought he would return in their lifetime.  In the story the disciples were admiring the temple, which was rebuilt by King Herod. Their admiration was well deserved.  Josephus, the Jewish theologian in Jesus' day, say this about the temple,

"The temple was covered on the outside with gold plates that were so brilliant that when the sun shone it was blinding. Where there wasn’t gold, there were blocks of marble of such a pure white that from a distance, strangers thought there was snow on the temple."

But unfortunately in response to the Jewish rebellion 40 years later, the Roman government completely leveled the temple to the ground.  There was nothing left.  But this was not the end.  In fact 2,000 years later Jesus has not returned though many predictions have gone have been put forth.  

Let's summarize some of the birthpangs which will signal Jesus' return and the end of the world according to this passage. 

1. Many "would be Messiahs" would come and try to deceive people.  We have seen this many times in various cults in the last several years. 

2. There would be widespread, earthquakes, famines, diseases.  Maybe the recent corona virus fits that description. I don't know.  No one does. 

3. Nation will rise up against nation. Check.

4. Christians will be persecuted even to death. Check.  Estimates say 43 millions Christians have died for the faith since Jesus' day. An estimated 165,000 died in 2000.  

5. There will be an abomination of descrecation in the temple.  The worship of God will be totally corrupted setting up an antichrist as the true god and the center of worship.  

But the passage as gives us a condition. Before Jesus' return, the gospel must first be preached to all nations.  This hasn't happened yet.  There is more work to do.

As my favorite bumper sticker says, "Jesus is coming soon look busy!"