What Jesus said at Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 was not a sign, but rather an anti-sign. He was warning about being misled by charlatans.
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 Messiah, and will deceive many. |
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. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. |
All these are the beginning of birth pains. Note: this phrase “the beginning of birth pains” indicates a non-event, as the awaited child was not yet born. This is in harmony with the full context of Jesus’ warning to “not be alarmed” as “wars and rumors of wars”, “nation rising against nation” and the ensuing conditions of famine, as well as common earthquakes are not indicative of the return of Christ. It is the worst kind of anti-Christian aberration to teach people that God would inflict mass pain and suffering on mankind to distinguish his Son’s supposed invisibly fly-by. |