Signs of the Times: Intelligent but Unwise

He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the sings of the times (Matthew 16:2-3).

The incarnation of Jesus Christ was the beginning of the Messianic Age that ended with His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. It was a time the Jews had waited for for centuries, but the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees were spiritually blind to it. “They were better weathermen than biblical scholars” (John MacArthur). Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, “A shower is coming;” and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, “There will be hot weather;” and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? (Luke 12:54-56).

There is no doubting that America is an advanced society. Based on reliable models we can predict the weather, the stock market, the global economy, even the valuation of gold, silver, and currency. We can chart the trends in education, sociology, politics, fashion, real estate, etc. We are advanced in medicine, technology, science, communications, and industry. But the American culture is stagnating in moral, ethical, and spiritual wisdom. As a society we are not aware of the time we are living in. We are intelligent, but spiritually unwise. Even in the church and among biblical scholars there is confusion about God’s plan for this age.

Jesus said, Many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:5-12). Sounds a lot like this morning’s news.

These signs of Jesus’ immanent return are everywhere today. No time in history has demonstrated these events in such abundance as they have been demonstrated in the past 150 years. As time has progressed these events have grown in abundance and in intensity. Jesus warned us of these days but we are unwise to them, just like the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in His day.

“Holy Spirit, open our eyes to the reality of the time we are living in so that we may prepare ourselves and others for the return of Jesus Christ. Let us not be anxious, rather let us anticipate His return, even if it is today. In the name of Jesus I ask, Amen.”

Pastor