SOON AND VERY SOON

Preached by Pastor Tony Cirigliano at the Banner Elk SDA Church on Sabbath, November 26, 2005.

Material from a sermon by the late Joe Crews, Still Adventism's greatest evangelist.

It’s good to be visiting Banner Elk.

We will be here again on December 31^st for communion service.

We are now in our 4^th month of independent ministry, and the Lord has blessed us.

So far 174 non-Adventist pastors have received the truth, and three have responded back positively.

We have held revival week-ends in Pittsboro and Burnsville, and we did a Soul Winning Made Simple weekend in Snellsville, Georgia.

We are booked already into April 2, 2006.

We’re excited about the work, and about the Lord coming back soon!

I just finished a book called – Prophecy Made Simple that is being proofed.

After 20 years in the paid ministry, living totally by faith is a new experience, and each day we trust in Yahweh’s provisions and He is the best employer.

God is good! All the time!

Everywhere you look today, people realize that this world is in trouble.

Even non-believers are talking about the end of the world.

Jesus is coming back the second time and SOON!.

Three hundred prophecies in the New Testament make that unmistakably plain and clear.

Most Christian people believe that.

But the question that most folk cannot answer is, when is Jesus coming back?

That is the all-important question that we shall consider this morning.

How soon will it be? Will the Lord Jesus return in our day?

I’m going to ask us all to open our Bibles to Matthew 24, and I will ask for volunteers to read a verse each.

We will read from Matthew 24 verses 3 to 14.

³And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Then our Savior gave signposts to look for.

I am sure that most of you are familiar with this chapter.

If you are not, you should be, because we are on the brink of eternity.

Matthew 24 contains the answer that Jesus gave the disciples when they said, “Look, Master, tell us, when are you coming back and what will be the signs that we may know?”

I want to back up now and review this chapter briefly before we go on further today.

In this chapter Jesus placed signs along the way. Starting at His ascension He placed signs all along the way, right up to the last great sign, the sign of the cloud on which the Son of man sits when He comes in His glory.

He said to His disciples in effect, “Now, look! I’m placing these signboards along the road from My ascension to My second coming.

Watch for those signs. When you have passed them all, then look, because I will be coming back.”

Now what major signs were mentioned in this chapter?

First of all, the destruction of Jerusalem was mentioned as a major sign.

¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand :)

 ¹⁶Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

History shows that in A.D. 70 that signboard was passed. Jerusalem was destroyed.

Signboard number two was the great tribulation mentioned in verses 21 and 22.

²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 ²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

He said, “After you pass the destruction of Jerusalem you will go along until you find a big signboard, a great period of persecution.”

Once again we go to history and discover that it is the truth.

There was a great period of persecution.

The Bible says it would be the worst ever known and if it were not shortened there would be no flesh saved.

But for the sake of God’s people, His elect, it would be shortened.

We go to history and discover that from 530 A.D. to 1798 A.D. there was such a period of persecution.

Then we look toward signboard number three in verse 29:

²⁹Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened,

In essence, the Lord said, “After you pass this big, long signboard of tribulation, the sun will be darkened.”

Once again we go to history and we discover it is a historical fact —the sun was darkened at midday, May 19, 1780.

Look it up. Please do not take my word for this. But you can look it up and discover that it is true that this signboard was passed May 19, 1780.

Also, the moon turned to blood. The passage we read a moment ago said,

and the moon shall not give her light, You ask, When did that happen?

Was that a signboard passed? Yes, it was.

It was the night of May 19, 1780. The moon was first dark, and when it did appear it was as red as blood.

REPERTORY OF FACTS, edited by Robert Sears, page 428, published in New York in 1845 makes this statement:

“On May 19, 1780, an uncommon darkness took place over New England, and extended to Canada. It continued about fourteen hours, or from ten o’clock in the morning till midnight. The darkness was so great that the people were unable to read common print, or tell the time of day by their watches, or to dine, or to transact their ordinary business without the light of candles. They became dull and gloomy and some were excessively frightened. The fowls retired to their roosts. Everything bore the appearance and gloom of night. The causes of these phenomena are unknown. They certainly were not the result of eclipses.”

I will give just one more of the hundreds of historical statements made concerning the dark day, May 19, 1780.

I quote: “The dark day, May 19, 1780 —so-called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day—extended all over New England. In some places people could not see to read common print in the open air, for several hours together. Birds sang their evening songs, disappeared, and became silent; fowls went to roost; cattle sought the barnyard; and candles were lighted in the houses....The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known.” —From Noah Webster’s Dictionary, 1869 edition.

This distinguished authority said “the cause of this dark day is not known.”

But Jesus said it meant the end of the world is drawing on.

Jesus also said, “And the moon shall not give her light.” Matthew 24:29.

Again, we read from history: “Nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day; notwithstanding there was almost a full moon. No object was discernible but by the help of some artificial light.” —From the INDEPENDENT CHRONICLE, Boston, June 8, 1780.

Again I quote: “The darkness of the following evening was probably as gross as has ever been observed since the Almighty gave birth to light.” —From COLLECTIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Volume 1, 1792.

Then signboard number five— He said and the stars shall fall from heaven,

They were to pass that signboard. Did that take place? Yes!

Once again we have a historical fact. It was November 13, 1833. Look it up. It is right there. That signboard was passed.

I quote: “The morning of November 13, 1833 was rendered memorable by an exhibition of the phenomenon called shooting stars, which was probably more extensive and magnificent than any similar one hitherto recorded....Probably no celestial phenomenon has ever occurred in this country since its settlement, which was viewed with so much admiration and delight by one class of spectators, and so much astonishment and fear by another class.” —From the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ARTS, Volume 25 (1834), pp. 363 and 364.

“On the night of November 12-13, 1833, a tempest of falling stars broke over the earth. North America bore the brunt of its pelting. From the Gulf of Mexico to Halifax, until daybreak with some difficulty put an end to the display, the sky was scored in every direction with shining tracks, and illuminated with majestic fireballs.” —From HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, Agnes M. Clarke, p. 328 (London).

Then we come to the sixth sign in verse 30.

And this is what it is: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.”

This is the point I want to emphasize before we go any further.

From the dark day and the night the moon turned to blood until the next signboard, the falling of the stars, was only 53 years.

But it has already been nearly 150 years since the falling of the stars and the next sign has not yet appeared—the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.

May I tell you with all assurance and positive ness, Jesus is already overdue!

We who are here are living on borrowed time.

It is only Yahweh’s mercy that time is prolonged so that many can be saved!

In verse 14 the Savior gave another great sign of His return;

He said, ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Today like never before the gospel is going to the world!

The Adventist Church now has three satellite TV systems flying through the heavens: CAN, 3ABN, HOPE TV

They are carrying the everlasting gospel to all the world!

Another sign the Bible gave in Daniel is our rapid travel.

In 1930 United Airlines proudly proclaimed it had carried 70,000 passengers in that single year.

Today that same line, despite tremendously increased competition, carries more than that number every single day.

In Daniel 12:4 we read that “in the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.”

The revolutionary growth of science and industry is without parallel in world history.

And how we have refined this business of running to and fro!

The world has seemingly shrunk, making international travel commonplace.

How different from the day in 1930 when flight crews on what is now Western Airlines were instructed through their Handbook for Pilots and Co-pilots,

“It will be the duty of the pilot to see that his plane is provided with a sufficient amount of rags to keep the windshield clean during flight.”

And that was only 50 or 60 years ago.

Now we think of space flights instead of airplane travel.

We measure speed in terms of sound waves instead of miles per hour.

Men have walked on the moon.

We have sent man made probes to distant parts of the universe.

Only by the Bible do we know what is coming, and what these things mean. Jesus said in Luke 21:25-26,

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

I want you to notice a phrase here: “with perplexity.”

The word that Jesus used indicates an impasse.

The world situation would become so intense that men would despair.

There would seem to be no way out of the dilemma that the world would find itself in.

We need only to consider for a moment the complexity of our present situation.

In the book Maranatha by Ellen White we find these words written:

“Soon strife among the nations will break out with an intensity that we do not now anticipate.”

Since 2001 – Intensity has gripped the earth!

“The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the strained, restless relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they realize that something great and decisive is about to take place, that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.” {Mar 174.3}

“A moment of respite has been graciously given us of God. Every power lent us of Heaven is now to be used in working for those perishing in ignorance. There must be no delay. The truth must be proclaimed in the dark places of the earth. . . . A great work is to be done, and to those who know the truth for this time, this work has been entrusted.” {Mar 174.4}

“In the last scenes of this earth's history, war will rage. There will be pestilence, plague, and famine.”

Asian Bird Flu = Ebola Virus, Sars, 

“The sea and the waves roaring.”

“The waters of the deep will overflow their boundaries.” Maranatha, p. 174.

The Tsunami that hit Asia!

“Property and life will be destroyed by fire and flood. We should be preparing for the  mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for them that love Him. There is a rest from earth's conflict. {Mar 174.5)Top of Form

Why am I telling these things? Simply to show that our national leaders are distressed—there is perplexity, there doesn’t seem be any way out.

Intensity has already gripped the earth!

Yahshua Jesus said that famines would also be a sign that He is soon to return.

Take the population explosion, for instance: every second 4 new babies are born around the world, but only 2 deaths occur in that second.

So this means 8,000 new souls are added every hour to the world’s population.

This is like adding a new Canada or Mexico to the world each year.

The world population is increasing at the rate of 70 million each year.

Our sociologists tell us that in 20 years the population of the world will double itself.

Instead of 6 billion there will be 12 billion. It is easy for us to pass it off and say, “What difference does it make? We have plenty to eat here.”

But listen, two-thirds of the world population will go to bed hungry tonight. Do you realize that?

Here in America we are in a land of plenty, but two-thirds of the people of the world go to bed hungry every night.

In just 20 years time there will be twice as many people to feed as there are now.

Listen to this prophecy in Revelation 11:18, one of the most climactic of all Scripture:

“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

This prophecy indicates that we can know when the climax of world history is actually reached.

For within this time period there will come a time when men will actually have in their hands the technical power to destroy the earth.

It says that Jesus must come to wrest that power from their hands.

Korea and Iran now have nuclear capability.

They say hundreds of sovie nuclear missles are missing and unaccounted for!

Man now has the capability of destroying the earth unless Yahshua Jesus intervenes!

In 1943 the first Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

In 1952 the first hydrogen bomb was detonated.

Sailors on ship saw that great blast as a flame two miles wide shot 5 miles into the heavens forming a grotesque mushroom cloud.

They swore in those first few moments that they had set the whole world ablaze.

That little island of the sea began to burn—even the very sand itself. It burned for six hours.

It seemed that a chain reaction had started that could never be stopped.

Men stood in awe of the forces they had released.

The A bomb was just a model T in comparison to the Hydrogen Bomb.

But now, our scientists tell us, we have bombs that are 1000 times more powerful than the first Atom Bomb!

This is the age of the shrug—we say, “So what?” and take another tranquilizer and go back to sleep.

Perilous times have come – Jesus is coming again and soon!

The false Christ will appear after a series of disasters – we are living in the time of disasters!

Like birth pains –

Anthony’s birth - Mary Ann went to the hospital, and they sent us home.

A few hours later we needed to go back – the pains were coming closer.

Key broke in the car, found a spare in record time

Flood on the Cross Bronx Expressway, wires got wet.

I dried them with my shirt.

Got there and Mary Ann was in labor 26 hours at the hospital.

Finally 34 years ago our firstborn son was born.

He finally came, and friend a new world is finally going to come

Jesus said it will be like a woman in labor.

The world is in labor now!

World conditions will get so bad that it seems totally hopeless, and then Satan will appear as Christ.

“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: "Christ has come! Christ has come!" The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion.” – GC, p. 624.

On Page 626 right after talking about the appearance of the false Christ it says:

“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for "the munitions of rocks." Isaiah 33:16. “

After the false Christ, then follows a Universal Sunday law that progresses to a death decree against those who do not worship the beast and his false sabbath mark!

Then Yahshua Jesus returns and the dead in Christ rise to meet Him in the air, and if we are alive, we will be changed from mortal to immortal!

I believe in the second coming of Christ because I believe in Bible prophecy. I believe that the scripture cannot be broken.

These great prophecies were not meant to frighten us.

They are the warning of a loving Christ to tell us of an approaching God.

Back again to Luke 21:27, 28, right after the prophecy telling of world perplexity we read these encouraging words,

“Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

This is a time of joy for the true Christian, for the one who understands the Word of God, for the Christian who understands the prophecies, for the one who has surrendered his heart and life to Jesus Christ.

We can look up friends, and know that our redemption draweth nigh for Jesus Christ is coming soon.

Rescue is on the way! Christ is the answer!

The heaven will soon depart as a scroll when it is rolled up.

We will look into the open space in Orion from whence comes the voice of God!

There will be a great earthquake that causes every mountain and island to be moved out of their place.

The second coming of Jesus is going to be a very climactic experience for this world.

Those who have broken the commandments of God, and. rejected the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and who said to themselves “We are going to live just the way we want to live.”

They will cry for the mountains to cover them up and hide them from the face of the Lord!

I am so thankful for that faithful group who meet Jesus in love.

We read about them in Isaiah 25:9,

 “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Why are they so happy?

Friends, they have been looking for Jesus to come.

They have broken the commandments of God, too, but they have confessed their sins.

They have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus.

They have searched the counsels of the Word and have discovered what God expects of them so that they might be ready and waiting when He comes.

They do not fear to meet Jesus—they look forward to it.

They love the sound of an approaching God.

They have been earnestly watching, listening and longing for Him to come.

And soon He will come! We can be ready for that day!

Heaven is cheap enough because Yahshua Jesus – sent by Yahweh our God paid the price!

Surrender your life to Yahshua today! He will pardon and cleanse and save you to the uttermost!