Signs of the times
Inspirational
I've Heard That All My Life!
Familiar Expressions from the Bible
Object:
Expression: Signs of the times
Location: Matthew 16:3
Verse: ... O ye hypocrites, ye can discern [interpret] the face [appearance] of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
We have heard business people say when profits are up or profits are down, "Oh, it's just the signs of the times."
While sitting in an office waiting to see one of his church members, the pastor began to thumb through a magazine which he found on the table. This good friend was in the sign-making business. In a moment the pastor realized that the magazine he had picked up was called Signs of the Times. (This is a very attractive magazine for the sign industry published by ST Publications, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio.)
The gentleman with whom the pastor had this appointment was a Christian, so it was not at all unusual that a Bible was on the table there with the magazines. While the pastor waited, he picked up the Bible and opened it to the book of Matthew. To his surprise, he opened it to a page on which was the expression, "signs of the times." He began to reflect on this as he read.
What is meant by this expression? One day Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. These were Jewish politico-religious leaders of two different parties. These men tried to test Jesus' claim of being the Messiah by asking him to show them some great sign from heaven. They wanted to trap Jesus.
The Lord had provided these men with many signs, but they would not accept them. They were eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of literally hundreds of Old Testament prophecies concerning the first coming of the Messiah, but they could not interpret the "signs of the times." The Pharisees and Sadducees considered Jesus an imposter and did not believe he was the Messiah. The multitudes thought that Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or some other prophet. However, Jesus' disciples believed that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Jesus was aware of the motives of these leaders who had approached him. So Jesus first responded to them by telling them that they were good at reading the signs of the weather. When they saw a red sky at night, they believed it would mean fair weather the next day. When they saw a red sky in the morning, they predicted foul weather all day. But Jesus told them that they couldn't read the obvious signs of the times. They were not able to see the truth surrounding the Lord Jesus who had come to save the world.
Location: Matthew 16:3
Verse: ... O ye hypocrites, ye can discern [interpret] the face [appearance] of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
We have heard business people say when profits are up or profits are down, "Oh, it's just the signs of the times."
While sitting in an office waiting to see one of his church members, the pastor began to thumb through a magazine which he found on the table. This good friend was in the sign-making business. In a moment the pastor realized that the magazine he had picked up was called Signs of the Times. (This is a very attractive magazine for the sign industry published by ST Publications, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio.)
The gentleman with whom the pastor had this appointment was a Christian, so it was not at all unusual that a Bible was on the table there with the magazines. While the pastor waited, he picked up the Bible and opened it to the book of Matthew. To his surprise, he opened it to a page on which was the expression, "signs of the times." He began to reflect on this as he read.
What is meant by this expression? One day Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. These were Jewish politico-religious leaders of two different parties. These men tried to test Jesus' claim of being the Messiah by asking him to show them some great sign from heaven. They wanted to trap Jesus.
The Lord had provided these men with many signs, but they would not accept them. They were eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of literally hundreds of Old Testament prophecies concerning the first coming of the Messiah, but they could not interpret the "signs of the times." The Pharisees and Sadducees considered Jesus an imposter and did not believe he was the Messiah. The multitudes thought that Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or some other prophet. However, Jesus' disciples believed that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Jesus was aware of the motives of these leaders who had approached him. So Jesus first responded to them by telling them that they were good at reading the signs of the weather. When they saw a red sky at night, they believed it would mean fair weather the next day. When they saw a red sky in the morning, they predicted foul weather all day. But Jesus told them that they couldn't read the obvious signs of the times. They were not able to see the truth surrounding the Lord Jesus who had come to save the world.
