The Time of His Coming - the Signs
A Sermon on the Timing of the Second Coming of Christ
Originally preached Jan. 14, 1955
Scripture
Sermon Description
Predictions of when Christ will return seem to take place every year, but what are the biblical signs of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Does Scripture even allow the opportunity of discerning precisely when He will return again? In this sermon on the timing of Christ's return, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more, contending that it is useless for Christians to debate the exact date and time of His coming since Jesus promised that only God the Father knew. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through a helpful history of these questions that begins with the apostles since many have argued that they expected Jesus to return again in their lifetime. In addition to this view of the apostles, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also gives a brief overview of several other alternate stances on this subject. According to Scripture, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, there are two signs that precede the second coming of Christ—the calling of the Gentiles and the gathering in of the fullness of Israel. He skillfully explains from a biblical standpoint what these mean, providing the listener with clarity that is often missing when studying this topic. This is a helpful sermon for anyone currently confused about how to interpret the biblical prophecies regarding the Lord’s second coming.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by emphasizing the importance of approaching the doctrine of the second coming of Christ with care, humility and a desire for holiness.
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The sermon then discusses whether the apostles believed Christ would return in their lifetime. Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that while the apostles seemed to believe this in their questions to Jesus, they never explicitly taught this in their writings.
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The sermon outlines three principles for interpreting passages that seem to indicate the apostles believed in an imminent return of Christ: 1) God's perspective on time is different than humans' 2) The term "last days" refers to the entire church age, not just a future period. 3) There is "prophetic foreshortening" in prophecy, where events separated by time seem close together.
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The sermon examines Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21, arguing Jesus addresses the destruction of the temple, signs of his coming, and the end times. Dr. Lloyd-Jones believes some statements refer only to AD 70, some only to the end times.
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The sermon argues certain signs must precede the second coming, including the spread of the gospel to all nations and the salvation of "all Israel." Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines three main views on the meaning of "all Israel."
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The first view is that "all Israel" refers to the church, consisting of both Jews and Gentiles. The second view is that it refers to the restoration and salvation of the Jewish nation, either of nearly all Jews or literally every Jew. The third view is that it refers to the full number of elect Jews who will be saved.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues against the view that the Jewish nation will have a special status separate from the church. He says this must be evaluated based on Scripture.
Sermon Q&A
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Christ's Second Coming: Questions and Answers
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the true test of our interest in Christ's second coming?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the true test of our interest in Christ's second coming is "the effect of your study of it or of your consideration of it upon your daily life and living." He emphasizes that whenever the doctrine is introduced in Scripture, it is always in the context of an appeal to holiness. If your interest is merely to know times and dates, it's unscriptural. He quotes 1 John 3:3, "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure," suggesting our study should lead to personal holiness.
What warning does Lloyd-Jones give about becoming overly focused on prophetic details?
Lloyd-Jones warns about "the terrible danger of being led from the main line of christian living by an inordinate interest in the details of this great doctrine." He notes that he has known many Christians whose "spiritual life has become dry and barren simply because this became almost an obsession with them." They became so consumed with studying prophecy books, comparing interpretations, and working things out that they neglected their practical Christian duties and were led onto a spiritual "sidetrack."
What does Jesus say about knowing the exact time of His return?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones references Mark 13:32 where Jesus states: "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the son, but the father." He emphasizes this statement to show that even Jesus himself, as the Son of Man, did not know the exact time of His return. If Jesus didn't know the specific time, Lloyd-Jones suggests it's presumptuous for Christians to claim they can determine it.
What are the three main interpretations of Matthew 24-25 that Lloyd-Jones identifies?
Lloyd-Jones identifies three main interpretations of Matthew 24-25 (and parallel passages in Mark 13 and Luke 21): 1. Those who say Christ deals only with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the spread of the Gospel. 2. Those who say Christ deals with AD 70 but also uses it as a picture or parable of the final judgment at the end of the age. 3. Those who believe Christ deliberately deals with two separate events: certain statements refer specifically to AD 70, while others refer specifically to the end of the age and final judgment.
What signs does Lloyd-Jones say will precede Christ's second coming?
Lloyd-Jones identifies at least two signs that will precede Christ's second coming: 1. The calling of the Gentiles - based on Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." 2. The gathering in of the fullness of Israel - based on Romans 11:25-29, though he notes this is one of the most controversial aspects of the doctrine.
What are the three main interpretations of "all Israel shall be saved" in Romans 11:26?
Lloyd-Jones presents three main interpretations of Paul's statement that "all Israel shall be saved": 1. "All Israel" means the entire number of the elect from both Jews and Gentiles (essentially the Church). 2. "All Israel" means the restoration of Israel as a nation, with two sub-views: a) The Jewish people in general, with a large number being saved b) Every single individual Jew alive at Christ's return will be converted 3. "All Israel" means the total number of elect Jews (spiritual Israel rather than national Israel)
How does Lloyd-Jones suggest we approach difficult prophetic passages?
Lloyd-Jones suggests approaching difficult prophetic passages with humility, careful study, and by considering multiple interpretations. He states: "if there is one subject about which dogmatism should be entirely excluded, it is this." He encourages his listeners to "consider various possible views and interpretations" and "ask God to lead us and to guide us." He even says he would be pleased if some people leave feeling "less certain than you were at the beginning" because it would mean they recognize the complexity of the subject.
What principle of prophetic interpretation does Lloyd-Jones call "prophetic foreshortening"?
Lloyd-Jones explains "prophetic foreshortening" as a phenomenon in prophetic literature where events separated by long periods of time appear to be described together or in close sequence. He notes that in Old Testament prophecy, the first and second comings of Christ often seem "blended in together" with the church age not clearly distinguished. Similarly, in New Testament passages like Matthew 24, the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the final judgment are "telescoped into one another," requiring careful discernment to distinguish which events are being referenced.
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.