UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES

One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. - Matthew 16:1

The phrase "signs of the times" actually was coined by Jesus. One day, the Pharisees and Sadducees approached Jesus together, which was quite remarkable, because these two groups didn't get along. They didn't mix. They didn't hang out together. They were polar opposites on the theological spectrum.

But the one thing they had in common was their hatred for Jesus. So they came to Him to test Him and demand a miracle. Now they had already seen a boatload of miracles.

They had seen Jesus cast out demons and calm storms and heal the sick and feed thousands of people and even raise the dead.

Yet they had the audacity to demand another sign. After all Jesus had done, after all of the miracles He performed, they were coming to Him and demanding another sign.

So Jesus told them, "You know the saying, Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day. You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times!
Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah." (Matthew 16:2-4)

In other words, "You can read the weather. Why can't you read the signs of the times?"

How often do people worry about whether it will rain or not, yet don't give a single serious thought about the signs of the end-time all around us? Why can't we see that the coming of the Lord is imminent?

Prayer: Ask the Lord for spiritual wisdom to understand the signs of our time.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 16:1-4