THE SIGNS OF YESHUA’S SOON RETURN—Blog 2
This is my second Blog. Here, I will attempt to set out the signs of Yeshua’s Second Coming. In my book, The Jewish Messiah and the Second Coming, I outline every prophecy that touches on the events of the Last Days and the coming of Messiah to His people in Israel. In order to fully understand Messiah’s return to His people, a number of Old Testament prophecies must be consulted as well as the many New Testament pronouncements of Yeshua (Jesus) and the Apostles, John, Paul, Peter, James and Jude.
Of great importance are the prophecies set out in the Old Testament; principally, the visions God gave to Daniel and Zechariah concerning the Day of the Lord. Unfortunately, many people who are interested in the understanding of end-time prophecy tend to think that the Last Days mean the time when all existence on this planet we call, Earth, will come to an end. That is not what the prophecies say.
The Last Days refer to the time period culminating on the Day of the Lord, when God (Yeshua, the Messiah) will physically come to the Land of Israel to take up His millennial reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. All of the Old Testament prophecies speak of this special Day, when the God of Creation, (in the person of Yeshua), will return to the Land of Israel. Because Old Testament prophecy was veiled to prevent Satan and his cohorts from understanding what was coming, the prophets were not told who, (by name), this Messiah would be.
There were many hints in the Old Testament (Tanakh) as to the identity of the Messiah but God kept them veiled, not to hide them from mankind but to conceal the Messiah’s identity from Satan. Even though he knew from the very beginning of human existence in the Garden of Eden that God would, someday, “crush” Satan’s head, (Gen. 3;15), the Lord nevertheless kept the Messiah’s identity hidden in the prophecies until the time of His first advent in 5-4 B.C. This was done so that Satan could not destroy the Messiah’s progenitors before the time the angel, Gabriel, came to Mary with the announcement of her selection.
At just the right time in history, God miraculously brought Yeshua into the world as an infant, born of a woman; yet, still being both true God as well as true man. How such a thing was possible remains a great mystery that we, as humans, cannot begin to fathom. Even so, God performed this amazing miracle: the very Son of God (the second person of the Trinity) laid aside the glories and prerogatives of being a co-equal person in the eternal Godhead with the Father and the Holy Spirit and became an infant human, complete with all of the frailties and limitations that a helpless infant has.
Yeshua grew up like all children do but, even though He was God, He subjected Himself to the fragilities of human existence, living each day in the power and communion with God, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Yeshua did this, (called the kenoisis of Christ), for mankind since it was the Godhead’s ultimate plan and purpose that He lay down His life as a ransom and sacrifice for all who would believe in Him in order to save them from their brokenness and sin against God’s perfect and holy nature.
Satan, on the other hand, was determined to thwart God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and so the table had been set: the goodness and grace of God to save His Creation verses the evil and destruction that the Devil wanted to impose on humanity. This cosmic contest has persisted since the beginning of time and it will continue until the coming of the Messiah, Yeshua, to set all things right between God and man and to defeat, once and for all, the evil workings of Satan and his followers who want nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy.
The Timing of Yeshua’s Return
Daniel’s prophecies are very important to the understanding of the timing of Yeshua’s Second Coming. In Daniel 12:7-11, the prophet asked the heavenly being that had come to reveal God’s plan to him: “What will be the end of these things?” The heavenly being answered: “[Forty-two months are appointed for the end-time events to be completed] and, when the power of the holy people (Israel) is completely shattered, all these things will be finished….From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there shall be 1290 days.”
There you have it—a more specific statement could not be any clearer. There will come a time in the Land of Israel when a Temple (of some sort) is erected or dedicated in the City of Jerusalem. In that place, the daily sacrifices will once again be offered, (morning and evening), just as they were in the former Temples of Solomon and Herod. Whether these daily sacrifices begin at the start of the 42-month time period mentioned in this prophecy is not stated but the prophecy is clear that those daily sacrifices will have been in place for an unspecified length of time before something or someone will halt them.
From the day those daily sacrifices are halted, the time-clock will start ticking down to the end—1290 days! What causes the cessation of these sacrifices is not mentioned in Daniel but it appears that some kind of political intrigue will have taken place. During that same time-frame, Daniel was told that something abominable would be set up or initiated in the Temple and that it would cause desolation. Whether that desolation will be to the Temple itself or the fortunes of the City of Jerusalem is not stated but, whatever it is, this desolation will end up “completely shattering of the power of the holy people [the Jews].”
The Apostle, Paul, was also given many revelations concerning the Last Days. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12, he recorded this prophecy: “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that Day [of the Lord] will not come unless the rebellion [apostasy] comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God…And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth [Yeshua] and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe the lie, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth [Yeshua] but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (ESV).
Paul makes six major points: 1) there will be a rebellion (or apostasy); 2) the man of lawlessness (antichrist) will be revealed; 3) he will take his seat in the Temple, proclaiming himself to be God; 4) that someone was presently restraining the lawless one in Paul’s day (the First Century) and Paul’s audience knew who that was; 5) at some point in the future, that/those person(s) or entity(ies) will be taken out of the way; 6) then, the lawless one will come forth.
Many theologians and commentators have contended that the end times will encompass the whole world. That theory is not supported in any O.T. or N.T. prophecy. All end times prophecy revolves around Israel and its immediate neighbors. Many also contend that the restrainer is the Holy Spirit but the Greek construction of the text does not support that position. Instead, the Greek text uses the neuter in verse 6 (that which is restraining), thereby suggesting a force as opposed to God’s action. Since the Holy Spirit is God and a co-equal person in the Godhead, He could remove Himself but He cannot be taken out of the way like a human can be removed.
With that preliminary analysis in mind, I would like to propose a wholly different viewpoint. As Paul clearly stated in Romans 13:1-7, human government was instituted by God and He uses such agencies to effect His will. The power of human government was instituted to hold back wrong-doing, even when it, at times, was tyrannical, like Rome. As Paul stated: “The king does not bear the sword in vain,” (Rm. 13:4). Rome controlled Palestine for centuries and, after Rome, the Byzantine Empire, the Crusaders, the Ottomans and the British all held the Land of Israel under their sway until 1948, when the State of Israel was born. At some point, however, Paul prophesies that that restraint will be taken out of the way, which will allow for the “man of sin” to reveal himself to the people of Israel and gain control there.
Currently, the Likud Party and its coalition partners, with Netanyahu, are in firm control of the government in Israel. But, just as Churchill was dominant in the life of Britton during WWII, he was sent packing as soon as the war was over. Such a similar scenario could play itself out in Israeli politics once Israel has vanquished all of its present foes. To this date, someone is holding the forces of Satan at bay until “he (the governing authority) is taken out of the way.” Will Netanyahu be set aside at some point in the future? Time will tell.
Society everywhere is breaking down and some of the most ridiculous beliefs and political persuasions are being accepted by ill-informed voters who gather together in blocks to vote for some of the most outlandish politicians imaginable! Just look at the clown shows that are popping up all over the globe. With the youth of the world being readily susceptible to internet propaganda, this “out with the old, in with the new” could devastate the nation of Israel in the years ahead, setting up the conditions for the advent of the “man of sin.”
Yeshua (Jesus) hinted at this when He stated: “I came in my Father’s name and you [the people of First Century Israel] received me not but if another [Gk. allos, of the same kind—a Jew] comes in his own name, him you will receive,” (John 5:43). Yeshua was predicting what would happen once He was no longer living among His people in the flesh. Someday, someone like Him (a Jew) will appear in Israel, not coming in the Father’s name but in his own name, and the people of Israel will fall for “the lie” and rush to him!
Yeshua warned His Disciples: “Many will come in my name, saying ‘I am He’ and will deceive many….if anyone says to you, ‘Here is the Messiah or there, do not believe it’. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect [the wise in Israel].” (See: Matt. 24). But, due to the “apostasy” (i.e. the falling away from traditional Jewish teachings and prophecy), the “man of sin” will be revealed in the last days and he will lead many to their destruction.
So, where are we today, at the end of 2025?
As of December 31, 2025, the people and government of Israel appear to now be the undisputed victors in their wars with Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, the Houthis in Yemen and Iran. The USA is also backing them. Their “power” is far from being “shattered” at this time. So, while the present days do not suggest that Israel is entering into the “time of Jacob’s trouble,” all of her successes may still be laying the groundwork for her ultimate downfall into vainglory and apostasy. Should that occur, the Israeli people will have set themselves up for a very rude awakening—the coming of an imposter, (the false prophet as stated in Revelation 13). So, stay alert and watch what may be swiftly changing in Israeli society. Look for the building or dedication of a new Temple in Jerusalem. When that takes place, know that the season for Messiah’s return is near. Once the daily sacrifices commence and then are halted, only 1290 days remain until Yeshua splits open the skies over Jerusalem and He suddenly comes in flaming glory to rescue and judge His people.
Very few know about the Temple Mount Faithful. It is a group in Israel that is working toward the rebuilding of the Third Temple. For years, various kibbutzim have been trying to breed a pure red heifer, which is needed to purify the Temple site and the participants who will undertake the project. Up to 2022, they were never able to do so. Several years ago, a Jewish delegation found a rancher in Texas that had produced a number of pure red heifers, which were then purchased and brought to Israel. At some point, these red heifers will be killed and their ashes sprinkled in purification rights to dedicate a new Temple.
In addition, the Temple artifacts, implements and furnishings have already been prepared according to the requirements of the Torah and the vetting of the Kohanim, (i.e. priests with pedigrees going back to Aaron), has begun. With many of the Muslim roadblocks now removed, all that remains is for the Temple site to be prepared and the construction to begin. Now, this could take years or it could happen very quickly, just as Hamas, Hezbollah and the fall of Iran have taken place in a relatively short space of time.
With Israel now victorious over her many hatful neighbors, the stage could be set for the building or dedication of the Third Temple. Once that structure has been completed, the resumption of the Temple worship will quickly begin and the daily sacrifices will be inaugurated. The fervor to do this has been simmering in Israel for many years and it won’t take much for the religious faithful to get the ball rolling. The problem with their plans, however, should be obvious: the Temple worship will not include Yeshua (Jesus) and, once animals are sacrificed for sin on the Day of Atonement, that will be an affront to the God of Heaven who will not let that apostasy go unpunished! Could that be the abomination of desolation? Stay tuned. We will soon see.
The blood of a goat can never stand in the place of the blood of the Lamb of God, Yeshua! When He died on Calvary’s Cross in A.D. 30, God tore the Veil in the Temple from top to bottom, (Matt. 27:51), signifying that Yeshua’s sacrifice was accepted and that animal sacrifice was no longer necessary to cover the people’s sin. Yeshua’s willing sacrifice of Himself to atone for the sins of mankind was all that was necessary to allow sinful humans to approach the throne of God’s grace, (Heb. 4:16). No longer would there be a veil of separation between God and man, since Yeshua died, once for all, (Heb. 7:27). Consequently, the offering of animal sacrifices today would be a stench in God’s nostrils, since it would represent a total repudiation of His Son’s sacrifice for humanity.
Why did Yeshua come to John on the Isle of Patmos with the Revelation?
The prophet, Isaiah, (Isa. 47:8), quotes a proverb against the people of Israel, saying: “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.” This prophecy showed Israel’s utter arrogance and false sense of security! The larger part of that prophecy (Ch. 47) indicates that God will bring judgment down upon the people of Israel for their false pride in their own accomplishments and not giving the glory to God and His Son, Yeshua.
That same judgment is vividly depicted by the Apostle, John, at Rev. 18:10, where the Great City Babylon (a cryptic synonym for Jerusalem) will come upon her in “one hour” at the time-of-the-end. For all of this to take place as is written in the prophecies, many swift events will have to take place. That swiftness has surely taken place in the events since October 7, 2023. Syria, Hamas, Lebanon and Iran have all been vanquished without so much as a whimper by Russia or China, their allies. The rest of Last Days prophecy can also take place in a similarly short period of time.
The purpose, then, of this Website is to present to you the many large chunks of prophecy that paint the picture of the end times but not piled on to overwhelm you. I will do my best to place them in a chronological sequence and serve them to you in portions that you will be able to digest. When we are done, you will be able to see the entire prophetic picture of the Last Days and how our present time fits into that prophetic picture.
God always warns His people before He acts. In the Daniel 12:7-11 passage discussed above, Daniel was told that the “wicked would continue in their wickedness,” (which will be more than just sinning; in the Last Days, many of God’s people living in Israel will willfully depart from the Law and Prophets as set forth in the Tanakh and will go their own way. However, there will also be others in the Land of Israel that will have remained faithful to God—they will be the “woman (Israel) and her offspring” that are depicted at Rev. 12:16-17; “they will purify themselves, make themselves white and be refined but none of the wicked shall understand [the prophecies] but the wise shall understand,” (See: Dan. 12:10). The “wise ones” that Daniel was referring to are the same people that Yeshua warned to stay alert and watch—i.e. they will be the five ‘wise virgins’ who had prepared themselves and were ready to meet their Lord and Savior at His coming, (Matt. 25:1-12). Israel! Open your eyes. The time of your visitation is drawing near!
