– Pastor’s Corner –

By the Rev. Dr. Jim Brandli New Life Alliance Church • Cornell, Wis.

Signs of the Times

“You can’t read the signs of the times.” ( Matthew 16:3)

What did that sign say? Trump or Biden? You know it’s election time, when political signs are in yards everywhere.

Politicians come knocking at the door, asking if they can post their sign in your yard. The signs posted in the front yard identify the political leanings of the homeowner.

Every sign is meant to tell you something. Stop at this intersection. Yield to oncoming traffic. Look both ways. Beware of Dog – don’t walk in that yard, you may get bit.

Road Work Ahead. Slow down. Pay attention, or you might hit a construction worker or vehicle. Every sign tells us something.

The most important signs are not political signs. The most important signs are the signs of the times.

Jesus complimented his disciples for being able to read the signs in the sky and knowing what the weather would be. “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather, because the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy, because the sky is red and threatening.’” Jesus’ disciples had learned how to read the sky. They were fishermen. Fishermen need to be able to read the signs of the sky. Otherwise, they might go out fishing and get stuck in a storm. And their lives would be in danger.

They knew how to read the signs of the sky. But they lacked the ability to read the more important signs.

“You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but can’t read the signs of the times.”

As Christians, we need to learn how to read the signs of the times. What time is it? If you go by a bank...often their sign will have a clock on it. You will know what time it is.

What time is it in our country? What does the future hold? Is it time for revival? Or, is it time for judgment?

Is it time for Christ’s return? Or, is it time for persecution?

When God’s judgment is near, you might say, “The handwriting is on the wall.”

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Those were the words written by a mysterious hand on the wall of Belshazzar’s palace, and interpreted by Daniel as predicting the doom of the king and his dynasty.

“At that moment, the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall, next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand writing, his face turned pale and his thoughts terrified him.” ( Daniel 5:5ff)

The king was terrified by the writing on the wall. He saw the hand write something. But he didn’t know what the writing meant. Often that’s the way things go... “The handwriting is on the wall.”

But what does the handwriting mean? As for our nation, only God knows for sure. One thing I do know, God’s plan for the world has not changed.

Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” The church’s mission has not changed. We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We are to preach it until He comes.

Christ is coming back. That’s for sure. When is He coming? I don’t know. “No man knows the day or the hour.”

So, since He is coming back and we don’t know when, we must be ready for Him to come at anytime, and share the good news until He comes.