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.Matthew 16:1
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. Interestingly, Mark’s Gospel, commenting on this same event, tells us that after they said this to Jesus, He sighed deeply (see Mark 8:12).
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 signs. Why can’t you read the signs of the times?” How often do people worry about whether it will rain, yet they don’t give a single serious thought about where they will spend eternity? The signs for the return of the Lord are everywhere. We need to pay attention to the signs of the times and purify ourselves for His return.
