As God has ordained signs to be associated with the change of seasons, He also has ordained signs to be associated with certain times prearranged in history.  I’m reminded of what Jesus said to a group of religious leaders when they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.  He answered, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:1-3).

Evidently, just as God has given us signs for the changing seasons, He has also provided us with “signs of the times.”  No doubt, as Jesus spoke to these religious leaders, He was thinking about the many prophecies in the Scriptures that referred to Him.  In fact, the prophet Daniel actually predicted the number of years that would pass until the coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:25-26).  Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem on that predetermined day.

One wonders how the devout leadership of Israel could have missed these clear signs.  Yet, they did.  It wasn’t that they weren’t watching for the signs; they just wanted the wrong kind – something sensational.  They asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven, when, in fact, He already was.  He was fulfilling all the many prophecies written about Him in the Old Testament before their eyes, in real time.  In other words, the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were looking for signs, but in the wrong places.  And, it’s my fear that this may be happening today.  Once again our world may be experiencing “signs of the times” – prophetic road signs warning about the return of Christ – and once again many of our spiritual leaders may be looking in the wrong places.