Jesus said:

Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Matthew 24: 32-36 New American Standard Bible). 

I have noticed a tendency among God's people to quote part, but not all, of the above passages. For example, we may quote Jesus where He says, "But of that day and hour no one knows," but not where He says, "when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door."

One reason for this is today's popular view tells us there are no signs for the Church to see before the rapture -- the sudden catching away of all believers. However, in the above passages, Jesus appears to disagree with this idea. He said, although we won't know the day or the hour, there would be signs for us to see warning of the nearness of His coming.  

If this is the case, what are the signs? Well, Jesus' disciples asked this very question. Here is Jesus' response:

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains ... For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will (Matthew 24: 14-21). 

To me it's clear Jesus was telling His disciples the appearing of the Antichrist in the temple, as foretold by the prophet Daniel, would be the sign of His coming. Some, however, say Jesus was only talking to Israel here and not the Church. So, when Jesus said "when you see," the "you" He was referring to was Israel.

The problem with that view is, when the Apostle Paul was dealing with the same question, he said the same thing. Paul said:

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4).

The difference is, here the "you" are Christians and the "they" is unbelieving Israel. It is believed Paul was in Athens writing this letter to one of his new churches in Europe. So, the reason Paul was saying "they" is because, at the time of writing, Israel and the temple still existed.

So, once again we see the appearance of the Antichrist in the temple is the sign of Christ's return -- even for the churches in Paul's day.

However, when the Apostle John wrote Revelation -- around 95 AD, the temple no longer existed. As you know, it was destroyed in 70 AD. And, this brings up an interesting question. If the temple no longer exists, how can the Antichrist's appearing be the first sign of Christ's return anymore? Well, it can't. And, I suspect this explains why the first great sign given in the book of Revelation for the seven churhes isn't the appearing of the Antichrist, it's the reappearing of Israel. John writes:

 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth (Revelation 12:1-2). 

And, the Antichrist is now the second sign. John writes:

Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems (Revelation 12:3). 

In other words, when Israel was reborn in 1948, we saw the first great sign of Christ's return. And, with the return of the Roman Empire in the form of the expanding European Union, we're seeing the second great sign.

And, Jesus said:

When you see these things ...