Why it's important to look for signs of the last days

[Cow Poke]

Generally, the problem with a "looking for signs" is that it's so easy to be wrong.

Not saying you're doing this, but I know people who got so involved with looking for signs that they fit the category "so heavenly minded they're no earthly good".

[Faber]

Now He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21)

[seanD]

Simply put, because it's scriptural.

Often we hear the argument today that goes something like this: "We shouldn't be concerned about the last days; we should always be prepared for the Lord's return regardless."

I don't dispute the latter (though it's a bit of a strawman argument), the former is not scriptural. There are three situations I recall from scripture where Jesus and the apostles addressed the last days. Jesus (Matthew 24), Paul (2 Thess 2), and John (1 John 2:18) all addressed this issue, and none of them rebutted it with the argument above.

In fact, to the contrary, Jesus instructed them directly to "know" the signs and the seasons. So to say we shouldn't be concerned about the signs is not only not based on scripture, but contrary to scripture; the instructions of the Lord himself to be exact.