Perhaps nobody has invited modern culture to imagine the stars like the pioneer science fiction writer Isaac Asimov and the innovative science fiction franchise Star Trek have.
Rochester Institute of technology, PD-US-1978-89, via Wikimedia Commons
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was one of the most famous science fiction writers of the 20th century. He was born in a Jewish family in the Soviet Union and moved to the United States as a child. Asimov wrote over 500 books, but he became very popular because of his science fiction stories, especially the Foundation Series. This series, started in the 1940s, talks about a huge galactic Empire. A man predicts that the Empire will fall, so he sets up two Foundations, through a fictional mathematics called psychohistory, at different ends of the galaxy to help protect knowledge and rebuild civilization. The story includes space travel between stars and planets, similar to how we now travel between countries by airplane.
20th Century most prominent Science Fiction on the screen
The idea of travelling between stars moved from books to television with Star Trek. This show featured actors William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. They explored space on a ship called the USS Enterprise. Shatner was born in Canada and Nimoy in Ukraine. Both came from Jewish families.
These three men—Asimov, Shatner, and Nimoy—helped people around the world imagine what life in space could be like. But long before them, Jesus also talked about the stars. He spoke of a future sign involving the stars that is even more amazing than anything they imagined.
Jesus references the Stars
We are now looking at Jesus during the last week of his life, especially through his Jewish background (read more here). On Day 3, he gave a curse predicting that the Jewish nation would be exiled. He also said that this curse would end one day, and that big changes would happen. His followers asked him when this would happen and what signs would show his return. Jesus answered that his return would come with signs in the stars.
24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24: 1-3
Jesus gave details of His Curse and said that the Temple would be destroyed (which happened in 70 CE). Later that evening, which was the start of the Jewish next day (Day 4), he went to the Mount of Olives and talked about his return.
Anticipating The End
Many people today feel like the world might end—through war, climate change, disease, or other disasters. Elon Musk even created SpaceX to try to help people live on Mars if Earth becomes unlivable.
Jesus said he came to fix the world, but first he needed to fix our hearts. After that, he would return and make everything right. On Day 4, Jesus explained the signs of his Second Coming.
Day 4 – Signs of his Return
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false Prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false Prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Matthew 24: 4-31
In Summary:
Jesus warned that many people would pretend to be him and lie. He said there would be wars, famines, earthquakes, and hatred. Many people would stop believing, and evil would grow. But those who stay faithful will be saved. He said the good news (the Gospel) would be shared all over the world before the end comes.
He warned about a time of great trouble and told the people in Judea to escape when they saw danger. He described this time as worse than anything the world had ever seen. But he also said these hard days would not last forever.
False teachers would try to trick people, but his return would be obvious, like lightning across the sky. Right after this time of trouble, the sun and moon would go dark, and the stars would fall. Then people would see Jesus coming in the clouds with great power, and he would gather his people.
Signs: The False and the True
On Day 4, Jesus explained that before his return, the world would face many disasters (the coming destruction of the Temple) —wars, disasters, and spiritual confusion. But his message would still be spread to the whole world. False teachers would try to fool people about Christ, but his real return would be seen in the sky, with the stars and sun going dark. No science fiction story has ever shown something like that. Jesus said this would be the true sign of his return.
He called himself the “Son of Man,” a title from the ancient Jewish prophet Daniel.
Assessing the Signs
In the Foundation Series, people used a made-up science to predict the future. But Jesus made real predictions without using science. He spoke from his ability to know the future.
So, are his predictions coming true?
We see more wars and disasters today, so things seem to follow his words. But the stars and heavens haven’t changed yet, so his return has not happened.
How close are we?
Luke’s Perspective
Another Bible writer, Luke, shared more of what Jesus said:
20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21: 20-24
Jesus also said that Jerusalem would be destroyed and the Jewish people would be scattered around the world. This happened in 70 CE. He said the land would be ruled by foreign nations until a certain time. For 1900 years, different non-Jewish groups ruled the land. But in 1967, the Jewish people took back Jerusalem. Jesus said this would happen when the time of the Gentiles ended.
The Roaring and Tossing Seas
He continued:
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
Luke 21: 29-31
Today, people are worried about climate change, rising sea levels, and powerful storms. This matches Jesus’ words about nations being afraid because of the sea.
He ended this part by telling a story:
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
Luke 21: 29-31
The Fig Tree greening up before our eyes
Jesus had earlier cursed a fig tree, which symbolized Israel. Israel began to “wither” in 70 CE. But Jesus said to watch for the fig tree to grow leaves again—this would mean his return is near. In the past 70 years, Israel has become a nation again, and the land is becoming fruitful. We can even see it through satellite images.
So, maybe we need to be more alert and ready, just as Jesus told us to be.
Stay Alert!
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready,because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:36-51
Jesus then taught on his return using specific parables or stories. They are given here.
Day 4 Summary
On Wednesday, Day 4 of Passion Week, Jesus explained the signs of his return. He said these would include disasters on Earth and in the sky, ending with the darkening of the stars and the sun.
He told people to be ready and stay alert. Now that we see the fig tree (Israel) growing again, maybe we are close. We should pay attention to the signs.
The next Gospel account tells how Jesus’ enemy made his move on Day 5.
Describing each day that week, Luke explains:
Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.
Luke 21:37