Luke 21.
As the time of the gentiles to trample down Jerusalem has or is coming to and end, and “the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” then...
“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Clearly Christ returning isn’t the beginning of those things coming to pass, but the end of them coming to pass, when they’ve already come to pass and redemption is visible. The beginning of them coming to pass is coinciding with the end of the times of the Gentiles, what some call the 70th week of Daniel.
Right now our so-called culture is heavily demonized, with the newest thing running amuck (genderism) being what I would liken to the proverbial pots telling the Potter that He has made mistakes and they feel they should not be as He made them.
When so much of everything looks like Romans 1:18-32 has been in play, should we be surprised to learn when all is said and done that it had been?
“Clearly Christ returning isn’t the beginning of those things coming to pass, but the end of them coming to pass, when they’ve already come to pass and redemption is visible.”
Yes, I agree. There seem to be many signs or at least clues by which we can “see the Day approaching.” I think the time to “look up” as you mentioned is when His return is ready to happen at any moment. I do not agree with those who say He might return any moment now, because these signs have not happened. And I think the passage you referenced about the signs in the sky are among the most important.
We live in days like the days of Noah and of Sodom, both of which Christ gave as clues to the end times.
In addition to these I’d say the “abomination of desolation” is a big one because we will know that there is only 3.5 years left before the destruction of antichrist and the establishment of Christ’s earthly kingdom. Christ’s return must happen before this, so that event would definitely initiate a time period of watching.