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Are We Living in the Last Days? For thousands
of years people have been fascinated with predictions of the end of the world. Some 2,000 years later, Christians are still asking what events
will signal the end of the age and the return of Christ. He answered this important question. The problem most people face
with His answer has to do with interpretation. We want our answers clean and neat, like a precise solution to a math problem. Instead, the meaning of Christ's answer involves an understanding
of the periodic repetition of trends and devastating events that have transpired over the last 2,000 years, as well as a perception
of the increased intensity and magnitude of similar occurrences as we near the end. But we should remember that Jesus made it plain that no one
could know the exact time of His return: ".
. . Of that day and hour now one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (verse 36). Only the Father knows the precise time of His Son's return. Yet we can perceive
important prophetic principles. We will discuss the biblical signs, the keys that unlock future
events in the light of Bible prophecy. But first let's examine how the Bible uses the term the "last days" or "End Times". It is important to understand what the end time is. Misunderstanding
it can cause great confusion, uncertainty and anguish. But a good biblical grasp of the subject can bring comfort and confidence.
So let's go to the Bible to see what it reveals about the end time. The meaning of the "Last Days" or "End
Times" One of the most succinct explanations of the time of the end
is in the book of Daniel. In chapter 12 God reveals to Daniel a summary of major events to take place at the end time. God tells Daniel: "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your
people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time
your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt . . . But you, Daniel, shut up the words,
and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel
12:1-4, emphasis added throughout). Jesus' disciples asked Him about the last days or end times.
His response echoed Daniel's words: "For then
there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall
be" (Matthew 24:21). God revealed to Daniel more information about the end. "And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the
waters of the river, 'How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?' Then I heard the man clothed in linen [say] . .
. that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered,
all these things shall be finished. Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, 'My lord, what shall be the end of
these things?' And he said, 'Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" (Daniel
12:6-9). This scripture indicates that the term "last Days" or "End Times" refers primarily to a period of unparalleled world trouble and will conclude with the establishment of God's
Kingdom on earth. This lesson series focuses essentially on prophecies directly or indirectly related to the the close
of "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4). A word of Warning Christ cautioned His generation not to be ignorant of the
"Signs of The Times" Consequently, He warned, many would come in His name, claiming
to represent Him. This in itself is conducive to the signs of the end times. But we would be wrong to not heed the warning
signs. (Matt. 24) Specific events unfolding The Bible describes specific key events and conditions that
would occur in the final days: Rebirth of the Nation of Israel - This took place in
1948. - The Bible not only predicts the restoration of Israel (see Ezekiel 37), but also the revival of the old
Roman Empire. (The EU.) (Dan.
2:41; 7:7-8; Rev. 13:1; 17:12). In the book of Revelation, John sees a vision in which some
of God's people,"The Jews" are depicted as being of the woman of Jesus's birth, that they are sheltered
from Satan's persecution and "nourished for
a time and times and half a time"--for 31/2 years (first half of the Tribulation) (Revelation 12:14). Furious at being unable to attack these people, Satan will "make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ" (verse 17). Thus we see in three prophecies that the focus of end-time
predictions is primarily on a specific 31/2-year period of worldwide distress so terrifying and threatening that God will
never allow such to occur again. Such prophecies help us understand the conditions and events that will mark the beginning
of this crucial period. Noah and Our Time: A Sobering Parallel Jesus Christ used the example of Noah to reveal attitudes
that would predominate near the end: "But as
the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came
and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37-39). This is history and prophecy working together. Their meaning
is clear: The attitude of people in Noah's day would prevail again just before Christ's second coming. The key to the example Christ gave is to understand that people
can be so concerned about the cares of this life that they neglect to seek their Creator (Matthew 6:33; Luke 21:34-35). It happened before, and it is happening again. The apostle Paul commented to Timothy about other carnal attitudes
and activities that would characterize the last days: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without
self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having
a form of godliness, but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). This perfectly describes the dominant attitude and outlook
of our age. Such attitudes will prevent the vast majority of humanity from believing God and the biblical warning signs until
all havoc breaks loose. Like the people in Noah's time who laughed and mocked his building an ark, the end of this age will
come when the overwhelming majority are unprepared The Bible speaks
of three specific ages in man's history: The first age is the period before the Flood, from the
time of Adam to Noah. It is called in the Bible "the
world that then existed." We read in 2 Peter 3:6 that
"the world that then existed perished, being
flooded with water." The second age includes the time after the Flood until Christ's
second coming. It is called in Scripture "this
present evil age" (Galatians 1:4). Jesus' disciples
wanted to know when this period would end. They asked Him: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew
24:3). The third age of man will begin at Christ's second coming and
is referred to in God's Word as "the world to
come"(Hebrews 2:5). The third era will start with the resurrection of the righteous at Jesus' return
to earth. Speaking of this resurrection, the book of Revelation states: "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.
Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand
years" (Revelation 20:6). Prophecies from the Old Testament Some think the subject of the end time in the Bible is mainly
confined to the New Testament. But beginning in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the Scriptures look beyond our present
evil age to the time of the establishing of God's Kingdom. Old Testament scriptures have much to say about events that take
place during the last half of the tribulation. That 3 1/2-year final period of the time of the end and the following
"world to come." Although Satan was destined to harm the Savior (by instigating His crucifixion), the devil could not prevent Jesus from coming back to life and cannot prevent Christ from ultimately
defeating him. Paul referred to this prophecy when he wrote to Church members
in Rome, "And the God of peace will crush Satan
under your feet shortly" (Romans 16:20).
It is comforting to know that at Christ's second coming Satan will at last be vanquished and imprisoned (Revelation 20:1-3).
Righteous men mentioned in the Old Testament, such as Enoch,
knew that God ultimately would intervene to carry out His judgment on earth. "Now Enoch, the seventh [generation] from Adam, prophesied
about these men also, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict
all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh
things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him" (Jude 14-15). After the Flood other faithful men such as Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob looked beyond our present evil age to the time when God's Kingdom would be established. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would
receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in
a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city
which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:8-10). We find many prophecies about end-time events in the book of
Psalms. Psalm 2 reveals the nations will oppose the rule of Christ: "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? . . . I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance,
and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like
a potter's vessel' "(Psalm 2:1, 7-9). Other mentions of end-time events are in: (Psalm 9:5-15; 10:3-18; 11:1-7; 12:3-5; 21:8-12; 46:8-10; 47:1-4;
75:7-8; 76:7-9; 96:10-13; 97:1-6; 98:1-3; 99:1-5; and 110:1-6). The end time: a theme of the prophets Although prophecies relating to the end time are only occasionally
found in the early books of the Old Testament, they are a major theme of the prophets who wrote several centuries later. Peter
explains that these prophets were "searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ [the time of His first coming], and the glory that should follow [His second coming]" (1 Peter 1:11,
KJV.). Here are a few examples that show this recurring theme in Isaiah: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter
days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' "For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people. They shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:2-4). "Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men
shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall come upon everything
proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up--and it shall be brought low . . . They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and
into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily"(Isaiah 2:10-12, 19). "In that day the Branch of the Lord [Jesus Christ] shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing
for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will
be called holy--everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem"(Isaiah 4:2-3). "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son
is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over
His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever"(Isaiah 9:6-7). "Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel,
with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate, and he will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven
and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause
its light to shine. 'I will punish the world for its evil . . . Therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth will move
out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts' " (Isaiah 13:9-13). Literally dozens more such prophecies appear in the book of Isaiah
and almost as many in the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. These men prophesied of the terrible days that would precede
the coming of the Messiah as King of kings. Other prophets speak explicitly of the end
times The final section of the Old Testament is known as the Minor
Prophets. Virtually all of these 12 prophetic books have something to say about the end time. Joel and Zechariah are examples. God inspired Joel to describe the great destruction which would
take place during the Day of the Lord: "Blow
the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the
Lord is coming, for it is at hand. A day of darkness and gloominess . . . The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp
is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure
it?" (Joel 2:1-2, 11). Zechariah adds: "Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will
gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem . . . Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He
fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east
. . . And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be--'The Lord is one,' and His name one" (Zechariah
14:1-3, 9). The theme of the end time and the Kingdom of God figures so prominently
in the books of the prophets that Peter told the Jews they should believe in Christ because of this testimony. Peter admonished
them: "Repent therefore and be converted, that
your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus
Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has
spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began"(Acts 3:19-21).
Mighty as the Roman Empire was in those days, its legions didn't come close to having the armaments
to wipe mankind from the face of the earth. This condition would only become a real possibility in the 20th century with the
development and deployment of nuclear weapons in a worldwide arsenal with the capacity to kill every man, woman and child
many times over.
Signs of an approaching end Jesus described in a brief outline form the conditions that would
indicate the end time neared. He warned His disciples: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive
many" (Matthew 24:4-5). Jesus first prophesied it would be common to use His name to
win over followers. This suggests that a Counterfeit Christianity, consisting of many outwardly professing Christian churches, denominations and organizations
would exist at the time of the end, and that many, a large majority, would be deceived into believing their leaders represented
Christ. Yet the original True and Faithful Bible Believing Church - a Very
Few - a Little Flock - a Small Remnant - that really follows Christ would be faithfully obeying God's Word and His commandments. Christ
warned, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Next Jesus described political, military and environmental trends
before His second coming. "And you will hear
of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows"(Matthew 24:6-8). An analogy of labor pains Many assume the constant reports of wars, violence, uprisings,
famine, epidemics, earthquakes and natural disasters in our headlines are sure signs we are in the end time. Certainly Jesus
Christ and other biblical prophets made it clear such tragedies will shake the earth as the time of the end approaches. But Jesus Christ Himself explained that these factors, by themselves,
do not reveal we are in the end time, because there would be many such catastrophes before He returns. These tragedies, Jesus said, set the stage
for the greater turmoil and sorrow of the end time. Horrifying and deadly as they are, these disasters are only "the beginning of sorrows." The worst is yet to come. Paul described the deteriorating moral and spiritual values that
would permeate the last days: "But know this,
that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of
good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying
its power"(2 Timothy 3:1-5). Again, the key to determining whether a moral downswing--including
the modern one--is part of the moral degradation spoken of by the apostles and prophets is whether the trends steadily increase
or ultimately diminish. If they continue intensifying, and are accompanied by the other end-time signs Jesus Christ and the
prophets predicted, then the final events may be just around the corner. First, could they simply be part of the normal ebb and flow of
disasters people have experienced throughout history? Second, are all the signs Jesus mentioned in place? Third, is there solid evidence the prophesied trends and conditions
are inexorably increasing and intensifying? Today, more than ever in history, we can see most fulfillment's
of the signs Jesus Christ gave present in our world. Yet a few crucial signs of the "time of the end"
are still missing. The puzzle remains a little short of some essential pieces. Other signs mark that time Jesus predicted other signs that will mark that increasingly
threatening time. He said a ruthless persecution against God's people--this time on a worldwide scale--will again emerge:
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation
and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another,
and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the
love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:9-13). The 20th century could well be labeled "the century of martyrs".
Thousands of the True Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world have been imprisoned, tortured, and murdered on
account of their faith. In fact, more Christians have been killed for their faith during the last century then in all previous
centuries combined. As intolerant conditions worsen, frightened people will grow
even more fearful and betray each other. In a growing climate of lawlessness and hostility, people will abandon each other
and God and His instruction. The devil, having been cast down to the earth and knowing his time is short (Revelation 12:12-17),
will try to disrupt God's plans. After the Rapture, Satan will inspire his followers to
take control of God's holy city, Jerusalem. "Therefore
when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads,
let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains . . . For then there will be great tribulation,
such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those day were shortened,
no flesh would be saved . . ." (Matthew
24:15-16, 21-22, compare Revelation 11:2). Jerusalem has fallen to outside forces before, including the
Romans, Arabs and Turks. Jesus predicted foreign forces will again gain control in a period of unparalleled global crisis.
This same period will see the instigation of a world war that, if God were not to intervene, would eventually destroy human
life from the planet. Religious and heavenly signs Jesus continued with other signs that would mark the end time.
He revealed that religious leaders will use Satan's deceptive powers to perform miracles and persuade the world to do their
bidding. "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look,
here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and
wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:23-24). To counteract this deception, Christ predicts His gospel would
be faithfully preached to all nations as the end time nears: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the
end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Later, after the Rapture and during the final 3 1/2-year period
of the Tribulation, He will use two of His servants as mighty witnesses for the truth, giving them miraculous powers. "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy
one thousand two hundred and sixty days [31/2 years] . . . These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days
of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often
as they desire" (Revelation 11:3, 6). Other dramatic events that will happen after the Rapture
will mark these final days. "Immediately after
the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matthew 24:29). After these astounding events, said Jesus, He will return to
earth in power and majesty. "Then the sign of
the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (verse 30).. The End Time: The End of What? The Bible speaks of "the time of the end." But exactly
what will come to an end? Jesus Christ contrasted "this age" with "the age to come" (Matthew 12:32).
The word translated age in this passage is the Greek word aion (from which we derive
the English word - eon),
signifying "a period of indefinite duration
. . . marked by spiritual or moral characteristics" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament
Words, 1985, "Age"). Paul contrasted the age "which is to come"(Ephesians 1:21) with the world we know, which he
called "this present evil age" (Galatians
1:4). Spiritually and morally, this age and the age to come
are polar opposites.
Biblical Terms for the Coming End of Man's Age
Some biblical terms have a considerably broader application than
the 31/2-year time of crisis immediately preceding Jesus Christ's second coming. This can lead to some confusion should we
try to force these terms into a strict end-time-only usage. The apostle John, writing in the first century, used the expression
the "last hour" in referring to his day: "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists
have come, by which we know that it is the last hour" (1 John 2:18). Like others in his day, John likely thought Jesus Christ's return
was imminent (Acts 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). But God has a considerably different perspective of time. His comprehension of time
is not like ours. A day with Him is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years as one day (2 Peter 3:8). John did warn us to be on the lookout for "antichrists," a
description meaning any professing to be like Christ but in word and deed actually working against Him. A trend that began
in John's day will continue to the time of the end, when this false representation of Jesus Christ and His teaching will grow
worse. Paul, Peter, John and Jude use the terms [last days, last time and latter times or end times] to describe the last part of man's era. Paul warned Timothy that some Christians would leave the truth
of God at the time of the end. He called this general future period the "latter times": "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will
depart from the faith" (1 Timothy 4:1). He also writes: "God . . . has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Hebrews
9:26 uses the phrase "end of the ages"
to depict the period from Jesus' sacrifice to His second coming. Notice Peter's words: "He . . . was manifest [visible] in
these last times for you" (1 Peter 1:20).
John says: "Little children, it is the last
time [because] many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the
last time" (1 John 2:18, KJV). Note that Jude uses the term "last time": ". . . Remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles
of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their
own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit" (Jude 17-19). In the first chapter John writes that, in vision, he was taken
to the time he called "the Lord's day"--the same period called "the day of the Lord" by earlier prophets and other
apostles (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Joel 1:15; Amos 5:18-20;
Obadiah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). Vision of the end time The book of Revelation is a book written to reveal the future,
and Jesus Christ is the One who does the revealing: "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place . . . Behold, He
is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because
of Him" (Revelation 1:1, 7). Here is the theme of Revelation: the time of the end of the
age and the coming of Jesus Christ to establish God's Millennial Kingdom on earth. John explains where he was when he received a vision of the
end time. "I, John, both your brother and companion
in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet"(Revelation 1:9-10). The Lord's day (also known as "the day of the Lord" or "the day of Christ" throughout Scripture) is the time of God's intervention in man's affairs when He establishes His Millennial
Kingdom. (Plainly in this context it does not
refer to a particular day of the week for worshiping God). Paul says, "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And
they shall not escape" (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). In another epistle Paul calls it "the day of Christ"
(2 Thessalonians 2:2). The reason is that Christ, the Lord, is the central focus ofthese events. This is
why the period is called the Lord's day. John's vision of the Lord's day begins in Revelation
4. "Immediately I was in the Spirit;
and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne"
(Revelation 4:2). After describing the scene in heaven, John focuses on a scroll God holds that, as we will see,
lists end-time events. "And I saw in the right
hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals" (Revelation
5:1). Only Jesus Christ, called the Lamb, is worthy to open the
seals and unleash the end-time events. When God the Father determines the time is ready, He authorizes Jesus to initiate the
events written on the scroll. They include the terrifying end-time occurrences prophesied throughout the Scriptures to take
place during the last 31/2-years of the Tribulation. The seven seals describe the events before and during Christ's
return to rule the earth. "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels . . . saying with a loud
voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
(Revelation 5:11-12). Here Christ is being authorized to unleash the final events and then establish His
Kingdom on earth. Christ opens the seven seals John describes the period before the final 31/2 years.
Jesus opens, in Revelation 6, the seven seals on the scroll of prophecy. The first four of the seven represent
events beginning in the days of the apostles and leading up to the time of the end. Jesus gave the meaning of the seals in
the Olivet Prophecy about the end time (Matthew
24, Mark 16, Luke 21). The first seal (Revelation 6:1-2) represents
the deception by a false Christianity that began in the days of the apostles (Matthew 24:4-5). The second
seal (Revelation 6:3-4) refers to the increasing devastation caused by war as the end approaches (Matthew 24:6-7). The third seal (Revelation 6:5-6) represents increasing hunger and famines (Matthew 24:7). Other consequences
of war and famine are represented by the fourth seal
(Revelation 6:7-8)--such things as disease, plagues and civil
unrest that kill many people (Matthew 24:7). All of the events in the first four seals have been occurring,
with varying frequency and intensity, from Christ's time to our day. But they will also be greatly intensified in the suffering
mankind will have to endure at the time of the end. The fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11) brings us
directly to the time of the end. It acknowledges the past persecution and martyrdom of God's servants and announces they will
have to wait only "a little while longer, until
both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed," before God avenges their deaths. In Matthew 24:9 Jesus tells His followers theirs will
be a time when "they will deliver you up to
tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." This will be a time of "great
tribulation" unlike anything the world has ever experienced
(verse 21). The sixth seal The next seal describes how "powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matthew 24:29)
after the end-time tribulation and martyrdom of the saints has begun but before God's wrath is unleashed in "the Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31). These heavenly signs announce the beginning of the Day of the Lord. "I looked when He opened the sixth seal,
and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And
the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky
receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. "And the kings of the earth, the great
men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the
rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the
throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation
6:12-17). Jesus described this sixth sign in the Olivet Prophecy. "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the
stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from
fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then
they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up
and lift up your heads, because your redemption [rescue] draws near" (Luke 21:25-28). Consequently, near the end of the 31/2-years of Satan's wrath,
God will intervene, first with signs and wonders in the heavens, then by orchestrating His final punishments before Jesus
Christ's return. The seventh and final seal Finally the seventh seal is opened (Revelation 8).
It describes seven other aspects of end-time events, each announced with a trumpet blast. In the first four of these, plagues
God strikes the earth and mankind's environmental support systems. The fifth trumpet's plague inflicts great pain on those
refusing to serve God. In the sixth trumpet plague, God permits an unimaginably destructive and all-out worldwide war to begin
(Revelation 8-9). With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the Bible reveals,
"the mystery of God would be finished, as He
declared to His servants the prophets"
(Revelation 10:7). This mystery of the end time was briefly alluded to in the
Garden of Eden and its meaning glimpsed by the patriarchs and prophets. John writes: "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms
of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation
11:15). As Christ finished the Olivet Prophecy, He warned His disciples
who would live during the end time: "But take
heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come
on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and
pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass [the terrible end-time events],
and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36). "This Generation Will Not Pass" Many are puzzled by Jesus Christ's words, "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass
away till all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34). Did He mean that current generation of His disciples? Two
biblical reasons eliminate this possibility. The first one is the context. Jesus had just said, "So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is
near--at the doors!" (verse 33). Did His disciples "see all these things" in their
generation? Certainly not. They were not in a generation that had the ability to destroy all of mankind. Jesus said of the
final, end-time generation, "And unless those
days were shortened, no flesh would be saved" (verse 22). Clearly the weapons of that day were not sufficient to bring this prophecy to pass. Jesus continually told His disciples that only God the
Father knew exactly when the end time would begin. He said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32). If Jesus knew the "Last Days" or "End
Times" would be in their generation, He would have been contradicting
Himself. He said even He didn't know the precise time. What He did know was the end-time events would all occur within the
lifetime of one generation, that "Final Generation"
That would be alive at the end of the age. Even after Jesus was resurrected and appeared to His disciples,
they asked Him, "Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus responded, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father
has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:6-7). Jesus' disciples did not witness the "Last Days" or the
"End Times". That was not the time God had established for it to occur. Only one generation, that "Final Generation" will be a witness to all the mounting global conditions described in God's Word. That one generation, that "Final Generation" that would be alive at the "End
of The Age" or during the "Last days" What, then, did Christ mean when He said "this generation will not pass away"? He was merely explaining that, once all the prophesied world conditions are present,
they will not continue indefinitely. World conditions will be so threatening that they cannot continue indefinitely or humanity
would be in danger of extinction. These events will not pass from one generation to another.
Once the prophesied conditions exist, all will be fulfilled--including the return of Jesus Christ--all this would occur within
the lifetime of one generation, adeptly named The "Final Generation" The Population Explosion and Prophecy According to population experts, it took almost 1,900 years
for the world to slowly rise from an estimated 250 million at the time of Christ to a billion and a half at the beginning
of the 20th century. Then, in the 20th century alone, the earth's population has exploded as it quadrupled in size. It has reached
the staggering mark of six billion people. In spite of advances in birth control, the world population is still rapidly climbs. Already the earth shows serious consequences from this rapid
population increase combined with the excessive consumption of the earth's resources. In 1989 the fishing industry reported
a dwindling of fish catches in oceans, and the decline has continued. Diminishing reserves of metals, fossil fuels, forests,
arable lands, freshwater and wildlife are facts of life. Pollution has already reached a global scale, and with it,
Global Warming
and Extremly
Destructive Weather
Conditions,
leaving us with hardly any part of the earth free from contaminated air, water and soil. This is not an extremist view, but
rather what world organizations such as the UN and the Red Cross are continually reporting. Perhaps in the United States, Europe and Japan, where funds
are available to curb the most damaging effects of the rise in population, there is not so much concern. But these nations
comprise only a sixth, or a billion, of the world's inhabitants. The rest of the world is in a far worse condition. More famines predicted The dramatic increase in the world population has placed great
strains on the political, military, economic and social systems around the planet. Some relief agencies already consider parts
of Africa to be in a chronic state of hunger. The population explosion is not only a problem of quantity,
but of quality--because of varying living standards. While the birth rate in industrialized countries has plummeted, in backward
regions it remains quite high. It is estimated that more than 95 percent of population growth
will take place in world's 130 poorest countries. Already one fourth of the earth's inhabitants live on less than a dollar
a day. Yet this is part of the group that is dramatically multiplying. Half of the world's population is concentrated in China
(1.2 billion), India (one billion) and Africa (800 million). As the population grows, it strains the relations within cities
and among nations. More crime, violence and disease will invariably appear as people are increasingly forced to live in cramped
and unhealthy quarters. According to 1990 UN statistics, Tokyo was the most populous
city, with 25 million, followed by New York City's 16 million. But the UN calculates that in the next 15 years the largest
cities will be in poor nations, such as Bombay, India, with 28 million; Lagos, Nigeria, with 24 million; Shanghai, China,
with 23 million; and Mexico City and São Paulo, with 20 million. Can these impoverished nations continue to provide basic
services and enforce the peace as their resources dry up? Prophecy on the march How is any of this related to prophecy? First, according to
the end-time scenario of the Armegeddon battle described in the book of Revelation, a massive army from
the east of the Euphrates River will cross the river and bring a disastrous world war. "And I heard a voice . . . saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release
the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.' So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day
and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million" (Revelation
9:13-16). For this prophecy to come to pass, billions of people must
exist on the planet for this region of Asia to field 200 million able-bodied soldiers. Until the latter part of the 20th century,
Chinese and other Asian people could not even muster half that number. But now, for the first time in history, they can provide
such a massive military force. Also, as world population multiplied in the 20th century,
so did the explosion of knowledge, made possible by improved communications, travel and technology. We can easily see the
fulfillment of the prophecy God gave to Daniel:
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall increase" (Daniel 12:4). We take for granted such things as rapid international travel,
computers, the Internet and the knowledge explosion, but these were widely available only beginning during the closing years
of the 20th century. Parallel to Noah's day The prediction of a rapid increase in population is related
to: The Conditions in Noah's Time. Christ compared the society of Noah's day to the end time: "But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of
the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until
the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of
the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37-39). The people of Noah's day were not aware that God's judgment
was being carried out because of an increase in their evil deeds. The Bible says the earth was full of violence and corruption,
which was the reason God brought about the Flood (Genesis
6:5-12). The New American Bible translates: "In the eyes of God the earth was corrupt and full of lawlessness. When God saw how
corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals led depraved lives on earth, he said to Noah: 'I have decided to put an end
to all mortals on earth; the earth is full of lawlessness because of them. So I will destroy them and all life on earth' "
(Genesis 6:11-12). Christ's prediction that end-time conditions would be similar
to those of Noah's time does resemble the description of our day, although we don't know exactly how long God in His patience
will permit time to go on before He intervenes. He prophesied He will eventually punish the earth's inhabitants for their
evil ways and establish His Kingdom of peace. Peter reminds us, "God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built" (1 Peter 3:20, New International Version). The population explosion is a fact of life. But little have
people realized that these circumstances are leading to the fulfillment of end-time prophecies--ultimately bringing the solutions
to a troubled world that only God in His mercy can provide. God's Framework for End-Time Prophecy What is the proper view of prophecy? Can it provide spiritual
benefits? The apostle Peter mentioned that prophecy should serve to
strengthen our hope and faith in the future. He said: "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until
the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts . . ."
(2 Peter 1:19). Here Peter compared Bible prophecies to a light that provides
visibility until the final coming of God's Kingdom, brought by Jesus Christ to earth. When this occurs every eye will see
His glory as if it is a great light (Matthew
24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7). God gives us an outline and sequence of prophetic events,
but many specifics remain unclear. Some things we can see clearly, but others are beyond our view at this point in history. So what is the framework of prophecy that steadfastly remains?
Among the many prophecies of events leading up to Christ's return, some major prophetic scenarios can be identified and specifically
confirmed as they occur. As Peter said, we "do
well to heed" them. First condition: Man's ability to annihilate
life The first of these certain prophecies deals with a specific
condition described by Christ that would be present only as the end time drew near. He said to His disciples: "It will be a time of great distress; there has never been such
a time from the beginning of the world until now, and will never be again. If that time of troubles were not cut short, no
living thing could survive; but for the sake of God's chosen it will be cut short" (Matthew 24:21-22,
New English Bible). Jesus warned that a time would come that would see the destructive
capacity of mankind so awesome that all human life could be erased. This is what makes the time of "great distress" so
terrifying, unequaled in human history. Mankind has been fighting wars since the dawn of history.
But man never had the ability--with rocks and clubs, bows and arrows, cannons, or automatic weapons--to literally exterminate
every human being on earth. This changed in 1945 with the detonation of the first atomic
bombs, followed by the development of far-more-destructive hydrogen bombs. With thousands of nuclear weapons at his disposal,
man has the ability to destroy all human life from the planet many times over. This situation never existed in history until
the latter half of the 20th century. Man has never been a great caretaker of the earth, but never before did he have the capacity
to destroy all human life. But Christ predicted that, left unchecked, mankind would do exactly that, and this is one of the
reasons He must intervene to save mankind. Second condition: the Jewish nation reborn-The Budding of the Fig Tree! The second condition that must exist before Christ's return
concerns the existence of the nation of modern Israel. The survival of the religion and culture of this ancient biblical
people, which witnessed the rise and decline of such great civilizations as Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, goes
against the odds. The fact it was never assimilated into the nations where it was scattered is unprecedented. A historian
of the 19th century, Heinrich Graetz, stated that
"a nation which has witnessed the rise and decay of the most ancient empires, and which still continues to hold its place
in the present day, deserves the closest attention.". Since the Arabs temporarily control the Temple Mount, or the "holy place" that Christ referred to in His prophecy, there is still a part of the prophecy that has not been fulfilled. Since
1989 organized efforts have continued to prepare for the building of a new temple. From 1990 on certain Israeli Jews have
tried to place the first stone of the temple on the Temple Mount to no avail. Police and Arab authorities have prohibited
their entrance, yet the resolve is there. That is how matters stand. Christ's prophecy has been partially
accomplished, with Israel in control of Jerusalem, but with other parts of His prophecy waiting to be fulfilled. Third condition: A new power in the world-
The Revived Roman Empire The third prophecy deals with the latter revival of the Roman
Empire , prophesied extensively in Daniel and Revelation. The prophet Daniel, interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream of
a colossal human image, spoke of a series of "kingdoms" to arise on the world scene. The first of these, said Daniel, was the Babylonian
Empire under Nebuchadnezzar himself (Daniel
2:28-38). It was to be followed by three other kingdoms (verses 39-40). Comparing history with other prophecies, we can understand that these four kingdoms were, in order, the Babylonian,
Medo-Persian, Greco-Macedonian and Roman empires. Speaking of the fourth and final kingdom, the revived
Roman Empire, Daniel said it would be "strong
as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in
pieces and crush all the others" (verse
40). Rome indeed proved to be more dominant and enduring
than its predecessors, swallowing up their remnants in a reign that lasted for centuries. However, Daniel also revealed fascinating prophetic details
of this kingdom. He said the legs and feet of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream represented a kingdom, later shown to be
the Roman Empire. The image had feet and toes composed "partly of potter's clay and partly of iron." This
indicated that "the kingdom shall be divided" and "partly
strong and partly fragile." Also, "just as iron does not mix with clay," the components of this kingdom would not adhere firmly together for long (verses 41-43). Then, says Daniel, "in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed
. . .; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (verse 44). The Bible prophesies that a group of 10 "kings," geo-political regions or national leaders,
through alliances or other arrangements will give rise to a union (EU) that will fulfill these end-time predictions.
Daniel's prophecy indicates these leaders will preserve their cultures and languages, so it will not be one integrated group
of states, such as the United States, but 10 individual political and cultural entities united in union for a common purpose.
Some will be much stronger than the others. Notice that the book of Revelation gives more details: "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received
no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give
their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord
of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:12-14). What does this mean? Where does this leave us? With mankind possessing the capacity to destroy all human
life in several ways, with Israel in control of Jerusalem and a desire among some Israelis to restore the temple and sacrifices,
and with a strong and determined effort afoot to unify the nations of Europe under the auspices of the European Union, we
do well to heed the warnings of biblical prophecy and not ignore its connection with world conditions. These scenarios appear to be the most likely way various prophecies
of Daniel and Revelation could be fulfilled in light of current conditions. However, whether they occur in
this way or not, the Bible remains the inspired Word of God. The prophecies of the Bible will come to pass regardless of whether
we understand them. In the meantime we should heed Jesus Christ's warning, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44). Jesus Christ's Olivet Prophecy:
Where Are We? Jesus Christ, in the Olivet Prophecy (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21), predicted several major trends that would increase and intensify before His return. When His disciples asked Him what signs would precede His
return and the end of this age, He responded: "Take
heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will
hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not
yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows"
(Matthew 24:4-8). The major trends Jesus predicted were religious deception,
wars, famines, pestilences, disease epidemics and earthquakes. Do we see these things happening in our day? Religious deception and confusion - A
Counterfeit Christianity! We have been horrified by the headlines of mass cult suicides
and murders in recent years: Jim Jones and his followers in Guyana in 1978, David Koresh's Branch Davidians in Texas in 1993,
the Heaven's Gate cult in Southern California in 1997, the Solar Temple Cult of Canada and France, and the Ten Commandments
Cult in Africa. These tragedies made the news because charismatic leaders led their followers not to life, but to death. But by no means should we assume this is the only kind of
religious deception Jesus intended by His warning. Even in the early days of the Church, Paul warned of "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ
. . . For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness . . ." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Other apostles also warned of a great religious conspiracy
masquerading as Christianity - A Counterfeit Christianity. Peter warned of "false teachers . . . who will secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2
Peter 2:1). John wrote that even in his day "many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1
John 4:1). He also reveals the power behind this great deception: "Satan, who deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). Wars and rumors of wars World War I was supposed to be the war to end all wars, after
it took eight million lives. A generation later World War II claimed almost ten times as many. But what about other wars? Hundreds of thousands more have
died since in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Bosnia, Somalia, Israel and other countries. Although most
rarely made the news, 20 to 30 wars raged around the world at any given time in the 1990s. According to some estimates, wars in the 20th century have
killed more people than all earlier wars combined. When the Japanese city of Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic
bomb on Aug. 6, 1945, the commander of the B-29 that carried the deadly payload wielded the power to destroy a medium-sized
city. Today the commander of a single nuclear submarine carries enough destructive power to vaporize more than 150 large cities--quite
enough to bring several countries to their knees. Dozens of such submarines bristling with nuclear weapons prowl
the oceans, and that number doesn't begin to include the nuclear warheads that can be rained from other warships, aircraft,
artillery and silos or trailer-launched missiles. Jesus said the circumstances at the time of the end would be so menacing
that "no flesh would be saved" unless He returned (Matthew 24:21-22). Only within recent decades has
mankind held the enormous destructive capability to literally exterminate all human life many times over. What will the next great war bring? According to Jesus Christ's
revelation to John (Revelation 6:8; 9:13-18),
well over two billion people will be slaughtered, or one third the world's
population. With terrifying arsenals of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, such staggering casualties are a sobering
possibility. Famines You may be old enough to remember the headlines of the 1960s
and 1970s, when drought and exploding populations led to the starvation of hundreds of thousands in India and Africa. Only
later did we learn that millions had died in China, the Soviet Union, Cambodia and Ethiopia during war's aftermath and communist
takeovers in those countries. Famine doesn't have to be caused strictly by natural conditions;
humans have been shown to be perfectly capable of producing their own famines through ill-founded policies and practices.
Famine is also a natural consequence when economies, transportation and normal agricultural cycles are disrupted during wartime. With the passing of each year, we see the unprecedented increased
devastation of famines in selected areas of the world. But it's likely only a matter of time before a surging world population
brings major drastic food shortages to all counties and nations. In this century alone the world population has quadrupled
to more than six billion. Some 80 million new people are being added every year, with another billion people expected to be
added every decade. If the rate of growth continues, the global population will
double again in 50 years. What troubles many world leaders and organizations is that most of this growth will occur in countries
least able to provide food, shelter and clothing for a flood of new citizens. With so many new mouths to feed, starvation--and
accompanying social disruption--will inevitably spread. The situation is so tenuous that Global Warming along with weather disruptions
in food-producing areas could bring immediate food shortages at any time. An often-overlooked factor in weather patterns is
the relationship between people and God. We have lost sight of the fact that God controls the weather.
King Solomon understood this when he prayed: "When
the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because [the people] have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place
and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your
servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which
You have given to Your people as an inheritance" (1 Kings 8:35-36). As people's behavior continues to degenerate as the time of
the end approaches, other prophecies indicate that drastic changes in weather patterns--and resulting famines--are a tool
God will use to get the attention of an increasingly rebellious humanity. Disease epidemics Medical researchers are shocked by a recent development: the
sudden emergence of baffling new diseases and epidemics (32 new diseases have appeared since the 70s) AIDS
has garnered the most headlines--and rightfully so, since in sheer numbers it has claimed more lives than the black plague
that devastated medieval Europe. AIDS is only one of the incurable plagues that worry governments and scientists. The exotic-sounding
names of such killers as Legionnaires' disease, Lassa fever, hantavirus, E. coli, West Nile, Machupo virus Ebola, and
the bird flu belie their deadliness. Some of these have resisted treatment or cure simply because they spread so fast and
kill so quickly that scientists have not been able to study how they are transmitted. Equally frightening is the emergence of drug-resistant strains
of old scourges such as tuberculosis, bubonic plague and some common bacteria. Other diseases once thought conquered--including
malaria and cholera--are springing to life with deadly vengeance. Lest we forget, an unusual strain of influenza killed 20
million people in a worldwide epidemic in 1918 and 1919, taking more lives than were lost on the battlefields of World War
I. The 20th century saw skyrocketing rates of diseases rooted
in human behavior, diet and other environmental factors: cancers, sexually transmissible diseases, diabetes, heart disease
and cirrhosis of the liver, to name a few. If these were not enough, keep in mind that the breakdown
in the social structure that inevitably results from war and famine will no doubt lead to massive and widespread epidemics.
Chemical and biological weapons are another chilling possibility when we consider how biblical prophecies may be fulfilled. Earthquakes in various places Only in recent decades have scientists understood the underlying
causes of earthquakes. The crust of the earth, they have discovered, is like a cracked eggshell encasing an interior of liquid
magma. The giant pieces of earth's shell slowly move as they float on the magma. Where the shell is thin, or where pieces
grind against each other, earthquakes and volcanoes are now continually rocking the earth with ever increasing frequency and
intensity. Earthquake zones include some of the most densely populated
areas of the world--including much of the U.S. West Coast, Italy, southeastern Europe, Turkey, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia
and Japan. Potentially devastating volcanoes shadow such major cities as Seattle, Portland and Mexico City. Are earthquakes increasing? It's difficult to make long-term
comparisons since modern seismographs have been in use for only just over a century. The Richter scale, which gauges earthquake
magnitude, dates only to 1935. Also, far more sensitive instruments are in place today, so many earthquakes are detected that
would have gone unnoticed in earlier years. Currently literally thousands of earthquakes take place daily,
although most are so minor they are detected only by instruments. However, there are almost 1,000 moderate to strong earthquakes
(5.0 to 6.9 on the Richter scale) in an average year, plus an average of 18 major quakes (7.0 to 7.9) and
one massive quake of 8.0 or higher. Whether earthquakes are increasing in strength or frequency or not, Jesus Christ's prediction
of "earthquakes in various places" certainly describes the 20th century. Remember, though, that Jesus said "all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet . . . All these are the
beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:6-8). The
many tragedies we see around us are chilling reminders of Christ's words and a foretaste of even greater catastrophes yet
to come. As a result of these terrible things, those who survive and
remain will eventually be humbled enough to finally repent and accept our Creator's promise of a bright future in the world
beyond our age. Only then will the age-old prophecies of a utopian world of peace and plenty find their fulfillment Approximately
a third of the contents of the Bible is prophetic in nature. Much of this material is profoundly connected to world-changing
events. The Bible is a perennially up-to-date, applicable book. Regarding earth-shaping trends and occurrences, no section
of Scripture is more applicable to our world than the Olivet Prophecy, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
This is where Jesus Himself warns us to be vigilant about our spiritual state. He describes and summarizes the conditions
and events that will lead to His second coming. What should we be doing--or not doing--as that time draws closer? After describing the grievous state of the world to which
He would return, Jesus told His disciples, "But
of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (Mark
13:32). In his account Luke emphasizes our personal conduct, that
Christ warns us to be diligent in keeping our personal spiritual house in order and shows us exactly the kind of distractions
to avoid. "Be on guard, that your hearts may not
be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day [of Christ's return] come upon you
suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth" (Luke 21:34-35). In his exhortation regarding the Day of the Lord, the apostle
Peter asked his readers: "Since all these things
are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?" (2
Peter 3:11). The emphasis throughout is on the importance
of personal preparedness for Christ's coming and having an alert anticipation of that event. Protection for God's servants One of the most encouraging aspects of this subject is knowing
God has promised to watch over and care for His people during this time of unprecedented worldwide trouble. Jesus said there
is nothing wrong with wanting to avoid suffering the end-time disasters. In fact, He encourages us to be alert and aware,
watching our own spiritual state as well as world news and prophetic trends and conditions and earnestly praying we will be worthy to escape the coming devastation,
if it occurs during our lifetime. Just as in Noah's day, God has promised a way for many of
the faithful to be protected during the "Last
Days" Peter explained that "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous
under punishment for the day of judgment" (2 Peter 2:9, NASB). Although Satan in his anger will try to destroy God's people,
God will provide the means for many of them to be spared this dangerous time (Revelation 12:13-17). Jesus
promised to care for those who faithfully serve Him during that time. "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which
shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). In Revelation 7 God's servants are sealed and spared
from the coming global upheavals. "Then I saw
another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels
to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed
the servants of our God on their foreheads' " (verses 2-3). Who are these servants of God? Notice how the book of Revelation
describes them. They are those "who keep the
commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 12:17), those "who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12),and"those who do His commandments" (Revelation 22:14). The book of Revelation shows that those
who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus are among God's people. In Matthew 25 His parable of the 10 virgins shows that
some of His people would neglect their spiritual state and be unprepared when He, the bridegroom, comes for His bride, the
True and Faithful Church. Unfortunatly they will be "Left Behind" and
subject to the wrath of the Antichrist, under the control of Satan himself. The "Rapture" - The Blessed Hope! What exactly is the "Rapture"? The Rapture can be simply explained as God's evacuation plan
from the Earth to Heaven, for all True Bible Believing Christians. The word of God declares that a quick and sudden visable
return of Christ will take place to remove or evacuate all the True Bible Believing Christians from this earth just before
the seven year Tribulation period takes place. God's protection is extended to all the True Bible Believing
Christians just before the final hour of Satan's wrath. Consequently, during the "Last Days", some
of God's people, those deeply rooted in Christ will be protected from Satan's persecutions while others, those "Left Behind" bear the brunt of the devil's fury (Revelation
6:9-11; 12:14, 17). Christ concludes with this warning: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man
is coming" (Matthew 25:13). A time to be spiritually awake Although the end time is a period of unprecedented world trouble,
it is also the threshold to God's Kingdom. Paul gives a wonderful perspective of how we should spiritually
prepare for that time, whether it takes place in our lifetime or not. "But you, brethren, are not in darkness,
that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and
those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith
and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage
one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11). What Can You Do? In light of the prophecies, what can you do? What should you
do? When informed about a recent grisly tragedy, Jesus Christ
responded by saying to those around Him: "Do
you suppose that these [men] were worse sinners than all other[s],
because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:2-3). If you have been drawn to God by His Holy Spirit and want to become a True and Faithful
Christian, what should you do? The inspired answer was given by the Apostle Peter on the first New Testament day of
Pentecost. After coming to realize the enormity of their sins, the repentant Jews
asked Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter
said to them, ‘REPENT, and let every one of you be BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off,
as many as the Lord our God will call’" (Acts 2:37–39). You should study the prophecies of your Bible and how they
relate to current national and world trends. Jesus tells us, ". . . When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door" (Matthew 24:33,
NASB). "Seek the Lord while He may be found,
call upon Him while He is near," God tells
us. "Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will
abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).
A special thanks to The Good News Ministry for much of this information! |
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