We are to “watch and pray” for the Lord’s return. We will help you do so by keeping our eyes on the “signs of the times” and reporting them to you. Jesus chastised the Pharisees for not knowing the signs of the times in His day. So He wants to us know the signs today, for they instill in us hope for the future and encourage us to evangelize the lost while there is still time.
Seven Signs of the End Times
What are the signs of the end times?
It’s important to know so we can explain to others why Christians believe what we believe.
As Peter says:
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)
Unfortunately, too many Christians are unable to explain why they believe we’re in the last days when the opportunity presents itself.
“And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today.” – Deuteronomy 30:7-8
God’s purpose for the tribulation (i.e., the seven-year, 70th week of Daniel) revolves around His plan for Israel and does not include an earthly presence for the church. Why? Because God’s plan for Israel is unfinished at this point in history. When the role of the church is completed she will be taken as a completed body to heaven in an instant – at the rapture. This will clear the way for a restoration and resumption of progress toward the completion of our Sovereign Lord’s plans for His elect nation – Israel.
At the time of the 6th Bowl judgment, Satan will send 3 demonic emissaries with miraculous powers to persuade all the Kings of the Earth to gather their armies at Har Megiddo, known to us as Armageddon (Rev. 16:14,) Mt. Megiddo overlooks the plains of Jezreel in central Israel, where the world’s armies will come together for the battle of Jerusalem, less than 100 miles to the south. The anti-Christ will invade Israel and set up headquarters in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:41.45). According to Zechariah, the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. (Zech 14:2)
As the final moment arrives to complete the judgment of sinners, we can expect that arrogance and rebellion have finally finished their course. The Bible is filled with godless men that were always ready to laugh in the face of God.
It’s important that we keep abreast of these things because they graphically illustrate the times we’re living in and Jesus implied that we should keep our eye on the signs of our times. But we need to keep perspective. We need to remember Whose we are and where we’re headed. We need to be able to come home at night — after a day of battering by such awful headlines — and refocus on the promises of God and the hope we have in Jesus Christ. When we can view everything happening through a lens of promise and hope in Jesus, the view is much brighter and a lot less distressing – even exciting! Let me show you what I mean.
More and more as we get closer to the end, people want to see a time line of coming events. Questions about the order in which events will take place, the span of time between them and the likelihood of there being enough time for everything to happen in the time we have left are becoming more numerous with each passing week.
As you know the Bible doesn’t provide this level of specificity. But neither are we left to make unfounded predictions. There are a number of clues scattered throughout the New Testament that take much of the guess work out of things. With diligent study, we can put them together and make some pretty reasonable assumptions.
I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record by now, but there’s an enormous potential for a giant leap forward in End Times prophecy this summer, and this week we came breathtakingly close to witnessing its beginning.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” (Matt. 24:32-33)
Many students of prophecy identify the Lesson of the Fig Tree in Matt. 24 as a reference to Israel. While the fig tree is often used to symbolize Israel, this is not one of those times.
In the past couple of years it has become even clearer that Isaiah’s prophecy of the destruction of Damascus will soon come to fulfillment, perhaps being part of the Psalm 83 scenario I’ve written about. If so, it would explain why Syria is not included among the coalition of Muslim nations who will gather against Israel in the Battle of Ezekiel 38. Updating our study of Isaiah 17 seems a fitting conclusion to our recent reviews of Ezekiel 38 and Psalm 83.
We are to “watch and pray” for the Lord’s return. We will help you do so by keeping our eyes on the “signs of the times” and reporting them to you. Jesus chastised the Pharisees for not knowing the signs of the times in His day. So He wants to us know the signs today, for they instill in us hope for the future and encourage us to evangelize the lost while there is still time.
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