We are closer to the end of the world than ever before. That might be an obvious statement, but even many who don’t believe in the Bible will tell you the world will one day end and that we are getting closer to that time. We don’t know when the time will come, but the Rapture will be the triggering event.
I believe the Church, those who have placed their faith in Jesus as Savior, will be taken to heaven in the Rapture before the world is thrown into the thick of God’s judgment, known as the Apocalypse. And it’s not until seven years after the Rapture that the Bible describes the return of Jesus and an end to the world as we know it.
1. The Sign of Deception
Many people will claim to be the Savior and to have the answers for a troubled world. People will search desperately for leaders to deliver them and seek mystics and religious leaders who claim to have hidden knowledge. Jesus tells us He is the only salvation for this world and to watch out for counterfeits.
2. The Sign of Disputes Among Nations
Wars and tension among people groups will rise. There will be the constant talk of conflicts, border skirmishes, race wars, and national battles.
3. The Sign of Devastation
There will be more and more famine, “earthquakes in various places,” and pestilence, the rise of disease (Matthew 24:7).
4. The Sign of Deliverance Into Tribulation
Just before Jesus returns at the Second Coming, there will be an explosion of antagonism toward God’s people. Christians will experience betrayal and persecution at unprecedented levels. Although God’s people will avoid the seven-year Tribulation, many will pay a high price for proclaiming the name of Jesus in the End Times.
Recognizing the Signs of the Apocalypse
The underpinnings of our culture are weakening. We need only watch the news to see signs of the Apocalypse looming. The Bible says we can’t know the date or time of the Rapture that will trigger the End Times, but we know these issues will grow exponentially in the End Times.
Jesus has called us to interpret the signs of the times and anticipate His return. We cannot live by lies, or fear, or hatred. But we can no longer ignore the warnings or sleep in beds of ignorance. We must live by our biblical convictions.
It’s time to sound the alarm. Prophecy is coming to life before our eyes.
But this is no time to be discouraged! Christ will return as surely as He rose from the dead. Jesus is Lord, and history belongs to Him. Even as the world collapses, the Lord is building His Church. We can say something, do something, pray something, preach something, and live by the convictions of Christ. We’re privileged to represent Him in these perilous times.
God’s people are more than conquerors. We have a way forward. At any moment, Jesus Christ will descend from heaven for His people, preparing the stage for the Apocalypse. We haven’t long to wait. But until then, we need to do as the Lord commands and understand the signs of the times.
As the Apocalypse draws near, may the Lord find us faithful. There is no reason to be fearful or allow the signs of the End Times to overwhelm us. This world will not end in rubble but in His return! Our risen and exalted Lord Jesus Christ, our enthroned Savior—He knows the way forward. He will show us where to go from here.
