Although Jesus’ command for us to watch for His coming applies to all the ages of church history, the closer we get to the time of His appearing, the better we understand Bible prophecy. There’s always been a future reward for believers who long for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8), but there’s something about today that enables us to see the end with greater clarity.

The words of Daniel 12:4 speak to the current unfolding drama of the last days: “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.”

I believe the prediction that “knowledge shall increase” refers to a surge in our understanding of Bible prophecy, such as we have seen during the past several decades. A few verses later, the Lord confirms this latter-day expansion in our awareness when He told Daniel that the “words” of his prophecy would be “sealed until the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9).

When I was in college fifty years ago, I believed the Rapture could happen at any moment. Since then, like the cutting away of layers of an onion, we have seen an unfolding of world events that have not only confirmed the nearness of the Tribulation and thus to the Rapture but have also enabled us to better understand the fulfillment of events during the Tribulation.

Below are some examples of how our grasp of end-time events continues to grow.

Mind-boggling Advances in Technology. Back when Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth, burst on the scene, we had only a vague idea, at best, of how the antichrist could control the buying and selling throughout the entire world. I envisioned a great army in every nation enforcing his mandate.

Now, with the advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the development of gigantic databases, the Internet, and emerging worldwide connectivity, the technology for the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16-18) is already here. Not only that, but the globalists have plans to mandate control of all commerce through a worldwide Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). By the middle of the Tribulation, the beast will be able to dictate the conditions for all buying and selling and then mandate compliance with just the flip of a switch.

Preparations for the Beast’s Empire. Although in the works for well over a century, during the past decade, the globalists have become more open about their plans to implement a one-world government. Once regarded as “crazy conspiracy theory,” we know that world domination is clearly the goal of the World Economic Forum and the UN. It’s not even a matter of speculation, though some refuse to see it.

On a recent of Jan Markell’s Understanding the Times broadcast, Billy Crone mentioned the necessity of today’s ongoing preparation for the reign of the antichrist. Because the Restrainer is keeping the antichrist’s identity unknown until after the Rapture, it necessitates the existence of a group of elite power brokers setting the stage for the antichrist’s rule. The globalists are performing the necessary preliminary work that will later allow the beast to rise to power over all the earth in a relatively short amount of time.

Israel’s Nonstop Wars as Preparation for the Beast’s Covenant. Since 1948, the surrounding nations have repeatedly attacked Israel, seeking to destroy it. Hamas’ barbaric attack on October 7, 2023, along with the almost daily sirens warning of incoming missiles, the ongoing conflict with Hamas, and Iran’s threats of annihilation are already conditioning Israel’s leaders to accept the future peace “covenant” that the antichrist will offer to them (Daniel 9:27).

Unfortunately, the people will trust the antichrist rather than God for their protection (Isaiah 28:14-18).

An Easily Deceived Populace. Jesus spoke about the deception that will lead many astray during the last half of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:24). In Revelation 13:11-15, John wrote about how people will fall under the spell of the “beast” who will deceive many with his great “signs.” The widespread deception and gaslighting of our day not only points to the nearness of the Tribulation but is also a preparation for it.

The majority of those left behind at the Rapture will not suddenly transition from discerning people to those whom the beast will easily deceive. They will fall for his devices because they have already rejected the truth and thus possess the “debased mind” Paul wrote about in Romans 1:28-32.

Lawlessness. I never thought I would see such lawlessness and corruption before meeting Jesus in the air. Of course, Paul described the coming beast as a “man of lawlessness” and wrote that the “mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7), but just twenty years ago, who could’ve imagined what we see today on the streets and throughout our government?

Not only does this tell us that the Tribulation is ever so close, but it also displays the conditioning of people to acquiesce to the insane degree of anarchy during the Tribulation.

Rampant Anti-Semitism. During the past dozen years or so, hatred for the Jewish people has skyrocketed. Its spectacular growth since October 7, 2023, defies all common sense. Yet what we see today will continue to build until the last three and a half years of the Tribulation when the deadly persecution of Jews will reach epidemic proportions, likely worse than during WWII under Adolf Hitler.

Twenty-five years ago, I thought that anti-Semitism would need to increase so as to make this level of demonic hatred for the Jewish people possible. Sadly, we already see it even though the Tribulation has not yet even begun.

A lot has changed since my college days. Our understanding of Daniel’s prophecies and those of the book of Revelation have increased just as the Lord told the prophet (12:4, 9). As the drama of future Bible prophecy continues to unfold, I’m reminded of the words of Daniel 12:10: “Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.”

God’s Word shouts with the message that we live in the season of Jesus’ appearing. The wise understand the times because they believe the words of Scripture pertaining to the end times.

Jonathan Brentner is an author, a writer, a Bible Teacher with a passion for encouraging believers with a sound biblical worldview and the nearness of Jesus’ appearing, and a Contributor to Harbinger’s Daily.