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In my last post on the end times signs, I listed some of the signs the bible gives us to know when the “end times” will officially begin. As I stated previously, the signs themselves mark the beginning of the end, not the end itself.
When you first open the bible, you read; “In the beginning, God created…” This marks the beginning, but the end is not yet. You must continue reading for quite a period of time until you get to the very last part: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”
I view the end times signs in the exact same way. When the first concrete signs appear, we know the end has only initiated, and there will be an unknown period of time. When we see the very last sign, we know the end is here.
God created each and every thing in the universe with a very rhythmic pattern, just like a giant clock. Isaac Newton (one of the greatest scientists), viewed the entire universe as one giant clock. The moon has a consistent cycle. The Earth’s seasons are fairly consistent. The planetary revolutions are very rhythmic. Everything works as a giant clock interlocking and working together, being governed by the laws of physics as dictated by God Almighty.
The end is also like a giant clock. When we see the signs of the end, the clock cycle has started. Each new sign progresses the clock one step closer to its end. This continues to slowly progress, until the clock strikes the last point, and the end is here.
Are We In the End Times Right Now? How Can We Know?
In my personal opinion, we are in the first series of signs of the end times right now. Does that mean the end is near? It means the beginning of the end is here, and the end times are going to come next.
We have no idea how long of a period of time will pass as each sign is fulfilled. We can only speculate, and should never make specific/bold predictions, or state something as doctrine.
Anyway, let’s consider each of these signs of the end listed in the bible one by one and relate them to events happening today, and see how many may have come to pass:
1. Many will claim to be the Christ (Messiah) or Claim to be Jesus. They will convince some people and lead them away.
There were many claiming to be the Messiah even in Jesus time, and this still holds true today. In fact, I think we have seen an increasing trend in these “false Messiah’s, false teachers, etc.” Here is a list of some of the false Christ claims.
We should keep in mind that Christ’s return will be quite dramatic, and there will be no doubt it is the true Christ. However, before Christ does return, there will be many that deceive the world proclaiming to be the “true messiah.” These will confuse many, and some will even grow a large leadership.
This event will continue to progress right up until the end. There are false “messiahs” now, and there will continue to be false messiahs until Christ returns.
So this sign has been in place since Christ’s ascension, and will continue to escalate right up until the end.
2. There Will Be Wars and Rumors of Wars, Nations Rising Against Nation
There is no doubt that many wars are raging on right now. We have had countless wars and rumors of wars since Christ first ascended to the Father’s right hand. There will be many more of these wars and threats of wars to come, however, these do not signify the end. These will continue to happen as they have in history.
With the threat of nuclear and biological warfare, war is more dangerous than ever. Nations have the potential to cause catastrophic destruction like no other nation could have done in the past. These signs are here now, and they will continue to worsen and develop right up until the very end.
These threats will continue to build and increase, until the stage is set for the one-world government that the Antichrist will use for his temporary reign.
So this sign has been taking place since Christ’s ascension, and will continue to escalate right up until the end.
3. There Will Be an Increase in Famines
With the explosion in population, increase in genetic food modification, increased pollution and pesticides, and more, there is bound to be severe famine backlashes that will soon take place.
Scientists also keep messing with genetics and try to “play god” by altering the genetic makeup of fruits and vegetables. This often causes them to become resistant to certain other insect pests, however, it is unknown what kind of backlash this could have on the entire ecosystem over time. This change could throw the entire ecosystem out of order. There are already problems of the bees and other insects mysteriously disappearing.
Add that to the fact that the population is expanding rapidly, obesity is an epidemic, and it doesn’t take too much of an imagination to realize there is a potential for a serious famine problem. There are many famine problems now across the world, and this will only worsen as time passes. So this sign is almost set to take place at any time, and may be taking place on a smaller scale right now.
4. There Will Be an Increase in Earthquakes
The bible continues to refer to catastrophic events that will take place, which suggest a radical change in the Earth’s climate and landscape. People worry about global warming, but that is but 1 piece of the end. Much more serious things will come to pass before it is over.
Earthquakes and seismic activity seem to be on the increase more and more. Several government statistics show a gradual increasing trend overall for earthquake activity on a worldwide scale.
- 2000—22,256
- 2001—23,534
- 2002—27,454
- 2003—31,419
- 2004—31,194
- 2005—30,478
- 2006—29,568
- 2007—29,685
- 2008—31,808
This activity should continue to increase in numbers and intensity as the end draws closer. Not only will earthquakes increase in intensity and number, but they will be even more devastating in nature due to the increase in population density.
So this sign seems to be unfolding now gradually, and again will continue to get worse right up until the end.
5. There Will Be an Increase In Disease
There have been tons of major outbreaks throughout history that have dramatically decreased populations (such as the Great Flu, Black Death, etc.)
Worried about the swine flu? What about HIV/Aids? Does the idea of resistant bacteria make you quiver? The threat of a major outbreak of a deadly strain of a virus or bacteria looms over the world today more than ever.
For years doctors have over prescribed antibiotics to the point where they are becoming less and less effective. Antibiotic soaps, creams, rinses and so forth are everywhere, enabling naturally resistant strains of these bacteria to survive and increase in numbers. This is setting the perfect stage for a massive disease epidemic that will dramatically wipe out large portions of the population.
Add to that the fact that biological warfare and genetic engineering of bacteria and organisms, coupled with the largest known human population in the history of the world, directly opens the possibility for some of the most deadly diseases in history to be released into the public with rapid spreading, and once again we can see how easily it would be for a worldwide epidemic. This is slowly building until the end, when the bible says disease will wipe out as much as 1/4 of the Earth’s population or more before the end according to some events in Revelation.
Therefore, in the future there is a greater risk of a deadly outbreak from a bacteria, virus, fungus, or other deadly agent more so than any other time in human history. This is all due to the incredible population with increased travel (which enables quick transmission across countries), genetic engineering/modification, and biological warfare agents.
This is yet another sign that is starting to be fulfilled, and will get progressively worse right up until the end. But the stage is now set for this to happen at any time in the future.
6. There Will Be Great Signs in Heaven
This could mean things such as solar flares, asteroid/meteoroids striking Earth (which the bible does predict), star explosions, black holes, and other odd signs in the heavens which will become more and more prominent, affecting planet Earth dramatically. In the bible, many big and important events are reflected in the stars and universe.
When Jesus was born, there was a very prominent star that the “wise men” spotted and followed which led them to baby Jesus. Jesus also tells us there will be great signs in the heavens during the end times, and they will be more and more catastrophic.
In one event described in Revelation, the Earth is pummeled by some type of meteors, and the sun is darkened. These events tell us that a great many disturbances are soon to take place in our seemingly peaceful part of the Milky Way.
Right now we do see many signs in the heavens (solar flares, planets getting hit with asteroids, and so forth). However, many of these very dramatic events have not yet happened to Earth. They will be dramatically increasing near the end.
7. An Increase in Christian Persecution
Christians have been persecuted since the death of Christ, and this persecution has continued. However, the bible paints a picture of this persecution becoming more and more widespread.
Turn on the news and you will probably hear of some Christians that were killed in the Middle East. Or go on a religious forum and see how Christians are mocked. Or attend a secular college and sit and listen to the professor blaspheme God and call Christians idiots.
I have experienced all of those things, and it is only going to get worse. When Christians were first evangelizing the gospel after the ascension of Christ, many were killed and thrown in prisons.
Over time, Christianity spread and Christians soon found themselves having freedom. However, the bible paints a picture of Christians once again being persecuted in the end times. We see the world getting less and less religious. They are taking the bible out of schools. They are taking church rights away. They are taking God out of the government. This is absolutely a very mild form of persecution, and it will never improve from this point forward!
So this is yet another sign that is beginning to be fulfilled, and will continue to escalate until the end.
8. Increase of Hate, Violence, Selfishness, Pride, etc.
Both Jesus and Paul go through and discuss all of these traits people will tend to have in the latter days, which will become much more widespread. People will be rude, hateful, violent, selfish, prideful, lovers of money, and all sorts of evil.
Does that sound familiar? It is no secret that today’s generations seem more and more self involved. They are more greedy, selfish, and uncaring than ever before.
People disobey their parents. My wife’s grandfather talks about how he wasn’t allowed to even speak a word at the dinner table, or his father would backhand him. If a child’s father told them to do something, they would often reply, “Yes sir.”
Not so today. Children today are disobedient, lazy, and self involved. They complain when their parents ask them to get off the computer (or to stop watching TV) and go take the trash out.
Instead, people sit all day with texting on their cell phones, browsing the web, watching television, and just about everything else possible.
Each generation will continue to get worse and worse, until we will have a society filled with nothing but a bunch of rude and selfish people. We are already getting there, and it will get worse and worse.
Also, the increases in populations only add to this problem. It is a proven fact that as the population increases, crime rates tend to increase. People feel as if they can simply “get away” with doing evil if there is a large enough crowd to blend in with.
So with a higher population, people will become more and more careless, more evil, less loving, more self involved, etc.
9. The Gospel Must Be Preached to All Nations
The gospel has been preached to almost all of the world. We now have internet ministries, television ministries, church mission trips, telephones, and so much more to aid in the spreading of the gospel. This has never occurred in human history up until about a year ago.
Has the gospel been preached to the whole world? According to most Christian organizations, November 1, 2008 was the day the gospel finally was preached to all nations. This is a huge landmark, as the end times require the gospel to have been preached to all nations, and this is the first time in history this has been fulfilled.
Therefore, this is yet another requirement that has been fulfilled. Not only that, but with technology, we will make sure that not only has every nation heard the gospel, but they will have heard it multiple times.
10. Travel and Knowledge Will Increase
Travel, knowledge, and technology increases have been more dramatic in the past 50 years than any other time in history. Not only have we had incredible technological advances, but more and more people are getting advanced educations. This is truly the time when “knowledge and travel increases.”
We can now get online and convert documents into another language and email someone in another part of the world. We can get instant calculations to complex problems. We have software that will do our taxes and finances for us, GPS systems that will tell us where to drive, and more. We can hop in our car and be in the next state within a few hours. We can hop on a plane and be in another country in a few hours.
This expanse in knowledge and travel is unmatched in any prior historical point in time. This is truly one period that stands out as the “increase of knowledge and travel” time.
This time we live in right now surely fulfills Daniel’s prophecy more than any other time in history! Technology is only going to get exponentially better. This technology will also be used against us when the Antichrist comes on the scene, and is sadly already being abused by the government in the form of traffic light cameras, satellite tracking, and so forth.
This is one definite and measurable sign that I think has been fully fulfilled, and will get progressively worse as time passes.
11. There Will Be Scoffers Following Their Own Desires
Atheism and agnosticism have grown in recent times more than ever. With atheistic militant evangelists such as Richard Dawkins, we are seeing more and more people doubt the word of God, and scoff at religion in order to follow their own desires. This trend is only going to increase, and more and more people will fall away from following God as the bible clearly tells us.
Instead of believing in the word of God, people choose to suppress this truth and instead believe they are monkeys. If people truly want to believe they are evolved goo, then more power to them. They can believe that all they want. But it doesn’t make it any more true, and a bible verse nails it perfectly:
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals (monkeys) and reptiles. Romans 1:22-23
You don’t have to look too far to see someone scoffing at the bible. Turn on the television, read some articles online, check out YouTube, or visit your local secular college’s philosophy or science department, and it shouldn’t take too long to find a scoffer. In fact, you probably even have a scoffer or two in your family, work, or even a friend.
And it is no surprise that yes, most of these ‘scoffers’ are probably “following their own lusts” and doing something the bible says “don’t do.” After all, believing there is no God surely takes the edge off after a bunch of sinful activity.
This is yet another end time sign that is becoming more and more clearly fulfilled.
12. Return of Jewish Nation To Homeland
In Ezekiel and Jeremiah, we see talks of the Jews being taken from their homeland, dispersed, and eventually returning to their home land from various other countries to which they have been dispersed.
‘For I will take you (the Jews) out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. – Ezekiel 36:24
Israel was taken over by various empires throughout the ages, and the Jews were dispersed to many parts of the world. There was no nation of Israel. However, in 1948, Israel once again became a nation. This was an event that energized many bible scholars and believers.
This had long been prophesied to take place, and sure enough, it did. This is yet another sign of the end times that has already been fulfilled.
13. Creation of a Large One World Government
In the book of Revelation (chapter 17), we see a description of a woman sitting on 7 mountains. The bible then tells us this represents 7 kingdoms, 5 of which have fallen, 1 that currently stands (during this period of time), and 1 that is to come later.
People often consider these the “7 world empires” of the bible. The empires are these:
- Egypt
- Assyria
- Babylon
- Medo-Persia
- Greece
- Rome (which is the one that “currently existed”)
- and the final world empire that is to come
In the bible, numerology is often important and has meaning. The number 7 in the bible often refers to completeness. For example, God created the world and rested in 7 days. There are 7 candlesticks, 7 spirits of God, 7 scrolls in Revelation that must be opened, etc.
The bible also classifies the 7 world empires. 6 have existed and have fallen, and 1 is still yet to take root. This last (7th) empire, will mark the “completeness” of human civilization. This last empire will be the most corrupt, powerful, and advanced government the world has ever known. It will be the LAST evil government to ever rule!
This last government will arise from the nations we know today, and this is the government that the Antichrist will assume and rule. Up to this point, this government has already had its very infantile formulation. Some refer to this as the “New World Order.”
In all of nature, hierarchy is visible. We always tend to promote “one leader” over any given thing. Bees find a queen. Wolves find alpha males. Countries find a king or president. Companies find CEO’s. Hierarchy is everywhere in living creatures.
The nations have long been divided since the beginning, and it is only logical that at some point the entire planet will join together into one harmonious unit. This assumes a one world government, and if a government exists, there has to be a leader of that government. If there is a leader who has authority over all of the Earth, that implies the ultimate power in the world.
This sign has not yet come to pass, however, we see it moving closer and closer. I will post more about the Antichrist and one world government in a future post.
14. The Rise of the Antichrist, Rapture/Tribulation, etc.
The Antichrist will be the leader of this government. This man will be powerful, handsome, intelligent, wealthy, and evil. He will arrive on the scene at some point in time when the world government is near formulation, and will somehow maneuver his way to the top of the political ranks.
He will thus make himself the most powerful human ruler since the history of human civilization. He will literally be like “a god” in terms of power and authority he will be temporarily granted on Earth. I will also post lots more about this topic in later posts.
Also, at some point in all of this, there will be a great tribulation, and the return of Christ. This culminates the end, and starts the beginning of the Christ’s millennial reign on Earth. Afterwards, the great judgment will take place, and the new universe will be created. This too is another future event, and I will be diving into these topics over the next few days/weeks.
When Do I Think the World Will End?
As I have mentioned several times, no one knows the end times. But if I was speculating, I would guess somewhere between 2100-3000 (and no, I don’t think it will happen in 2012). Again, this is just speculation for fun. It may happen before I finish this article, or it may not happen for another 50,000 years! I think Christians need not to ever try and claim a specific date, as even Jesus didn’t know.
The reason I think it will be at the very least about 90 years away is because there are still many “signs” that have yet to be fulfilled. I think the 1 world government is going to take a lot more time to develop. It will happen very gradually and each generation will be used to it. Plus, a lot more things will need to go online so the government will be able to totally track and control any aspect of your life (they can almost do this already).
I think technology will have to get to the point to where there is no cash, and everything is done electronically (it almost is that way now). But I estimate about 90 years as the earliest. Again, this is just a guess, and it may be sooner. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if it took a few hundreds years for everything to be perfectly in place.
We have to remember that people have thought the world would end since Jesus Christ ascended to God’s right hand. Even most of the disciples thought he may return in their lifetime, and that was roughly 2,000 years ago.
So I know that many of the signs have been fulfilled, but not all of them. So in general I think we are in the “beginning or middle of the end times,” and the end itself will still be several years from now (possibly hundreds, or even thousands).
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This post was written by Revelation on August 19, 2009
