As the world continues to seem like it’s spiraling further and further out of control, it’s not uncommon to hear people say that we’re getting closer to the end of time as we know it.
The Bible is full of prophetic revelations about signs that we can look for that indicate that the last days are drawing closer. With the things going on around us, it’s natural to wonder if we’re really living in the last days.
“It’s just another sign that the end is near.” Have you ever heard someone make that statement or one like it? It’s safe to assume that the answer is yes.
As every day’s news cycle seems to show more violence, hatred, wars, poverty, natural disasters, and other tragedies, it’s easy to look at some of the prophetic portions of Scripture and realize that the things that we’re seeing every day align with the things that the Bible said would happen before Christ returns to take His Church to spend eternity with Him.
Whatever term you want to apply to it, the last days (sometimes referred to as the end of days or the end of time) is not meant to be a scary concept for God’s people.
Our natural reaction to something that we don’t know is fear. However, God’s people understand that the last days are a necessary transition to get us from this temporary life to the eternal life that has been given to us through our relationship with Christ.
It’s also important that God’s people understand how to answer the questions that people ask us about the last days. Even unbelievers see the things going on in the world around us, and have probably heard about the “signs of the times,” too.
Obviously, there is not enough time or space to fully study the end of days in a single study. However, by looking at a few truths from God’s Word, we can gain a better understanding about where we are in the course of human history as it relates to the last days.
The Bible is filled with prophecies concerning the end of time. Obviously, the Book of Revelation, written by John on the prison island of Patmos is the most popular. However, it is also one of the most difficult books of the Bible to understand, as there are layers and layers of symbolism. Daniel also recorded several prophecies about the end days, as did the prophet Isaiah.
There is more end of time prophecies in the Bible than we would ever have the ability to discuss in a single study. With that in mind, we’re going to primarily look at the words of Christ found in the Saint Matthew’s Gospel account. During a conversation with His disciples, Jesus spoke about the signs of the last days at length.
Matthew 24:3 (TPT)
Later, when they arrived at the Mount of Olives, his disciples came privately to where he was sitting and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what supernatural sign should we expect to signal your coming and the completion of this age?”
Before we dive into Jesus’ teaching on the last days, it’s important to understand something. The disciples believed that they would see the end of this world as we presently know it.
They asked Christ, “what sign should we expect to signal your coming and the completion of this age?”
They knew that Christ was going to return to the Father, but they believed that the time between His ascension and His return would be so short that they would see it.
This serves as a powerful lesson about how prepared we should be for the end of time. If the same disciples who started with Jesus at the onset of His public ministry believed that the end of time would come before their lives were over, we should most certainly assume that it can happen within our lifetimes.
Matthew 24:4-5 (TPT)
Jesus answered, “At that time deception will run rampant. So beware that you are not fooled! For many will appear on the scene claiming my authority or saying about themselves, “’I am God’s Anointed,’ and they will lead many astray.
The first sign that Christ gave the disciples to look for wasn’t wars raging around the planet, sickness running rampant, or discord within the Church. Instead, He said that the first sign of the last days would be people claiming to be the Messiah, or looking for other ways to lead people astray in the name of building their own name and reputation.
Tragically, that is even more prevalent today than it was in the New Testament era. A quick Google search will give you a list of names of men and women who have started cults by convincing people that they were God’s messenger to humanity, or that they had inside information about when Christ would return.
The first thing that Christ said to look out for is happening every day.
Matthew 24:6 (TPT)
You will hear of wars nearby and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don’t panic or give into your fears, for the breaking apart of the world’s systems is destined to happen. But it won’t yet be the end; it will still be unfolding.
According to some studies, there are no less than 40 wars going on in the world as of this writing. This number does not include civil insurrections and other examples of unrest that lead to violence within a country. Considering there are only 195 recognized nations on the planet, more than 40 wars means that war is truly going on all around us.
There was violence in the New Testament, as humanity has always been prone to violence. But the second sign that Christ said indicated the end is even more prevalent today.
Matthew 24:7-8 (TPT)
Nations will go to war against each other and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be terrible earthquakes-seismic events of epic proportion, horrible epidemics and famines in place after place. This is how the first contractions and birth pains of the new age will begin.
The term “earthquakes” here in the English is a term used for all sorts of natural disasters in the original text. Wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are prevalent. Some people point to global warming as the cause, others point to any other number of causes. Regardless of the cause, we understand that it is a part of prophecy being fulfilled.
Christ also spoke of epidemics. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the world had not seen a sickness of this level since the Spanish Flu of 1918. Christ’s third prophecy is being fulfilled right in front of us.
Matthew 24:9 (TPT)
You can expect to be persecuted, even killed; for you will be hated by all the nations because of your love for me.
It’s easy to read this verse from the comfort of our American church pews and believe that we haven’t seen these levels of persecution yet. However, Christ wasn’t speaking to the western church when He said this.
Instead, He was speaking about the Church as a whole. Today, there are more than 360 million Christians living in nations where they can legally face persecution for their relationship with Christ. That means that one out of every seven believers around the world face persecution.
If you’re a numbers person, that’s around 14% of the Church today.
The Church is being persecuted and killed at a higher rate than ever before. Christ’s fourth and final sign is happening today more than it has ever happened before.
So, are we living in the last days? Yes, we are. However, our timeframe doesn’t necessarily line up with God’s timeframe. The disciples believed they would see the end of time, and we generally believe the same. The important thing is to understand that you need to be ready at all times for the glorious return of our Lord.
A Closing Prayer:
Father, I know that we are getting closer to the return of Your Son. Help me to show others the truth while there is still time while living in a way that keeps me ready for His glorious return. In Christ’s name, Amen.