What Signs Reveal That the End of Time Is Near?
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- Updated Jun 30, 2023
Jesus has made it clear that He will return one day, and our time will be up – eternity will begin. Our whole earth is moving towards that time. There will come a day when Jesus comes back. So what are the signs that reveal the end of time is near?
Just like we get curious and ask questions, the disciples were known to inquire about things that Jesus knew as well. Matthew 24:3 says, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
We too have wondering minds about these mysterious events. But the beautiful thing is, Jesus tells them some signs to watch out for that will happen before His return. He did not have to give them any answers, but He invited them into His plans, still leaving them with some mystery.
1. Deception
Matthew 24:4 says, “Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.”
Clearly, this is something that has already happened. There have been people claiming to be the Messiah. There are many who have come saying that they were God. Jesus is the only true God. John 17:3 says, “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent — Jesus Christ.”
This is an important sign to be aware of because people can be easily deceived by charisma and popularity. Whatever the Lord does, Satan tries to mimic. We must be on our guard for false teachers and false prophets. This can become increasingly difficult as they make their way into leadership positions at churches and appear to be similar, but are working for the opposing team.
2. Nation against Nation
In an ideal world, we would all get along. However, this is not the case for the sin-filled earth. At the end of times there will be wars and rumors of wars. As scary as this is, Jesus tells us not to be afraid; this is all part of His sovereign plan. We do not have to like it, but we can rest in the unfolding of His purposes.
Matthew 24:6-7a says, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”
3. Natural Disasters
Matthew 24:7b says, "There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”
Not only are people going to be in havoc, the earth itself is going to cry out. When we see glaciers melting and natural disasters take place, these should be of no surprise to us. The world itself is calling out to God, and He is coming. In the Lord’s words it is almost as if the earth is in labor getting ready to birth the new earth, and the natural disasters are the labor contractions. When we witness these things happening, we can remember that something much better is coming.
4. Persecution and the Start of Tribulation
Matthew 24:9-13 says, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
This is not a fun concept to think about, but there will be persecuted Christians who are even put to death for their faith. Christians will be hated by all nations because of Jesus. There will be conflicts among believers and false teachers who appear. It will be a time where Christians will need to rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit possibly more than ever as their strength.
David Jeremiah shared on his blog, “The 2021 World Watch List reported that more than 340 million Christians lived under high levels of persecution and discrimination. 4,761 Christians were martyred. 4,488 churches and other Christian-affiliated buildings were attacked. And 4,277 believers were detained without trial, arrested sentenced, or imprisoned.”
Persecution is happening now. And it was happening in the time of the disciples too. In fact, eleven of the twelve would later be martyred for their faith. Jesus was giving them hope even in the midst of their own trying times. The truth is, all of these thus far have happened and continue to take place. We are awaiting a specific sign for the end to come.
5. The Gospel Preached to Every Nation
Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
God’s heart is for all to come to repentance and that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). The gospel of Jesus will be preached to every nation before the end comes. As a motivator to share the gospel, we can remember that we can be part of God’s greater plan. The church still has a long way to go in spreading the good news of Jesus before this happens. Whether by physically going or virtual online ministry to other nations, the Lord is reaching new places through His people.
Also, something to note is that no one knows when Jesus is coming back. Jesus Himself is awaiting the command of the Father to come and get His church. Matthew 25:36 says, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Anyone who claims that he or she knows when Jesus is coming is a false teacher, so be aware and steer clear.
Knowing these signs should not bring us down to fear or discouragement. They can uplift us and remind us of the great love and power that our God has every day. We can be resting in His plan and obedient as He calls us to help Him to complete it.
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