Jesus Is Coming Back Very Soon
"When you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God
is near." - Luke 21:31
No one can tell us with certainty what tomorrow’s weather will be except
the one who causes it – God – but by listening to the weather report or
looking at the sky, people use their eyes and their brains to at least
make an educated guess about tomorrow’s weather. Likewise, no one can tell
us with certainly when the exact timing of Jesus’ return will be except
the one who will cause it to happen – God the Father (Mt. 24:36) – but by
listening to the right world news sources, people can use their eyes and
their brains to at least make an educated guess about how close we are to
the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that when you see certain things
begin to happen, "look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption
draws near," and "when you see them happen the kingdom of God is near"
(Luke 21:28,31). Jesus and Paul both taught that the proper way to wait
for His return is to therefore be watchful, ready and sober (Matthew24:42).
Now, Jesus Himself made it crystal clear that we cannot know the date of His return. He stated in Matthew 24:36, "of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
But, the Bible makes it equally clear that those who believe in Jesus as Savior — can understand the nature of the times that mark His return (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6).
And folks, the season of the Lord's return is now! We are coming to the end of one age and the beginning of the age of Jesus' glorious reign right here on earth.
What does God reveal in the Bible that shows us that now is the season of the Lord's return? Well, there are nearly 500 prophecies in the Old Testament and in the New Testament 1 in every 25 verses that describe Jesus' Second Coming.
Signs of Society
What are these signs? Well, one of the categories of signs to be looking out for pertains to the nature of Society. In Matthew 24:37 Jesus says that His coming "will be just like in the days of Noah." What the Lord is saying here is, "I'm going to come back in a time when the earth is in as bad a shape as it was in the days of Noah." In other words, world society will go full circle and return to being as evil as it was in those days. Genesis 6 describes the days of Noah when mankind's "minds were focused upon evil." In the days of Noah, immorality and violence were everywhere. The Apostle Paul spells it out in detail (2 Timothy 3:1-4), "Realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..."
Truly that is the condition of society today.
Deceivers who claim to follow Jesus
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name saying that I am the Christ and will deceive
many.” Mt. 24:4,5
At the end of the Church Age many people will be claiming that Jesus is
the Christ, yet their teaching will deceive many. They will teach ideas
that are contrary to the Bible. Perhaps the majority of professing
Christian teachers in the world today fall into this camp, as most have
fallen away from sound Biblical teachings and instead place traditions of
men and/or the goal of increasing church attendance figures above the
authority of the Bible. Some are subtle, and some are blatant.
Increased wickedness & loss of love
“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”
(Matthew 24:12) Today, more and more people are living primarily for
themselves and their own happiness. The idea of denying themselves, taking
up their crosses daily and following Jesus (Luke 9:23) is a foreign
concept. What TV and movies show as 'normal' has affected the values of
those who watch them. At the same time, couples are divorcing, and
children are growing up with deep unmet needs. Many couples
are not even marrying but living together in fornication (any form of sex
not sanctioned by God). The result has been the blood sacrifice (murder)
of hundreds of millions of innocent, helpless children through abortion
and the birthing of even more children who lack a healthy home where they
can receive love and training from their own father and mother.
Signs of Technology
Another category of end-time signs pertains to the amazing advancements in Technology.
Daniel 12:4 said there would be an explosion of knowledge and an increase in the rapidity of transportation at the end of this age. The Bible describes scenarios that depend on mass communication, satellite television, the Internet, computer technology and medical advances that have become a reality only in our day.
For example, Jesus foreshadowed nuclear weapons in Luke 21 in speaking of people "fainting from fear" due to the "powers of the heavens being shaken," and how people will wish to hide underground to escape the devastation (Revelation 6:15).
Think how amazing it is that in the 20th Century people began on horseback and ended in a rocket.
Technology to control the world
“He [the second beast] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their
foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or
the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him
who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the
number of a man: His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18)
Today, smart cards are popular, but they can be lost or stolen. It is
likely that the eventual solution will be an implantable RFID chip or some
form of high tech tatoo on the right hand or forehead. Already, 99% of
commercial transactions in many countries are done without cash. Most
paper money is not even backed by gold or silver anymore, so it’s value is
purely psychological. When the current monetary system crashes, technology
is available to redefine currency and commerce in a seamless way that
people will want as a solution to their need for quick spending.
Signs in World Politics
Yet another category of signs pertains to World Politics. The Bible prophesies a very specific end time configuration of nations. Israel is pictured as a nation once more that is surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors intent on its destruction. This, of course, has been the situation in the Middle East since the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May of 1948 (Ezekiel 35:1-36:7; 37:21-22). Daniel prophesied that the Roman Empire would be revived. This began with the formation of the European Union (Daniel 2:36-41). The Bible prophesies a great power located in the "remote parts of the north." This nation will menace Israel in the end times and will ultimately lead an invasion of Israel together with specified allies, all of which are modern day Muslim states (Ezekiel 38:1-39:16).
Russia and its Muslim allies fit this description precisely.
Wars and rumors of wars
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not
troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”
(Matthew 24:6,7a) Since World War II, many countries have been building up
massive arsenals of conventional and nuclear weapons. The potential for
war grows day by day. In addition to potential nuclear war, we have war on
terror, water wars, weather wars, Albert Pike's Three World Wars, angel
wars, and transhuman wars.
Strong delusion
And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should
believe the lie. (2 Th. 2:11 NKJV)
The primary focus of the deception is use of the media by the Prince of
the Power of the Air. TV, radio, Internet, cell phones, PDAs, etc. keep
people completely preoccupied and oblivious to the fate that awaits
unbelievers. The goal is also to prevent people from hearing the Gospel of
Jesus, and if they do hear it to forget about it and be entertained
constantly. Most people in developed countries are now in a fog due to
the impact of these mediums that lull them into a false sense of security
and into a false sense of right and wrong.
This delusion can be seen in three areas:
Spiritually, the Emerging Church has become so pervasive that most
churches in developed countries will tolerate abortion (murder),
fornication (premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality) and almost any
other violation of God's law.
Financially, many people are unaware that government / banking cartel
partnership is stealing their wealth and using the funds for control .
Politically, most people are also unaware that the international banking
cartel has taken over all governments and is quietly re-organizing
borders and power centers throughout the world
One world government
"And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron
breaks in pieces and shatters everything: and like iron that crushes, that
kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others." (Daniel 2:40 NKJV)
One world ruler and an assistant emerge
I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,
and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the
beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a
bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon [Satan, or the
devil] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one
of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was
healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they
worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped
the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with
him?” (Revelation 13:1-4)
It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.
And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who
dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in
the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(Revelation 13:7,8)
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the
falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or
that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing
himself that he is God. The coming of the lawless one is according to the
working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all
unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive
the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God
will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that
they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure
in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4,9-12)
Most religions expect a savior or a man, who will bring world peace,
justice and unity. Here are three examples:
Muslims are waiting for the Mahdi or the 12th Imam. Iran's president,
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that his mandate is to pave the way for
the coming of this Islamic messiah.
Buddhists are waiting for the Buddha of compassion, Maitreya, or a world
teacher and unifier, the 5th and coming Buddha of the present era.
Hindus are waiting for their completer and savior, Kalki, the name of
Vishnu in his tenth and last avatar. According to the Usborne
Encyclopedia of World Religions, "The tenth and last avatar has not yet
appeared. It is said that at the end of the present age, Vishnu will
come to Earth as Kalki, riding a white horse, to destroy the wicked and
re-establish order."
A false prophet emerges to assist the world ruler and savior. “Then I saw
another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb
and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first
beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great
signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in
the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those
signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those
who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by
the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of
the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many
as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”
(Revelation 13:11-15)
Muslims are waiting for Isa Bin Jesus to appear with the Mahdi, praying
behind him …Jews are still waiting for their Messiah, Emmanuel.
Christians are waiting for the second coming of Jesus, but most no longer
Believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, many are deceived.
Spiritual Signs
Three times in Matthew 24 Jesus warns that the end of this age will see many false prophets claiming to be Christ with a resulting rise in cult followings, misleading many people away from the true teachings of the Bible. Satanism in the form of witchcraft, New Age, and the occult were prophesied to become mainstream, and so they have. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:1 that "the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons."
And, many churches will become apostate, denying Jesus and ignoring His moral law. Paul writes about those who profess to being Christian in 2 Timothy 4:3-4,
"The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine...
and will turn aside to myths."
But, the signs are not all bad news. We are told that there will be some very positive spiritual signs in these end times. For instance, Jesus said that the Good News of salvation will spread throughout the world. He said, "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" (Matthew 24:14). There also will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a greater interest in Bible prophecy (Matthew 24:14; Joel 2; Daniel 12).
Return of the Fallen Angels and Hybrid Heroes
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the
sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They
were the heroes of old, men of renown. Genesis 6:4
Jesus said, "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the
days of the Son of man" (Luke 17:26).
Signs of Nature
As a result of all this turning away from God, God will increase the signs of Nature. Natural disasters of every type increasing greatly in frequency and intensity like "birth pains" are God's way of calling people to repent and return to a loving relationship with Him (Matthew 24:8). Jesus stated in Luke 21:11 that "there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven."
Famines, Pestilence, Earthquakes
“And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various
places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:7b,8). Due to
flooding and droughts, world food supplies are running very low. Many
people are expecting a global food shortage and famines in many places.
In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that
infectious diseases are emerging more quickly and spreading faster around
the globe than ever before, and they are becoming increasingly difficult
to treat. The UN said in its 2007 annual world health report that an
outbreak or epidemic in one part of the world can easily threaten billions
of people in other parts due to large numbers of modern day air travelers.
Regarding earthquakes, scientific data does show that we have been seeing
a large increase in seismic activity. According to a number of scientists,
another star or large planet is affecting the sun's magnetic field, which
is also affecting the earth's magnetic field - both the core and the
ionosphere. The north pole is shifting and the earth seems to be expanding.
Signs Concerning Israel
The prophetic signs that relate to Israel are the most important of all because the Jews are God's prophetic time clock. What this means is that the Scriptures often tie a prophesied future event with something that will happen directly to the Jews.
An example can be found in Matthew 24 where Jesus prophesied that the re-establishment of the nation of Israel would be an end time sign. Using the fig tree as a symbol of Israel, He prophesied that when the fig tree re-blossoms, the generation that sees that happen will be the one that will witness His return. Well, the fig tree re-blossomed on May 14, 1948 when the nation of Israel was re-established, making our generation the one that will witness the Lord's return.
Jesus gave a similar prophecy about the city of Jerusalem. In Luke 21:24 He prophesied that the Jews would be dispersed from Jerusalem and be led captive among the nations. He then said to watch for their return to Jerusalem because, when they return, it will mark the season of His return. In fulfillment of this prophecy, the Jews were dispersed from Jerusalem in 70 AD, and they returned in June of 1967, marking this day and time as the season of the Lord's return.
There are other prophecies concerning Israel that mark the end times when Jesus will return. One is found in Isaiah 35 where we are told that the decimated and barren land of Israel will flourish once again. In fulfillment of this prophecy, early in the 20th Century the Jewish settlers began to reclaim the land. Today, Israel has become the breadbasket of the Middle East.
Zechariah 12 tells us that Israel will become a military powerhouse in the end times, and today, the tiny nation of Israel is considered by military experts to have the fourth most powerful military force in the world.
Another key prophetic sign related to Israel in the end times is the one whose fulfillment we are witnessing today — the focusing of world politics upon the nation of Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3). All the nations of the world, including the United States, are coming against Israel over the issue of who controls the city of Jerusalem.
Truly, Israel's return as a nation almost 1900 years later is a miracle, proof positive that the Bible is the Word of God and that the prophecies in it have come true.
The Nature of Christ's Return
So why is God giving us all these signs to let us know about Jesus' soon return?
Well, the key lies in why He is returning. Jesus is returning to deal with rebellion — sin — before setting up His Kingdom on earth. It is God's merciful and loving nature to let us know beforehand when He comes in justice and judgment to give us a chance to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 explains, "God does not wish that any should perish but that all should be brought to repentance."
God deals with sin in one of two ways — either in grace or in wrath. A person is under either the grace of God or the wrath of God. There is no third option.
To be under the grace of God is a glorious thing. It means you have the promise that one day soon Jesus will appear and take you out of this world in an event called the "Rapture" before He deals wrathfully with rebellion (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
The Bible promises over and over that those who have accepted Jesus as Savior during this age will be delivered from God's wrath. Romans 5:9 says that "we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." 1 Thessalonians 1:10 states that we are waiting "for His Son from heaven... who will deliver us from the wrath to come." The promise is repeated in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 — "God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
But, if you're under God's wrath because you haven't ask for forgiveness of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Savior, you will stay behind and experience a wrath unlike anything you can even imagine. This will happen during what the Bible calls "The Tribulation" — seven years when the wrath of man, the wrath of Satan,
and the wrath of God will be let loose upon this earth. For seven terrible and terrifying years the Earth will be devastated and billions of people will be annihilated before Jesus' Second Coming.
God is a God of love. Jesus says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." But, God is also a God of justice. The Bible says in John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." It is God's very nature to love,
but His love demands that evil be dealt with in justice.
The Bible clearly teaches that God never pours out His wrath without warning for He is a just and loving God who does not wish that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). That is why He has provided so many signs to alert us to the fact that we are living on the threshold of the Tribulation and the soon return of Jesus Christ.
Decide
Where do you stand? Are you under God's wrath because you haven't accepted His free gift of salvation, or are you under God's grace because you have? Will you be one of those raptured before God's wrath, or will you suffer in it?
Can you truly say that you are ready for Jesus' return?
You have a decision to make. If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, then heed Mark 1:25. "The time has come...the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Believe in Jesus, God's Son, and have everlasting life.
If you have accepted Jesus as Savior, your sins have been forgiven and forgotten, and you can look forward with confidence to that glorious day when Jesus will appear in the heavens. Make sure in these last days that Jesus is also Lord of every area of your life, so that when He comes He will find you ready.
"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you,
I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" (Mark 13:35-37 NIV)
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William Poovey
