Whenever there have been great breakthroughs among God’s people, there were also great challenges. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the government ordered the murder of the male babies. When Moses was born in Egypt, Pharaoh issued the same order. Before Jesus began his public ministry, he went into the desert where he was tested for 40 days by Satan. When Nehemiah rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem, the builders had to hold a weapon in their hands to defend themselves against their enemies. If they wanted to build, they would have to fight.
We live in a time of challenge. Governments are changing, societies are changing, and we are facing many pressures that have never been faced before because of the rise of technology, information exchange, and global government.
While these challenges seem daunting, the Bible gives us the hope that Christ and his people will ultimately triumph. In addition, considering what has happened in the past, the rise of these challenges probably means that we are living in a time of spiritual breakthrough.
Do our current challenges indicate that Jesus may return soon?
The Bible wants us to be aware of the season that we are living in. When Jesus came into the world the first time as a baby, the religious leaders of Israel were unaware of the season they were living in. They didn’t understand the prophecies in the Old Testament, and therefore they didn’t recognize Christ when he was standing among them. They were blind, and therefore they murdered God’s Son.
We don’t want to be blind, especially as we get closer to the end times. Jesus wants us to be alert and aware. Although we cannot know the exact day Jesus will return, we can know the season.
In Matthew 24 Jesus gave us 8 different signs to help us recognize what the world will be like when he returns to the earth.
1. Deception and False Prophets. Jesus warned that before he returned there would be great deception, both in the world and in the church. This deception will be so great that Christians would be in danger of being snared. As we look out into the world and in the church, it appears that we live in a time of deception. There are many false teachings and false prophecies today.
2. Wars and Rumors of Wars. Jesus said that another sign of the end would be hearing about wars and rumors of wars. Today, we often hear about wars and rumors of wars. The news of a war halfway around the world speeds all across the globe in seconds. Centuries ago, such information would not have reached most people, whereas today it is very common. In addition, the war with the most deaths the world has ever seen – WWII – happened only a generation ago.
3. Famines. We don’t see a lot of famines today, but throughout history, there have been famines that killed millions of people. Famine might increase in the future, but it is less today.
4. Pestilences. We see the increase of some diseases today, and a disease (Covid-19) is currently dominating many aspects of our nation.
5. Earthquakes. It appears that earthquakes are increasing. This is partially because there is more seismic measuring equipment all over the world, and more earthquakes are being recorded. Even so, scientists tell us that within the last 10 years there have been more earthquakes than normal.
6. Persecution. Today Christians face much persecution, especially in China, the Muslim world, and India. Christianity is illegal in many countries like Saudi Arabia, and if anyone converts to Christ in countries like this he will be killed. According to some sources, more Christians have been killed for their faith in the last century than all preceding centuries combined. This is partially because there are more Christians in the world today, but it is also because there is widespread hostility to the gospel. This persecution will increase as we get closer to the end of the age.
7. Love of Many Grows Cold. Today we see the love of many growing cold, both inside the church and outside. There is rudeness, coarseness, and harshness. Jesus says the reason for this loss of love is because lawlessness will increase, with people disregarding the commands of God. To counteract this trend, we should keep our love strong. Love, love, love! Keep loving and being kind, even when others aren’t.
8. Abomination of Desolation. The abomination of desolation is probably connected to the rise of the Antichrist. We do not yet see the Antichrist, and therefore we don’t see the abomination of desolation. When the Antichrist appears and the abomination of desolation is revealed, there will be great tribulation.
To summarize, we see many of these signs of the end times coming to pass before our eyes, like deception, earthquakes, wars, persecution, love growing cold, and pestilence. Some of these signs we have seen throughout history, but they seem to be increasing now. Other signs (like famine) we actually see lessening. One of the major signs, the abomination of desolation, we do not yet see.
In conclusion, we must stay alert and spiritually strong. Many signs of the end are being fulfilled in our time. This means there are many challenges. But as challenges increase, so do opportunities. Let’s focus on Jesus, and make the most of these opportunities, for we will see spiritual breakthrough.
“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.” (Luke 21:31).
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