What are the signs of the end times? from Compelling Truth
One of the most intriguing aspects about God is His choice to occasionally reveal to His followers what will happen in the future. He has very specific reasons for doing so: one is to give encouragement to those who are going through the trials (Daniel 12:12), and another is to exhort us to continue in His work (Matthew 25:29-30). The prophecies of the end times give an account of what will happen at the end of history on earth. They include the rapture of the church, wherein all believers are removed from the earth, the tribulation, a seven-year period of anguish as God judges the sin of humanity, and the millennial kingdom, where Christ will reign as King. The millennial kingdom begins shortly after the end of the tribulation. But the Bible also gives guidance as to the timing of the rapture and the tribulation.
The prophecies regarding the rapture do not tell us when it will happen, nor do they give us any sign to watch for. In fact, in Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Although signs of the coming tribulation may occur before the rapture (like the re-establishment of Israel), there is nothing that must occur before the rapture. All applicable references show the early church eagerly awaiting Christ’s return (Matthew 24:33; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20-21), not eagerly awaiting the signs of Christ’s return. Still, the promise of the rapture does fill God’s purposes. It first exhorts believers to do the work before them (1 Peter 4:7). James said to be patient and strengthen our hearts because “the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8). The prophecies also encourage us because they say believers will not suffer through the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
The prophecies regarding the tribulation are designed to both exhort (Matthew 25:1-30) and encourage (Matthew 24:22), but they also give specific signs to look for. Matthew 24:5-7 records a few: “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” But the section concludes with the warning that these signs are merely the “beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:8). Although these are signs, we do not know exactly when the tribulation will occur. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 explains that the day of the Lord will come “like a thief in the night. … as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman.”
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