People have been predicting the end of the world without success for centuries. Those who dared to set dates for the final culmination of human history have been proven wrong again and again despite the prophetic words of Jesus Christ, who said, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mathew 24:36.
Not only was Jesus laying the foundation of how the New Covenant mirrored a Jewish wedding contract (shetar and/or ketubah), he was intimating that the secretive nature of the grand finale of this world must remain a mystery in order to stimulate a response of faith from believers and to keep the devil from calculating the number of his days. Christ did however, provide us with plenty of clues that would indicate time was running short.
Jesus told the disciples, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.” Luke 10:23-24. The disciples were witnesses to the life and times of the Christ. What an exciting and amazing privilege!
For the last 2000 years Christians have placed their hope in the return of Christ. Today, we are privileged to be witnessing the fulfillment of countless signs and prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes, that indicate we are indeed living in the last days. In Luke 21:28, Jesus said, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Never before have so many of the things spoken of in the Bible regarding the last days been so obvious in world events. It has never been more critical that believers are equipped with situational awareness than it is right now, so that we are not surprised (1 Thessalonians 5:4). Ever since Israel became a nation again in 1948, fulfilling Isaiah 66:8, and Jerusalem was restored to Jewish control in 1967 during the six-day war, fulfilling Luke 21:24, red flags have been raised and intuitive Christians have been on alert.
The exponential growth of materialism, relativism, socialism and the corresponding decline in belief and faith in God are all predicted as signs of the last days. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he wrote, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Jesus also predicted that there would be an abundance of false teachers and false Christs near the end of days. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Mathew 24:24. Paul echoed these sentiments in 2 Timothy 4:3-5, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
Not only is there an abundance of false teachings about Jesus today with the likes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholicism, progressive Christianity, the prosperity gospel and grace theology, academia has misled the entire globe with its presentation of the theory of evolution as if it were fact. Satan has done his job well. He has subtly infiltrated “the lie” into our culture, science, philosophy and even the church. And no wonder, he is the great deceiver and he has been about his business for a long, long time.
Today, civilization seems to be on the cusp of total darkness. The UN is designing a new world order complete with a one world government and one world currency, the pope is more interested in dabbling in politics and Islam than preaching the true gospel and the principalities and powers that secretly pull the strings of governments from behind the scenes are reaping windfalls of wealth from the middle class through the manipulation of global warming and the coronavirus pandemic.
What was once considered incomprehensible has become plausible as the technology that will allow one man to control every financial transaction on the planet, through one global, digital clearing house now exists. China’s implementation of the social credit program poses a genuine threat to the freedom of every human being if it is employed by the wrong forces. It is no longer a question of “if” but “when” the antichrist will subject humanity to total tyranny.
In an extra-biblical narrative, the Apostle Paul’s traveling companion Barnabas, wrote that “Of the Sabbath he speaketh in the beginning of the creation; And God made the works of his hands in six days, and he ended on the seventh day, and rested on it, and he hallowed it.
Give heed, children, what this meaneth; he ended in six days. He meaneth this, that in six thousand years the Lord shall bring all things to an end; for the day with him signifyeth a thousand years; and this he himself beareth me witness, saying; Behold, the day of the Lord shall be a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is in six thousand years, everything shall come to an end.
And he rested on the seventh day. This he meaneth; when his Son shall come, and shall abolish the time of the Lawless One, and shall judge the ungodly, and shall change the sun and the moon and the stars, then shall he rest on the seventh day.” Barnabas 15:3-5.
These writings closely parallel what Peter wrote in his second epistle. “First of all you, must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:3-9.
The Bible says that from the time of creation to the flood of Noah was 1656 years and from Noah to the birth of Christ was 2348 years, which puts us roughly at 6025 years. If Barnabas is correct in his writings, we are very close to the return of Christ to earth.
Amidst the darkness there is light. Today there are 7.9 billion people on planet earth. More than all the previous centuries in human history combined. At this moment, there are more potential souls to save for Christ than at any other moment in history. God has waited for the earth to produce a bountiful harvest and now he wants his people home!
What an exciting time to be alive! Signs of the coming harvest are everywhere (see the article entitled Signs of the Harvest on this website). The Lord is about to gather his people! “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:15.
