Seven Signs of the End

Will there be an "end of the world," or is such an idea simply the opinion of kooks who stand on street corners waving signs reading, "The End Is Near"? Believe it or not, according to the Bible, yes, there will be an end. Jesus Christ promised His followers, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).

Are there any legitimate and observable "signs" indicative of this approaching finale? Once again, the answer is yes. While many supposed "signs" appear daily on the covers of our nation's tabloids, here are seven true biblical signs worth listing:

1.Global Environmental Crisis: The Bible reveals that when God finally drops the curtain on human history, He will finally "destroy them that destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18). In other words, before the end, mankind will be destroying the very planet we live on. This implies a global environmental crisis resulting from the growth of mega-cities, deforestation, a disappearing ozone layer, and earth-damaging man made pollutants.

2.Out-of-control Violence: Jesus Christ said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be before the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:37). What was it like in Noah's day before the flood? Here's the answer: "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11). "And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13). Thus "violence" was rampant in Noah's day, just like today.

3.Out-of-control Sex: Again, Jesus Christ said, "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot…Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed" (Luke 17:28, 30). What was it like in Lot's day before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? Here's the answer: "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 7). Thus "fornication" (sex outside of marriage), and "going after strange flesh" (homosexuality), were the primary sins of those ancient cities. It's a no-brainer that through television, Playboy, Internet pornography, etc., our world is experiencing an unprecedented deluge of sexual perversion.

4.Increasing Stress, Confusion, Heart Disease: Jesus also declared, "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming upon the earth" (Luke 21:25, 26). People are stressed-out everywhere, confusion reigns, and the Number 1 cause of death is heart disease. Jesus Christ saw it coming, that's why He predicted global "distress," "perplexity" and "men's hearts failing them for fear." Fear also raises blood cholesterol.

5.Increasing Knowledge: The prophetic book of Daniel declares, "But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" (Daniel 12:4). This passage reveals planet Earth will enter its "time of the end." Then, "knowledge shall be increased." In our modern era - more than any time in recorded history - knowledge has increased beyond previous generations.

6.False Teaching and Global Religious Confusion: Paul predicted "the time will come" when the majority "shall turn their ears away from the truth and shall turn to fables" (2 Timothy 4:4). God's final book - the Revelation - predicts the rise of a global, multi-layered, conglomerate religious system called "Babylon," which literally means, "confusion." Heaven's end-time message proclaims, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (Revelation 14:8). This mysterious, highly symbolic prophecy reveals that "all nations" will become drunk with "Babylon's wine" - meaning the worldwide false teachings of deceptive religions which lead away from the simplicity of the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.

7.The Global Preaching of the Gospel: "And this gospel [the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ] shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). With the aid of radio, television and satellite networks, God's message of salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross is now spreading around planet Earth. Thus, in the midst of Bad News, there's Good News! We have a Savior who loves us, gave His life for us, rose from the dead for us, and will someday return to take us home.

Time Line of Final Events

Perhaps you are new to the study of biblical prophecy. If so, the more you delve into this arena the more confused you may become! One purpose of this website is to clarify "Facts vs. Fiction" concerning God's "sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19, KJV). The following sequence reveals what the Bible says is on the horizon. Other articles (and books) throughout this web site explain these events in greater detail.

1) YOU ARE HERE (We're in the year 2006 AD)

2) EARTH'S LAST CRISIS - Luke 21:35; Rev. 3:10. No o­ne knows when it will come, yet it will hit at an unexpected time, like September 11. This crisis could stem from many causes - economic, natural (such as a huge earthquake, etc.), or possibly, a terrorist attack.

3) THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS ENFORCED BY LAW - Rev. 13:16,17 The "mark of the beast" will be enforced by governments around the world as a supposed "solution" to a global, desperate crisis. The majority of Earth's inhabitants will not realize this is "the mark," for they will be deceived. Rev. 19:20. The terms "beast" and "mark" are code words in the book of Revelation that God's people alone will understand. They will know who the "beast" is, and what his "mark" is, while the rest of the world has no clue.

4) THE THREE ANGELS MESSAGES ARE HEARD WORLDWIDE - Rev. 14:6-12 Before anyone receives "the mark," God will send a special, final message to warn and enlighten a world filled with people He loves and earnestly wants to save. This special message is the message of "The Three Angels." These angels represent human beings who understand and communicate this exact message with "a loud voice" to "every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Rev. 14:6,7). The message is given before the return of Jesus Christ (Rev. 14:14-16).

5) THE FINAL CHOICE - THE SEAL OR THE MARK? - Rev. 7:1-3; 13:16-14:1. During Earth's last crisis, every living human being will make a final choice - choosing the side of Jesus Christ and the truth (receiving the "seal of God") or the side of Satan and the "beast" (receiving his "mark"). Humanity will be divided into two great, final classes.

6) THE CLOSING OF HEAVEN'S DOOR OF SALVATION - Rev. 22:11 After everyone has had a chance to make an enlightened, intelligent decision, then the "door of mercy" will close forever, just like the door closed to Noah's ark before the flood (see Genesis 7:16). Every human being will either be "righteous" and "holy," or "filthy" and "unjust" (Rev. 22:11). There will be no more changing sides.

7) THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES FALL - Rev. 16; 14:9-12 The seven last plagues are God's final judgments upon a world that has rejected His love, the cross of Jesus Christ, the worship of the Creator and full authority of the Ten Commandments (14:7, 12).

These plagues fall only upon those who have chosen "the beast" and received its "mark" (Rev. 16:1,2). This time period is also called the "time of trouble" (Daniel 12:1). During this awesome period, God's people will be fully protected, just like the Israelites were during the falling of the ten plagues in Egypt (see Exodus 7-12; Psalm 91). At the end of this period, God's faithful ones will be "delivered" (Daniel 12:1).

8) THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON - Rev. 16:14-16 This is the final "battle of that great day of God Almighty." Jesus Christ returns as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16) to defeat the global forces of Satan, sin and Babylon (Rev. 16:19) and to deliver His blood-bought, obedient people.

9) THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST - Mat. 24:30,31; 1 Thess. 4:16,17 Jesus Christ will return visibly, "with power and great glory," with "a great sound of a trumpet," accompanied by billions of shiny, holy angels. He will resurrect "the dead in Christ" (this is the First Resurrection) and "catch up" His living saints into the air. "Sudden destruction" falls upon the lost who have survived the seven plagues (1 Thess. 4:16-5:3).

10) 1000 YEARS, THE SECOND RESURRECTION, THE FINAL JUDGMENT, THE LAKE OF FIRE AND THE NEW EARTH - Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1 After the return of Jesus Christ comes the 1000 years (Rev. 20). At the end of this period comes the second resurrection of "the rest of the dead" who did not participate in the first resurrection (see Rev. 20:5a; 12,13), the final judgment, "the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:14,15) and then the creation of a new heaven and earth (Rev. 21:1).

In God's New Earth, there will be "no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (Rev. 21:4,5). Sin will be gone, and God's love will reign forever!

For more details about Earth's last crisis and the Mark of the Beast, read Truth Left Behind, by Steve Wohlberg.

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