Discerning Prophecy And End-Time Signs Shembull

End-Time Signs

Jesus’ disciples asked Him about the sign of His coming and the close of the age because they understood that all seasons are identified by signs. Keep in mind that a sign is not an end in itself but rather points to something or someone. A biblical sign always represents a higher spiritual reality. All the signs that Jesus revealed point to His appearing and His coming. 

Most of the end-time signs have already been fulfilled. However, we need to recognize the common characteristic of the signs that are currently being fulfilled (or soon will be): they are intensifying. God’s judgment on mankind’s rebellion, sin, and wickedness is coming to the earth. The signs are clear. 

A number of prophetic signs are described in the books of Daniel, Matthew, Luke, and 1 Timothy. These signs are not necessarily the only indicators of the last days, but they are the most significant. Although we have previously discussed some of these signs, I include them in the following list so that we can understand the scope of the divine warnings: deception, false prophets, wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famine and pestilence, earthquakes, persecution of the church, offenses, lawlessness, love growing cold, the preaching of the gospel in all the world, fear, an increase in knowledge, the shortening of time, the rebirth of the nation of Israel, apostasy, perplexity, and shakings.

God is speaking to us through such signs, and we must respond to His prophetic word. Let us examine several of these signs, especially as they directly impact the church.

Deception

Four times in Matthew 24, Jesus warns believers against being deceived. (See Matthew 24:4–5, 11, 24.)

The end-time sign of deception is very apparent today. Deceit is the spirit of this age. Even in the church, many people are being deceived by false gospels and empty promises, and they are turning away from the faith.

In our contemporary culture, it is easy to become swept up in ideologies that are contrary to the Scriptures unless we carefully weigh these ideas against sound biblical doctrine. Deception occurs when we either are ignorant of, or reject, the truth.

Paul was careful to teach Christians the truth in Christ Jesus and to warn them to hold fast to what they had been taught. He wrote to Timothy, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). 

Nation Rising Against Nation

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:7). The Greek word translated “nation” here is ethnos, one of whose meanings is “a tribe, race, or people group.” This is the term from which the English word ethnic is derived. Jesus indicated that in the end times, we would see races and ethnic groups in conflict with one another.

Today, we are seeing clashes involving blacks versus whites, whites versus Asians, Asians versus blacks, Hispanics versus other Hispanics, Hindus versus Muslims, Shiites versus Sunnis, Arabs versus Jews, and a number of other groups. Many of the conflicts that lead to war result from racial animosity. In these last days, we are bound to see racism increase more and more around the world.

Persecution of the Church

“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake” (Luke 21:12). As mentioned previously, one sign of the end times and the coming of the Lord for His bride is the persecution of the church. We will see more oppression against believers than we have ever seen before, including in countries where such persecution has not occurred much in the past. For example, various governments have legalized sinful behaviors, and they have begun to pressure or penalize Christians if they don’t comply with the corresponding new laws. This type of persecution will become more frequent.

Offenses

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). A major reason people leave churches is that they have been offended in one way or another. Many believers have been sinned against and hurt by their fellow Christians. While that hurt is real, God calls us to forgive others and to let go of our resentment against them.

Taking offense and holding on to grudges is often related to spiritual immaturity. People can become offended over the smallest matters. I have seen numerous people turn from their faith in Christ because of just one offense. I don’t want you to fulfill this end-time prophecy by becoming one of the “many [who] will be offended”! Develop spiritual maturity and do not allow offense to rob you of your inheritance as a child of God at Christ’s coming. If someone has hurt you, this is the time to forgive them and release any bitterness.

Love Growing Cold

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). This sign of the end times is connected to the sign of offenses. I know many people who used to be on fire for God, faithfully serving Him, but now they have turned away from the Lord.

Some of these people saw so much sin, wickedness, and hypocritical behavior within the church that they gave up and left. Others were betrayed or rejected by another person, and as a result, they became disillusioned and bitter. In both of these situations, the individuals’ love for God and other people grew cold. They abandoned their relationship with the Father and began living according to the values of the world. There are others whose love has grown cold because they did not know how to cultivate their relationship with God or did not take the time to do so. They never learned how to watch and pray.

If you are drifting from your faith, the Holy Spirit is calling you to return to Christ, your “first love” (Revelation 2:4). None of us has an excuse to let the negative behavior of others influence us, allowing their mistakes or evil deeds to cause us to forsake our devotion to God. Don’t become a statistic! Return wholeheartedly to the Lord and let His love and presence fill you again.

Fear

Jesus told us that people’s hearts would “[fail] them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26). In these end times, the increased presence of the dark side of the supernatural, or the demonic, on the earth will cause many people to fear. Today, atrocities are taking place that have not occurred before; wickedness has multiplied to such an extent that many people no longer experience peace. 

People around the world are filled with fear and dread because they anticipate the arrival of disaster, whether through the effects of global warming and climate change, economic crises and catastrophes, water or food shortages, terrorist acts, the violence of drug cartels, or something else. 

Many people’s fears are based on genuine problems they are facing, although fear is not a helpful response to them. However, people are also suffering from unfounded apprehensions that come from evil spirits for the malevolent purpose of making them faint with fear. These individuals suffer confusion, loss of appetite, panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, torment, and diseases. Then, their fearful reactions to these imagined threats attract even more demonic spirits.

Whatever anxieties you are facing, remember that God is greater than all our fears and that fear does not come from Him. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The Preaching of the Gospel in All the World

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Previously, we talked about the gospel being preached to the whole world as the primary sign of Jesus’ second coming, the final sign that indicates the end of the age. I will not spend much time on this point because we have already covered it. I will only add that if you are part of the remnant that prepares the way for Christ’s appearance in glory, you must take part in world evangelization with a sense of urgency.

In our final devotional, we will talk about how to personally prepare for the end times and Jesus’ appearing.