In 2021 there are so many viewpoints of once again mentionings of the end times leading to armageddon. I have only been alive over 4 decades but in that time I have heard over 4 times everyone was sure the end of times were upon us. Remember Y2K? Or the Mayan calendar ended in 2012? There is always someone saying the end is going to happen but it never does. That does not mean the end is not coming, I assure you it is. The bible has a perfect record of fulfilling prophecies. With over 2000 prophecies and counting having been fulfilled I am willing to bet my life on the remaining 500 unfulfilled ones.
I will admit things are looking very crazy now and where as I do believe we are nearing the end, I am also familiar with the prophecies regarding what to expect. So what should you be looking for to confirm the end of the world is upon us? First you must know, according to Mattithyahu (Matthew) 24:36 no one knows the day or the hour when the end will arrive. No one knows, not the messengers (angels) in heaven, or the fallen ones wreaking havoc on earth, not me or anyone claiming to know, only the Father. Elohim (Almighty God) did lovingly leave many prophecies for us to study if we were curious but also if we wanted to survive.
There are many scriptures to consider however, the majority of my focus will be on those that provide specific clues to look for:
- Timotiyos 2 (2 Timothy)3:1-5 is quoted as saying, “in the last days hard times will come, people will be lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, fierce, haters of good, betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, having a form of reverence but denying its power.” All of which sounds familiar but also has been present in human behavior as far back as I can recall from historical records. I assume that in the last days these stated things will be much more prevalent. Which honestly I have personally noticed all increased dramatically within the last 20 years or so. Think about it, there are entire churches and doctrine completely surrounding the pursuit and acquisition of money. The other traits are so prevalent now it’s expected from everyone, there is no honor found anywhere.
- Mattithyahu (Matthew) 24:10-12 mentions many will stumble and shall deliver up one another and shall hate one another. Also there will be many false prophets and mislead many. Does your pastor rarely hold the bible or refer to it? Did your pastor buy his wife a luxury sports car worth $250k? Does he preach with $6000 sneakers on? It also goes on to state that because of the increase in lawlessness peoples love will grow cold.
- Mattithyahu (Matthew) 24:4-5 is summarized as Yeshua (Jesus) mentioning that we should be careful that no one misleads us because many will come in his name saying they are ha`Mashiah (The Messiah) and will mislead many.
- Mattithyahu (Matthew) 24:6-9 is Yeshua once more describing the times of the end as fighting or wars taking place and to not be troubled as they must happen. He also states that nation will rise against nation and there will be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases and earthquakes in places. He goes on to state that those nations will deliver up his followers to affliction and Kill us and we will be hated by ALL nations for the name of Yeshua. When you truly see the global oppression of followers of Yeshua know that the killings will begin and also know that is a definite sign that you are in the last days. Now Christians and Jews are being persecuted in various countries and some even to death but in the United states and elsewhere although true worshipers are not very popular they are not targets of death…..yet. It is coming and when it does, understand what is truly occurring. Did you know that France and Sweden are now the most dangerous countries to be a Jew? We all know that Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan and almost the entire continent of Africa are dangerous to christians but did you know it is very dangerous to be a christian in India? Please pray for all being persecuted in the name of Yeshua ha`Mashiah. (Jesus the messiah/ Jesus christ)
- Kepha 2 (2 Peter) 3:3-4 and Yahudah(Jude) 1:18-19 are summarized as stating that people will continue in their wicked ways, mocking believers saying, “where is Jesus? Nothing has changed since the beginning of time.” This sounds familiar.
- Luqas (Luke) 21:11 starts to get into more specific prophecy stating,”there shall be great earthquakes in various places, and scarcities of food and deadly diseases, and there shall be terrors and great signs from the shamayim (heaven) and there shall be great tempests.” Great earthquakes in various places really have not occurred in my opinion but data compiled by the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that the number of earthquakes per year has seen significant variation, and the overall trend shows an increasing frequency. I get the feeling we don’t need to check stats to know if it’s unusual. There are always some sort of famines on earth and usually man made so once again I assume that this reference will be based on something far more profound and global. I don’t want to discuss 2020 and the corona virus because we still don’t know what it is or what is going on for sure. If we get a global virus that actually starts to drop people so fast that I see bodies piling up with my own eyes on the streets, I will believe this prophecy is being fulfilled. There have been incredible storms all over the world, I mean in my lifetime I recall hurricanes that did not cover half of the United States and I now live in a time where not only is that the new norm, we sometimes get two at a time. NOAA data confirms that the intensity and frequency of North Atlantic Hurricanes have all increased dramatically since the 80’s. Considering that I still have not seen any terrors and great signs from the heavens yet and I get the feeling we will know it when we see it.
- Yo`el (Joel) 2:28-29 and Acts 2:16-18 summarizes that Elohim will send his spirit on all flesh and men and women will prophecy and there will be wonders in the heavens above and on the earth below, mentioning blood and fire and vapour of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and splendid day of YHWH(Yahweh). I imagine this would occur towards the very last days before the end. This will be a time of little doubt in the minds of most im sure but also likely too late for reform. I would recommend getting your life in order before you see the sun disappear and the moon turn red.
- Yohanan 1 (1 John) 2:18-19 where it clearly mentions that in the last hour as you may have heard, the anti messiah is coming (otherwise known as the antichrist). Christ is just a greek translation of Messiah which is hebrew. It goes on to say further that even now many anti messiahs have come and this is how we know that it is the last hour. I interpret this as just a further reference to false prophets misleading many. There is a mention of the antichrist in the book of Revelation but that is an entirely different ball game.
So there are many more prophecies in the bible that clearly state what to look for. There are many that believe we are living in the so-called last days and I agree but, by following bible prophecy it becomes clear many of those prophecies remain unfulfilled. There are three scriptures in the bible that mention the coming of the end of times or armageddon. In all three they refer to the coming as a thief in the night. This clearly means an unexpected arrival. So no matter how much you study you will be caught a bit by surprise. Do not take the warnings lightly, as all the prophecy foretold prior have come true so will these that remain unfulfilled and it will all come by surprise.