Yes, it’s true that sinfulness has always been man’s nature, but the Bible speaks of the decadence and immorality becoming even worse as we approach the end. We see that happening now.
Certainly you’re right that every generation has believed they were in the end times, but Scripture gives us evidence so that we can know.
Those other generations didn’t live to see the rebirth of Israel, nor the great increase in knowledge and “many people running to and fro.” In earlier times, most people didn’t stray far from the area in which they were born. Now, it’s no big deal to hop a plane to the other side of the world; many do it regularly.
Before, there was no technology available to enforce the mark of the beast worldwide. We have that ability now.
Read about the two witnesses in Revelation; the Bible says the whole world will see their dead bodies, which is only now possible with the worldwide TV news feeds we have.
Christians will turn away from the truth and toward false doctrine; also there will be a rise in occultism. Both are rampant.
There’s nothing arrogant in being able to read the word of God and understand the signs He gives us...I don’t know how you get that. I’m not bragging nor weeping about it; it is what it is. Besides, SOME generation will have to be the one, right?
Israel will not be destroyed. Scripture is clear about that.
You’re right, John had no words to describe the visions that were given to him, which is why they were given to him by the Holy Spirit. All Scripture is God-breathed, If we’re going to doubt that, we might as well toss it all away.
Freedomstar, I would suggest a study of Biblical prophecy, beginning with those in Daniel, which correctly predicted the rise of the four world empires.
Jerusalem has always been at the heart of the Bible, but Scripture talks about the massive world armies that will come against her during the last days, which are said by many Bible scholars to be those of Russia and China, among others.
You said it yourself...the world is headed off a cliff; we are headed for some major issues. And you’re right.
There’s no way to interpret those prophecies. There are many many many many different interpretations. The mark of the beast could as easily just be a tattoo, or a brand. Doesn’t have to be an RFID or bar code. John referred to the “whole world” however, the only world he had ever seen was the Middle East. Many of the events could take place in just the Middle East, some worldwide. Who really knows? We won’t know until the Tribulation begins. Then Revelation will become clear. But it is arrogant to think we are living in the end times, the Tribulation could start tomorrow. It could start a thousand years from now. Saying definitively that prophecy specifically meant “this event, or this event” doesn’t mean anything. Any certain opinion could be wrong because no one else has experienced John’s vision. Could be anytime.
I won’t be certain we are living in the end times until most people have a “mark” to buy and sell.
If you lived during WWII, you could draw parallels between Hitler and the anti-christ and say “this is it” , but you would have been wrong. 1918 you could have said, this is the plague from revelation. You would have been wrong. It’s a matter of perspective and no one can possibly know that we are even close. That’s what it is arrogant.
You are right though, that there are things that could be interpreted as signs, however it doesn’t mean that it’s the specific prophecy. That is why it is arrogant. “7 years” could have meant something completely different then what we think it does, men compiled the Bible. Every book isn’t even there. Why is that? Because men are fallible.