What More Does The Church Need To See Before They Conclude We Are Nearing Christ’s Return?

This sounds so much like today! I couldn’t get that thought out of my head as I read the John 6 account of Jesus’ interaction with the Jews the day after His feeding of the five thousand.

How did those in the crowd on that day respond to Jesus’ plea that they believe in Him? They asked, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (John 6:30).

Jesus had just fed a multitude with “five barley loaves” and “two fish.” The total number of people could easily have been close to fifteen thousand since the number “five thousand” just included the men. Even satisfying the hunger of a few hundred people with such little food would’ve been a significant miracle, but to feed so great a gathering was over-the-top supernatural.

Seeing such a miraculous sign should’ve at least caused the crowd to consider Jesus’ claims on the following day, but most scoffed at His claims and walked away.

The lack of discernment among this hungry throng from so long ago bears a striking resemblance to many Christians today. They see the multitude of signs telling them that they live in the last moments of time before the start of the Tribulation, yet they respond in the same manner as those who witnessed the feeding of the five thousand.

They scoff at our hope of Jesus’ imminent appearing and flock to churches that proclaim an end-of-the-world return of Jesus that happens in the far distant future. They want what Jesus offers but would rather not look for His imminent intervention in their world.

Beginning in the early seventeenth century, many students of Bible prophecy taught that Israel would again become a nation. When this miraculously happened about three hundred years later, it did little to change the minds of those who claimed God had rejected Israel. This major fulfillment of Bible prophecy didn’t alter their errant thinking that the church was God’s kingdom in place of Israel.

In His mercy, the Lord is letting today’s world see multiple precursors pointing to the soon release of the horses of the apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8. I believe that if it were not for His restraining force, the world would already have experienced the full impact of these judgments. Sometimes I’m amazed that we are still here and these horses remain in their stalls. We are so close, but for God’s mercy.

Never before has there been so much evidence pointing to the nearness of this time of wrath than today. However, never in recent history has there been so much unawareness and disbelief regarding Bible prophecy as we now see in churches.

The same unbelief that caused the crowd to refute Jesus’ claims in John chapter 6 keeps many of today’s Christians oblivious to the fact that their world could radically and suddenly change at any moment. It grieves my heart that despite professing to believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, so many pastors remain sound asleep, mired in unbelief concerning what the Lord revealed in His Word regarding His appearing and the time of His wrath upon this wicked world.

Of course, Jesus attracted many true followers during His time on the earth. Many saw the signs He performed confirming His identity and recognized Him as their Messiah. Notice the response of those in Jerusalem a little while after the feeding of the five thousand: “Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, ‘When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?’” (John 7:31).

We might ask a similar question to those who tell us we are foolish to look for Jesus’ appearing anytime soon, or even in our lifetime: ‘If the Lord were to warn today’s Christians that the Tribulation period was near, would we see any more signs of its soon arrival than we currently witness?’

I can’t imagine we could see more evidence of the approaching Day of the Lord than what we now witness. I’m aware that those who reading are likely eagerly awaiting His return, but I write to provide reassurance of the validity of what we see despite living in the midst of naysayers.

Just like those living in the first century AD, we live in biblical times today. Also similar to that day long ago, it’s primarily church leaders who are leading people away from anticipating the Lord’s imminent appearing.

In the list of signs below, we see that the internet and increasing speed of communication has accelerated the world towards his coming and the end. So, what are the signs of his imminent return?

Prosperity

Jesus said his coming would be as it was in the day of Noah. “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matt. 38-39. Although the forces of economic poverty are strong these days, there is coming a great restoration of the Gospel of the Grace of Christ followed by a worldwide merciful incoming of souls to Christ (Luke 14:23) before that great and terrible day. Christ not only saves, but He also proposers (3 John 2) and even the unsaved world benefits and will benefit from His prosperity.

Rise of Homosexuality

Jesus also said his coming would be during days like those of Lot who abode in Sodom. “[B]ut on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:29. The church has been ineffective in dealing with the rising homosexual and transsexual problems of the day because often the church either condemns the sinner which Jesus does not do, or goes the other extreme incorporating homosexuality into their doctrine as sinless, also false doctrine.
The church needs to contend for the true Gospel of the Grace of Christ which is the power of God to salvation (Rom. 1:16) and declares, “[A]ll things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:19. May we believers also not impute their sins to the homosexuals but seek to reconcile them to Christ who is able to save to the uttermost.

Rebirth and Rise of the Nation of Israel

Another sign his return is close is the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel. In Matthew 24:32-33 Jesus said as the fig ftree was a sign his coming is near “even at the doors”. Israel is commonly referred to as the fig tree. And before the rapture, Israel will need to have rebuilt the temple and begin the daily sacrifice because the man of sin will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease 3½ years into the tribulation (Dan. 9:27).

The Rise of Iran and Islam

Another sign is the mounting and coalescing strength of Iran, her allies, and the gradual rise of Islam. I believe the tribulation will begin with WWIII which will begin with the invasion of Israel (Ez. 38-39, Rev. 6: 2-8). Iran and Russia (Gog and Magog) and other nations will attack Israel but will be beaten back by the Almighty Hand of the Lord. During the tribulation, Islamic Supremacy will dominate the world and it will be a bloodbath.

Nuclear Weapons

Another sign is the ability for mass destruction with the relatively new presence of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons of unimaginable destructive power have been around for less than 100 years. Why haven’t we seen a nuclear holocaust yet? “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [the Holy Spirit] who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” 2 Thess. 2:7. The restraining power and presence of the Holy Spirit has held back such worldwide destruction. But when the church is raptured to heaven the Holy Spirit will also leave the earth (Id). With the restraining power of the Holy Spirit removed, immediately there will be a nuclear holocaust (Ez. 38-39, Rev. 6: 2-8) with ¼ of the world being killed.

Rise of Advocacy for Worldwide Totalitarian Government

The coalescing of a stronger and stronger call for worldwide totalitarian government is certainly a sign that his coming is close. Satan longs to be worshipped and his avenue will be the bloody Worldwide Islamic Supremacy. Islam is waiting for their “12th Imam” who they believe will be the savoir and rule of the world. Enter “the beast” who I believe scripture points to being an Assyrian (Is. 14: 25-27). He will be worshipped as Satan by the whole world as their world ruler. This is Satan’s counterfeit to Christ, the true King of kings and Lord of lords who will rule the earth for 1000 years (Rev. 20:4).

Rise of Deception and Strong Delusion

Lies, deception, and strong delusion are coming upon the earth in preparation for the horrific tribulation and the rise of this man of sin, “the beast”. Again, the only thing holding back the manifestation and dominion of evil is the withholding power of the Holy Spirit. And we he leaves with the Church upon the rapture, all hell will literally break loose.

The Laodicean Church Age – the Last Church Age Before His Return

Another sign we are near the end is the presence of the lukewarm, the Laodicean Church which is the last of the churches listed in the church age of Revelation Chapters 2-3. The Philadelphia Church is also present and they will be the true born-again believers who will go with Jesus to heaven in the rapture (Rev 3:10) whereas those in the lukewarm Laodicean Church who do not know Jesus will be cast out into the tribulation of the world (Rev. 3:16).

General Breakdown of Society

Everywhere we turn, society seems to be breaking down. Those things on which we relied seem to be disappearing. Stable families, law and order, children’s safety, proliferation of drugs and mental illness. This cannot continue and will not because soon God will judge the earth. The whole “weakening and deceiving of the nations”, Satan’s work (Is. 14:12, Rev. 20:3), points to the end of the age being near.

In Rev CH6 it speaks of these four riders on different colored horses.
The first is the white horse with a rider wearing a Stephanos, which is the laurel wreath that the Roman politicians wore, not a diadem, which is a kings crown.
This person also has a bow, but no arrows are mentioned. He is a politician.
He has gone out to establish a one world government. We can see the push for just that right now. That rider is on the move.
The second is a red horse and its rider is given a great sword to take peace from the earth so that men will kill each other. Again, we see this happening and increasing week by week, people being murdered for senseless reasons. And this is happening all over the world,right along with wars and threats of expanding local and regional conflict. This is also happening g as we speak. This rider is also on the move now.
The third horse is black, and its rider has a balance in his hand. The angel states “a quart of wheat for a days wage, but do not hurt the oil and wine”. It takes one quart of wheat, ground into flout to make o e loaf of bread, which will feed one person for one day. Massive inflation. We are seeing that build right before our eyes, now. That horse is also on the move, now.
The fourth horse is a pale horse with death as it rider, and hell following after.
He is given power over 1/4th of the earth to kill with famine, plague, hunger, sword, and animals. Again, we see this on the African and Asian continents, we had great locust swarms that ate every green thing in their path, droughts and regional armed conflicts to drive out people from their homes. Local governments attacking their own people as well as insurgents who attack everyone not aligned with their way of thinking.
This rider is also on the move, now.
These are the conditions of the earth just before the start of the “Time of Jacob's trouble, Day of the Lord, Daniel's 70th week, & the Tribulation(as it's called in the NT). But all four descriptions talk about the same period of time,
When God pours out his wrath on this earth.
This is a judgment, on the same level as that flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. That kind of judgment. There will be nothing left standing when Jesus actually returns to this devastated earth. Everything we see now, from the mountain ranges the world over, to the cities world wide, they all will be reduced to rubble. The islands will sink beneath the putrid waters of the world's oceans.
It is that kind of judgment. And the church will not be here a for that.
It was taught that we would be united with Jesus in the clouds before judgment started from the first through about the mid fourth century, then it was replaced by other thoughts on eschatology that removed the immanence of Jesus return for his church, to God rejecting Israel and replacing them with the church.
Which calls God a liar and that he changes his mind when he said that if one could count the sands of the sea, then he would forget Israel. He has not forgotten his people, and they are being gathered together in their ancient homeland.
We are in the season of the Lords return for his church. He said that when you begin to see these things happening, to look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.
I think it might be almost at the door.
Maranatha.

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