Are We in the End Times?
Are we in the end times? This question has been asked throughout the history of the church. So, let me rephrase the question, Do I feel that our present day Church Age to be the last of the Church Ages before the coming of Christ? After much reading and studying the scriptures, I am almost for certain that our Church Age is the last before the coming of Christ.
Do I want to predict an exact time of the return? NO! I wouldn’t ever be so bold. The scripture tells us that only God knows for sure when that glorious event is to take place. He is not going to let the cat out of the bag till its time. If everyone knew the time, then most people wouldn’t bother with Jesus until the time grew near. This is not the way God works. He wants us to choose his lifestyle for our own and live accordingly to his will. He wants us to trust him no matter if he comes tonight or 30 years from tomorrow night. Life is not truly lived until you live it for Jesus.
Why then do we care if these are the last days or not? Well, if God didn’t think his prophecy was important then why does 30% of his word contain prophecy. Prophecy not only clues us in on future events but also shows us how God keeps his word and promises to those that believe in him. There has not been a promise made by God that has not come to pass. All his words are true. All his promises are kept. All his prophecy will come to pass. So, is prophecy really important to us? If it is this important to God it should be just as important to us.
Prophecy is not really so hard to understand. Most of prophecy is God telling us the historical events that will transpire for his people and the peoples around them. The Apocalyptic Books such as Daniel and Revelation are more symbolical and figurative in style. The most common theme in prophecy is Christ’s return and the events surrounding his return.
So, let’s turn our thoughts to the subject of this message. Are we presently in the end times as written in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation? In order to answer this question let’s look more into the word of God.
In John 14:1-3, Jesus promises his followers that he “will come again” and take them to his Fathers house. In Matthew 16:18, he promises to “build his church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. Christ started his church by developing followers that would carry on his work after he ascended into heaven. In Acts 2, we see that these followers began the first church age on the Day of Pentecost. Christ through the Holy Spirit with the help of the dedicated disciples began the ministry of the church.
From this humble beginning to this present church age the church has withstood centuries of persecution and hate. God is true to his word and he promised that the church would endure till Christ’s return in which then the church will be taken from the Earth. This is where we are today, near the point of time in which the church will be taken into the waiting arms of Jesus and the tribulation right around the corner. Christ’s return is eminent and soon.
Before we say another word let’s turn to the scripture and read Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7. { READ } It is very clear to me that anyone who predicts or gives a specified time of the Second Coming of Christ is walking a thin line of apostasy. Any one who predicts this event is seriously wrong and disobedient to the Word of God.
However, God does give us signs concerning the time structure of the Second Coming. Turning to Matthew24:32-36, he gives us the Parable of the Fig Tree. In this parable he gives to us an approximation of the coming of the end times. Matthew 24:33, he states “so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors”. By looking at the scriptures we have more reason to believe that this will be the last church age. I know every church age thought that they would be the last but then they didn’t have all of history to look at like we have.
I will need to emphasize that no one can predict the exact year, day or hour of the return of Christ. For whatever reason God could delay 10, 20 30 more years for his timetable to be completed. Though we can’t be for certain, there is starling evidence that suggests the second coming of Christ, the rapture of the church and the end of man’s reign over the Earth is nearing it’s conclusion.
In Matthew 24, the disciples put the question to Jesus, “…tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?” Jesus tells them two significant events, which will happen:
1. “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying; ‘I am the Christ’ and deceive many.”
2. “…you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.”
No doubt we have seen a dramatic rise in cults and the occult. Tremendous world wars have plagued this century more then any but in verse 8 Jesus tells, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are only the beginning of sorrows”. No doubt this century has been in turmoil with plenty of signals which hint that the time of the end is closing rapidly upon us. After two world wars, many conflicts between countries, accelerated occurrences of earthquakes, severe famines and rise of serious disease; these signal that the end may be near. The end may be nearer than you think.
In order to properly gauge the end time prophecies, we need to focus on the events in the Middle East. Israel is the key to the end time prophecy and The City of Jerusalem is the center stage. They are god’s people and he has been attempting to get their attention throughout history.
There has been a renewed interest in the Messiah and many Jews are realizing that Jesus fulfills the messianic prophecies. Israel is closer than ever in turning toward her Messiah. This is the spiritual awakening that is predicted in Ezekiel 37:8, Joel 2:18-32, Zechariah 12:10-13:2, Romans 11:26-27 and Revelation 7:1-10. This spiritual awakening hasn’t happen yet however there are signs that it is near.
Let us take a look at the Parable of the Fig Tree in Matthew 24:32-34 that is contained in the doctrine known as the Olivet Discourse. Jesus informs us, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and the leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, you will see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.”
First, what is meant by the parable of the fig tree? Is Jesus speaking concerning a real tree or is he symbolically speaking in reference to something else? Earlier in the Book of Matthew in chapter 11 there was another fig tree which had no fruit that he condemned. This fig tree withered and died after this condemnation. Is this the tree that Jesus is referring to in this chapter?
Many theological scholars who have studied the bible intensely feel that Jesus was speaking concerning the nation of Israel. Other times in scripture the fig tree is a figurative description of the Jewish nation of Israel. Here Jesus is symbolically using a fig tree to represent his people. Remarkably, the fig tree’s branches begin to turn soft right before summer and they produce a second generation of foliage (the first being in the spring). I propose that Jesus is telling us that the Jewish people will once again be a nation. The second generation leaves representing the people and the summer corresponding to the ceremonious event of statehood.
If Jesus were speaking of a real tree, how many fig trees have blossomed and produced leaves since the time of this parable. If he were speaking of fig trees in general then it would not fit the context of the scripture. Jesus tells us, “When you see all these things happen, know that it is near, at the door.” You can tell that a real tree doesn’t really fit into the overall meaning of this passage.
Therefore if he is referencing the nation of Israel, then it begins to make sense. In 1948 Israel won its freedom and became an official state. This is the only country since the promised country of Israel, which was carried to Babylon in captivity that yields a solution to this prophecy. Since Jesus is speaking concerning the State of Israel he further says, “…know that it is near, at the doors. This generation will not pass away, till all these things are fulfilled.”
The generation that watches the events of Israel becoming a state will be that generation that will see the end time prophecy fulfilled. The only dilemma is what constitutes a generation. When Israel followed Moses in the wilderness a generation was 40 years? We have no way of knowing the timetable of which Jesus was speaking. Then of course, he says that this generation will not pass by without seeing these things. Does this suggest that many or most will pass away but not entirely, we just don’t know.
How else can I say this but to just say it. We are the heirs of the generation, which Jesus was speaking of in this scripture. We are the heirs of the generation which saw the state of Israel become a nation once again. 52 years ago this prophecy that was given to us happened.
This is why I believe the rapture of the church could happen at any time. More evidence than ever before points to this as the last church age before the Second Coming of Christ. We just don’t know when that will be nor will we be told.
The key to the mystery behind this passage then revolves around the text “…this generation…”. Searching back through Israel’s past we come up with four possibilities:
1. The disciple’s generation – which of course nothing like this happened during their time and church age.
2. The generation that saw World War I – which was the beginning of the sorrows spoken of in the Olivet Discourse. The nations of the world raged war against one another.
3. The generation which saw Israel become a state – Those that were alive at the time of this event will see the dramatic conclusion of the end time prophecy.
4. The generation, which saw the Jewish State gain control over Jerusalem – In 1967, during the Six-Day War, the Israeli army captured and gained control over the City of Jerusalem.
You do the math. How much time has passed since these events?
Whatever speculation may arise, we can know for certain that Israel is the timepiece for end time prophecy and Jerusalem is the center stage. Too properly gauge the conclusion of the end times, all one has to do is stay abreast of current events in the Middle East. We know Christ hasn’t returned as of yet, so what else may give us a hint of the end of time.
1. There is to be a great departing from the Christian faith. This is spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, etc. The Book of Revelation tells of a one-world religion that controls the theological thinking of the world.
2. God will make the land of Israel blossom and bloom creating the most fertile nation in the whole world (Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7 & 43:19). We already see a hint of God accomplishing this, rainfall has remarkably increased throughout the Palestinian desert region and produce has risen dramatically. The Israeli desert appears ready to “burst into bloom” as described in Isaiah.
3. Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, tell of an all out total invasion of Israel by a Northern Kingdom Gog of Magog (presumably Russia). However, not all is lost, God intervenes and totally annihilates the invading hordes with natural calamities. Israel won’t even have to fire a shot in retaliation; God totally destroys the advancing army. Time however does not seem to be on Russia’s side. With the fall of the wall the economy of the country is on the verge of economic collapse. The government has become unstable and vulnerable for take over by hard-lined communists. If Russia is going to remain a super power she will have to do something dramatic and quickly. If Russia is to attack Israel she will have to do something soon or fall to economic ruin. Experts judge from Russia’s present rate of decline that the country may have 5, 10 or at the most 20 years before it destroys itself economically from within.
4. Revelation 16:12-16 tells of an evading army of the kings of the East. China has world conquest in mind and with it’s present day population of over 1.2 billion people and a vast heavily equipped army ready for action this prophecy could very well happen in the near future.
5. The rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem is another key to the fulfillment of the end time prophecy. Ever since the take over of Jerusalem in 1967 radical Jews have been attempting to place the cornerstone to the new temple and force the rebuilding near the Dome of the Rock, the present day Arab masque. This new temple is spoken of in Matthew 24:15, Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Revelation 11:1-2. Negotiations have been under way between Israeli and Arab officials for the rebuilding of the temple for years and a settlement wanes on the horizon.
This and other prophecy is powerful evidence that Christ will return in our lifetime more than any other time in history. What is really important to see is here in the closing verses of chapter 24. First, Jesus words will never pass. They are eternal and will never fail to come true. Secondly, we need to be ever watchful for his return. He could come at any time and we need to be ready for his return. Those who are not ready will have to face all the judgements in the Great Tribulation and inevitably his very judgement.
The question I pose to you now is, if Christ were to come tonight and he were to ask you, Why should I let you into my heaven? What would you say?
