• End Times for the Jews
• End Times For All
• What Does This Mean For Me?

For approaching 20 years, my greatest passion and focus relating to the Bible has been the beginnings. I’ve focused on Genesis 1-11 and the science and history that support the Bible. I’ve read over a hundred (and likely over 200) books on the subject. It has been my passion. To me, nothing is more exciting than where science and the Bible intersect. Knowing the beginnings sets a firm foundation for the rest of the Bible. A misunderstanding of the beginnings creates an unstable foundation, because everything else in the Bible is built on it.

In the past couple of years, my focus has slowly pivoted from focusing on beginnings to focusing on the end. I used to hate end-times prophecy. I wouldn’t have admitted that I actually hated it, but looking back, I did hate it. End-times prophecy seemed so incomprehensible that it felt like a waste of time to study. I read it as I read through my Bible, but got little out of it. Maybe my hard heart was part of the problem. The Bible tells us we will be blessed if we read [hear} and heed these prophecies.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

Recently, the end-times prophecies have seemed to jump off the page, drawing me in and enlightening me. My head and my heart say that our time left on earth is short.

Although we cannot know exactly when Jesus will return,

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” (Matthew 24:36)

Jesus told us there would be signs and that we should look for them. Matthew 24 and Luke 21 give particular signs to look for. Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees for ignoring the signs of His first coming.

But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:2-4) {emphasis mine}

Won’t we also be reprimanded for ignoring the signs of His second coming?

§End Times for the Jews

One thing I’ve found that can make end-times prophecy confusing is that many prophecies were written specifically to the Jews. They leave out what will happen to the gentile church. One example of this is Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks of years.

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people [the Jews] and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:24-26) {emphasis & clarification mine}

The word translated “weeks” basically means “sevens.” In this prophecy, each week represents 7 years. The 7 weeks (49 years) and 62 weeks (434 years) are 483 years. Artaxerxes of Persia gave the command to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem in 444 B.C. The first 7 weeks of years was the time to rebuild Jerusalem and the following 62 weeks of years was the time till Jesus rode in on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (when you convert 360 day Jewish years to our 365.25 day modern years). This part of the prophecy has been fulfilled exactly to the day, but what about the last week of years?

The gap between the 69x7 years and the final 7 years confused me for most of my life, but the easy way to understand this is to understand that this prophecy was meant for the Jews (not the church). The prophecy skips over the entire church age and picks up after the church is raptured and the 7-year tribulation begins. Israel will once again become the center of prophecy, history, and God’s plan.

Of course, this was only possible because Israel was recreated in a day in 1948, just as prophesied.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?Can a land be born in one day?Can a nation be brought forth all at once?As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. (Isaiah 66:8)

and

I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. (Ezekiel 36:23-24) {emphasis mine}

Has there ever been a nation or people who were dispersed across the globe, persecuted, and yet they kept their culture and their language for even 100 years, much less 1879 years? Nothing like this has ever happened before. It is as big a miracle as the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry land. This recreated Israel is also necessary for end-times prophecies to come true because most of the prophesies require Israel in its land and a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. We have Israel in the land, and it is looking more and more like a temple will be built soon. The plans for a new Temple are completed. Supplies are gathered. The holy implements (or at least copies) have been collected or built. All that is needed is peace, so they can build the temple on the Temple Mount. This is one of the most important signs that the end is near.

§End Times For All

Some prophesies are meant primarily for the Jews, but others are meant for everyone, especially the church. I’m going to go through a few more prophecies that point to Jesus returning soon. There are many more than I have time to touch on in this article.

§Technology & the End Times

Some of the biggest signs have to do with technology. There are many prophecies that predict things that would have been impossible (except through a miracle) until very recently.

Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. (Revelation 11:9)

Almost 2,000 years ago, it was predicted that everyone around the world would watch the dead bodies of the 2 witnesses in Jerusalem. Until TV, this was impossible. Until smartphones, this was unlikely. Now everyone can watch from almost anywhere in the world.

But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” (Daniel 12:4)

Even earlier, Daniel predicted that knowledge (and travel) would increase. Knowledge increased very little for thousands of years because all books had to be copied by hand, so it was expensive and time consuming. Then the printing press came. This helped, but you still had to have a physical book in hand to read and learn information. Then came the internet. Information is shared from people all over the world and can be found quickly, but not until the smartphone came, could people access the information from almost anywhere, and with AI, it is easier than ever to find the information you need. Even Daniel didn’t understand what he was predicting, but today we are living it.

One prophecy that I couldn’t fathom until the past couple of years (and really just the past year) is this one:

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

How could one person control all buying and selling around the world? Why can’t I just go transact with my neighbor with cash? How does a tattoo (mark) keep you from buying and selling? Now we have digital currencies that are being programmed so they can be controlled. You can be told where, when, and how you can spend your money. The Genius Act sets up rules for stablecoins, so they have to be designed to freeze, transfer, or burn coins at a lawful order, so even stablecoins act in the same way as CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies). Most countries are working on CDBCs and/or digital identities. Countries like China have already implemented social credit scores that limit where you can transact or travel based on how well you obey the government. We have systems like Starlink that allow internet access to practically the whole globe. This is convenient when you want to send an email, but also would allow global spying. AI tracks, remembers, and searches, allowing one person to find information or control things that would never have been possible in earlier ages. We have implantable chips, smart tattoos, and brain interfaces like Neurolink. These might seem to be convenient, but they could also be used to control and spy on every person on earth.

§The Falling Away

Another major sign is the deception we see all around.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. (Matthew 24:4-5)

We have clearly been misled for some time. The media lies. The schools teach falsehoods about science in order to draw children away from God and trust in the Bible. Even so-called pastors and priests teach lies that are diametrically opposed to God’s word. Today we even have multiple AI Jesus apps that purport to allow people to talk directly to Jesus, and many of the AIs even claim to be Jesus. We truly are in a world that calls evil good and good evil.

Sadly, many “Christians” are led astray and even seek truth from everywhere other than the Bible.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

People often prefer a comfortable lie to an uncomfortable truth. There has been evil in the past, but has there ever been a time in history where truth has been denied as much as today? We are told that boys can be girls. We are told that a marriage of two women or two men is as much a marriage as one made of a man and a woman. We are told that the government stealing from those who work to give to those who don’t is righteous. We are told that a woman can’t find honor in motherhood and being a homemaker, but has to be successful in a career. We are told that terrorists are the oppressed and that those they murder, rape, torture, and kidnap are the oppressors. Reality has been turned upside down, and most people can’t see it.

§The Good News

Most of the signs that the end times are fast approaching are very unpleasant, but there is at least one sign that is very encouraging.

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

Thanks to the internet, people from all over the world have access to God’s word. Thanks to Bible translators, most have the Bible in their own language — their heart language.

My son did an internship with Wycliffe Bible Translators this past summer. They told him they expected to have at least started translating the Bible into every actively used language in the world by the end of 2025. This is a Herculean task because the languages that are left are solely oral languages. The translators first have to create a written language and then translate the Bible into that written language and teach the people to read the written language. Still, the Bible speaks to the heart as well as the mind when it is written in the heart language — the language learned at birth. Most of these people also know at least one other language that allows them to talk to other tribes and people groups and that gives them current access to the Bible. They may have their native language and also speak English, Arabic, Mandarin, or another language as well as their native language, but as anyone who has learned a second language knows, we always understand best in our native (birth) language.

It is so exciting to see God’s Word becoming available to every person on Earth. Yes, there are countries with strict controls on Bibles and the internet, but the Word of God is still getting out and reaching people who have never had access to God’s word.

§What Does This Mean For Me?

Many people wonder why end-times prophecies matter. As quoted above, we are promised blessings if we hear [or read] and heed the message in Revelation. Also, when we see these things, we know we have little time left. Our priorities should change. Instead of focusing on entertainment, we should focus on knowing God and His Word. Instead of focusing on work and earning lots of money, we should focus on sharing the Gospel and winning lots of souls for Jesus. Instead of focusing on ourselves, we should focus on bringing as many people to Jesus as possible.

When we don’t feel the urgency of Jesus’s return, we tend to think we have lots of time to share the Gospel later. We say, “next time …,” but the next time never comes. When we know time is short, we are more motivated, or at least we should be.

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22)

This should be our goal and way of life. You may speak with individuals or crowds. You may write to people you’ve never met before. You may spend hours on your knees in prayer, but you need to be doing something to further God’s kingdom.

Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

Our works won’t save us, but we are rewarded for faithfulness. I don’t want to face Jesus and have to admit that I did nothing to further His kingdom.

If you have no heart for the lost and if you aren’t willing to inconvenience yourself for the kingdom of God, are you actually a Christian or are you a tare? In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the tares and afterwards, He explains it to His disciples.

Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43) {emphasis mine}

There are numerous places, in addition to the parable of the Wheat and Tares, where Jesus talks about people who look like Christians and who even believe they are Christians, but they are not. I don’t want people to doubt their salvation, but I do want you to investigate your heart. Does your heart want to be with God and want to serve Him, even though you may fail, or does your heart seek the same things as unbelievers? If your interests and goals are no different from unbelievers, you need to make sure you are right with God. You need to repent of your sins and submit your life and your will to Him. He will never turn away those who love and seek Him truly. It is those whose Christianity is to make themselves look good in the eyes of man or who just said a prayer as “Hell insurance” that will one day hear, “I never knew you.”

Did you also notice from Matthew 13 above that those who live godly lives and bring along eternal things (the souls of men), will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father?”

That is pretty exciting! We should look forward to the return of Jesus and eternity with Him.

But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

Because Jesus knew that we would have doubts and that we would get distracted by our worldly lives and lose focus on eternity, He gave us the letters to the seven churches. Although these were written to seven historical churches going through specific problems, these letters are also written to all who believe in Jesus, and each letter ends with a promise for all those who listen to His words. Two of these promises are:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’ (Revelation 2:7)

and

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ (Revelation 2:11)

Do not doubt. Do not fear. Do not ignore. Do follow Jesus faithfully to your last breath — whether a natural death, a violent death, or the rapture.

May our God and Creator give you wisdom to obey His commands and to share the Gospel with those around you, so you can have the joy that comes from bringing others to heaven with you. May He give you courage when speaking to unfriendly audiences. May He give you the time to actively witness and disciple others. May He grow your faith each and every day, so you become more and more Christ-like.

Trust Jesus

FYI, for those doubting the return of Jesus is near, your doubt was predicted:

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:3-7) {emphasis mine}

God predicted that many would doubt and even mock the coming of Jesus, but God will not be mocked. He has made His coming clear and sure, and it will come to be because God is in control of everything.

FYI, for those who want to be faithful, I find this verse encouraging and useful:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15)

All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.