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Signs of the Last Days
Matthew 16:3
O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the
signs of the times?
Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man
cometh. From these verses we can clearly understand that only the day nor the
hour of the coming of the son of man , no one knows but we can understand the
time of his coming. This is very clearly explained by Jesus to the Pharisees and
saducees in Matthew 16:3 – when he said "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the
face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times"
If one can study or have an understanding about the signs of the times as
explained in the word, it is easy to find out whether we are in the times of the
coming of Jesus or is there going to be another generation during which Jesus is
going to come. Let us analyze some of the signs of the Last days from the word.
Israel regathered as a Nation
The land of Palestine is today gaining the attention of the world. Everyday we
here news about the conflicts going on in that region. Israel has become the
centre of the world's attention.
Genesis 12:7
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land:
Genesis 48:4
And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I
will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed
after thee for an everlasting possession. God according to his divine plan and
wisdom called Abraham to come out of his country, and from thy kindred, and from
thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: He later on clearly
promised him that he had given him this land and to his seed after him for an
everlasting possession
But there was a condition. God had clearly warned Israel in Leviticus 26:33 And
I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and
your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. If they would not hearken
unto him and keep his commandments. Thus their occupancy of the land was based
on the condition that they obeyed God and were faithful to his commandments. But
when they disobeyed God they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians,
Babylonians, Medes and Persians long before the time of Christ's coming to
earth.
God prophesied long ago that the heathen would scoff and laugh and say things
against the land.
Ezekiel 36:1
Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye
mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
Ezekiel 36:2
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the
ancient high places are ours in possession:
Ezekiel 36:3
Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you
desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto
the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are
an infamy of the people: Notice carefully that while the enemy may laugh at
having possession of the land, God says they will not keep possession of it.
God’s word clearly reveals
Ezekiel 36:7
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the
heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
Ezekiel 36:8
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield
your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
Ezekiel 36:9
For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and
sown:
Ezekiel 36:10
And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and
the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:
Ezekiel 36:11
And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring
fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you
than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:24
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries,
and will bring you into your own land.
During World War 1 Jerusalem was occupied by the Turks. The British captured the
land under the leadership of General Edmund Henry Allenby who was a believer.
When he was a boy he was taught to pray for Israel: "Forget not Thine ancient
people. Hasten the day when they shall be restored to their land."
As General Allenby approached Jerusalem with his soldiers he was anxious that
the city and land be not destroyed. The night before the attack he spent his
time in Bible reading and prayer. God gave him Isaiah 31:5 as the key to
victory. On December 11, 1917, he sent wave after wave of his planes flying low
over Jerusalem and the Turks fled the city. No bombs were dropped and not a drop
of blood was shed. He assembled his troops together and read them Isaiah 31:5
which God revealed to him as the way to victory: As birds flying, so will the
Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing
over He will preserve it. Then he said to his soldiers, "Men, this day has this
scripture been fulfilled before your very eyes."
Perhaps the next great event unfolding prophecy was the discovery of the most
powerful explosive up to that time - TNT. Dr. Chaim Weizmann, a Jewish professor
of chemistry, had engaged in a research study on the production of synthetic
wood alcohol from starch. He donated the discovery to his beloved country -
Britain. The nation wanted to honour him but instead he asked that Palestine be
made a home for the Jews. Then on November 2, 1917, Lord Balfour, Foreign
Secretary, announced: "His Majesty's Government view with favour the
establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.
However, it was not to come to pass. Instead of Palestine being given to Israel
and set aside as a home for the nation, the Arabs,the direct descendants of
Ishmael, were permitted to remain in the land together with the seed of Israel.
The six-day Arab-Israeli war in June 1967 was no doubt a significant step
forward in the life of the nation and in the progress of Bible prophecy. An
astonished world stood by and witnessed the miracle of Israel's victory over
tremendous numerical odds. But God was with them and God brought them victory as
in days of old. Great tribulation and sorrow lie ahead for this nation as God
deals wit them to bring home their guilt in the slayings of their Messiah on
Calvary's Cross.
One of the most significant events in our whole generation, took place on May
14, 1948. Israel declared its independence and became a recognized nation. Many
governments have acknowledged Israel as an autonomous state. Today Israel is a
full-fledged member in the United Nations. This shows that God is once more
moving on behalf of His people. The fig tree is budding. The land is being
prepared for the people. The people are being prepared for the land. Soon the
people will be prepared for God.
The present return to the land is but the first stage. Their formation of a
political state now makes it possible for them to enter into a covenant
relationship with their Gentile neighbours spoken of in Daniel 9:27. The result
of this covenant will be a further regathering of the Jews and a great increase
of wealth. The Bible clearly shows that there will be a final regathering of
Israel to the land. But this is not the hour of that fulfillment. We see the
stage being set and that is why this is one of the most significant signs of the
coming of our Lord.
Another important Sign of the last
days is found in Dan 12:4
Daniel 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of
the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Two signs are mentioned here
First, many shall run to and fro. The Bible says that many shall run. It refers
to hurrying up here and there. Formerly before the advent of new modes of
transport travel was very much restricted. But today with science and technology
advancing at a rapid rate and with the availability of facilities to travel
either by air, road, rail and sea at the disposal of the common man, travel is
no more a luxury resulting in people traveling in a hurry to and fro. Today even
for attending office many people travel hundreds of kilometers. Today it is easy
to travel from one part of the globe to the other part with relative ease. Thus
is fulfilled the words in the book of Daniel "many shall run to and fro"
Someone has said, "The world today is literally a human race on wheels." Many
are running to and fro today. Prophesy is being fulfilled. The coming of the
Lord draweth nigh.
Second, Daniel 12:4 also predicted that knowledge shall be increased. Today
there are millions of young people with college and university education today.
The communication revolution has ushered in propagation of knowledge through
various media like internet, radio, telephone, television. "Travel" and
"knowledge" are two important signs never seen by any other generation. How
wonderful the Bible is to predict over 2500 years ago the very conditions that
we are seeing fulfilled today.
The third sign of the last days :
Apostasy
1Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
The Bible very clearly reveals that a major sign of the last days is that
believers shall depart from the faith. It also describes as to how they will
depart – By giving heed or listening to spirits known as seducing spirits which
will operate through human beings. The devil is called as a deceiver and this
deceiver will have a great time in propounding his doctrines which Paul calls as
"doctrines of devils". These spirits will influence the minds of believers whose
minds are natural and who are babes in Christ and children ( 1 Corinthians 3:1 &
Ephesians 4:14 )
These spirits will not only influence believers but also all humans.
The Other Signs of the last
days
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Perilous times shall
come.( 2 Timothy 3:1)
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For men shall be lovers of
their own selves (2 Timothy 3:2 )
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Covetous
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Boasters
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Proud
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Blasphemers
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Disobedient to parents
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Unthankful
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Unholy
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Without natural affection
(2 Timothy 3:3)
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Trucebreakers
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False accusers
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Incontinent, fierce
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Despisers of those that
are good
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Traitors (2 Timothy 3:4 )
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Heady
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High minded
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Lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God
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Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5)
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And ye shall hear of wars
and rumours of wars. Matthew 24:6
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For nation shall rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom Mathew 24:7
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There shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
But as the days of Noe were,
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark - Matthew 24: 37 ,38
Today we can observe all the above signs everywhere. Demon worship,
homosexuality, adultery, immorality, divorce, murder, rebellion, wars,
earthquakes are at an all time high . The days of Noah are exactly
replicated today as Jesus said. No one is bothered about the truth and
abiding in it.
Many in fact have time for everything else except the truth. It is
really a sad state of affairs and it is a very clear sign that we are in
the very last days. There is no security for anyone anywhere. The bible
is very clear and what it has said is sure to take place. May God open
our eyes to the truth.
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