When we are confronted with the terror of war either personally or vicariously through the media and stories told by others, we begin to wonder if these are the last days described in the Bible. They could be. Certainly, for those killed in the conflict, they have experienced their end time on earth. But as to knowing if we are living in the end times, we must remember what Jesus said to his disciples as recorded in Matthew 24.
He said that no one, including Himself, can know the date or time but God The Father. Both Paul and Peter reminded us that the end will come “..like a thief in the night..” In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes “..the appearance of the Lord which God will bring about in His own time…” (1 Tim 6:13) In Revelation 22: 7,12 & 20 Jesus says He is coming soon. So how are we to know if we are in the end times? The Bible gives us some clues.
Paul describes signs that will precede the return of Jesus and the end of the Earth as we know it.
“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”2 Tim 3:2-5
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths”.2 Tim 4: 3-4
Also foretold was the restoration of the Nation of Israel which happened on May 14, 1948. This after 1878 years of dispersion is truly a miracle and a fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel for the end times, a key event that needed to be in place before Jesus returns for believing Christians.
Yes, we could be living in the End Times. SO, what does that mean to you and me? BE READY, place your faith and trust in our Jesus Christ AND BE ALERT and live that new life He has promised for you on this earth and for eternity. If you would like to know more about how to enjoy peace in the midst of this conflict and be ready to live on with God beyond the end times, please check out our post, How Does One Become a Christian.