I have heard it said in many ways from both Christians and pastors. They say today is no different than any other previous period in history. They tell us that just like the past, the societal trends we bemoan will correct themselves.
In other words, there’s no reason to think we live in the last days of human history. But is this really the case? Can we turn back the clock from the midnight hour?
In several ways, life has returned to more of a sense of normality since the lockdowns, business and church closures, and draconian restrictions of the COVID-19 era. This confirms the belief of many that our day is no different than any other period in the past; normal always returns.
In America, this normality bias is especially strong. Many believers plan their futures as though nothing will interfere with their distant aspirations. Their illusion of normalcy muffles the warning sirens loudly blaring all around them. “Things are not as bad as they seem,” they tell us, “we don’t share your pessimistic view of the future.” But does such optimism align with what the Bible says?
The Convergence of Signs Plus Israel’s Existence
Yes, there have been times in history where immorality and lawlessness mirrored what we see today. The WWII era had many in that day thinking they were living in the last days; it was certainly a horrific and deadly time in history. For over century, globalists have plotted world domination and population reduction. So, what makes today different?
It’s the great convergence of so many signs occurring at a time when Israel again exists as a nation.
Israel’s miraculous reemergence as a nation after two thousand years tells us by itself that we live at a time like no other. We are watching end time prophecy unfold before our eyes as hostility toward the Jewish state and people rapidly intensifies throughout the world, just as the Bible said would happen in the last days. The nation’s fervor to build the third temple is also something the Bible said would occur before the Second Coming. And we are watching that happen.
The convergence of a myriad of signs also tells us the world will soon lose any pretense of normality. The nonstop threats of catastrophic wars and warnings of impending economic catastrophe point to the tragic conditions prophesied in Revelation 6:1-8. Lawlessness, government corruption, and deception are unlike anything I have seen in my life. The growing number and intensity of earthquakes and active volcanoes along with the nonstop rumors of war foretell the “birth pains” Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:3-8.
The murderous scheming of the elite powerbrokers of our world is nothing new. During the past decade, however, they have become remarkably transparent about their deadly agenda (although few are paying attention). A few years ago, they invited the press into a meeting where they openly discussed their plans for a one-world central bank digital currency (CBDC), something that will give them the domination they desire (and later fulfill the words of Revelation 13:16-18).
Israel’s miraculous reemergence as a nation plus not just a few, but a myriad of prophetic signs occurring all at once equals the last days. Today is far different than any other time in history.
Days of Noah AND of Lot
Yes, moral standards have been remarkably low at other times in world history, but has that ever coincided with a time when of so much senseless violence and bloodshed? For example, the number of abortions worldwide during the past fifty years stands at over one billion. One billion! In America, that total exceeds sixty-two million. This alone tells us the world is living on borrowed time. How much longer before God’s says enough and intervenes and fulfills the prophetic words of Psalm 75:6-8?
For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.
I expected the Lord to intervene long ago. How much longer until He does?
There have been times in history, like today, that mirrored the days of Lot in terms of a blatant disregard for God’s moral standards. During other epochs, the world has experienced violence and bloodshed reminiscent of Noah’s era. Today, however, we see both occurring at the same time and with an intensity that rivals any previous time, just as Jesus said would happen in the last days before His intervention in the world (Luke 17:27-29; Matthew 24:36-39).
So not only is Israel a nation again at a time of convergence with so many prophetic signs occurring all at once, but we also live at a time similar to both the days of Noah and Lot. More than that, we see something else that Jesus pointed out about each of these times: in both cases, the people were totally unaware of the Lord’s impending judgment.
Just like today, the illusion of normalcy defined the eras leading us to both the Noahic flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
All that the Lord said about the days of Noah and Lot has come true in our day. His words confirm that we live in the season of His intervention in our world beginning with the Rapture followed by the sudden destruction of the day of the Lord. We do not know the when, but because we understand what the Bible says about our day, we watch all the more intently for Jesus’ appearing.
What we see matches what Jesus said would happen before His judgment would fall upon the unbelieving world. Our day is unlike any other before it.
Bible Prophecy Preserves our Sanity
One might think that a biblical understanding of the day in which we live would distress us all the more. But it has just the opposite effect for at least a couple reasons.
The understanding of how all that we see fits together with biblical prophecy confirms that God remains in control. He is sovereign over human affairs. All the signs we see will reach their fulfillment precisely in the way Scripture predicts for the future of our world. We don’t fall for the false hope that these violent and lawless days will end as history corrects itself once again. We do not fully understand how all the pieces will fit together, but we trust God knowing that His promises will someday thwart all the agendas of all the powers of darkness.
Bible prophecy also preserves our sanity by focusing our hope on Jesus’ appearing rather than the vain expectation that the world will retreat from the days of Noah and Lot apart from God’s judgment. Our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14) consists of recognizing that our most cherished citizenship rests elsewhere:
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
It’s our anticipation of His appearing that keeps our hope of eternity alive in our hearts and enables us to view life from the perspective of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Don’t fall for the prevailing illusion of normality, which says that our day is just like any other previous period in history. We surely live in biblical times; the trends toward increased lawlessness, corruption, deception, and violence will continue. But take heart: this all means Jesus is coming for us sometime soon.
Maranatha!!
My book, Invitation to a Lavish Feast – Wisdom’s Path to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, is available on Amazon or on SkyWatchTV. In it, I take the reader on a journey showing how the words of Scripture verify our beliefs in not only the restoration of Israel, but also our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing to take us home to glory. Jesus’ appearing is the pre-Tribulation Rapture.
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