Perilous times are upon us which have caused many people to consider Bible prophecy about the end times. I’m amazed at the mercy of God in giving the world this helpful alarm. Multiple significant events have converged to signal it.
1/ The political unrest resulting in the first impeachment of our President.
2/ The pandemic.
3/ Massive shutdowns, including of churches.
4/ The destruction and riots in American cities all summer long.
5/ The cancel culture movement to replace our symbols of democracy.
6/ An unprecedented presidential election process involving mail-in ballots which has caused millions of Americans to question the accuracy of the outcome.
7/ The riot on Capitol Hill and subsequent second impeachment of our President.
8/ Talk and effort by some of retribution being sought against former employees of the Trump administration so that they cannot find means of future livelihood.
9/ But I think the greatest and surest sign of the end time being upon us is the censorship of free speech that we are witnessing with Big Tech. Free speech has long been the hallmark of a free society and a most basic and cherished human right. Nothing indicates intolerance and tyranny more than censorship.
We used to read things recorded in the book of Revelation with astonishment as to how they could ever be enforced. I’m referring to things such as not being able to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17). We can now see how easily this could happen.
The events that are taking place before our eyes indicate the coming of the Lord hastens near. But still the time that remains before Christ takes His Church away cannot be known. I believe the Bible teaches that the Rapture of the Church will occur prior to the Great Tribulation period. We will be spared the wrath of God that is coming on the whole earth (1Thessalonians 5:9). But that does not mean there will not be difficult times and, perhaps, persecution of the Church prior to the Lord’s return. But, when the time is right, Christ will surely come to deliver His Bride (Hebrews 10:37).
Let’s be ready for the Rapture and be looking for every opportunity to inform someone else of this great event on the prophetic calendar. I pray there is a revival of the original Apostolic Gospel message involving Acts 2:38. Paul and others made it emphatically clear that this singular message of salvation can never change (Galatians 1:8-9; Ephesians 4:5; Jude 3).
Jesus referred to the truth that will set you free (John 8:31-32). This can only refer to the great salvation He was going to purchase at Calvary and which came to be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. It alone has the liberating power of regeneration that comes through His name and Spirit (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:1-2; 1Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5-7).