Movies and books, from World War Z to Left Behind, make hundreds of thousands from our fascination with the apocalypse. According to the Pew Research Center, almost 40 percent of Americans imagine we live in the long run times; in that case, where can we discover reliable information to assist us understand potential signs of the rapture?
How will we look ahead to the long run without descending into conspiracy theories? Fortunately, multiple Bible verses point us in the precise direction.
What Signs of the Rapture Does the Bible Mention?
Depending upon your eschatological approach, chances are you’ll hold to considered one of several viewpoints related to the rapture. Regardless of individual interpretation, doctrine in regards to the “catching away” of believers has permeated Christian theology because the first century.
Two of essentially the most distinguished scriptures that detail the top times include Matthew 24 and Luke 21. These two chapters record Jesus’ response to an issue in regards to the destruction of the Temple. Not only did Christ prophecy specific events related to Jerusalem, but he also spoke about events that may precede Earth’s final days. We also see notes in regards to the rapture in Revelation 4, as John receives visions from Jesus.
Taking these scriptures together, we get hints of what’s coming. Harbingers of the top also indicate that the rapture draws near.
Eight precursors to the long-awaited day are listed below.
Sign 1: False Christs.
“Jesus warned His disciples, ‘Watch out that nobody deceives you. For many will are available in my name, claiming, ‘I’m the Messiah,’ and can deceive many.’” (Matthew 24:4-5 NIV)
Perhaps you recognize the names David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Charles Manson. Did each of those men claimed to be Christ? Other names could also be less familiar, but individuals claiming equality with Jesus surged in the course of the Crusades. For instance, David Alroy—a Jew raised in Kurdistan—established a major following around 1121 AD. Promising to ascertain a kingdom in Jerusalem, he convinced adherents to try an unsuccessful coup against Sujak Sultan Mukta. Records indicate Alroy likely died by execution after the unlucky attack.
Given that these individuals appear throughout church history, it’s hard to say exactly which of them we should always be careful for. We ought to be wary of anyone claiming to be Christ, remembering that he has come once and won’t again until the ultimate resurrection.
Sign 2: Wars and Rumors of Wars
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you just should not alarmed. Such things must occur, but the top continues to be to come back.” (Matthew 24:6 NIV)
Critics contend that wars, battles, and skirmishes litter the landscape of man’s existence. Yet, in line with statistics from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute, conflicts have increased dramatically since 2011.
As historian Jennifer Rosenberg reflected, “The twentieth century was dominated by war and conflict that continually shifted the balance of power across the globe” from global wars to civil wars and coups. When we pair this information with the disturbing statistics about wars to this point within the twenty-first century, we may ask, “What’s the trend? Could the rise in warfare and devastation signal the approaching return of Jesus?”
Sign 3: Internal and External Conflicts
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” (Matthew 24:7 NIV)
This harbinger, though just like the previous sign, differs in that the word translated “nations” refers to ethnicity. Believers should expect upheaval inside countries or regions, together with skirmishes between national territories that align with each other.
John Gill observes that of the varied signs of the long run that Jesus gives in Matthew 24, this one appears to be “foreboding the final calamity of the Jews; that there ought to be not only seditions and . . . wars, within the midst of their country, but there ought to be wars in other nations, one with one other; and with the Jews, and the Jews with them.” As we take a look at international conflicts, we’d do well to ask: what conflicts involve the trendy state of Israel?
Sign 4: Natural and Supernatural Disasters
“There will probably be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” (Luke 21:11 NIV)
Jesus predicted crises like these would increase mortality rates and impact food security. Environmental concerns, weak food delivery systems, resistant strains of “superbugs,” and viruses like Ebola and COVID-19 could all be the “birth pains” described within the Bible.
As we watch the news, we may ask: are natural crises and health problems reaching unusual levels? Not just the sort of crises that occur every other decade or century, but many crises happening for reasons we will’t fully explain?
Sign 5: Unloving People
“Because of the rise of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…” (Matthew 24:12 NIV)
The surrounding scriptures shed more light on the unlucky consequences of such hardness of heart: people abandoning faith, relationships being betrayed, and folks betraying their relationships with God and with one another.
We see numerous conflict around us, but it surely’s value asking: where will we see an increase in hardheartedness? It could also be rising racial violence or a scarcity of civil public behavior. Wherever it’s, we should always take note.
Sign 6: Rising Persecution
“Then they’ll hand you over to be persecuted and can kill you. You will probably be hated by all of the nations due to my name.” (Matthew 24:9 NIV)
At the identical time, one in seven Christians face “high levels of persecution,” which is more discrimination than another religion faces worldwide. The words of Matthew 24:9 seem to increase to Christians, as well, and support Jesus’ statement, ‘A servant shouldn’t be greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they’ll persecute you furthermore mght.” (John 15:20 NIV)
We also need to think about how persecution affects Jewish people. As Cornelis Venema explains, dispensationalism (the top times view that emphasizes the rapture) emphasizes that Israel still has a spot in God’s plan and can play an important part in end times events. According to this view, Israel will at some point shake off its struggle for survival and ongoing experience of persecution. I feel Christ’s foretelling of the disciple’s persecution extends to the trendy nation of Israel in addition to to believers today. Jewish people have suffered horrific circumstances throughout history and proceed to witness calls for his or her annihilation. As we catch up with to the top, we should always look ahead to persecution against the youngsters of Jacob in addition to the youngsters of the brand new covenant.
Sign 7: Gospel Explosion
Matthew 24:14 states that each people (possibly every culture with its own language) worldwide will hear the gospel before Christ calls His followers home. Christians, in fact, pursue getting the gospel to everyone as a part of the Great Commission. The printing press and present-day technique of mass communication have made this goal significantly easier. Since Luther translated the Bible from Latin to French in 1522, scholars have converted at the very least some area of scripture into greater than 3,000 of roughly 7,000 languages.
Translators are working on Bible editions for each language and report that there continues to be much work to do. Wycliffe Bible Translators says that “1,892 languages still need translation work to start” and “828 languages have work in progress,” which can meet the needs of 67.6 million people.
So, now we have the achievement of this end times prophecy inside our sight, even when it’s going to take a while for very tribe and tongue to access the Bible. We should embrace supporting this goal, knowing that the rapture and Jesus’ final victory over evil will follow.
Sign 8: The Trumpet Call
The Bible’s final and most mysterious book also provides clues in regards to the rapture. The apostle John wrote Revelation based on a selected structure. The first section, Revelation 1-3, addresses various churches on the time and represents periods in the course of the church age. Beyond that, the church is rarely mentioned.
Consider these words from Revelation 4:1-2, “After this, I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard talking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I’ll show you what must happen after this.” (NIV)
According to 1 Thessalonians 3:16, the church’s rapture mimics John’s experience. Both include a commanding shout from the Lord and the thunderous roar of the trumpet.
Will We See the Signs of the Rapture?
Many imagine that signs of Christ’s return abound. The world appears poised to meet several—if not all—of the signs presented throughout scripture. As Christians, we do well to heed Jesus’ words from Luke 21:29-31 “Look on the fig tree and all of the trees. When they sprout leaves, you possibly can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, while you see these items happening, that the dominion of God is near.” (NIV)
As Dr. Rick Kirby wrote, “When we glance to the Bible to tell us of our end times’ perspectives, what we discover is that from the very earliest of times, the Bible fuels our hope that a day will come when the Creator will culminate His own purpose to make right all that sin has broken and destroyed.”
Whether the Lord returns tomorrow or in the subsequent century, we must remain on mission as we share the love of Christ with those in need of the Savior. Jesus is our true and exquisite hope.
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This article is an element of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more in regards to the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that specify Biblical truths. You don’t have to fear or worry in regards to the future!
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