BIBLE’S MESSAGE UNCOVERED

Signs of Last Days

Definition

The “last days” are the last days of satan’s rule over the earth and mankind. The sign is composed of happenings foretold as visible evidence that the consummation of satan’s system of things has begun, that the uninterruptedness of satan’s rule of earth has ended. It is visible evidence that Christ Jesus has been enthroned in heaven as King and that He has begun the destruction of satan’s rule by ousting satan and his demons from heaven and that He has turned His invisible presence toward the earth to gather out all persons of good will toward God. It constitutes evidence that the transition period between the rule of satan and that of Christ has begun, and it precedes the complete destruction of satan and his entire organi­zation visible and invisible in the accomplished end at Armageddon. Occurrence of one or even several happenings together is not suffi­cient to constitute evidence; all must occur concurrently upon one generation in the foretold series or sequences to make up the one composite sign. At least 39 happenings comprise the sign.

Visible Sign of Last Days and Jesus’ Invisible Presence Fore­told as Warning to Those of Faith

Matthew 24:3, 4 “While He was sitting upon the mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately, saying: ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your presence and of the consummation of the sys­tem of things?’ And in answer Jesus said to them: ‘Look out that nobody misleads you.’ “

1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5 “But you, broth­ers, you are not in darkness, so that that day should overtake you as it would thieves, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness.”

Also: Mark 13:3, 4, 5; Luke 21:7, 8

1. Many False Christian Religions       

Matthew 24:5, 11 “For many will come on the basis of My name, saying: ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. And many false prophets will arise and mislead many.”

Also: Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8.

2. World Wars

Matthew 24:6, 7 “You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the accomplished end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against king­dom.”

Revelation 6:4, 8 “And another came forth, a fiery-colored horse, and to the one seated upon it there was granted to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and a great sword was given him. . .. And authority was given… to kill with a long sword.”

Also: Daniel 11:40; Mark 13:7, 8; Luke 21:9, 10.

3. Widespread Famines

Matthew 24:7 “And there will be food shortages.”

Revelation 6:5, 8, 8 “And I saw, and, look! a black horse, and the one seated upon it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice as if m the midst of the four living creatures say: ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s wage, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wage; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.’… And author­ity was given … to kill with … food shortage.”

Also: Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11.

4. Unusual Number of Earthquakes

Matthew 24:7, 8 “And there will be . . . earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.”

Also: Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11. 5.

5. Persecution of Christians

Luke 21:12-15 “But before all of these things people will lay their hands upon you and perse­cute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, you being haled before kings and gov­ernors for the sake of My name. It will turn out to you for the purpose of a witness. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to re­hearse beforehand how to make your defense, for I will give you forceful speech and wisdom which all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute.”

Revelation 2:10 “Do not be afraid of the things you are destined to suffer. Look! the devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation ten days. Prove yourself faithful even with the danger of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Also: Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:9, 11. 6.

6. Christians Betrayed by Rela­tives and Friends

Matthew 24:10 “Then, also, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another.”

Luke 21:16 “Moreover, you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.”

Also: Matthew 10:35, 36; Mark 13:12.

7. Christians Hated World-wide over Kingdom Issue and for Up­holding Christ’s Exalted Office

Matthew 24:9 “You will be hated by all the nations on account of My name.”

Luke 21:17-19 “And you will be objects of hatred by all per­sons because of My name. And yet not a hair of your heads will by any means perish. By endurance on your part you will acquire your souls.”

Also: Mark 13:13.

8. Organized Opposition to King­dom Work by World Leaders

Revelation 13:5-7 “And a mouth speaking great things and blas­phemies was given it, and author­ity to act forty-two months was given it. And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His Name and His res­idence, even those residing in heaven. And there was granted it to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them.”

Daniel 11:45 “He shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”

9. Increased Lawlessness

Matthew 24:12 “And because of the increasing of lawlessness.”

2 Timothy 3:2  “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”

10. Many Forsaking Christianity

Matthew 24:12, 13 “The love of the greater number will cool off. But he that has endured to the finish is the one that will be saved.”

11. World-wide Preaching of the Established Kingdom as Good News

Matthew 24:14 “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a wit­ness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.”

Mark 13:10 “The Gospel must first be preached to all the nations.”

12. Formation of the League of Nations and the United Nations to Stand in Place of Established Kingdom of God

Matthew 24:15, 16 “Therefore, when you catch sight of the dis­gusting thing that causes deso­lation, as spoken of through Dan­iel the prophet, standing in a holy place, (let the reader use discernment,) then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the moun­tains.”

Daniel 11:31 “And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomina­tion that makes desolate.”

League of Nations began 1920, went into inactivity 1939; revived as United Nations 1945

Isaiah 8:9 “Make an uproar. O you peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all you of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces.”

Revelation 17:8 “The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is destined to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will won­der admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the world’s foundation.”

Constitutes an 8th world power

Revelation 17:3 “And he carried me away under the Spirit’s power into a wilderness. And I caught sight of a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns.”

Revelation 17:9-11 “Here is where the intelligence that has wis­dom comes in: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. And there are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while. And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth king, but owes its existence to the seven, and it goes off into de­struction.”

Anglo-American empire as 7th world power gives life to the 8th power 

Revelation 13:1, 11, 12, 15 “And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names. And I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speak­ing as a dragon. And it exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and those who dwell in it worship the first wild beast, whose death-stroke got healed! And there was granted it to give breath to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who would not in any way worship the image of the wild beast.”

13. Earth-wide Tribulation on satan’s Organization

Matthew 24:21, 22 “For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.”

Daniel 12:1 “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the chil­dren of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Mark 13:19, 20 For in those days there will be sorrow, such as there has not been from the time when God made the world till now, and will not ever be again. And if the Lord had not made the time short, no flesh would have been kept from destruction; but because of the saints, He has made the time short.

14. Lying Signs and Great Won­ders Performed in God’s Name

Matthew 24:23-26 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe

it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have fore­warned you. Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner chambers,’ do not believe it.”

Revelation 13:4, 11, 13, 14 “And they worshiped the dragon because he gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshiped the wild beast with the words: ‘Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?’ And I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth,… And it performs great signs, so that it should even make fire come down out of heav­en to the earth in the sight of mankind. And it misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that were granted it to perform.”

Also: Mark 13:22, 23; Luke 17:22, 23.

15. Presence of Christ and Im­pending Doom of Satan Discern­ible Universally

Matthew 24:27, 28 “For just as the lightning comes out of eastern parts and shines over to western parts, so the presence of the Son of man will be. Wherever the dead body is, there the eagles will flock together.”

Luke 17:24 “For as in a thunderstorm the bright light is seen from one end of the sky to the other, so will the Son of man be when His time comes.”

16. “Sun” of Man’s Prosperity Darkened by Economic Distress

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened.”

Revelation 6:12 “And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake occurred, and the sun became black as sack­cloth of hair.”

17.  “Moon” of Enlightened Man- Rule Becomes Dictatorial, Op­pressive Rule of Men

Matthew 24:29 “And the moon will not give its light.”

Revelation 6:12 “And I saw when He opened the sixth seal,… the en­tire moon became as blood.”

18. Wisdom of World’s Starlike Wise Ones Perishes

Matthew 24:29 “And the stars will fall from heaven.”

Revelation 6:13 “And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind casts its early figs.”

Isaiah 29:14 For this cause I will again do a strange thing among this people, a thing to be wondered at: and the wisdom of their wise men will come to nothing, and the sense of their guides will no longer be seen.

Ezekiel 32:7, 8 And when I put out your life, the heaven will be covered and its stars made dark; I will let the sun be covered with a cloud and the moon will not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven I will make dark over you, and put dark night on your land, says the Lord.

19. Nations Confused and Per­plexed as to Course

Luke 21:25 “And on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and it agita­tion.”

20.  Men Becoming Faint Out of World-wide Fear

Luke 21:26 “While men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

21. Restoration of True Worshipers

Matthew 24:31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet-sound and they will gather His chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.”

22. Rapid Culmination of All Events on the One Evil Generation

Matthew 24:32-34 “Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that He is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”

Also: Mark 13:28-30; Luke 21:29-32.

23. People Overly Concerned with Everyday Affairs of Life

Matthew 24:37-39 “For just as the days of Noah were, so the pres­ence of the Son of man will be. For as people were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.”

Also: Luke 17:26; 21:34.

24. God’s Choosing of Christians Not Dependent on Family or Friendship Ties

Matthew 24:40, 41 “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned; two women will be grinding at the hand-mill: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17  “Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord.”

25. Indifferent, Sleepy Condition of World but Wakeful, Studious Attitude of Christians

Matthew 24:42-44 “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Master is coming. But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. On this account you, too, prove your­selves ready, because at an hour that you do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.”

1 Thessalonians 5:2, 6 “For you your­selves know quite well that Je­hovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses.”

Also: Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34, 35.

26. One Organization Selected by God as His Faithful Representative

Matthew 24:45-47 “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will ap­point him over all his belongings.”

Matthew 25:6-10 “But in the middle of the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him. Then all those virgins got up, and made ready their lights. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out. But the wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves. And while they went to get oil, the master came; and those who were ready went in with him to the feast: and the door was shut.”

Matthew 25:19-23 “Now after a long time the lord of those servants comes, and makes up his account with them. And he who had the five talents came with his other five talents, saying, Lord, you gave into my care five talents: see, I have got five more. His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord. And he who had the two talents came and said, Lord, you gave into my care two talents: see, I have got two more. His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.”

27. Unfaithful Ones Exposed, Separated and Punished as a Class

Matthew 24:48-51 “But if that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.”

Matthew 25:11-13 “After that the other virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, let us in. But he made answer and said, Truly I say to you, I have no knowledge of you. Keep watch, then, because you are not certain of the day or of the hour.”

Matthew 25:24-30 And he who had had the one talent came and said, Lord, I had knowledge that you are a hard man, getting in grain where you have not put seed, and making profits for which you have done no work: And I was in fear, and went away, and put your talent in the earth: here is what is yours. But his lord in answer said to him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge that I get in grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I have done no work. Why, then, did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I would have got back what is mine with interest? Take away, then, his talent and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And put out the servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

28. Separating the People of the Nations into “Sheep” and “Goats”

Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of man arrives in His glory and all the angels with Him, then He will sit down on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd sep­arates the sheep from the goats. And He will put the sheep at His right hand, but the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right: ‘Come, you who have My Father’s bless­ing, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s founda­tion.’ … Then He will say, in turn, to those on His left: ‘Be on your way from Me, you who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ And these will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlast­ing life.”

Ezekiel 9:1-4  “Then crying out in my hearing in a loud voice, He said, Let the overseers of the town come near, every man armed. And six men came from the way of the higher doorway looking to the north, every man with his axe in his hand: and one man among them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkpot at his side. And they went in and took their places by the brass altar. And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the winged ones on which it was resting, to the doorstep of the house. And crying out to the man clothed in linen who had the writer’s inkpot at his side, the Lord said to him, Go through the town, through the middle of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the brows of the men who are sorrowing and crying for all the disgusting things which are done in it.”

29. World-wide Expansion of Clean Worship

Revelation 7:9-17 “After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, stand­ing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ “

Isaiah 54:2, 3 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habi­tations; spare not: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the deso­late cities to be inhabited.”

Isaiah 60:22 “The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation: I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time.”

Zechariah 2:4; 8:20-23 “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, by reason of the multitude of men and cattle therein.” “It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come peo­ples, and the inhabitants of many cities. … Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Jeho­vah. Thus says Jehovah of hosts: in those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of fall the languages of the nations, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

30.  Sore Pestilences and Diseases

Luke 21:11 “And in one place after another pestilences.”

Revelation 6:8 “And I saw, and, look! a pale horse, and the one seated upon it had the name Death. And hades was closely following him. And authority was given … to kill… with deadly plague.”

31.  Moral Degeneracy in Public and Private Life

2 Timothy 3:1-4 “But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self- assuming, haughty, blasphemers, … not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with self-esteem.”

32. Widespread Juvenile Delinquency

2 Timothy 3:2, 3 “For men will be . . . disobedient to parents, without gratitude, with no loving- kindness, having no natural af­fection.”

Romans 1:30, 31  “Evil-speakers, God-haters, insulting, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.”

33. Instability and Insecurity World-wide Despite Claims of Leaders

Jeremiah 6:14 “They have healed also the hurt of My people slight­ly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”

Ezekiel 13:10, 11 “Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they daub it with untempered mortar; say unto them that daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflow­ing shower; and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.”