We don’t have to wonder what it would be like to live in the last days because we are seeing it around us right now.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:6-8 WEB)
When that was written, it was inconceivable that a virus could span the globe in days and infect millions and kill hundreds of thousands all over the world. Now it is commonplace. And it’s probably going to get worse.
These last days events are occurring right now
Never before in human history have we seen more nations rising up against nation all over the world, more famines all over the world, more worldwide plagues, and more earthquakes and natural disasters than right now. Surely this must be the beginning of the birth pangs in the last days.
5604. ódin — ὠδίν (1 Thessalonians 5:3; Isaiah 37:3) for ὠδίς (the earlier form; cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 9, 2 e. N. 1), ὠδινος, ἡ, from Homer, Iliad 11,271 down, the pain of childbirth, travail-pain, birth-pang: 1 Thessalonians 5:3; plural ὠδῖνες ((pangs, throes, R. V. travail); German Wehen), equivalent to intolerable anguish, in reference to the dire calamities which the Jews supposed would precede the advent of the Messiah, and which were called הַמָּשִׁיחַ חֶבְלֵי (see the commentaries (especially Keil) on Matthew, the passage cited), Matthew 24:8; Mark 13:8 (9); ὠδῖνες θανάτου (Tr marginal reading ᾅδου), the pangs of death, Acts 2:24, after the Sept. who translated the words מָוֶת חֶבְלֵי by ὠδῖνες θανάτου, deriving the word חֶבְלֵי not, as they ought, from חֶבֶל, i. e. σχοινίον ‘cord’, but from חֵבֶל, ὠδίς, Psalm 17:5 (); Psalm 114:3 (); 2 Samuel 22:6. –Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
- Rapture Ready — End Time News, Articles, Events, Prophecy & Doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.
Next will be oppression and persecution leading to hatred and murder
Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray. Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14 WEB)
- Persecution, hatred, and betrayal are signs of the end times
- Mankind has divided and conquered! God is not impressed.
For examples of these things just check recent news stories:
- Attacks on President Trump’s evangelical supporters
- Attacks on Vice-President Pence’s faith
- Attacks on “My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell
- Attacks on Chick-Fil-A , Hobby Lobby, and Samaritan’s Purse
- Persecution of churches during COVID-19 quarantine
- COVID-19 blamed on evangelical christians
- Persecution of Christians throughout the world
And this crisis has driven last days Christians out of their cloistered churches into the whole wide world. Online events are drawing huge crowds from around the world. I have seen reports of millions of people attending weekly services. The fields have never been whiter for the harvest than these last days. Keep calm and proclaim the gospel!
How are Christians supposed to handle these last days events
Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come. (Matthew 24:42-44 WEB; Genesis 6:1-7; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:35-48)
- Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37)
- And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. (Luke 12:39)
- And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. (Luke 21:34)
- Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
- Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)
- You Are My Refuge and My Fortress (Psalm 91)
- 3 requirements for effectual fervent prayer: ask, seek, knock
- The LORD says, Even now return to me
Get ready to witness to all nations
The Good News must first be preached to all the nations. When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. (Mark 13:10-13 WEB)
- Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:12)
- But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. (Matthew 10:19)
- When you are brought before the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. (Luke 12:11)
- But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors. (Luke 21:12)
- We need a new personal commission
- What is the gospel?
In these last days we need to have the faith of our heroes
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:16-18 WEB)
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. (Hebrews 11)