Are We Living in the End-Times?

Some Things that Might Cause You to Go HMMMM?

Revelation and the End-Times

 

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

 

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

 

If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

 

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

(Revelation 13 ESV)

 

No clear-thinking individual can deny that we are living in one of the few historical periods of uncertainty the world has ever known. It seems that global turmoil has become such a common occurrence as we have come to accept it as normative. There have always been wars, or rumors of wars in our history. However, it seems that the escalating conflicts in many parts of our world are moving the world ever closer to a global conflict. This as well as the war in Israel continues naturally brings the prophecies of the bible to mind. And, we see many religious leaders and churches exposed as manipulative and carnal.

 

It is at this point that I think a disclaimer is warranted. My intention in writing is not an attempt to predict the future. That prerogative is reserved for God alone. As I have often remarked, “That is way above my pay grade.” I do, however, want to “think out loud” a bit. As the title would suggest, it may cause us to go “hmmmm?” I hope it stirs your mind and heart to be watchful. Keep your lamps full and your wicks trimmed for the coming of the Bridgroom. Jesus told this parable with a warning to His disciples:

 

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

(Matthew 25:1-13 ESV).

 

The counsel to “watch” is a common theme for Jesus. However, as people speculate in their attempt to answer the natural questions concerning the end times we should be cautious, humbly realizing we may not be witnessing all of God’s plans. And, we should be careful to watch and pray.

 

The importance of being watchful and wise cannot be understated. We must not worship a man or woman or place our hope in a leader thus taking the place reserved only for Jesus. The apostle John speaks of how the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world, and that was two thousand years ago (cf. 1 John 4:1-6). A few chapters earlier, he also mentions people operating as false Christs (cf. 1 John 2:18-23). Therefore, while we may not be dealing with the Antichrist, we still deal with the antichrist spirit and people who act as false Messiahs. These are the people who make claims they can “deliver” us from our predicaments in life.  

 

The devil is a subtle deceiver. It should not be a surprise that this is his most effective means of robbing believers of their peace and joy. It will also be a hallmark of the end times. This spiritual deception will lead many astray and pave the way for the rise of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul had this to say in that regard:

 

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

 

Deception has existed since the beginning. However, with today’s technology in communication and the attendant media it has spawned the potential to propagate deception on a global scale, amplifying the influence of false teachings and ideologies is enormous. The prevalence of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and manipulation through digital platforms can contribute to spiritual confusion and deception among individuals on a greater scale than ever before. It has become more and more difficult to know what is fact from what is fiction. As our culture becomes more secular and the voices of spiritual discernment are drowned out in the flood of such lies it is easy to see this is a time like that which is described as the “end times.”

 

A second indicator found in the Scripture describing the end-times is the increase in moral decay. This decline is a prelude to the coming of the “lawless one.” The Apostle Paul describes this when he writes to Timoty: a figure embodying ultimate rebellion against God and his principles:

 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

 

It is common today to see the practice of moral relativism which has resulted in the rejection of Scriptural values. The normalization of behaviors contrary to biblical teachings, such as greed, pride, immorality, and disregard for human life is a clear indication of the departure from God’s standards. This has contributed to the blind following of charismatic leadership as they promise worldly solutions to man’s earthly troubles. It only leads people further from God’s truth. As followers of Jesus our concern for the poor and needy, the continued destruction of family, and the commitment to basic kindness to all people must be of the highest priority.

 

A third indicator of the end-times is the use of increased surveillance and centralized control. This will ultimately lead the way for a future dictator to establish authoritarian rule over humanity. The Apostle John describes it this way:

 

Also it [the second beast] causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. (Revelation 13:16-17).

 

There is no doubt that John’s vision of the Revelation describes a future where the Antichrist implements a system of control that requires people to receive a mark to participate in economic activities, which necessitates much control over people’s lives. Of course, we cannot definitively identify what that will be. However, it is easy for us to imagine that things such as biometrics and RFID implants seem to fit some of these descriptions. The potential of these developments for mass surveillance and control over individuals cannot be denied. And, adding to those things, we have seen incredible proliferation of digital platforms and data collection that ought to raise serious questions about the potential for manipulation and control.

 

We have seen first-hand how this might look when the global lockdowns and panic that ensued as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic revealed the control available for leaders who want to facilitate oppressive measures like restrictions on freedom of expression, movement, and association.

 

Believers should be reminded by these things of the necessity of discernment in evaluating the implications of technological advancements and societal trends on personal freedom and autonomy.

 

Continuing to note some of the signs of these times we can see in Biblical prophecy how political power will be consolidated under a single global authority, paving the way for the rise of a charismatic leader who embodies the antichrist spirit. The Apostle John says, “And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).  The beast represents the Antichrist, a political figure establishing a centralized government with worldwide influence and control.

 

There is significant movement on the world stage today. Many world leaders have embraced globalization in an effort to address challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and pandemics through multilateral agreements and institutions. These have set the foundation for a centralized political authority. Add to that communication, technology, and transportation advancements and there is a greater interconnectedness among nations than ever before. We can see this in the rise of supranational organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union. Economic globalization has led to interdependence among nations, with global financial systems and trade networks linking economies worldwide. One powerful and charismatic world leader can exploit this worldwide convergence of governments and economies.

 

This is just another call for the Church to be even more diligent in keeping the local church’s connection and autonomy alive and well, gathering together and acting as the family of God to resist these movements toward globalization.

 

A fifth sign that we may be living in the end-times and that the Antichrist is alive and among us is associated with the rise of economic distress. These economic crises and disparities create conditions that facilitate the ease with which a charismatic leader promising solutions may quickly gain a loyal following that call others to drift away from the truth of the Gospel. John wrote:

 

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!” The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And tall shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?” And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out. (Revelation 18:11-19 ESV).

 

Here the apostle describes the fall of Babylon, a symbolic representation of worldly kingdoms, a wealthy city of power and commerce. Babylon is the evil copy of the kingdom of God. In this passage from Revelation, merchants and traders mourn Babylon’s destruction, indicating economic consequences for those who benefited from its wealth and trade. Economic systems collapse.

 

It only takes a moment to recognize the economic instability, inequality, and financial crises that exist today. Throughout history we have seen how persistent poverty, unemployment, and income disparities create social unrest, making people vulnerable to promises of economic prosperity and security offered by charismatic leaders like the Antichrist. The clearest example is found in the rise to power of Adolph Hitler after WWI. Further, globalization and interconnected financial systems have only served to increase the possibility that this could be happening now.  the susceptibility of economies to systemic risks and shocks. Add to that the unknown long-term effects of automation and artificial intelligence and we should be even more concerned about the future of the financial state of the world.

 

Regardless of whether this is the end-time, believers should respond in two ways. First, we must take seriously the repeated warnings in Scripture about the allure and false promises of material prosperity and security. We can only find security in in Christ. He is the only One who we can trust. Second, this is a very clear call to us to continue to be generous and giving to people experiencing poverty, showing the world a loving alternative to materialism and consumerism.

 

We should not overlook the environmental crises which also contribute to the worldwide catastrophes paving the way for the rise of the Antichrist. Jesus speaks of this in the Olivet Discourse: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7). Jesus calls these events “birth pangs,” as if the earth feels the coming judgment and begins to quake. Of course, these environmental factors can be caused by humans. Concerns about climate change, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are prevalent worldwide.

 

It is no surprise that environmental upheaval increases economic and social inequalities. This leads to crises in refugee migration, resource conflicts, and medical calamities. This also sets the stage for the influence of a charismatic leader offering promises of security. According to Scripture, some of these events can’t be blamed on humanity, and no amount of green policy will prevent all major crises from occurring. However, they still have the potential to cause the political and economic uncertainty the Antichrist will exploit.

 

The next “sign” for consideration is also found in the Olivet Discourse: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24). While there may be disagreement in denominational practice, there can be no doubt about the foundational tenets of the Gospel. We cannot deny that Jesus died, was buried and resurrected to bring atonement to god’s chosen people. This truth has been expanded and distorted today by many. Some of these leaders have even claimed to be messianic figures.

 

What’s Next for the Faithful?

 

As I wrote at the start of this muse, we should be cautious of end times discussions. For one thing, we should not panic. If we are indeed in the end-times, it only means we are all closer to heaven. Jesus still sits on the throne and will bring everything to a conclusion where sin and death are once for all put away for all creation. Let me make a few suggestions;

 

§  Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you into truth (cf. John 16:13).

§  Connect with a Gospel-centered church as your community of faith. (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15). If you are now under the leadership of people who point to earthly leaders or governments in the place of Jesus, that is not the Gospel. There is no other beside Jesus who is our hope.

§  Be diligent in your personal study and continued understanding of the Scripture. It is the only authoritative source for knowing the will and purpose of God (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

For over fifty years I have believed I would see the coming of Jesus in my lifetime. Whether that is true all depends on the prerogative of our great God and Father. He knows the time! And, it will be the right time!