Preparing for Christ’s Return.
Within the last several years the number of signs pointing to the soon return of Christ has been increasing in frequency and in number. Here are just some of those signs:
2017
- Jerusalem recognized as the capital city of Israel
- Total solar eclipse in the US passing over 5 cities named “Salem”
2018
- Move of the US embassy to Jerusalem
2020
- Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Signing of the Abraham Accords: a peace treaty between Israel, Bahrain, UAE, Sudan, Morocco
- Election Fraud in the US
2021
- COVID Vaccine related passports, mandates, and travel restrictions worldwide
- Online censorship of criticism of COVID vaccines and mandates
2022
- Crushing of the Trucker’s Protest by the Canadian government and freezing of bank accounts
- Massive rise in inflation and interest rates causing economic turmoil
- Five red heifers arrive in Israel
- War in Ukraine
2023
- War in Israel
- Church burnings in Canada
2024
- Earthquakes in Taiwan and New Jersey
- Total solar eclipse passing over cities named “Nineveh” and “Jonah”
- Talks of imminent red heifer sacrifice
- Iran/Israel War
- Campus protests against Israel across Canada and the US
On top of these examples, we have noticed other trends also:
- Rising persecution of Christians worldwide,
- supression of Christian voices,
- rise in hate toward Jews,
- increase of gender ideology taught in schools,
- news and social media increasingly under government influence,
- digitization of currency, and many others…
With the recent solar eclipse drawing millions of watchers across the US and Canada and making news worldwide, many people wondered if this could be a sign of Christ’s soon return. Certainly, with so many significant events around the world, serious and watchful Christians everywhere could feel that these last 5 years have been different. The world has changed, and lawlessness was increasing as Jesus had predicted (Matt 24:12). The world is getting darker which means God’s judgment is not far away.
Many Christians are interested in watching for signs and learning about the end times prophecies but what should our response be? We can see the signs but now WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
Rapture of the Firstfruits
Prior to the Great Day of God’s Wrath (some may call this the “Great Tribulation”), an event that some Christians call the “Rapture” will take place. God will physically take people from this world to escape the coming Great Day of God’s Wrath, but not all Christians will be taken. Only true believers who have spiritually matured and forsaken the world and their own lives to follow Christ will be raptured to the Mount Zion in heaven (Rev 14:1-5, Matt 24:37-41). This is also referenced in Luke 21:34-36 and Revelation 3:10 where Jesus says that those who are qualified can “escape” the wrath that will come upon the earth.
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10
I may be a true Christian who has received Jesus Christ as my personal saviour, I may even “go to church” regularly, and do things for God, but do I allow the Holy Spirit to lead me and reign in my life? Am I becoming more and more like Christ in my obedience and consecration to God, and having my old corrupt human nature changed into His perfect human nature? How is my love for Christ and for others? Am I still self-centred, proud, unholy, unloving, pursue the pleasures of the world, easily defeated by sin, and practice the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21)? How much of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) has been formed in me so far? In other words, it’s not enough just to be “saved”, but we must grow to full maturity!
The Bible tell us that God expects all of His children to be changed from our old fallen self to become like Christ (Rom 8:29) and manifest His glory.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29
“…And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
We need to ripen!
It’s as if each one of us Christians is a fruit growing on a tree and God is waiting for us to ripen. Only the ripe fruits will be harvested (raptured), and the rest will have to stay on the tree, except that the growing conditions will become much harsher after the harvest! This is why in Revelation 14, these ones who are raptured before the Great Day of God’s Wrath, are referred to as “Firstfruits to God” (Rev 14:4) because they’ve ripened earlier than the others and are a special offering to God. The rest of the Christians will have to remain and pass through the Great Day of God’s Wrath and be persecuted by the Antichrist until they ripen.
This is why God gives us all these signs of Jesus’ return, so we realize that judgment is coming, and we speed up our “ripening” in response. If all we do is admire the signs and say “Wow that’s cool! Jesus is coming!” but we do NOTHING about it then we are making a huge mistake. Sadly, many Christians are following false prophets who do not tell them the truth.
Our time here is very limited. Jesus is INDEED coming again soon and we must make sure we are qualified to be raptured as Firstfruits to God and to the Lamb!