Are we living in the end times?

The question as to whether we are living in the end times has been asked for 2,000 years. The time elapsed has caused many to believe there will not be a return of Christ and an end of the age. However, to the Bible student and the one who has a daily living faith in Jesus, there is an excitement about the signs around us that point to a nearness of the end of this age and the Second Coming of Christ. What are some of those signs?

Matthew 24 stands out to me because they are the very words of Jesus himself. He points out conditions that will lead to the end of time. He tells us that there will be many false Christ’s, wars and rumors of wars and nation will rise against nation. He predicts an increase in atmospheric phenomenon that will lead to famines, pestilence and earthquakes. We have seen storms that have ravaged our own nation, earthquakes that have broken historic records. Scientists are still trying to interpret all the data that would pertain to “global warming”. The word “pestilence” that Jesus uses here is defined by Webster as, “plaque; an infectious or contagious disease”. Even as I write this the world watches nervously as the “swine flu” and other diseases race toward humanity with deadly potential. Jesus tells us that these are only the “beginning of sorrows”.

Lastly, another sign of the end of the age will be the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. These signs of the last days will be seen by the following conditions and characteristics in the church:
1. False prophets
2. Betrayal of brother against brother
3. Lawlessness leading to apostasy
4. World Evangelization

There seems to be contradiction in these end time conditions in the church. However, we see them manifesting even now. We see false prophets moving through the church seeking to bring confusion and motivated by self exaltation, ego and personal gain. We see the breaking of covenant among Christians with brothers taking brothers to court which is forbidden in Scripture. We see such lawlessness in the land that many are moving into a state of apostasy. Apostasy is the forsaking of what one has believed or practiced earlier. This is happening in individuals and denominations or groups as a whole.

Now the good news for the church! Jesus said one of the signs of the end of time would be that the Gospel would be preached in all the world as a witness and then this finished work of the church would usher in the coming of Jesus. Although there is a falling away by many, there is also a new generation who are taking the great commission of Jesus very seriously and giving their lives to see that this assignment is completed. Local pastors and congregations are remaining faithful to live as a witness to Christ and serve their communities around the world. Missionaries of the church are taking the good news of the Gospel to every people and culture on the face of the earth. Rather than simply talking about it, there is a movement in the earth today that is planning real strategy. Working across denominational lines efforts are underway to see this mission of world evangelism completed in this generation.

The signs are in place and the symptoms are occurring. The people of God are advancing the Kingdom of Jesus across the earth. Yes, we are approaching a world wide change of order. It would appear to me that the Second Coming of Jesus is near. Yet, we must continue to remain faithful to our assigned task given to us by the Lord Himself.