Are we living in the last days?
We are surrounded by dramatic, deadly climatic events that are happening more and more frequently throughout the earth. To say that something odd is happening is quite frankly an understatement. People are asking themselves, ‘what on earth is going on?’ Whether (no pun intended) it is unseasonable weather systems, solar and lunar eclipses or Blood Moons, and pestilences (pandemics), they are definitely catching the eye of the amateur and the professional. For instance, on July 2018, Sky News reported a series of dramatic weather anomalies all hitting the planet on the same day. This could be true for this last week that has seen some horrendous and strange weather anomalies hit the south and NYC. However, man is putting this all down to ‘climate change’.
California has again been experiencing ‘Apocalyptic fires.’ People who live were there, feel this is something different, something more than just mere ‘anomalies’. In some parts of the world, many are declaring they have been abandoned by the authorities and left to ‘God’s mercy.’
The UK has again seen temperatures soar to record levels this year. We are indeed experiencing ‘signs and wonders’ in the heavens and on the earth.
In the USA there has been unusual activity as well. I live in the south and we normally tend to brace ourselves for storms and such like. However, this week hurricane IDA has left an unprecedented trail of destruction, right up and through NYC. It will take years to rebuild but this is nothing to the precious lives that have been lost.
So, why is all of this important and does it relate to the Last Days foretold in the Bible? Ok so let’s examine this further. The weather extremes hit the nations, not only are humans being effected but the entire animal kingdom is also being hit. You will not hear this reported in the mainstream media outlets but if you search out the print/online media there are some incredible things happening out there.
So does the Bible have anything to say about these strange happenings? YES. In Hosea 4 we read the following:-
“Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.”
Dr. F Kenton Beshore
Dr Beshore was a former president of the World Bible Society. He had made some earth-shattering predictions prior to his death in 2016:
- Beginning of the world’s end would be triggered in 2021
- The Second Coming of Christ would be 2028 following 7 years of tribulation
- He also, like others believed that WWI & II alongside the founding of the State of Israel were biblical signs
- These events would be marked by asteroid hits, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and giant tsunamis.
However, for non-believers or sceptics one could argue that these are natural phenomena, brought on by climate change. But is we delve deeper into the Bible we can see that these prophecies are not new. The scribes and prophets thousands of years ago talked of a period in time when these catastrophic events would take place. It did not give a time but instead talked about a certain generation.
What the Bible says…
In the Bible both the Old and New Testaments mention ‘The great and terrible Day of the Lord’ (Joel 2:31 and cited in Acts 2:20). The term in the Hebrew Bible refers to temporal events – the invasion of a foreign army. Isaiah writes of it as does Malachi. In fact the latter foretells the return of Elijah immediately preceding ‘the great and terrible day of the LORD.’ Malachi’s prophecy is read in synagogues on the Great Sabbath immediately preceding Passover.
In the New Testament the ‘day of the Lord’ tells of the Final Judgement and the World to Come. This extends to the meaning of the first and second comings of Jesus The Christ. Either way all the references – Old and New Testaments, regarding this event appears to be closely tied-in with the coming of the Messiah to judge the world.
What Jesus Said
When questioned about the end days, Jesus responded MATTHEW 24: 3-13, 29-31:
‘As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved…’
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[c] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other…’
There is one thing I do know, and one person we have hope in – King Jesus. While all of this chaos continues around us, we have hope in the knowledge that God’s Will and His order of doing things are sovereign and when all is said and done…well we’ve all read the end of the book – right?
“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14
This article was written by Karin McBride-Chenoweth, an award-winning writer, editor and publisher of Christian and secular works in Europe and the USA. Karin is a US Citizen and lives and works in the USA.
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