Are we living in the Biblical end times Jesus and other prophets like Daniel prophesied about in the New Testament and Old Testament Book of Daniel?
Not sure I can definitively answer this question in one blog post. A question volumes have been written about and discussed at length by scholars, theologians, and philosophers since Jesus first spoke these words to his disciples who came to him on the Mount of Olives (“The Olivet Discourse”) and asked: "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Mathew 24: 1-14
Jesus answered and said to them:
“See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. John 13:19
Matthew 24:33 when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.
So how can we know if we are living in the time Jesus was talking about? People say there have always been wars, famine and pestilence. But when these things come upon you like birth pangs, increasing in severity and intensity you will know it is near. We can't know the exact day or hour, but we can discern when it is near by the signs given to us in the Bible.
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
2 Peter 3:3-4 Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.
Although we can not know the day or hour of Jesus return, we can know the season. Jesus gave many signs pointing to his return as in the parable of the fig tree:
Matthew 24: 32-35 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not by no means pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The fig tree in the Bible represents the Nation of Israel. Jesus used the parable of a fig tree many times when speaking of Israel.
Luke 13: 6-9, Mark 11: 12-17, Matthew 21:19, Hosea 9:10
May 14,1948 Israel became a sovereign nation thus the fig tree come back to life and started shooting forth. The fig tree (Israel) that seemed dead sprung back to life, putting forth tender branches and leaves. We are the fig tree generation, those who were alive and saw Israel become a nation in 1948 will not pass away until all these things Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 take place.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
2 Peter 3:11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.
We all must examine our own hearts and live every day like it's our last, mindful that Jesus could return anytime, *like a thief in the night when we think not.
Matthew 24:13-14 – But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Luke 21: 28 But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draws nigh.
*not to confuse the rapture with Jesus second coming, they are two separate events.
