Are We Living in the End Times?
The end times spoken of in Biblical prophecy are real, and we are living in them. While it may not be time for the final Antichrist to wage war on the earth, we need to be alert and aware of the world we live in. This is important for all of us because our salvation depends on us staying true to God.
The Bible tells us there will be a time when Satan will raise up a man who will be bent on conquest. This man will war with the nations of the earth and win. Those who support him will gain rich treasures of the earth; those who don’t will be killed. This man is known as the Antichrist, and he will worship one god only: power.
The Antichrist will come during the end times and he will reign on earth for seven years. However, his coming does not mark the beginning of the end times.
So When are the End Times?
The end times are right now, and they’ve been “now” for a long time. I can tell you this is true because Jesus told his apostles that the Gospel would be preached to the whole world and then the end will come.
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 (NLT)
This means that the end times began the moment that Jesus rose and the apostles began the work of preaching the Word to the world.
Why is God allowing the world to go on so long? Well, while we humans live only a short while, God is infinite and bigger than time. What we see as an immense amount of time, is just a moment to God.
“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”
2 Peter 3:8 (NLT)
This means that we should be patient and we should use this time to guard ourselves against evil. When Jesus returns, whether or not it is during our lifetimes, we need to be taking care of His kingdom. Otherwise we will face the consequences.
“And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return — in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.”
Mark 13:33-36 (NLT)
Biblical Signs of the End
At the end, we are told that there will be many people who look to teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than listening to sound Biblical doctrine.
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.”
2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT)
We also know that many people will be deceived by false teachers like this and will fall away from the faith.
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NLT)
We are also taught that people will be lovers of themselves, only doing what makes them feel good and what they perceive benefits them. They will obsess over their money and their looks and will be proud of themselves, what they have, and what they have accomplished. They will also act godly or holy, but will be unforgiving and unloving.
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
2 Timothy 3 (NLT)
Probably the most well-known signs of the end are that there will be wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and other disasters, both natural and unnatural.
“And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”
Matthew 24:6-8 (NLT)
Modern Examples of the Signs
I believe that we can see many examples of all of these things in today’s world. Many people practice spiritualism, witchcraft, worship other gods, or worse, combine Christianity with other religions to create a particularly dangerous false religion. Many of those who are Christian seek out watered down versions of the Gospel because they don’t like the “harshness” of the truth God has given us.
We also all know people now, directly or indirectly, who use smooth language or good looks to push products and make money, promoting the perfect social media life while being empty and spiteful on the inside; these people are just one example of those who are self-seeking.
We can also clearly see all of the conflict in the Middle East and the rumors of conflict between the United States and the Russians, Chinese, and North Koreans. There have also been a variety of famines and natural disasters that have affected large parts of the world in recent years.
The fact that all of these things are happening as recorded in the Bible is further proof that we are currently living in the end times.
If the End Times are Now, What About the Antichrist?
We learn from Daniel 11 and Matthew 24 that there are multiple antichrist figures throughout history. They all follow the same pattern in that they come to power in their home nations but seek more. They wage war against other nations and peoples and eventually gain control of the Beautiful Land (that is Israel and Palestine). When they do, they make religious practice toward God illegal and instead set up an image of their own making for everyone to worship, and those who don’t are killed.
One great example of an antichrist figure from the past is the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. What he did is documented in Daniel 11:21-35 (which was written about 360 years before the king’s rule). When he rose to power, he set up a statue of Zeus in the temple in Jerusalem and forced the Jews to worship it (the abomination that causes desolation). He rewarded those who turned against God and persecuted those who didn’t. While what he did was bad, it pales in comparison to what will be seen when the final Antichrist comes into the world.
What Do I Need to Look Out For Now?
We live in a changing world. Technology has allowed globalization to reach a breakneck pace and the rate of population growth has come with its own set of consequences. In spite of all of this rapid change, the principles that underlie Christianity do not change. Similarly, the sins we are to guard ourselves from do not change.
In today’s world, we see vast amounts of violence, ever-growing amounts of sexual content, and the normalization of LGBTQ+ and abortion, among other things. Rates of alcoholism and drug abuse are also high. We also see an immense amount of obsession with self, especially in the wealthiest nations like the United States. Everyone is chasing something now: wealth, power, influence, sex, pleasure, beauty, fame, entertainment, and so on. Guard yourself against such self-seeking interests because they are all temporary and do good only for you. In fact, often times the result of you gaining these things is that someone else loses them. For example, there is only so much money to go around, so if you become a billionaire then that money had to come from other people to begin with.
Okay, So What Should I Do?
Do not seek for more and do not be self-seeking because these things lead to destruction. Instead, find a way that you can live in harmony with everyone else, working hard and taking only that which God has given you to live on. This is the only sustainable way of life for humanity, whether or not everyone chooses to follow it.
In these end times, we do not know when Jesus will return. But when He does, we should make sure that we are doing what is holy in His eyes. Live your life according to the Bible and be patient, because, if you do, you will be richly rewarded with eternal life. When the emptiness of this world passes away, you will find yourself in a fulfilling world where you can spend eternity with your God and creator in a state of perpetual peace with everyone (Revelation 22).
A beautiful, if troubled, life exists for us on earth. But take heart! We will be with God soon and will have great joy in His presence. However, if you find yourself struggling with depression while on earth, you can read my article about how to deal with depression as a Christian here. You can also reach out to us on our Prayers page, and we would love to pray for you.
Until next time, take care and God bless!
