For over four years now, almost everyone who pays attention to what’s going on in the world lives in a constant state of anxiety. The reason? They’re waiting for the next shoe to drop – the next major global event that will upend their lives.

This is understandable. Over the past four years, we’ve endured COVID, the government response to COVID (lockdowns, passports, mandates, etc.), global supply chain issues, global inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, the shutdown of Red Sea shipping lanes, and numerous rumors of other major events set to break at any moment. So what’s next? Will it get worse before it gets better? The answer is yes, and this article reveals why.

The Interregnum

One of the reasons we see all these events taking place is the interregnum. What does that mean? Well, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, defines an interregnum as:

“The interval of time between the end of a sovereign’s reign and the accession of a successor.”

This typically describes a time period between two reigning kings, but in this instance, we’re using it to describe the time period between one superpower or group dominating global affairs and second rising to take its place. The last time we experienced an interregnum of this type was the 1914 to 1945 timeframe. Needless to say, this was quite a tumultuous era – 31 years that included two world wars and a global depression.

When 1914 started, the Royal Navy of the British Empire ruled the high seas. The colonies of the British Empire spanned the globe, and it had dominated the 19th Century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the pound), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (London).

When 1945 ended, the United States Navy ruled the high seas. U.S. military bases spanned the globe, and the United States dominated the 20th-century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the dollar), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (New York).

As 2024 begins, we see U.S. naval power waning. Houthi rebels have shut down the Red Sea to all traffic from Israel, the United States, and their Western allies. Almost 12% of all global trade passes through the Suez Canal, making the Red Sea one of the most vital shipping corridors in the world. For over 80 years, the U.S. Navy has carried out the role of ensuring the world’s shipping lanes remain freely navigable and open to international trade. Now, they are increasingly unable to do so.

The ability of the U.S. to project military power across the globe and secure vital waterways is one of the primary reasons the U.S. dollar dominates international trade. Another reason is the petro-dollar. When President Nixon ended the U.S. dollar’s convertibility to gold, it became a fiat currency – meaning its value is derived from nothing more than government edict. Since that day in 1971, all the world’s major currencies have been fiat currencies – something unprecedented in history. History shows all fiat currencies eventually reach their intrinsic value – zero. So what happens when all the world’s currencies collapse at the same time?

In 1974, Henry Kissinger brokered a deal with Saudi Arabia wherein OPEC agreed to only trade oil for dollars. This has helped underpin demand for U.S. dollars for the past 50 years, but now the petro-dollar is ending. Saudi Arabia and OPEC are increasingly accepting other currencies for oil. U.S. debt is at unsustainable levels. Foreign nations are dumping U.S. debt in favor of gold, and the BRICS nations are attempting to create an alternative to the U.S.-dominated global financial system.

In other words, the post-World War II order of global military power is transforming, and the current global monetary system is coming to an end. All this and more is why we see U.S. power and influence in decline, an increasingly fragmented global order, and a world where it seems we’re moving from one crisis to the next.

But I would argue there’s a more significant reason we’re seeing all this. Depending on your preconceived beliefs, you might reject it out of hand. But I encourage you to read on and examine the evidence for yourself. If you do and reject my conclusion, that is fine. But it might just open your eyes to a truth that could change your life forever.

What’s Really Happening…

If the interregnum alone is not the reason for this constant state of crisis, then what’s really happening? Why do we see all these global events taking place? The answer is simple.

Jesus is coming.

The constant state of crisis we see today is exactly what Jesus said the world would look like just before his return:

“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?’ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 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 24:3-8 (NLT).

Read that last line again, where Jesus says, “all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (emphasis mine). What does Jesus mean by the phrase “birth pains”? What do the spiritual, natural, societal, and political signs He described have in common with birth pains? Only this – birth pains (or labor contractions) are sharp pains which increase in both frequency and intensity in the moments leading up to birth. Jesus says this same pattern will precede His coming.

There’s another name for this pattern. It’s called an exponential curve. If you were to plot labor contractions on a graph, the result would be an exponential curve that increases right up until the time the baby is born. According to Jesus, the signs He describes and the general nature of things in this world will increase in both frequency and intensity just prior to His arrival. In other words, the exponential increase of the signs of His Coming is how we’ll know He’s near.

So, what are those signs? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Jesus told us. The prophets told us, and the Bible is filled with verses that tell us. Furthermore, Jesus told us how to recognize the general timeframe of His return. When the disciples said, “Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus told them a number of things to look for. He then said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

This means the #1 indication Jesus will soon return is all the signs appearing together. The Bible tells us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It’s the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs confirms our generation will witness the Second Coming – not according to me, but according to Jesus.

Below are just a few of those signs. They include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said non-Jewish people (Gentiles) will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. Jesus promised to return once that happened (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it, and then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel rarely left a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated into hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, T.V., satellite, and the Internet. For the first time in history, we’re on the verge of seeing the Gospel preached to every last person on earth.

Digital Currencies – According to the Atlantic Council, 134 countries (representing 98% of the global GDP) are exploring, developing, or preparing to roll out central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). CBDCs will mean government control of programmable currency, giving government insight into every financial transaction taking place. Almost 2,000 years ago, the Bible said:

“He required everyone – small and great, rich and poor, free and slave – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name” Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT).

While CBDCs are NOT the mark of the beast, they set the stage for it. CBDCs are indistinguishable in function from the mark of the beast, giving government the power to control who can buy and who can sell.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say, “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten-nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete that no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

The World is in Crisis Because Jesus is Coming

Keep in mind, these signs haven’t always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). The convergence of all these signs confirms it.

Moreover, Jesus compared these signs to birth pains. So it shouldn’t surprise us to see global events increasing in frequency and intensity. We should expect this constant state of crisis.

Jesus is coming.

When He arrives, will you be ready? Jesus says you’re either for Him or against Him (Matthew 12:30). He also says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Furthermore, Jesus said:

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” John 3:18-19 (NLT).

So if you don’t know Jesus, I encourage you to invite Him into your life today. The Bible says you will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11).

Britt Gillette is the author of several books on Bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com

 

 

The number one sign of the Second Coming is the convergence of all the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Jesus said, “When you see all these things take place, look up! Your salvation draws near” (Luke 21:28). What are the things Jesus and the prophets said to look for? Israel back in the land (Jeremiah 23:7-8)… The Jewish people back in control of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24)… The Gospel being preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:14)… And more. Today, we see these signs. Because we do, we can be confident we live in the season of His return. But Jesus cited other signs too. So did the prophets. And we see those signs as well.

In fact, for much of 2022, we appeared to be on the verge of seeing the events of Revelation 6 kick off at any moment, with the real possibility of global war (Revelation 6:4), global hyperinflation (Revelation 6:6), and widespread famine from an escalating food crisis (Revelation 6:8). As 2022 drew to a close, what were the biggest prophetic news stories? Below is a list of what I believe were the top three:

1) Rumors of War

Jesus said rumors of war will precede His return (Matthew 24:6). 2022 brought war between Russia and Ukraine, but it also brought countless rumors of an escalating conflict with NATO, as well as rumors of war in other parts of the world. In September, someone blew up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in what should be considered a major act of war. In years past, it would have been. But in 2022, it spent just a couple of days in the western media news cycle before being all but forgotten. Meanwhile, the United States and NATO continued to provide armaments and intelligence to Ukraine. Even worse, some reports claimed NATO had troops on the ground in Ukraine.

All these developments heightened tensions and led to rumors of an escalating conflict that would draw NATO into all-out war with Russia and spark a nuclear exchange. How bad did it get? While the U.S. defense readiness condition (DEFCON) level isn’t public, some estimate we’ve been at DEFCON 3 – a level reached only three times in history – for nearly all of 2022. None of those previous instances lasted more than a few days, yet some estimate we’ve been at DEFCON 3 since February 28. This is the longest period of heightened readiness in the more than six decades of the alert system’s existence. This means a strong case could be made that we’re closer to nuclear war now than we’ve ever been in the post-World War II period.

But the Russia/Ukraine conflict isn’t the only source of rumors of war. For all of 2022, Taiwan has lived under the threat of imminent Chinese invasion. Time and again, China has sent ships into nearby waters and warplanes into Taiwanese airspace. U.S. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, took a provocative trip to Taiwan, and the United States threatened to respond militarily to any Chinese aggression.

Meanwhile, we continue to hear rumors of war in other parts of the world – Israel/Iran, India/China, North Korea/South Korea, and countless other places. The sheer number of possible conflicts between major powers, many armed with nuclear weapons, arguably makes this the most dangerous time since World War II.

2) Inflation

Price inflation hit the world with a vengeance in 2022. World leaders blamed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it did play a role in some of the inflation. But poor government policies and currency printing were the true culprits. Pandemic lockdowns caused major supply chain disruptions, and government stimulus programs pumped currency into every corner of the economy. How much stimulus was created? In the United States, more than 40% of all the dollars in existence were created in the last 3 years. More currency units chasing fewer goods and services will inevitably lead to higher prices, and that’s what we saw in 2022.

In Europe, decades of poor planning and naïve energy policies led to a surge in electricity and natural gas prices. In some cases, these prices rose as much as 20 times what they had been just one year before. This impacted all of European industry, leading to less production of energy-intensive products and forcing many businesses to completely shut down. One energy-intensive product, fertilizer, saw significant production cuts as European firms could no longer offer competitively priced products in the global marketplace. Lower supplies increased the global price of fertilizer, and the result will likely be higher food prices in the years ahead as less fertilizer leads to lower crop yields.

In addition, I believe we’re witnessing a collapse of the petro-dollar system, which has dominated global trade for the past fifty years. In fact, I believe 2022 signaled we’re in the last dying days of the entire global fiat currency system. The world is waking up to the fact that pieces of paper, electronic ones, and zeroes don’t have the same value as tangible items such as oil, natural gas, timber, aluminum, copper, gold, and silver.

The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have signaled their intent to develop an alternative to America’s SWIFT payment system as well as a commodity-backed currency to challenge the U.S. dollar. As 2022 draws to a close, a host of additional nations have expressed interest in joining the BRICS coalition. Among them are some of the most important producers of oil and natural gas on the planet – Nigeria, Iran, Argentina, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. If they succeed, and BRICS creates its own commodity-backed currency as an alternative to the U.S. dollar, it will destroy the U.S. dollar, and most of the world’s fiat currencies will plummet in value.

3) Central Bank Digital Currency

In 2022, governments all around the world telegraphed their support for central bank digital currency (CBDC). The Bank of International Settlements announced 9 out of 10 of the world’s central banks were exploring digital currency, and more than half were developing CBDCs or experimenting with or testing rollouts.

For example, in mid-November, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced a 12-week proof-of-concept project to “explore the feasibility of an interoperable network of central bank wholesale digital money and commercial bank digital money.” They aren’t alone. In mid-December, it was revealed that the Bank of England “will begin consultations on the design of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) which would act as a digital version of the pound sterling.” Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India announced the second stage of testing for its own CBDC. After successfully running a pilot program at the wholesale level, they announced they will now test the digital rupee in a retail setting.

Meanwhile, the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX led to calls for greater regulation of digital currencies from politicians all over the globe. Citing money laundering concerns, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has vowed to crack down on the entire crypto industry. You can be certain whatever legislation results will benefit CBDCs at the expense of decentralized alternatives such as Bitcoin.

What to Look for in 2023

Expect these same trends to continue in 2023. What will 2023 bring? We can only guess, but I believe the probability is high we will see a global financial crisis, the collapse of a major market currency, widespread famine, and social unrest. In my latest video, I cover all of these in greater detail. For more than fifty years now, all the world’s major currencies have been fiat currencies – meaning they have no intrinsic value or claim on anything of value. They only have purchasing power because people believe they do. That belief will significantly erode in 2023.

Combine these developments with countless others foretold in the Bible, and we can know the rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming are now closer than they’ve ever been before. This is why the #1 event you should focus on is the return of our Savior. As we enter a new year, all the signs tell us, “Jesus is coming!”

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming, Racing Toward Armageddon, and The End Times. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.