Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
Because many believers reject the idea that we live in the last days before the events of the seven-year tribulation sweep over the earth, they fail to identify the many ways that make today radically different than any previous time in history. The purpose of this series is to present evidence of why we live in the last moments of human history as we know it.
In part 1, I discussed how the rebirth of Israel is the key to identifying this day as the last moments in human history as we know it. This is so key to understanding our day, yet so many miss the significance of Israel’s miraculous rebirth as a nation and deny its significance to their everyday life.
In addition to Israel’s existence today, the abundance of signs that we see everywhere in our world tells us the tribulation period is ever so near and with that our departure, which happens before it.
- The Magog-Gog War of Ezekiel 38-39
The prophecy of the Magog-Gog invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38-39 not only tells us that Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia will merely protest the greed of the invaders rather than join with them (as we saw in part 1), but it also predicts two other realities that have not existed until recent years.
- Russia, Iran, and Turkey will form a close alliance that will lead the future invasion of Israel (see 38:1-6; it’s based on ancient names for these nations).
- The prosperity of Israel will cause this group to invade (38:10-13).
Today, Russia, Iran, and Turkey not only have significant military forces in Syria, a country that borders Israel on its northern Golan Heights, but they’ve formed a close alliance. An article on the Harbinger’s Daily website, Iran, Russia and Turkey Signal Growing Alliance, goes into detail on how the coalition of these nations continues to strengthen in 2021.[i] Ten years ago, Turkey was a close ally of Israel; now, however, they have aligned with Russia and Iran exactly as the prophet Ezekiel said would happen in the last days.
The wealth of Israel has significantly increased over the past decade. The nation possesses a huge reservoir of natural gas off its shore and is in the process of building a pipeline under the Mediterranean Sea in order to sell this natural gas to Europe (much to the dismay of Putin, who also sells natural gas to these nations). Recent discoveries indicate that a very large oil field also exists in Israel. Besides these things, rumors abound that a significant vein of gold also exists there, which they plan to use to finance the construction of the temple. Ezekiel prophesied that the Lord would use Israel’s wealth to lure Russia into leading the invasion of the Land. Now, as never before, this is reality.
- Technology that Makes the Mark of the Beast Possible
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) during the past few years also makes today much different than any other time since the time of Christ. AI technology makes it possible for the antichrist to control all the buying and selling worldwide and is a sign that the tribulation is exceedingly close.
Unlike any other previous time, the technology now exists for the enforcement of the mark of the beast as described in Revelation 13:15-17:
“And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”
I recently watched a video on Tom Hughes’ YouTube channel where he and Billy Crone discussed how AI, along with the 5G network, makes it possible for one person, the antichrist, to control the world’s buying and selling. Billy Crone, who has done extensive research on AI, likened the development of AI to the rebirth of Israel in terms of prophetic significance because now, as never before, we see the means for the antichrist and false prophet to fulfill what John wrote in Revelation 13:15-18 concerning the mark of the beast.
The literal interpretation of Revelation 13, accepted by faith in previous generations, has become a reality in today’s world. Not only that, but China has also already implemented a remarkably similar system that makes the buying and selling of many things dependent on one’s social score.
- Deception
When the disciples asked Jesus about “the sign of your coming and of the end of the age,” His first words were these, “See that no one leads you astray” (Matt. 24:3-4). In the same discourse, Jesus also warns about “false teachers” seeking to lead others “astray” (Matt. 24:11, 24). In 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, the apostle Paul writes about the deception that will characterize the antichrist and his time.
Do we not see this happening everywhere in our world today? In just the past year, we have seen “big tech” censor truth on social media as never before. Never before has it been so difficult to decipher the truth from the abundance of lies and misinformation that confront us on a daily basis.
Yes, there have been other times of mass deception, such as we see today in the United States and throughout our world. The disinformation campaign in Germany that led to the rise of Hitler is very much like what I see happening today in the United States.
The difference between Germany in the past century and today is three-fold. First, we have all the other signs of the last days converging at this time. Second, the deception is happening worldwide, rather than in just one country. And third, with the advances in technology, those who stamp out the truth have more effective means of doing so than existed in the lead up to WW II.
- The Matthew 24 Signs
The additional signs Jesus gave us, as recorded in Matthew 24:4-14, also tell us that we live in the last days.
One might look at the list of signs in Matthew 24 and say that these things have been true for many centuries; and that is true. In verse 8, however, Jesus compared these signs to “birth pains,” and this tells us all we need to know about why today is unique in terms of biblical prophecy. Like “birth pains,” the closer we get to the tribulation and to Christ’s return, we should expect these signs to increase in frequency and intensity, which is exactly what we see today.
Let’s look at a few examples of this.
- Wars and rumors of wars
In verse 6, Jesus said, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” The world today is on the edge of war. There’s mounting friction between China and America over Taiwan, which many believe could result in a war between the two in the near future.
The Gateway Pundit website tells of a massive buildup of military forces near the Ukraine border. Complete with pictures and videos, it reports the movement of many tanks and soldiers on both sides.[ii] If war breaks out, will America come to the aid of its NATO ally? Could this lead to an all-out war between the U.S. and Russia? For now, this qualifies as a significant “rumor” of war that the mainstream media is ignoring. The tensions continue to grow here as I write.
As the world teeters on the brink of war in many other hotspots around the globe, the rider of the red horse, signifying war, waits in the wings (Rev. 6:3-4). His deadly ride through the world near the beginning of the tribulation seems closer than ever before (see Rev. 6:8). And if the tribulation is so very close, how more so our departure that happens before it?
- Ethnic Strife
Jesus added these words in verse 7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”
The word for “nation” in this verse is literally ethnos in the Greek. The tension Jesus predicts for the end times arises from strife and battles between ethnic groups as well as among nations. Does anyone doubt that this is happening today and continuing to grow worse in our world seemingly by the day?
- Lawlessness
Jesus said that increased lawlessness would also characterize the last days. “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:12). In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul refers to the antichrist as “the man of lawlessness” and in verse 7 says that “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.”
If any one word describes our day from the standpoint of God’s Word, it is “lawlessness.” Almost every day, news of increasing ungodliness in the United States saddens me. We have gone from the most pro-life president in our history to Biden, who from day one has proven to be a fierce advocate of this brutality here and everywhere else in the world. This is just one of many examples where “lawlessness” characterizes our world, causing “the love of many” to “grow cold.”
Biblical prophecy is alive and well in the spring of 2021; we see so many things predicted long ago coming to life before our eyes as never before since the time of Christ.
Why are so many believers so unaware of these things as an abundance of signs converges as never before in history?
In part 3, we will look at how the push for a one-world government also indicates that our time remaining before the rapture is exceedingly short.
Jonathan Brentner
Website: Our Journey Home
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E-mail: Jonathanbrentner@yahoo.com
[i] Harbinger’s Daily, Iran, Russia and Turkey Signal Growing Alliance, March 21. 2021, @ https://harbingersdaily.com/iran-russia-and-turkey-signal-growing-alliance/
[ii] Joe Hoft, Russia Mounting Massive Show of Force in Russian-Occupied Crimea and Ukraine (VIDEO), April 1, 2021, on the Gateway Pundit website @ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/04/russia-mounting-massive-show-force-russian-occupied-crimea-ukraine-video/