What did Jesus say about the signs of the end?
And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...
Jesus told us about the signs of the end of the age.
No one but the Father knows the time or the hour, but Jesus tells us to be watchful and to pay attention to these signs.
False prophets will try to deceive you and love in the world shall grow cold
Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Mt 24:4-5)
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Mt 24:11-12)
See also Mk 13:5-7; Lk 21:6-8.
There will be wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famine and pestilence
And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Mt 24:6-8)
See also Mk 13:8; Lk 21:9-11.
People, including family and friends, will hate you, betray you, beat you, persecute you, imprison you and kill you
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. (Mt 24:9-10)
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. (Lk 21:16)
See also Mk 13:9, 12; Lk 21:12-13, 16-17.
God will give you the words to say to your persecutors
But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. (Mk 13:11)
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. (Lk 21:14-15)
See also Lk 21:13-16.
When the Abomination of Desolation appears in the holy place (or when you see Jerusalem encompassed with armies), the faithful should flee
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) [And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. (Lk 21:20)] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. [And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Lk 21:24)] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Mt 24:15-22)
See also Mk 13:14-20; Lk 21:20-24.
Christ’s return will be public and clear, not secret or uncertain
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (Mt 24:23-28)
See also Mk 13:21-23.
Those who endure patiently to the end will be saved and the Gospel will be preached to all nations
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mt 24:13-14)
But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. (Lk 21:18-19)
See also Mk 13:13.
After the tribulation there will be heavenly phenomena and distress of the nations and the Son of Man will appear, coming in the clouds
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Mt 24:29-31)
See also Mk 13:24-27; Lk 21:25-28.
Do you see any of these signs manifesting right now?
In my next article on Jesus’ warnings about the end times, I will reflect on the signs he foretold and discuss our duty to be watchful.
Wow.. Amazing.! This is happening today.