Bible prophecy “signs of the times” are almost daily news (since about 2010), says Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries:
“There was a time when news of last days’ significance was sporadic. I could easily do a weekly radio program and hit the highlights of the week in an hour or two on air. In the last decade, that has all changed. Now, when trying to prepare a new message on the signs of the times, I find myself having to leave out information due to volume.” SEE: The Top 10 Bible Prophecy Stories of 2019. – By Jan Markell; December 10, 2019.
Jan Markell, for many years now, has been keeping tabs on End Times events. She sees. She knows. She’s done the research. From her observations, it is quite striking how prophetic events have accelerated so much since 2010. Here is her list of the top 10. I recommend you read the full article. Jan Markell gives very interesting details. Things are heating up!
I say: Get ready for the Rapture. It’s a’comin’ round the corner.
The Top 10 Bible Prophecy Stories of 2019
1) The spirit of the Antichrist has been poured out around the world.
2) The last year has seen the rise of Romans 1 behavior and thinking, the explosion of strong delusion, and the increase in the hatred of God.
3) In the last year we have seen a rise in a new world religion.
4) There is a stunning rise in wickedness. Yes, evil is to wax worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13), but it is now out-of-control.
5) The mocking and scoffing of the truth has risen to new levels (2 Peter 3).
6) Christians and Jews are on the run.
7) The “epicenter”—the Middle East—is in a shake-up.
8) The efforts of the globalists were advanced in the last year.
9) The Church of Laodicea blossomed and lurched even further to the left in the last year.
10) The surveillance of humanity is now big business and privacy is completely gone.
It is very exciting to be watching for events like these to unfold. But we have to be watching — to see them!
37 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those servants whom the master finds awake and watching when he arrives. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will prepare himself to serve, and will have them recline at the table, and will come and wait on them. 38 Whether he comes in the second watch (before midnight), or even in the third (after midnight), and finds them so [prepared and ready], blessed are those servants. – Luke 12:37-38
Are you ready this moment to kneel in person, before your Savior? As believers, we who follow Jesus can be confident living in these times, because Scripture tells us God is at work behind the scenes and things are happening according to His plan. “Ours is not to worry why or when, but look to Him to win in the end!” As Luke tells us, if we believe His Word, then we should…
31 …[strive for and actively] seek His kingdom….
32 Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
35 “Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning. 36 Be like men who are waiting for their master
39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time the thief was coming, he [would have been awake and alert, and] would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You too, be continually ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”
Not to worry. God is in control. Might as well post a sign: God at work.
Events will only happen “in His time”, “at his own [appointed] time” (v6) according to what He wants to accomplish. Things are not happening willy-nilly. He holds our future.
FOR MORE, read: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture.
Don’t worry about these end days. This is exciting. Know this: “I am His, and He is mine.” Paul said,
Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all. – 2 Thessalonians 3:16
The following verses (in this color) are verses 1-3 of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Let’s look more closely at this passage.
Introduction
In verse 1 of the 1st chapter God wrote through “Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy” — “To the church of the Thessalonians”, prophecying about the future. It appears that we are now very close to that time of the “future” that Paul refers to.
Interpret Scripture with Scripture. As with all Scripture: we interpret Scripture with Scripture when possible. We don’t interpret according to our own agenda. And, keeping it in context, we remember that no matter when it was written and recorded — it is for us:
All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage] – 2 Timothy 3:16 [Also see: 2 Peter 1:20; 2 Peter 3:16; Matthew 22:29; Matthew 26:56, Luke 24:27; Romans 9:17; Romans 16:26; Galatians 3:8.] [Or see all references: here.]
Verses 1-2. “Now in regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a [so-called prophetic revelation of a] spirit or a message or a letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come.”
About the Rapture
Paul [and Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy] start out teaching about the Rapture: “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him“.
He warns that some false prophets (a person who purports to speak-out God’s word), a person with a “so-called prophetic revelation“, will say false things (duh: false produces false) – but we are not to be alarmed. Paul says these false messages will be (v2):
- a [so-called prophetic revelation (a false word)
- of a] spirit or a message or a letter
- [alleged to be] from us (but not really from Paul…)
- to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come
Source: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
Don’t believe them, Paul is warning. (If you listen long enough to false news, it is probable you will eventually cave into believing it.) Some churches have an endemic problem encouraging prophetic revelations; its like they want it so badly that its forced. I just don’t see God giving “prophetic revelations” every meeting – in the New Testament, nor now.
A big thing nowadays is “replacement theology”. Mistaken thinkers say that the A.D.70 Roman destruction of Jerusalem was actually the second coming of Christ in “the clouds”. They are part of Paul’s warning: Don’t believe any false teaching theology “…to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come.” (v2) Jesus has not yet returned. First must come two other big events.
Verse 3. 3 Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed…
Paul says there will be false teachings out there about Jesus’ return. There will be many persuasive deceptions and entrapments, theologies saying Christ already came (like – back in A.D. 70). Don’t believe them.
And then,very interestingly – Paul gives us the end times actual, real-time order of 3 events:
- “the apostasy comes first”
- and then “and the man of lawlessness is revealed“
- then the Rapture
- (then The Great Tribulation)
Jesus spoke about the end, as He called it, when He answered the disciples’ question: “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”. (v6 of Matthew 24:1-9)
The Apostle Paul later reminded us of what Jesus had said about “the end” :
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now [from being revealed]; it is so that he will be revealed at his own [appointed] time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him….
– 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8
The timing of “the end…” is totally controlled by the hand of God. About the Rapture – Paul tells us:
“…that day will not come unless
(1) the apostasy comes first… and
(2) the man of lawlessness is revealed” (verse 3).
– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
Other events will happen before, in-between, and after the Rapture… of course. But we are looking here specifically at the Apostle Paul’s sequence of events, as he predicted them. (And he’s pretty reliable!)
Source: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
So, Paul succinctly said this very clearly: Two big profecies happen before the Rapture, then will come The Great Tribulation period, then Christ comes back in glory and power. So, right out of just one chapter, 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul tells us…
The chronological order of 5 End Time events: …per the Apostle Paul
- The Great Apostasy (v3: “that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians]”
- The Revealing of the the man of lawlessness (v3, 7-8)
- The Rapture (v3: “that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first”) “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him….” (v1)
- The Great Tribulation (v9-12: “…through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies], 10 and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness….”)
- The Power Return of Christ in glory and power (v8: “and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming.“
NOTE: The term “Second Coming” is a bit misleading, since Christ appeared three times on earth as Jesus. The (above) reference #3 is technically the Second Coming, when the Rapture happens; and the reference #5 is actually the third time Jesus returns. In other words: the Rapture is his 2nd coming, and then the 3rd is when Jesus returns in power and glory. At the Rapture, Christ does not “touch down” to the earth, whereas He does (in v8) “hit the ground” when He returns in glory and power.
Paul profecies specific details about the Antichrist who is soon to be revealed to us. He calls him, “…the man of lawlessness… the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed]” (vs3). Could be he will be revealed this year, in 2020, or it could be 10 years away, 2 years, 2 months from now (5/2020). We know not the hour, nor the day. But we believe the Bible. The Bible’s signs of the times are indicating that this event is comin’ round the corner. That is what the signs are for: to warn us. “Remember the words of the prophecy….”
“And behold, I am coming quickly.
Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired)is the one who heeds
and takes to heart
and remembers
the words of the prophecy
[that is, the predictions, consolations, and warnings]
contained in this book (scroll).”
The words of God, “…I am coming quickly” must be understood in the context of God’s time. See: It’s Time and the section titled “Time” – as it really is. A concept of time….
Don’t be afraid of what’s coming. And, don’t get ahead of God’s timing.
FOR MORE:
Virgins, Talents, and Judgement
First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
About Being Apostate… following “another gospel”
We are now in “Birth Pangs” times, and then – the End
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Man of Lawlessness
2 Now in regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a [so-called prophetic revelation of a] spirit or a message or a letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed], 4 who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now [from being revealed]; it is so that he will be revealed at his own [appointed] time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming. 9 The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies], 10 and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them]. 11 Because of this God will send upon them a misleading influence, [an activity of error and deception] so they will believe the lie, 12 in order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe the truth [about their sin, and the need for salvation through Christ], but instead took pleasure in unrighteousness.
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