Did you know the bible talks a LOT about 'the end times', in the intended sense of the term.
(Sidebar: even though the scripture refers to the entire inter-advent period (the church age) as 'the end times', it's clear the scripture gives special attention to 'the final generation' preceding the Lord's return (see, e.g. Mat 24 and the book of Revelation). While it may be more accurate to call those days 'the end of the end times', we'll just refer to that generation as 'the end times' for the sake of brevity). In fact, there are over 150 chapters of the bible in which the main topic is the eschatological generation and the events they will live through.
It's unsurprising, then, that we have a lot of insight into those times. If one painstakingly studies all those chapters of scripture and assembles the scattered images presented there into a mosaic of the end times, we can start to see the vague shape of those times. True: we can't get too carried away. Its the equivalent of a 100 pixel photo of a landscape - most everything is not invisible, and the visible is quite distorted for lack of resolution. But still, we can make out the hills and the trees and that is useful.
The image below is a somewhat complicated version of that mosaic (don't panic, I will simplify the picture shortly!)
I realise that's not easy on the eyes. If you prefer a printable copy, download the below pdf.
It is the first column which focuses on trends and events in the period leading up to the 'birth pangs', or the 7 seal judgments. We can summarize that into 13 pre-Antichrist signs, in 3 main categories, as illustrated below:
When those 13 'signs' are mostly manifest, the fig tree is close to full leaf.
(Sidebar: Jesus' original 'figtree lesson' in Mt 24:5-35 actually refers to the signs discussed in Mt 24:5-31, and the 'fruit' referred to as imminent is Jesus' return. We are using the same principle here, since, albeit less clearly packaged, scripture equally tells us - either directly or by deduction - that these signs must be fulfilled by or around the time the Antichrist comes on the scene.)
It is worth noting, if you go through those signs, some or more clear than others. Notably, the first sign regarding Israel's actual existence was simply not true from AD70 until 1948, and the Israelites did not have possession of Jerusalem until 1967. For that reason the first 3 signs, by definition, were not fulfilled (and could not possibly be fulfilled) for 1900 years of recent history. It is only in the last 50 years that we could have a reasonable, bible-based discussion about the possibility of the end times events in our lifetime.
More on that to come...
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