What We Know For Sure About End Times Prophecy

The more that I study and teach end times prophecy, I realize that there is much we don’t know about God’s timing for end-time events simply because we won’t know until they happen. We have what the Bible says and we take that information and use that as a lens by which we view current events through, what we call as 'exegesis'.

The reverse of this tries to fit current events into the pages of the Bible, which is known as eisegesis. In other words, they are assuming a correlation and implying that xyz must mean this passage, because of abc. That is what we should avoid at all cost from doing. The one thing that we do know, is that God’s word is sure, and it will come to pass on God’s time.

The preaching of the ‘Blessed Hope’ has become a very sensitive subject amongst many a church. Many churches don’t teach it, because they feel as though it is too ‘divisive’ a topic. Still others don’t teach it because it undermines their church-expansion programs here on earth. Overarching both of these is the ever increasing attack on Dispensationalism and Pre-Tribulationism, which insists upon a consistent, literal interpretation of the Bible.

As I was growing up many years ago, pastors, teachers, and theologians had a convenient trick that if they didn't understand something, or it didn’t fit your agenda, they simply make it allegorical, or spiritual, and relegate it to the “pie in the sky” section of their mental filing cabinets. In other words it was out of sight, out of mind.

But, what I have seen in the last few years is that there is a small minority that continue to watch and anticipate the Lord’s return. Like those of the faithfuls who anticipated Christ’s first coming (they knew because they took the Old Testament prophets seriously), and many of those today, I find are in the older group and they are becoming smaller in number.

As with anything that is of a Spiritual nature concerning prophecy and end time events, and those called "watchmen on the walls," there are also those you conspire and try to prosper from this. They are shysters.

Even though in Eschatology there are dreams and visions, studies in numbers, we have to go with what we know, and then, use Scripture to interpret what we see in the here and now...not the other way around.

Here are some things we actually know and what we can know with a high degree of certainty. Some of these events are yet future, but we can simply look around today and see things are unfolding exactly, as God’s word said it would and follow those to their logical and scriptural conclusions.

Historically:

• We know that from Adam to the Noahic flood, was roughly 1656 years.
• We know that God is long suffering, that none should perish. [2 Peter 3:9]
• We know that we are now around 1,982 years since Christ departed earth after His resurrection. (Using 32 AD as a starting point)
• We know that God hates sin, and His patience will soon be removed. God will not just keep tolerating man’s gross descent into abject perversity forever. Scripturally, there is a limit to God’s longsuffering...and we are currently 326 years further along than when God decided to destroy the world by water in Noah’s day. [Ex: Genesis 6:4-6; 11:5-9; 18:20-21]

Europe:

• We know that since the days of Alexander the Great, Europe has dominated the world in one form or another (Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Spanish, French, German, British, American).
• We know that Rome (legs) was the dominant Gentile power in Christ’s day, so we too should expect the latter form (toes) of this Roman Empire when Christ comes to finish what He started. [Daniel 2:40-43, 7:7-8, 23-25]
• We know that if an economic collapse comes, we should expect to see a major realignment in the global power structure.
• We know according to Scripture, that the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ (both politically and spiritually) will not continue indefinitely, but has a shelf life. [Luke 21:24; Romans 11:25]

The United States:

• We know that if an US economic collapse were to happen today, the world will be thrown into an unprecedented period of economic instability.
• We know the current world's financial system, hinges on a stable US dollar.
• We know that if the US collapses (politically/economically), the EU will have to rise in order to fill the power vacuum left behind by its young protégé. The alternatives are: Russia, China, or a Muslim conglomeration—all choices not very palatable to the west.

Israel:

• We know absent a strong, pro-Israeli United States, the likelihood of a Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 event is inevitable. We see the rumblings even now, with just a weak President who is wavering on supporting Israel.
• We know historically, that Muslims and Jews weren’t exactly the best of friends, but there was some sense of toleration. Ever since the rebirth of the nation Israel, Islam has become exceedingly violent and chaotic toward the Jews, almost now to the point of frenzy.
• We know Israel’s massive natural gas find will place them as one of the world’s largest (if not the largest) natural gas exporter in the world, bringing in unprecedented wealth and status to tiny Israel.
• We know The Russia Magog Prophecy ( Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and other factions) coalition will come on the heels of an Israeli victory (Psalm 83/Isaiah 17) and try to hit them while their guard is down for both their natural resources (gas) and out of hatred (Islamic fervor). [Ezekiel 38]

Global Signs:

• We know more people have died due to war, famine, pestilence, and natural disasters in the 20th century, than in the previous 20 centuries combined.
• We know that the total number, variance in magnitude, and variation in location of earthquakes and volcanic activity have been increasing since 1948. Unknown fault lines and previously dormant volcanoes are becoming active again. [Luke 21:10-11] Example
• We know the world’s technological advancements in science, astronomy, communications, entertainment, financial, travel, and weaponry have dramatically increased since 1948.
• We know the world is increasingly becoming inter-dependent (financially, politically, and militarily) since the end of World War II: UN, EU, NATO, OPEC, SCO, UofM, NAFTA, NAU, ASEAN, etc.

Christendom:

• We know that there are more Christian (Messianic) Jews living inside Israel today, than at any point in recent history.
• We know that there are now more born again Christians living outside the United States, than within it.
• We know that according to Scriptures, what passes as Christianity in the last days will largely be unprepared, apostate, and lukewarm. This speaks primarily to the western Gentile Christendom who has not endured much, if any physical persecution at all in the last 300 years. [2 Timothy 4:3; 2 Peter 3:3-7; 1 John 2:17-19; Revelation 3:3, 14-22;]
• We know that Jesus stated that when He returns, there would be a sense of normalcy and would catch people unprepared. [Luke 17:25-30]
• We know the Kingdom of God will not be back on earth, until the Beast’s empire is destroyed. [Daniel 2:44-45, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 19:11-21]

Persecution:

• We know there is a more pervasive battle for the right of Christianity to exist in the marketplace of ideas. Militant atheism, secular humanism, and the homosexual agenda have all but stamped out Christianity from the government and public education arenas. Their ideological bloodlust is not yet sated, and won’t be until any true message of Jesus Christ is removed altogether from the United States and the west. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood… [Eph 6:12]
• We know that there is a massive spiritual battle going on in the 10/40 window, between Christians and the aggressive spread of Islam. Battlegrounds today include the Philippines, Malaysia, China, and central Africa. Even more violent and bloody atrocities are occurring inside various Muslim countries, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The African and Asian persecution is just a foretaste of what is coming to the west. 
• We know that there is direct correlation between the spiritual and physical battles that Christianity is facing today…one over a valid doctrinal theology, the other over its very existence. 
• We know that Christ said He would come again and receive us unto Himself, and God is not a man that He should lie. [Numbers 23:19; John 14:1-3]
• Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. [Revelation 3:11 NJKV]