“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Dan. 12:4).
Commenting on this, Christian scientist Sir Isaac Newton said, “Personally, I cannot but believe these words concerning the end of the times. One sign of the end will be a remarkable increase in methods of getting about. Men will travel from country to country in an unprecedented manner. There may be some inventions which will enable people to travel much more quickly than they do now.” He believed it possible that someone might invent a means of locomotion which would enable people to travel at the astonishing rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour!
The French infidel Voltaire responded, “See what a fool Christianity makes of an otherwise brilliant man. Here a scientist like Newton actually writes that men may travel at the rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour. Has he forgotten that if a man would travel at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, he would be suffocated? His heart would stand still.”
One does well to take the statements of Scripture seriously because in time the Word proves who the
fools really are (see Mt. 7:24-27).
While there are no signs given to the Church for the time of the rapture, there are many signs given to herald the last days leading up to the triumphant return to
earth of the Son of Man.
INTERNATIONAL CONDITIONS
• Constant rumors of war (Mt. 24:6).
• Increasing world conflicts accompanied by pestilence and famine (Mt. 24:7; Isa. 13:4-5).
• Economic perils such as the nations have never known (Mt. 24:21-22, Mk. 13:19; Dan. 12:1).
• Gold, silver valueless as exchange (Ezek. 7:19).
• Disastrous earthquakes (Mt. 24:7)
• Increasing commotion within nations (Lk. 21:9).
• Fearful sights and great signs (Lk. 21:11, 25).
• Hearts failing for fear (Lk. 21:26; Isa. 24:17-18).
• Perilous conditions in general (2 Tim. 3:1-5).
• Collapse of great fortunes (Jas. 5:1-8).
• Days of darkness and gloom (Joel 2:2).
• Hebrew language revived (?) after it was long dead (Zeph. 3:9).
• Hellish war devices invented (Joel 2:3-5).
• Many traitors, “fifth columnists” (Mk. 13:12; Lk. 21:16; 2 Tim. 3:3-4).
• A great world empire rises up; restoration of old Roman empire—10 toes of image (Dan. 2:40-45).
• National revival of Israel (Mk. 13:28)
• Russia (?) and Germany (?) eventually attempt to grab the riches of Israel (Ezek. 38, 39).
• Increasing persecution of the people of God (Dan. 7:21-22; Jer. 30:7, 13-16; Mt. 24:9; Mk. 13:13).
• Rise of an anti-God world dictator demanding allegiance of all (Dan. 7:24-26; Rev. 13:1-18); he overthrows many nations (Dan. 11:41-42).
• Israel cultivated after centuries of barrenness (Isa. 43:19-20; Ezek. 34:26-27; 36:4-10, 30, 34, 35).
• Jews return to Israel in large numbers (Isa. 43:5-6; 49:19; Jer. 23:3; 30:3; Ezek. 11:17-18; Hos. 3:4-5).
RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS
• Organized atheism mocks religion (Jude 18).
• Rulers take counsel against God (Ps. 2:2-3).
• True faith wanes, iniquity abounds (Mt. 24:1-3, 8).
• General apostasy (2 Thess. 3:3).
• Increase of spiritualistic practices (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
• Religion largely form (2 Tim. 3:5; Rev. 3:16-17).
• Many won’t endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
• Damnable heresies spring up (2 Pet. 2:1-3).
• Religious fakers work seeming miracles, called “lying wonders” (Mk. 13:22).
• Preachers ridicule the teaching of Christ’s second coming (2 Pet. 3:3-4).
• A world religious federation takes shape, headed by a false prophet of great power (Mt. 24:5, 11, 24; Rev. 13:11-18).
Maranatha!