What Jesus REALLY Said About The Last Days

Over the last thirty five years, the church has been focused on the last days, according to the Bible. Lately, certain books, radio and television shows have emphasized this focus and brought it special attention. However, many of these media misrepresent what the Bible teaches, and brings in many elements that are not important in the Bible teaching at all.

Important Future Events
As far as what Jesus says, and what the Bible says in general, there are three events that we are to focus on:

1. A world military leader claiming he is to be worshipped like God
What many people call the “antichrist” is a military leader who will have control of the world’s most powerful army. Not only that, he will demand to be worshipped as God himself. This is the major signal that Jesus and Paul and John warns us of. If a world leader who demands to be worshipped is not yet made public, then the end is not yet come.

2. The world-wide persecution of God’s people
Both Jesus and the book of Revelation highlight the time of the end as being a time in which God’s people are severely persecuted. This will take place all around the globe, and will be an organized, governmental attack on people who have faith in God in Jesus. This is not just in some countries, but in all. It will not just be marginal groups, but an all-out war on God’s people by the major governments of the world.

3. The Return of Jesus
The real event—the event Jesus said we should be paying attention to the most—is the return of Jesus. He said that he could be coming at any time, and so we should be ready for Him. When Jesus returns, he will come from heaven with angelic armies, prepared to violently destroy those who attacked his people. Then he will judge all people, and rule the earth from Jerusalem.

Events we shouldn’t pay any attention to
There are many events that people have spent their lives trying to discover or being anxious about. However, they are the wrong things to focus on:

Disasters
Jesus stated clearly that “signs” such as earthquakes, floods, famines and wars we are NOT to pay attention to. He said, “These are but the beginning of birth pangs, but the end is not yet.” Although, in the last days, these events will take place, just because we see these doesn’t mean that we should say “this is it”.

Configuration of European governments
The book of Revelation speaks about ten kings being subdued by a military leader. But whether Europe is unified or not is no indication that the end is coming soon. Ten kings were subdued by Napoleon and Hitler, but this wasn’t the end.

Identities of the antichrist
Many people think they know who the “antichrist” is, and he is hiding in secret. But we are not to be concerned—or even know who he is—until he is “revealed”.

Economic events or systems
While the final days will have economic results, we cannot look at economic systems or events and claim that they represent the last days. Capitalism and the American dollar are just as corrupt as any other economic system that existed—including the Euro, communism or socialism— and God will destroy them all in the last days. Economic depression or prosperity are not a sign of the end, but events that must take place before the fact.

Mark of the beast
In Revelation, the “mark” is simply a tattoo displaying one’s worship of the beast. It has nothing to do with computer chips, UPC codes. And just because we see a “666” somewhere, it doesn’t mean that it indicates the antichrist, for that number is the symbolic representation of the antichrist. The happenstance use of it means nothing.

Worldwide Conspiracies
Many are expressing great concern about groups that plan to take over the world governments, or that hold secret control over governments or economies right now, such as the “Illuminati” or the Freemasons. There is no proof that such conspiracies exist, and the fact the Christians continue to publicize such “conspiracies” as fact with no evidence is only making the church look foolish and deluded. The governments of the world are corrupt enough as it is without a conspiracy, and the future anti-Christian government will not be hidden, but openly revealed.

The restoration of “Israel”
Just because a nation arises that calls itself “Israel” does not mean that the True Israel—the nation of God through faith—has come. On the final day, the return of Jesus will restore God’s people by the power of God, but not before then.

Dates, years or seasons
Every couple years or so someone comes up with a new date Jesus is returning. However, Jesus clearly said that no human would know the day, time, season or approximate time of his return. That is for the Father to decide—even Jesus himself did not know. Therefore, if anyone says they know the time of Jesus’ return, they are wrong!

Marginal Future events
Below are events that may or may not occur as expected. But whether they do or not, it will not keep Jesus from returning just when he wants to.

The rebuilding of the temple
It is possible that the temple could be rebuilt, and that the antichrist could use it to be worshipped in. However, the temple does not need to be rebuilt for the future events to take place. The antichrist can demand to be worshipped without the temple being rebuilt.

The “rapture”
Many talk about the “rapture” as a time when God’s people would “disappear” from earth. It is true that Jesus spoke about God’s people being gathered by the angels. However, both he and Paul spoke of this as being a part of Jesus’ return, and would happen simultaneously.

The evangelism of the world
Jesus did say that the gospel would go throughout the world before Jesus’ return. However, he did not necessarily mean every “people group”. As far as evangelization goes, that requirement could be fulfilled already, even as Paul said it was in his day.

The corruption of the church
Some say that before Jesus’ return the organized church must be corrupt, or must be purified. Since almost all the organized church has set aside any concern of being obedient to Jesus, we see the church as already corrupt. The whole church need not be purified before the end, for two events will purify the church—the persecution of the church and the separation of the obedient and the disobedient by Jesus.

Jesus is coming back—
apart from that, hedge all your bets

Our task is not to look for signs of the end, but to be prepared for Jesus by committing ourselves to him and by being obedient to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit.