At the time of Jesus’ birth, we are told of two individuals who were looking for their Messiah. In Luke 2 Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple for His formal naming and circumcision, vs 25-32:
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.’”
Simeon had been watching for the consolation of Israel, their Messiah. And because he was watching, Simeon saw Him presented at the Temple; he knew he could depart, die, in peace. Anna was there also. She was a prophetess, an eighty-four year old widow who spent her days and nights at the Temple in worship, prayer, and fasting. Because she was there, “She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38.
Simeon and Anna knew the prophecies concerning the coming of Messiah, so they were looking for Him. It is estimated the Bible is comprised of somewhere between 25-30% prophecy. Given that one fourth to one third of the verses in the Bible are prophetic in nature, wouldn’t it make sense that we believers should be alert to the times in which we live? For those who are Watchmen/women on the Wall, the signs of the times are unequivocal. There are too many to list here, but a simple Internet search will yield charts/graphs/statistics, and much helpful information.
The most important of all current-day signs began in 1948 when Israel became a nation fulfilling Isaiah 66:8. Indeed, many Watchers use this date as the beginning of the endtimes countdown. This is important because the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, also known as the Tribulation or Daniel’s 70th week is for the divinely decreed purpose of the salvation of the Jewish nation, which will include judgments on all the rebellious unbelieving people left on earth.
Since 1948, and especially the past few years, there has been an exponential increase in the warning signs Jesus gives us in Matthew 24 (and in Luke’s, Paul’s and Peter’s writings). Earthquakes and signs in the heavens (blood moon tetrads, planet parades, planetary conjunctions), wars and threats of wars, pestilences, violence, rampant immorality and perversion (including all the variations on the gender theme, including transhumanism), lawlessness, divisiveness (families/nations/racial groups even churches divided against one another), food shortages/famines, rise of a call for a one world government/leader. Technology is in place now to track every human being and control their ability to buy or sell. Pope Francis has spearheaded and promotes a one world religion. The Abrahamic House, set to open this year, is an interfaith effort of Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
The globalist elites want to reduce the population, who are considered useless eaters destroying the climate/planet, and through AI/transhumanism become gods themselves. Interestingly enough, layered over all these conditions are two more major prophetic signs to note: people (even in the Church) will mock and scoff at the idea of the last days/Rapture being near, and they will be living in a state of false normality as in the days of Noah. Despite The world’s having become so wicked, so perverse that Scripture says the thoughts and intents of every person were completely evil all the time, people will be eating and drinking (socializing), marrying and giving in marriage, (business as usual)–up until the day the flood came. Blinded by Normalcy bias.
We cannot afford to be ignorant on this topic. People’s eternal destinies are at stake. Believing in Jesus now, assures that an individual will be included in the Rapture, that supernatural event in which Jesus literally “catches up” all who believe in Him to take them to heaven during the Tribulation before the seven years of judgment begin.
Simeon and Anna lived in holy expectation. Do you? Are you a mocker, dismissive of the rapture mania, focused on planning for your career, education, retirement, next vacation? An honest look at the world around us reveals the normal we once knew is gone. Normal isn’t coming back, Jesus is. Judgment is coming; it is on the horizon. It cannot be stopped; God has decreed it.
Luke says in chapter 21 verse 28: Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Are you watching and waiting like Simeon and Anna?
There is only one way to be eligible for the Great Escape, believe in the atoning death of Jesus for your personal sin, ask His forgiveness, give Him your life–see the steps for this on the Home page of this site. Yes, it will be possible to believe in Jesus after the Rapture and be saved for eternity, even though present believers will be gone. But. Why allow yourself to go through the most horrific time in human history before Jesus physically returns at His Second Coming? Why wait?
This Isn't All There Is 