Understanding the season we are in
The air feels different lately, doesn't it? Wars in various places. Natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity. A sense that the world is accelerating toward something momentous. If you've felt this stirring in your spirit, you're not alone. The question pressing on many hearts today is simple yet profound: Are we close to His coming?
The Last Days vs. The Day of the Lord
To understand where we are in God's prophetic timeline, we need to distinguish between two critical biblical concepts: the last days and the day of the Lord.
The last days began with Jesus' first coming—specifically with His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. This period extends all the way until His second coming. In other words, we've been living in the last days for close to two thousand years.
But within this period of the last days exists a specific, concentrated time called "the day of the Lord"—what many refer to as the tribulation period. This is a seven-year window when God will pour out His judgment upon the world while simultaneously fulfilling His final purposes for the nation of Israel.
The evidence suggests we may be living in the last of the last days, standing at the threshold of the day of the Lord itself.
God's Unfinished Business with Israel
To grasp what's coming, we need to understand God's prophetic calendar for Israel. In Daniel chapter 9, the prophet received a stunning revelation: God appointed 490 years to accomplish specific purposes in the nation of Israel—to bring them from rebellion to redemption, from judgment to restoration, from brokenness to the fullness of His kingdom purposes.
Here's the remarkable part: 483 of those years have already been fulfilled, from the command to rebuild Jerusalem all the way through to the death of Jesus. That leaves exactly seven years remaining—one final "week" in God's prophetic timetable.
This remaining seven-year period is what we call the tribulation period, and it serves a dual purpose: to judge the wickedness of the world that has rejected Jesus as Messiah, and to complete God's redemptive work in the nation of Israel.
The Beginning of Birth Pains
Jesus used a powerful analogy to help us understand the progression toward the end: birth pains. Just as a woman's contractions begin far apart with less intensity but increase in frequency and severity as delivery approaches, so will the signs of the times intensify as we draw closer to the culmination of this age.
What are these signs? Jesus outlined them clearly in Matthew 24:
- False messiahs and prophets will arise, leading many astray
- Wars and rumors of wars will fill the earth
- Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom
- Famines will spread across regions
- Earthquakes will shake various places
These aren't random events—they're labor pains signaling that something momentous is about to be born.
The question isn't whether these things have happened in the past (they have), but whether they're happening with increasing frequency and intensity. And anyone paying attention to world events can see that they are.
The Abomination of Desolation
The midpoint of the seven-year tribulation will be marked by a specific, horrifying event: the abomination of desolation. This occurs when the Antichrist—the one who will broker a seven-year peace treaty allowing Israel to rebuild their temple—will enter that very temple, proclaim himself to be God, and demand worship.
This desecration triggers the second half of the tribulation, which Jesus described in the starkest possible terms: "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be."
Consider that statement. Throughout human history, we've witnessed unimaginable horrors—the Holocaust, genocides, world wars, plagues. Yet Jesus says nothing in all of human history will compare to what's coming in those final three and a half years.
This should give us pause. While many worry about climate change or political upheaval, something far more catastrophic is on the horizon for those who enter that period unprepared.
As the Lightning Flashes from East to West
One of the most reassuring truths Jesus shared is that when He returns, there will be no ambiguity. False messiahs may claim to be in the wilderness or hidden in inner rooms, but when the true Christ returns, it will be unmistakable.
"For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
Just before His return, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will see Him coming on the clouds with power and great glory.
There will be no question. No debate. No uncertainty.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
Yet despite all these signs that help us understand the season, Jesus was explicit: "But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."
This divine mystery serves a purpose. If we knew the exact day, human nature would tempt us to live carelessly until the last moment, then try to get right with God just before the deadline. Instead, we're called to live every single day as though it could be the day—to stay spiritually alert, to keep our lives aligned with God's purposes, to share the gospel urgently.
Jesus illustrated this with the comparison to Noah's day. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage—living life as usual—right up until the moment Noah entered the ark and the flood came. They were caught completely unprepared, despite having been warned.
The Urgency of Now
This brings us to the most important question: What will you do with this information?
It's one thing to have theological understanding about end-times prophecy. It's quite another to let that understanding transform how you live each day.
Think about your family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors who don't know Jesus. If the day of the Lord begins, there will still be opportunity for salvation—but at what cost? Those who come to faith during the tribulation will face persecution, martyrdom, and unimaginable hardship.
Don't you want your loved ones to be spared from that? Don't you want them to experience the joy and peace of knowing Christ now, rather than having to endure the horrors of the great tribulation?
The Great Commission isn't just a nice suggestion for particularly evangelistic Christians. It's the urgent calling of every believer, especially as we see the day approaching. We're not just collecting information about prophecy to satisfy our curiosity or win theological debates. We're being equipped to live with purpose and urgency.
Living as Though Today Could Be the Day
The trumpet could sound today. Before you finish reading this. Before you eat your next meal. Before you go to bed tonight.
Are you ready? Not just in the sense of having prayed a prayer once upon a time, but ready in the sense of being fully surrendered to Christ, actively pursuing His purposes, investing your life in things that will matter for eternity?
Are you living on cruise control, just going through the motions of religious activity? Or are you genuinely sold out to Jesus, allowing Him to work through you to reach a dying world?
The signs are all around us. The birth pains are intensifying. The season is upon us.
The question isn't if Jesus is coming—it's whether we'll be found faithful when He does.
The Last Days vs. The Day of the Lord
To understand where we are in God's prophetic timeline, we need to distinguish between two critical biblical concepts: the last days and the day of the Lord.
The last days began with Jesus' first coming—specifically with His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. This period extends all the way until His second coming. In other words, we've been living in the last days for close to two thousand years.
But within this period of the last days exists a specific, concentrated time called "the day of the Lord"—what many refer to as the tribulation period. This is a seven-year window when God will pour out His judgment upon the world while simultaneously fulfilling His final purposes for the nation of Israel.
The evidence suggests we may be living in the last of the last days, standing at the threshold of the day of the Lord itself.
God's Unfinished Business with Israel
To grasp what's coming, we need to understand God's prophetic calendar for Israel. In Daniel chapter 9, the prophet received a stunning revelation: God appointed 490 years to accomplish specific purposes in the nation of Israel—to bring them from rebellion to redemption, from judgment to restoration, from brokenness to the fullness of His kingdom purposes.
Here's the remarkable part: 483 of those years have already been fulfilled, from the command to rebuild Jerusalem all the way through to the death of Jesus. That leaves exactly seven years remaining—one final "week" in God's prophetic timetable.
This remaining seven-year period is what we call the tribulation period, and it serves a dual purpose: to judge the wickedness of the world that has rejected Jesus as Messiah, and to complete God's redemptive work in the nation of Israel.
The Beginning of Birth Pains
Jesus used a powerful analogy to help us understand the progression toward the end: birth pains. Just as a woman's contractions begin far apart with less intensity but increase in frequency and severity as delivery approaches, so will the signs of the times intensify as we draw closer to the culmination of this age.
What are these signs? Jesus outlined them clearly in Matthew 24:
- False messiahs and prophets will arise, leading many astray
- Wars and rumors of wars will fill the earth
- Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom
- Famines will spread across regions
- Earthquakes will shake various places
These aren't random events—they're labor pains signaling that something momentous is about to be born.
The question isn't whether these things have happened in the past (they have), but whether they're happening with increasing frequency and intensity. And anyone paying attention to world events can see that they are.
The Abomination of Desolation
The midpoint of the seven-year tribulation will be marked by a specific, horrifying event: the abomination of desolation. This occurs when the Antichrist—the one who will broker a seven-year peace treaty allowing Israel to rebuild their temple—will enter that very temple, proclaim himself to be God, and demand worship.
This desecration triggers the second half of the tribulation, which Jesus described in the starkest possible terms: "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be."
Consider that statement. Throughout human history, we've witnessed unimaginable horrors—the Holocaust, genocides, world wars, plagues. Yet Jesus says nothing in all of human history will compare to what's coming in those final three and a half years.
This should give us pause. While many worry about climate change or political upheaval, something far more catastrophic is on the horizon for those who enter that period unprepared.
As the Lightning Flashes from East to West
One of the most reassuring truths Jesus shared is that when He returns, there will be no ambiguity. False messiahs may claim to be in the wilderness or hidden in inner rooms, but when the true Christ returns, it will be unmistakable.
"For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
Just before His return, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will see Him coming on the clouds with power and great glory.
There will be no question. No debate. No uncertainty.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
Yet despite all these signs that help us understand the season, Jesus was explicit: "But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."
This divine mystery serves a purpose. If we knew the exact day, human nature would tempt us to live carelessly until the last moment, then try to get right with God just before the deadline. Instead, we're called to live every single day as though it could be the day—to stay spiritually alert, to keep our lives aligned with God's purposes, to share the gospel urgently.
Jesus illustrated this with the comparison to Noah's day. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage—living life as usual—right up until the moment Noah entered the ark and the flood came. They were caught completely unprepared, despite having been warned.
The Urgency of Now
This brings us to the most important question: What will you do with this information?
It's one thing to have theological understanding about end-times prophecy. It's quite another to let that understanding transform how you live each day.
Think about your family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors who don't know Jesus. If the day of the Lord begins, there will still be opportunity for salvation—but at what cost? Those who come to faith during the tribulation will face persecution, martyrdom, and unimaginable hardship.
Don't you want your loved ones to be spared from that? Don't you want them to experience the joy and peace of knowing Christ now, rather than having to endure the horrors of the great tribulation?
The Great Commission isn't just a nice suggestion for particularly evangelistic Christians. It's the urgent calling of every believer, especially as we see the day approaching. We're not just collecting information about prophecy to satisfy our curiosity or win theological debates. We're being equipped to live with purpose and urgency.
Living as Though Today Could Be the Day
The trumpet could sound today. Before you finish reading this. Before you eat your next meal. Before you go to bed tonight.
Are you ready? Not just in the sense of having prayed a prayer once upon a time, but ready in the sense of being fully surrendered to Christ, actively pursuing His purposes, investing your life in things that will matter for eternity?
Are you living on cruise control, just going through the motions of religious activity? Or are you genuinely sold out to Jesus, allowing Him to work through you to reach a dying world?
The signs are all around us. The birth pains are intensifying. The season is upon us.
The question isn't if Jesus is coming—it's whether we'll be found faithful when He does.
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