Many times people take a look around the world and declare that we are definitely in the end times.They see the so-called signs of the end times: events involving Israel, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and so on and declare that the end times are upon us. So, “Are We Living In The End Times?”
Well, in order to understand this topic, we need to be very careful to understand the times when Jesus Christ will return to the earth. At one point the disciples asked him the question,
Matthew 24:3
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” [ESV]
When they asked Jesus this question, it was not yet possible for anyone to be a Christian since Jesus had not yet been crucified and raised from the dead. So when they ask him what the sign of his coming will be, they are not asking about his return for the Christian church since there was yet no such thing. What they are asking him about is his return to the earth in judgment – an event that takes place after the Christian church has been gathered by the first time that he comes back. They did not yet know about the gathering together for the church because the Christian church did not yet exist. When he responds then, he is speaking about events that take place prior to his coming to the earth in judgment. Here are a few things that he says regarding that time.
Matthew 24:6, 7
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [ESV]
So, the wars, rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes are all events that will happen after the Christian church is gathered – not now as some believe and have taught. Before all of these start to happen, Jesus Christ will return to gather the church. Let’s read about some more events.
Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [ESV]
The tribulation spoken about here, the changes to the sun, moon and so forth are all events that will take place prior to Jesus Christ’s return to judge the earth. This time period is also referred to in the Bible as the Day of the Lord and there is more information about it in the Book of Revelation. However, the return of Jesus Christ for the Christian church is a completely different event and is spoken about in Thessalonians.
I Thessalonians 4:16, 17
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. [ESV]
There are several videos on the bibleharbor website that speak in detail about this event, the return of Jesus Christ for the church – please visit the site if you would like more information about the gathering together.
So, are we living in the end times? According to the Scriptures, we are absolutely not living in the end times. Before all those so-called signs take place, events regarding Israel, wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes and so on – the gathering together for the church has to happen first. Since Jesus Christ has not yet returned for the church, those events have not even started. After he does come back for the church and the church is gathered, then events leading to the end times will begin to take place. And when they asked Jesus this question, he also said that no one, not the angels, not even him knows when that will be – the only one who knows is God.
The one thing you can do until all these events take place is to keep your eyes up anticipating the glorious return of Jesus Christ to gather the church. That event could happen at any moment. God bless you.