Numerous Biblical Signs Confirm Final Hours Before Jesus' Imminent Return

Paul lays out the timeline of when the return of Christ will most likely take place, and he explains how to use scripture to pinpoint the potential year that the Lord might come back. “We’re living in the last days, there’s no doubt about it!” he says. He also explains an important Hebrew word, “Shabua,” and unpacks the critical points of prophecy that have taken place to point to these final hours before Christ’s imminent return.

TAKEAWAYS:

• The Feast of Trumpets is the next feast to occur on God’s timeline
• In the days of Noah and Lot there was extreme chaos, carnality, and sexual immorality, which currently is the state of the world today
• In the beginning, everything was perfect, but once Adam and Eve sinned, the clock started ticking for our current 2,000 year Church Age
• Comparing the headline news with the sign of the times, it’s evident the rapture of the church is very close

More on what Matthew says:

Matthew 24 is a key chapter in the New Testament that discusses the end times and the second coming of Christ, but it does not explicitly mention the term "rapture." The concept of the rapture, as traditionally understood in some Christian denominations, refers to the event where believers are taken up to meet Christ in the air, preceding the tribulation and the second coming of Christ to earth. This concept is primarily derived from passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the signs of His coming and the end of the age. The chapter includes various prophecies and parables related to preparedness, watchfulness, and the suddenness of His return. Key verses that some interpret in relation to the rapture or the second coming include:

• Matthew 24:30-31: "Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."
• Matthew 24:36-44: This section emphasizes the unexpectedness of His coming, comparing it to the days of Noah when people were going about their daily lives unaware of the impending flood. Jesus advises to keep watch because the Son of Man will come at an hour when people do not expect Him.

While these verses describe the coming of the Son of Man, the gathering of the elect, and the need for vigilance, interpretations vary. Some see these passages as describing the rapture, where believers are taken up to avoid the tribulation. Others interpret them as referring to the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation period, where He will gather His followers and establish His kingdom on earth.