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Writer's pictureritafarhatkurian

The Signs of the Times

World disasters are escalating. Cruelty is increasing and financial breakdowns in nations have ripped the economy to tatters. Indifference of the UN to the worst evils presently has gripped us in horror. Terrible earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, floods, droughts, fires, famines, shootouts have increased. Corona-virus, and new plagues are spreading. It seems humans are losing control over the events of the world.

On January 2, 2018, I had a dream of a great catastrophe which affected the earth. In the dream, there was fear over all the earth. I then saw a huge explosion of fire in the sky. People were running and hiding all over the world and many were watching the horrors in the sky. This was not an ordinary dream, and not a subconscious dream, so I am very alerted by this. In March 2019, I saw another dream and I prayed it wouldn’t come true. I saw a wide road lined with trees as we were walking along and then suddenly, three fighter planes appeared before our horrified eyes. Before we knew it, they started dropping bombs before us. I knew in the dream that the bomb was to drop. Well, in reality, I don’t know if it is symbolic, or whether there is going to be a real war where I live, in India, but this got me to studying more about the end times, though I am aware of it, the world is shaking so badly that one cannot ignore it.

For sometime, we are aware of the signs of the end and how the prophesies are vividly coming true in these last days.

Jesus said towards the end, these are the signs: Mark 13:8: “For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. He said, “Matthew 24:12-13: 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

1. The Return of Israel: This happened in 1948. The Bible prophesied that Israel would be made a nation in a day, Isaiah 66:8: Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. (This was after the Jews, scattered all over the world came back to Israel) Remember at the crucifixion of Christ, they cried in Matthew 27:25: When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, He took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this Man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” 25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be crucified.…As we know after that, the Jews had called the curse on themselves, the Roman conquest had razed down the temple, Roman soldiers massacred Jews and millions escaped, to settle all over the world. When they returned in 1948, prophesy was fulfilled, a nation was born in a day. While world powers had helped Israel, it was really God who moves leaders sometimes to do what they do to fulfill the times. In May 1948, David Ben-Gurion announced the establishment of Israel at Tel Aviv on May 14, 1948, Soviet Union recognized it and set up an embassy thereon May 26, and later supported Israel in many ways. On May 11, 1949, Israel was accepted officially as a member of the United Nations with the support of Soviet Union and America.

2. The love of people will grow cold. Hatred and violence will rise. There will be lack of compassion and love. We see that today, so much evil is happening but hearts are desensitized and indifferent. Matthew 24:12 records: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Nowadays, too among Christians, we covet the world luxuries and in general have lost our passion for the Lord. Lost in business, making more money we have become commercialized even in opening schools, without a heart for service. There are factions among the pastors and elders who scheme against one another, put down one another, form factions, steal offerings, and commit adultery. Therefore, the followers of Christ become colder and colder in their faith and love and the churches are dead or desolate.

3. Wars and threats of wars will increase, famines, economic meltdowns, and earthquakes. The Bible says: “And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:6-8). In recent years, the disasters are getting worse and worse all over the world. Financial breakdowns in nations have caused economy crisis. Horrific earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, floods, droughts, fires, famines, shootouts, which never happened in such frequencies, plagues have occurred more frequently and spread everywhere. The situation of the world is constantly changing and turbulent; the wars, violence, and terrorist attacks are rampant frequently. For example, in April 2016, India suffered from the worst drought in the past 40 years, leading to over 300,000,000 people suffering shortage of drinking water. In 2018 and 2019 were the worst floods both in Kerala and in Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and different parts of India. From 2015 to 2016, there were a series of terrorist attacks in Europe, Africa, the Middle East. 2015 onwards, the tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated. In 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, China, and nearly 70,000 people died and nearly 18,000 missing. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000 with a magnitude of 7.8Mw According to the natural phenomenon, as the crust of the earth thickens, earthquakes should have been fewer and fewer. But now earthquakes occur more often, which is strange and baffling scientists.

The world has entered an era with historic super-storms such as Cyclone Fani in 2018 in India, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Dorian with 185, 200, and 220 mph winds, that have busted out the top of the Hurricane wind, great speed scale with roaring winds and waves that could destroy entire cities if they get a direct hit. And back in October 2015, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere churned its way along the Pacific coast of Mexico named Patricia. It stunned the world of meteorology as it intensified in only 24 hours from 85 mph sustained winds to 205 mph. And at its peak on Oct. 23, the storm reached top sustained winds of 215 mph. By God’s mercy, Hurricane Patricia made landfall in a rural part of Mexico’s West Coast, fortunate the storm did not strike closer to a major population center where it’s destruction would have been devastating.

The Biblical prophecy describes in Luke chapter 21 that there is coming on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, from the sea and the waves roaring. And the scientists, the meteorologists, say it’s coming. The scientists believe the warmer oceans and more water in the atmosphere can create more of these super-storms with devastating consequences such as described in an article by the Guardian adapted from the book “This Is The Way The World Ends.”

4. The Powers of the Heavens Have Been Shaken: Comets falling, strange things in the skies and perhaps more to come.Matthew 24:29 says: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Astronomers frequently publish this type of news: Some new stars appears, while some are falling, meteor crash often happen. On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, the early morning sky briefly lit up with the brilliant flash of a fireball—that is, an extremely bright meteor—over much of the eastern New England states. At 9:15 a.m. of February 15, 2013, Chelyabinsk, Urals Federal region, Russia, suffered the strike of an asteroid, and a huge shock wave and explosion caused 1,491 people injured and plenty of glass broken. It was said by scientists that the diameter of the asteroid was about 15 meters and it weighed about 7,000 metric tons. These have fulfilled the prophecy “the stars shall fall from heaven.” Just before the return of Christ, stars will fall in rapid frequency. Right now today, we are seeing just the beginnings, the beginning of birth pangs because God is letting us know what is to happen.

5. The Gospel Has Been Preached to the Ends of the Earth: Christians have been accused of Christianizing the world, but it is really the Holy Spirit accompanying true worshipers of God who allow the Gospel to reach people. This is a commandment given by Christians by Christ called the Great Commission. If God was not with Christians who share the Gospel, nothing would have happened. If force was ever used politically, it was during the days when rulers exerted their force through the Roman Catholic church and thus the Spanish Inquisitions, the Portuguese Inquisitions etc., took place, which in turn had many Protestants killed due to their “protest” as they wanted access to the Bible and follow the New Testament Scriptures as given originally. This part of history has to be understood because it is mixed with a wrong understanding of the Gospel. This is shared with no offence to the present Roman Catholic believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, but the system carried things which were wrong. The Gospel was shared by anointed simple humble men and women. God sent revival rains and waves at different times in history. During these revival spiritual wave seasons, we see mass conversions to Christianity, which was a supernatural phenomenon. People had dreams, visions, fell by the power of God, cried, wept, and turned to Christ the Savior. There was no force. However, I am aware that right now, there are certain groups of people teaching others that Christians forced people all over the world to believe in their “Cult god Jesus.” A cult never lasts more than a few years. The legacy of Elvis Presley died down in this generation, and most of the new people don’t even know him or don’t have that same crazy-fan worship for him. Christ is more real to people because He appears in Spirit. He touches by Spirit and it is not a natural touch. We hear the same today in the Middle East. There are no pastors or “converters” there, but we hear of people turning to Christ very supernaturally without the hand of intervention of any human. This is a mystery to all, but we know it is the Hand of God.

6. The Emergence of Heresies: We have more strange teaching appearing nowadays, more additions to the Bible or people trying to obliterate parts of the Bible to suit their own fantasies and desires. This was prophesied.

7. The Appearance of False Christs and Antichrists: There are people appearing pretending to be Christ. These are movements alive today, false, fake and misrepresenting the Gospel of Christ.Matthew 24:23-26 says: “Then if any man shall say to you, See, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Why if they shall say to you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” As we know, now deception from false Christs occurs in every country. For example, in Korea, many are fooled into believing false Christs without discernment. All false Christs can do is to perform some simple signs and wonders and preach some paradoxical fallacies to deceive others. In addition, they can’t express the truth to solve man’s problems of committing sins and then confessing, nor can they save mankind from corruption. According to the prophecy of the Bible, when the Lord Jesus returns to do His work, many false Christs and deceivers will appear at the same time to imitate and disturb God’s work. And so, when the false Christs begin appearing, it means that God has already returned and He has arrived in secret. But the people just don’t know about it.

8. The anti-Christ: The first signs of the greatest persecution to hit the Earth will be at the arrival of the anti-Christ, a charming, powerful charismatic man who will eventually sit in the temple and demand the world to worship him. The talk of one-world government, one-world currency, finally one-world faith are all the marks and plans of the anti-Christ. There will be many who will help in his arrival. The ten horns are the ten nations which will help him. Today, look and see any ten nations forming together. You will know that this is not of God, but a Satanic grouping. “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no power as yet but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” (Rev. 17:12-13)

Where is the Anti-Christ From?:

The Bible states that the Antichrist is “Assyrian” . Isa 10:12, Isa 14:25. This ruler exerted influence over the world. Assyria is now what is northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey. At present, we know that Turkey has almost eliminated Christianity and razed down hundreds of churches. The spirit against Christ is already awakened. The Bible states that the anti-Christ kingdom arises in the region of the Empire of Alexander the Great. The Biblical Location of the Empire. Daniel 8:9: And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. A vision is given to Daniel showing how Alexander the Great would conquer the Medo-Persian Empire and that the anti-Christ would rise from one of the 4 kingdoms into which Alexander’s dominion was broken.

There is another theory that the anti-Christ will be a Jew from the tribe of Judah, and this theory can also be explored, though I have not studied it.

The Bible state the anti-Christ will move his headquarters to Jerusalem.. Daniel 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. “Between the seas” refers to the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. “In the glorious holy mountain ” refers to the mountains that are adjacent to and part of the “holy” city of Jerusalem. Therefore, this prophecy says that the anti-Christ will establish his offices “tabernacles of his palaces” in Jerusalem. “ From the “palace complex” the anti-Christ will be enforcing Middle Eastern peace. He first establishes peace for three and a half years after which there will be three and a half years of tribulation before Christ returns, in total seven years of his rule!

The Bible states the anti-Christ will allow the Palestinians to Escape: Daniel 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. The “glorious land” is Israel. Edom, Moab and Ammon refers to the Moabites. This nation is located in the uplands east of the Dead Sea and now a part of Jordan. The Moabites were close kin to the Hebrews and the language of the Moabite Stone is the same as Hebrew. The relations of Moab with Judah and Israel are continually mentioned in the Bible.

The Bible states that the anti-Christ will be a descendant of Roman peoples . A person can be descended from Roman people without living in Rome or in the area of the European Union. So he is “Assyrian” in origin (from above) and he is of the Roman people. The kingdom of the anti-Christ rises in Assyria (where Alexander the Great’s empire was). Concluding these facts, we come to know that the European Union “empire” is that of the anti-Christ. The ten horns, ten nations fortify his kingdom. The Bible says, in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 “When they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” In the past, the world attempted unity and it failed (Gen 11:9). Today, too, the unity and peace that the world’s citizens attempt will also fail. It will only pave way for the tyrannical world rule of the anti-Christ. Daniel in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar saw an image of a man whose legs represented an empire divided into 2 parts – West Rome and East Rome. East Rome was part of Rome also and it included “Syria.” A system of Government will be established, according to the Bible, which will ascend out of the bottomless pit -Revelation 17:8 and make war with the saints (people of God, believers to overcome them (Rev 13:7). The Beast will cause every man on Earth to be numbered in order to buy and sell (Rev 13 :16-17). The Beast will be a wonder to see and watch (Rev 13:3). The entire world will worship the Dragon (Satan) who gives power to the Beast (Rev 13:4 and Rev 20:2). The System is being rapidly set up before our eyes and is using its economic, political and spiritual power to bring it to pass. The Dragon gives this system its power and authority (Rev 13:2). Because the Dragon is such a deceiver, we should expect the system to be brought into being with great subtlety and deceit. This Beast will destroy people, earth and make life hell for the saints.

Revelation 13: The Beast from the Sea 13 Then [a]I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having [b]seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to [c]continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every [d]tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the [e]patience and the faith of the saints. The Beast from the Earth 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives [f]those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has [g]the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. The Mark of the Beast symbolized the electronic chip humans will need to have in order to buy and sell. It may have a literal 666 or it might be symbolic for 6 is the number of Man, but as we know, today we are heading towards a digital world in order to be tracked and controlled easily.

A description of the anti-Christ is given in these verses. “And He exerciseth all the Power of the first Beast before him and causeth all the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” (Rev 13: 11). : These are the references to him in the Bible: Intelligent: Revelation 13:18; Daniel 7:8. Charismatic Speaker: Daniel 7:8 Revelation 13:5. Crafty Politician: Daniel 9:27; Revelation 17:12, 13, 17. Distinct Physical Appearance: Daniel 7:20. Military Genius: Revelation 4; 17:14; 19:19. Economic Genius: Daniel 11:38. Blasphemer: Revelation 13:6. Utterly Lawless: 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Selfish, Ambitious Egomaniac: Daniel 11:36, 37; 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Greedy Materialist: Daniel 11:38. Controlling: Daniel 7:25. Proud and Self-exalting Above God and Everything: Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians. 2:4.

When the world talks of peace, it is heralding the appearance of the anti-Christ. The US is finalizing its “Middle East Peace Plan. “The UN Security Council has been briefed on the Peace Plan.

“The flood like ‘Noah’s day’ is about to commence. These are the intense times of wickedness on the Earth, as it is now. Now no one knows the day or hour. I don’t either.The third temple construction will precede the emergence of the anti-Christ. “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:15–16). In Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, he teaches about the day of the Lord and about the anti-Christ. “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).

Remember, the Ark of the Covenant was removed by God and the first and second temples razed down. The Ark of the Covenant cannot be accessed by humans because they would place their focus of worship there, whereas our focus should be towards God. God’s Kingdom focus is in the New Heaven and New Earth, not in the earthly one, where man has splilled blood to get want they want. Jesus did not come to establish things on Earth, but in Heaven and only in the Second Coming, will He establish the New Heaven and New Earth. The Only He will establish it. So the rebuilding of the Temple is done with an earthly persective. Thus, once again, so much bloodshed and violence for a kingdom on earth, which can only be established supernaturally by God and will only occur in the Second Coming of Christ.

Just before Christ arrives, these will happen: In Mark 13:25 And the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. In Matthew 16:27“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay ever man according to his deeds. Matthew 25:31“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all angels with Him, He Will sit on His glorious throne. In Mark 8:38“whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes Glory of His Father with holy angels.In “2 Thessalonians 1:7 Jesus gives relief to afflicted and to us the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven His mighty angels in flaming fire, Revelation 19:11-14 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful, True, and in Righteousness He judges and so wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; He has a Name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, His Name is Called Word of God. Again In Matthew 24:30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. There’s will mighty thunder and lightening used by God as stated in Bible in tribulation.

9. Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth 21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters (anything put above God) and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Rita F. Kurian

References: The Bible, Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry, Wikipedia, Science

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