Prepare for the apocalypse now
Some have asked me how close we are to the prophesied end time events of the Bible and the promise of the second coming of Jesus. I am not setting a date but I have been indicating in my articles that by what I see taking place in the world, that all events are very likely to take place within two to three decades. I believe all that is written about the last days before the second coming of Jesus will most likely be completed in this period. Nevertheless, I do not believe it will be anywhere near thirty years before the false and the real birth pains of the Kingdom begin on earth. I see many signs that the handwriting is already on the wall. It reads, “Prepare for the Apocalypse now”. The hoof beats of the four horsemen of the apocalypse may be heard much sooner than many think but not as soon as 2012 - 2019 AD as some are now teaching. All these things will take a couple decades to play out the end is not as close as they lead you to believe. Follow my reasoning and decide for yourself why we are rapidly moving toward the time of the Apocalypse but why a few pieces of the puzzle still do not quite fit.
Many of the remnant of Israel have returned to the promised land but most remain in unbelief
The leadership of Israel today is in total unbelief. If God did not have a plan in the immediate future to chasten and spiritually restore Israel, He would again vomit the people out of His land. The leadership is certainly not looking to God to deliver their country from their enemies; they are placing their faith in the world to solve their problems. Polls indicate that only about one-third of the Jews in Israel have any meaningful faith in the God of Israel. This just happens to be the same number that is refined through the fire in the time of Jacob’s trouble (Zec 13:9, Jer 30:7).
The events we see happening in and around Israel today are precisely what God said would happen just prior to this final time of trouble for Israel that will turn the remnant of Israel back to their God and Messiah. It will also bring the judgment of the nations when the world comes against Israel. God said He will deal with those who divide has land (Joe 3:2). He also said Jerusalem would be a burdensome stone in the last days that would crush any nation that comes against her (Zec 12:3). There is just too much evidence that the bringing back of the Jews to their land after the holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel was a work of God, to now think that He would not complete His purpose for bringing them back and would cast them out. There is also too much evidence in Bible prophecy and today’s news headlines to ignore the fact that enemies surround Israel just as the prophets clearly foretold would occur in the final days.
Today Israel is doing all it can to appease its enemies, even though the people it wishes to appease make no pretense about their intention to cut Israel off from being a nation (Psa 83:4). Israel today is a nation living in denial and even oppressing religious Jewish believers who see a biblical mandate for them to occupy their promised lands. Israel was reborn as a nation in the land in 1948 and received Jerusalem at adulthood nineteen years later in the six-day war of 1967. They have not inherited the new covenant and the restoration promise because most still remain in unbelief but God will soon shake the nation to its core and the only hope that will remain for Israel will be His intervention and deliverance.
Bible prophecy students should be aware that most unfulfilled prophecy passages giving details about end time events in Israel are describing events after the Jewish temple is rebuilt and the offerings are reestablished. The sacrifice offerings in the temple will be stopped in the time of Jacob's trouble so logically there must again be a new temple (Dan 9:27). Therefore, if we are near the end times we should expect the temple rebuilding to be a major sign on the prophetic agenda. Indeed, all the plans for the temple and every detail required for the temple sacrifice and the priesthood have now been completed. You may recall from news stories, that the Temple Faithful organization has attempted to lay the cornerstone for the temple several times. Only the secular government hinders the rebuilding of the temple because they think building it would damage the “peace process” and bring war. (Any rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem could take place after the removal of the faithful church --"the rapture").
Islam
Islam is on the rise in the world and Moslems are projected to outnumber those that identify with Christianity in less than two decades. The radical fascist Muslims who want world conquest even through means of violence are about ten percent of the population but they are pushing their Islamic fascist agenda on all Muslims through lying propaganda and intimidation. Although 90 percent of Muslims would not advocate violence as a way to advance Islam, they totally support the Islamic agenda of world conquest. When push comes to shove, they will and do support the violent ten percent against the West.
Iran and Syria are the most identifiable nations that foster the fascist element in Islam along with financial support from elements in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. There are also large radical populations in other Muslim countries but they mostly have secular governments that claim to oppose radical violent conquest. Nevertheless, it is a fact that these governments do not control large factions within their nation and if they come out against the agenda of the radical elements, they risk being overthrown. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and we should watch things very closely there because radicals could get control of them.
Iran and Syria are unique problems for the western world because they are totally controlled by radicals and have become the backbone of Islamic world terrorism. Iran is also trying to become a nuclear power. The West really has a no win situation with Iran. If the West attacks Iran’s nuclear assets it will further radicalize Islam and this could start a world war between two opposing civilizations. Even a war limited to just Iran and Syria would likely start a world depression due to world oil shortages and the increasing debt burden. If the West allows Iran to become a nuclear power, she will be a fascist state with nuclear weapons that supports world terrorism. Iran's leaders have said they would use these weapons to get rid of Israel. Iran with nukes would be no small threat to the United States and Western Europe because of electromagnetic pulse technology (EMP).
The West is going through the charade that Iran can be persuaded to abandon her nuclear ambitions by diplomacy and sanctions. The most that might be accomplished by this pressure is for Iran to form some kind of nuclear deal with Russia. If that is not accomplished, the West or Israel will most likely bomb Iran within a year or two. If Iran makes a deal with Russia we can see the reason for the “hook in the jaw” spoken of by the prophet Ezekiel that will bring Gog (Russia) down against Israel with Persia (Iran) and other Islamic nations (Eze 38:1-23, Eze 39:1-29). I do not think anyone knows how this will all play out but I think hands are already on the rope to raise the curtain on act one of this deadly play.
After Islamic fascism is somehow defeated, it will leave the moderate Moslems who claim to worship the same God of heaven as Christians and Jews. I see the solution to the cultural clash being a supernatural event that brings world religions together in a ecumenical movement based on the concept that there is one highest power (called by any name) and a Queen of Heaven intermediator. My conjecture is that recent and future Marian apparitions will help institute this deception. The deceptive statements of the Queen of Heaven demon masquerading as Mary will play a huge role in bringing major world religions together in the last days (Jer 7:18, Jer 44:17, Jer 44:18, Jer 44:19, Jer 44:25). I do not believe it is just a coincidence that Moslems revere their concept of Mary more than Jesus, as do many Catholics. This is also true in eastern religions and pagan mysticism, the Queen of Heaven deity is called by various names and is highly esteemed. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9). This Queen of heaven demonic deception will prove to be no exception.
Aligning with the Catholics in the western world would be liberal Protestants, post-modern emerging church Protestants, post-millennial dominionists and new age/new spirituality beliefs. They would have little problem adapting to a belief system where the Queen of Heaven -- called by both Christian and pagan names -- intercedes to one’s own perceived highest divine power to bring unity and peace on the earth. I do not know if this will be part of the strong delusion mentioned in 2Th 2:11 or if that will still come afterward but it certainly will bring in the world ecumenical church and world government spoken of in Bible prophecy. This uniting of the world is also envisioned by pagan world socialists who claim a evolutionary leap forward is imminent and that when it occurs it will bring a time of human enlightenment and a world utopia.
Some now think Islam is the Beast system and because of this some teachers have set a 2012- 2019 early date for the end. They are wrong. Islam is not the Beast of Revelation she could never conquer the world. The Antichrist is the lawless one, he is not about to identify with a religion saturated with law. All religions will first be removed of their radical passages and beliefs after the upcoming religious wars that will bring the real Beast into power. Muslims will accept the Antichrist as will other religious because they like all false religion reject Jesus Christ. It will not be because Islam takes over the world. That concept is not realistic Islam could not survive the backlash from the lawless people of the western world.
Violence all over the earth and nations in turmoil
The future of Europe seems very uncertain. Will the EU hold together and become a superpower or will Europe actually fall into moral decay and anarchy brought on by falling native populations and a rising Islamic immigrant population or even a war with Islam? Each scenario could eventually produce a man of intrigue who will have all the answers to solve the problems (Antichrist). I personally think the EU will not survive and it will be replaced by the more recently proposed Mediterranean Union (MU) idea. Those nations more accurately fit the location of the old Roman Empire
North Korea has a dying certified nut case leading the country. He is a loose cannon armed with nuclear warheads. Will he one day blow his fuse and start a war, or die and be replaced by radical military leaders?
Russia has emerged from a depression and has stated that she will become a superpower again. We also see that she is once again moving down the path to authoritarian government. Their designs to rebuild their military was officially announced in the news recently although they had been rebuilding it for years on a more limited scale. They now have a plan in place to completely modernize a major portion of their military by 2015. No doubt the oil price downturn will delay that but a new cold war with the West is probably only a few years or a world disagreement away.
China is rapidly becoming a world superpower and massing military assets across the straights from Taiwan. Will the United States soon betray Taiwan or risk the consequences? What will the US do about China’s move to secure world oil sources from all the oil producing nations that hate the United States? Will this move by China help these nations put a future oil squeeze on the United States? Will China soon dump the US dollar causing the dollar's collapse?
Will Pakistan and India keep their hatred for each other contained? Or could a new crisis escalate into nuclear warfare on the Asian peninsula?
Once again, there is a rise of socialism, dictators, and hatred toward the United States in Latin America. Will the Mexican government survive the drug wars? How anti-American will this all get? What will be the impact on oil, drug trafficking and Christian evangelism?
Will Islam continue the slaughter of Christians in North Africa and elsewhere?
Will AIDS and tribal warfare continue the slaughter in South and Central Africa?
Etc.
Signs in the Sun?
Leading scientists are now saying that the sun will have the stormiest eleven-year solar-cycle since the invention of solid-state electronics (this could be important). The new solar cycle began in 2008 and will peak around 2012. Other not so solid theorists have been saying that the magnetic poles of the earth will shift in 2012. Still others have said that certain calendars indicate that 2012 is the end of this age. Could it be possible that the darkening of the sun and the blood red moon mentioned in Joel 2:31 is the result of a huge explosion on the sun? We know it occurs before the terrible day of the Lord so it is certainly possible that this prophecy might be fulfilled sometime near the peak of a solar cycle. I think when looking at the full prophetic picture it is still too soon but others disagree. We shall soon see.
Even if this prophecy is not fulfilled in this period, what would a large explosion on the sun like the one observed in 1859 do to modern electronics, satellites and power grids that we have all become dependent on? Who might see an opportunity to move into the Middle East or against Israel if the United States was blinded for a significant period of time? By the way, if you think this is far fetched, an explosion on the sun did cause a power grid failure in Quebec Canada in 1989 but that solar storm was only a firecracker compared to the solar storm of 1859. The solar storm of 1859 reportedly fried telegraph wires and started fires, if it happened today it would cause a national black out for months or longer. Man thinks he lives securely on the earth but things can change very quickly as those in the path of the recent tsunami and Hurricane Katrina found out.
Pestilence?
Will the bird flu become the worst pestilence the modern world has known or will it run its course without crossing the species barrier to infect man? Nobody really knows, but scientists say we are overdue for a flu pandemic anyway.
Will AIDS kill a quarter of the population of South Africa and then become rampant in South Asia and other places? It certainly appears there is little that can stop that from happening.
Will man create new pandemics through biological warfare and terrorism? A major news story in 2009 was that scores in one area were killed by the Black Plague apparently because terrorists were developing a biological capability and it got out of control. Syria is also weaponizing smallpox to be used against Israel. So it is obvious that such biological weapons will be used soon.
Weather and earthquakes?
Will the United States see more great storms and great property damage on its coastlands? Scientists say we will. What will this do to aggravate our economic and national debt problem? Parts of California are now overdue for major earthquakes and other areas in the United States could also see great property destruction because of people continuing to build in dangerous areas.
Evil men will wax worse and worse (2 Tim 3:13)
Do we see any evidence of the following scriptures happening today? If we do then where are we in the biblical timeline?
2 Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
Only the myopic cannot see that that these traits are widespread in our culture.
2 Pet 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Only the blind cannot see that scoffers in the church are teaching from the false foundations of evolution and walking after the psychology of their felt needs and redefining Christianity to New Age concepts and spiritualism. The satanic deceptions coming from Oprah has more influence over more Christians than does the Bible or the church they attend.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
This scripture is specifically speaking to idol worshipers, homosexuals and all those who hate God because they love to live in their sinful lifestyles. These are people given up to vileness so that they now embrace demonic thinking. From the things we see taking place in the world today we should know that this passage is in full-blown fulfillment. The scripture above indicates because of these sins the wrath of God will soon be revealed from heaven.
The expectations of world religions
It was not long ago that full page ads appeared in top world media saying that the Lord Maitreya Buddha (a Eastern and a new age "savior") was going to reveal himself in a time of world crises when the world was ready for him to solve critical problems. His followers also say he is the Krishna, the Mahdi and the Christ.
The president of Iran in 2006 said he believes the Mahdi (A Moslem "savior" -- also called the twelfth Imam) will appear in a couple of years and that Iran’s mission is to prepare the world for his arrival. Many in Iran and elsewhere called the “Twelvers” are proclaiming this message. They claim their will be seven years of world war in the era of his arrival.
Many into Catholic mysticism are saying according to a prophecy by their own St. Malachi that there will only be one more Pope before the arrival of the Antichrist. They also say the apparitions of Mary tell the world to pray the rosary so she can intervene. They say her intervention will lessen the great chastisement coming on the earth.
John Paul II indicated that his close friend the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) was a holy man leading people to God. Many people in the world say this Buddhist monk and Nobel Peace Prize winner is now the moral leader of the world. The recent Popes, some other Christian leaders and some "Christian" political leaders claim that we all worship the same God. But the God these other religions worship is not the God of the Bible.
Even a segment of the Jews expects their Messiah to appear any day now (obviously not Jesus).
The Bible says that in the last days many false Christ's and false prophets would appear and deceive almost everyone (Mat 24:24, Mar 13:22). It certainly looks like we are now being set up for great deceptions by all major world religions.
Blasphemy, heresy and doctrines of demons
In some Christian institutional churches and seminaries some teachers are teaching that Jesus was not divine, that there was no virgin birth, that the Bible is not God's word, that Jesus did not rise from the dead, that Jesus is not coming back, that stories in the Bible never happened, that there are no absolute truths and that there are other paths to God besides through Jesus. In fact, even a large segment of those who call themselves Evangelical Christians do not believe in absolute truths and the fundamentals of the faith, according to recent surveys.
The world media and intellectuals kowtow toward Mecca yet they have no fear when they write and display blasphemy and heresy about the Savior of the world. Some recent prime examples are “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “The Last temptation of Christ”, "The Passover Plot", “The Da Vinci Code” and "The Jesus Family Tomb". There are also countless occurrences of blasphemies and lies on television. The book stores, even Christian books stores, are full of books such as "The Secret", "The Shack" and books written by emergents redefining Christianity and self help heretics and prosperity teachers.
We can look forward to many other attacks on the foundation of Christianity. They may even come to you complements of counterfeit Christians who really hate the message of the Bible. Their goal will be to make Jesus human and flawed like themselves so they can feel self-righteous while calling themselves Christian and living in their sins and sick perversions.
Our children are being taught lies in their school textbooks about any truths that originated with God. Teachers and parents hands are tied and they are told by our government what they can and cannot teach their children. The government also tells them how they can and cannot discipline their children and why mind altering drugs is a discipline of choice.
Many psychology concepts that originated from doctrines of demons have infected all thought processes in the world. Some of these doctrines of demons are taught as truths even in Evangelical Bible believing churches. In some of the more seeker-sensitive and post-modern churches you are more likely to get a psychology lesson on Sunday than any biblical truth. Psychobabble is now part of most Christian books, teaching series and seminars. Many, if not most, are now mixing a little deadly satanic poison with biblical truths. They are producing a mutant hybrid feel good half-truth that can be deadly to the absolute truth that those not in Christ are sinners in need of salvation. Christian truths that have conformed to worldly psychobabble also misrepresent how Christians grow in their faith.
The decline of the US
the decline of the US is now a foregone conclusion. Americans in 2009 have elected the most radical anti Christian government in the history of the nation. It opposes the Constitution and is against what Americans believed for over two hundred years. Now the US will become just another leg in the socialist globalist movement that only uses a facade of religious pluralism for its own purposes but denies and opposes the morality that the Bible teaches. By the time the 2009 economic crises is over governments all over the world will control almost everything. Every crises will see them taking more power until tyranny or Revolution. In itself the decline of a world nation would not usually have prophetic implications but since America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy we now can see why. America will soon fall and will not be a major factor in end times. We now see that America has chosen an ideology that makes its fall from world power inevitable. American for a hundred years has been a check on tyrants throughout the world from Hitler and his fascism to Stalin and his Communism to Islam and their hatred against Jews and the West. As America is bankrupted and taken out of the international picture the major force to oppose tyranny in the world will no longer exist. Global tyrants will rise who will take away freedoms from people and enslave the masses according to their own socialist demonic dictates.
My people perish through lack of knowledge
Bible studies in churches for the most part are not Bible studies anymore. They are canned magazine studies about the Bible or about some book. Just about everything in the Bible in these magazines is taught as applications for living today. They pay little attention to whom the message was originally written to and why. They also pay little attention to the full context of the passage and totally ignore any future prophetic implications or applications.
Most sermons from today's pulpits do not contain a salvation message or anything meaningful for the spiritual growth of the Church. Many of those who attend church do not study the Bible and are biblically illiterate. They are open to the wind bags of doctrine that increasingly teach nutty ideas from pulpits, books, television, radio or Internet ministries. We were told that some would depart from sound doctrine in the last days and seek out teachers that would tickle their ears (2Tim 4:3). We certainly see plenty of evidence that this is occurring today. Some in the emergent post-modern church movement have even said that biblical doctrine is divisive. So instead of providing sound doctrine in these churches they cater to peoples felt needs, induce tingly feelings and endorse mysticism so people can experience God.
When Robert Schuller, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Bishop Jakes, Rick Warren and Benny Hinn have the biggest Christian followings in the United States you can be darn sure that sound doctrine is not a big issue with their followers.
The handwriting is on the wall
This article is only a sample of the handwriting I see on the wall today. If you want to read more, check out the rest of this website. I have twenty-five articles on world trends and Bible prophecy and scores of other articles that talk about many Christian issues. For the long story you might read my verse-by-verse Revelation Commentary. and current topics are added on my Blog as they arise.
Those who cannot or do not want to see the truth can ignore the handwriting on the wall that says we need to prepare for the apocalypse now. They will continue to go on thinking everything will remain as it has been. They will be in good company. Those that were judged in ancient days in the Bible had similar thinking before judgment suddenly came upon them. Even the ancient Jews thought judgment would not come in their lifetimes but it did for all those that were alive when judgment fell. I guess it would be unrealistic to expect anything more out of the people who identify with Christianity but do not really know or follow the Savior. Those who are not prepared for the apocalypse now, also will not be prepared for the judgment of their soul in the day of judgment at the great white throne of God.
Those without the Holy Spirit that have been blinded by Satan will only read the propaganda that the Devil wants them to believe. They will believe the facade that man will make world conditions better and better even when all evidence points to the contrary. They will not know judgment is upon them until the birth pains of the Kingdom start suddenly (Jer 30:6). Even then, in their perversion they will attempt to abort the birth of the promised Kingdom of God on earth and replace it with a counterfeit called Babylon the Great (Rev 18).
On the other hand, if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about your need of His Savior, you can make Jesus your Lord and Savior, and be saved out of the trial that is coming soon on all the earth to test all that dwell on the earth (Rev 3:10).
More Featured Bible Prophecy Articles by Don Koenig
