10 Signs the Tribulation Is Near!

 

According to biblical prophecy, the Tribulation is a seven-year period that will begin immediately following the Rapture. Evil will spread without restraint. The diseases, natural disasters, wars, and devastation we see in our world today will pale in comparison to the atrocities to come. Toward the end,

 The Antichrist will sit at the helm of the world government and religion as he personifies Satan.

Although the Tribulation will be a terrible time, it will warn everyone on earth of God’s imminent and final judgment. We cannot prevent or delay its horrors, but we can prepare ourselves by studying God’s Word. It reveals everything we need to know about living in the World of the End.

God’s Word reveals everything we need to know about living in the World of the End.

Ten Signs the Tribulation Is Drawing Near

The Rapture is the next event on God’s prophetic timeline and will occur without warning. But according to Matthew 24:5-14, a groundswell of phenomena will emerge subtly in the days leading up to the Rapture, warning that the Tribulation is drawing near. These signs will continue to multiply and progress in the first half of the seven-year Tribulation. They are:

1. Deception by false teachers

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (verse 5).

2. Dissension among nations

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (verses 6-7).

3. Devastation of the food supply

“And there will be famines… in various places” (verse 7).

4. Disease in various places

“And there will be… pestilences… in various places” (verse 7).

5. Disasters around the world

“And there will be… earthquakes in various places” (verse 7).

"All these are the beginning of sorrows." –Matthew 24:8

6. Death for the sake of Christ

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake” (verse 9).

7. Disloyalty among “friends”

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (verse 10).

8. Delusion associated with false religions

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (verse 11).

9. Defection from the faith and goodness

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (verse 12).

10. Declaration of the Gospel

“And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations” (verse 14).

"…And then the end will come." –Matthew 24:14

The Importance of Preparing for the Rapture

Today, God’s extension of grace ends with the death of one who rejects Christ. At the Rapture, God’s grace will end for anyone alive who has not accepted it. Those remaining on earth during the Tribulation will experience a “strong delusion,” likely aided by drug use. In that time, false religion will be characterized by what the apostle John calls “sorceries” (Revelation 9:21). John uses the word pharmakos, from which we get the word pharmacy. It is an ancient reference to the ingestion of drugs. Mind-altering substances such as narcotics and hallucinogens will be associated with false religions.

Second Thessalonians 2:10-11 tells us, “He [the Antichrist] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies” (NLT). According to Revelation 13, the Beast and the Antichrist will mislead many by imitating the life of Christ. In the absence of God’s grace, most who rejected the Gospel before the Tribulation will be unable to detect these ruses.

The best preparation for the Tribulation is making sure we are not around for it. Scripture urges, “Behold, now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Don’t expect to outwit God’s plan. One day soon, the Lord will return. If you have rejected Him, the day of opportunity will be lost. While it will be possible to get right with God during the Tribulation, Satan will have more power to oppose you than ever before.

If you haven’t already, confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and trust Him to be your Savior. Accept God’s gift of eternal life while there is still time. Once that is settled, carry out Christ’s commission to take His message to the very ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20). A select few will receive grace during the Tribulation, but for now, it is our responsibility to share the Gospel with anyone who will listen.

Bible verses!

Matthew 24:5-14

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Revelation 9:21

Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Revelation 13

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

2 Corinthians 6:2

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Matthew 28:19-20

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.