In Luke 4:16-21, we read that in the early days of Jesus’ ministry on earth, He entered the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath and stood up to read. The Scripture portion for that day was Isaiah 61:1-2, a prophecy about the Messiah. When Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah, He read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Stopping mid-sentence, Jesus sat down and then said to the astonishment of the onlookers, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). Jesus had come to earth to fulfill the first half of the prophecy: the “acceptable year of the Lord,” by setting people free. It was not yet time to fulfill the second half: “the day of vengeance of our God.” That day in Nazareth, God’s final judgments were yet in the future, as they are today.

We are living in the middle of that sentence—between “the acceptable year of the Lord” and “the day of vengeance of our God.” In the dispensation of grace in which we live, the door of forgiveness, salvation, and restoration is still open. This will not always be the case. There will come a day when that door will close, and a day of judgment will begin. We are in the final days, or maybe hours, of the dispensation of grace. We must take advantage of this time while the opportunity is still available.

Today, we are looking for Christ’s Second Coming, which will take place in two parts. First, Jesus will come to catch away His Bride—both the dead in Christ and the living body of believers worldwide. Second, He will return with His saints at the Battle of Armageddon to execute judgment on the ungodly and set up His earthly Kingdom for a millennium.  

Many people have questions regarding Christ’s return and the events surrounding it, but God did not intend for this important period in time to be shrouded in uncertainty. The prophecies in His Word tell us all we need to know. Let’s look at some common questions regarding the end times and the answers given in the Scriptures.   

How do we know Jesus is coming again?

It is revealed in Scripture. For every prophecy in the Bible concerning the Lord’s first coming nearly 2,000 years ago, there are eight referring to His Second Coming. It is mentioned in at least seventeen Old Testament books, and in twenty-three of the twenty-seven New Testament books. Jesus Himself spoke of His return twenty-one times. In His final days on earth, He told His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3).

Bible prophecy has been proven accurate. Every prophecy concerning the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was fulfilled exactly as written. Bible prophecy does not offer possible outcomes or one of many options; it is not a “best guess” of what will happen next. Bible prophecy is precise history written in advance by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. With God, there are no mistakes and there is no randomness. He is deliberate and orderly.

God has established a timetable. In Leviticus 23:4, Moses declared to the nation of Israel, “These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” He then went on to name seven annual feasts that the people were to observe. Each feast looked back to and commemorated an actual event while pointing forward to a correlating spiritual event. When Jesus came to earth the first time, He fulfilled the first four feasts, which take place in the spring. He became our Sacrifice for sin during Passover, His sinless life was reflected by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, He rose again on the day of First Fruits, and He sent the Holy Spirit to bring about the birth of the Church on Pentecost. There are three fall feasts yet to be fulfilled: Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles. This calendar that was revealed 3,500 years ago lays out in advance the most significant dates in human history. It shows that God is following a timetable. That means He has ordained a certain number of days for humanity to turn to Him, and each passing day is counting down to Jesus’ return.   

The Apostle Paul alluded to this in his letter to the Ephesians saying, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:9-10). In the “fulness of times”—when the preordained times are fulfilled—Jesus will return and gather His saints.

Ultimately, nothing of prophecy will be left undone. That which was damaged or destroyed by sin at the Fall of Man in the first days of the Genesis record will be completely repaired and restored in the “last days” of Revelation and the final consummation of all things (Revelation 21:5).

How do we know we are living in the last days?

Near the close of His ministry on earth, Jesus was asked by His disciples, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3). After listing several signs to watch for, He said, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32-33). In several Old Testament Scriptures, the fig tree was used symbolically to represent the Jewish nation, thus indicating that Jesus was telling His disciples to watch Israel to discern the times. Certainly, many prophecies concerning that nation are tied to end-time events. Looking at some of these events gives insight into where we are in the timeline of history.

God’s people will return to their homeland. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase” (Jeremiah 23:3). The Jewish people returned to the Promised Land of Canaan following the Babylonian exile. However, in 70 A.D., the Roman Empire attacked their capital of Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and most of the city. The population was scattered to other nations and remained without a homeland for nearly 1,800 years. Then in 1867, the empire ruling the region passed a law allowing foreigners to purchase property there.¹ Jewish people began doing so, and this was the beginning of the return of the Children of Israel to the Promised Land.    

Israel will become a nation. The prophet Isaiah foretold an incredible event by asking, “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:8). This prophecy was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, when the Jewish Agency, led by David Ben-Gurion, proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. On the same day, President Truman recognized Israel as a sovereign nation. The rebirth of Israel in a single day was nothing less than a miracle. The moment the declaration was made, the armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen attacked the new nation, trying to destroy it. The battle was seven armies against one, but God gave Israel the victory, and she remains a nation to this day.

Jerusalem will be restored as the capital. God chose Jerusalem to be the center of worship for His people, declaring, “In this house [the Temple], and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever” (2 Chronicles 33:7). However, in 1948, the Arab coalition captured the portion of the city containing the Temple Mount, and Jordan was given oversight of it. This changed in June of 1967 when Israel made surprise and preemptive but defensive military strike on the combined forces of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Though outnumbered two-to-one in troops and three-to-one in aircraft and tanks, Israel prevailed. Not only that, the nation regained full control of Jerusalem. Then on May 14, 2018, the United States became the first nation to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, exactly seventy years after Israel had miraculously become a nation.

The third Temple will be built. Daniel 9:27 states in part, “. . . and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease . . .” This indicates that during the Tribulation period, the Temple sanctuary will be in existence. As of today, the third Temple has not been built. However, the priests have been trained, the instruments have been prepared,² and the red heifer needed for purification purposes has been obtained.³ The fig tree is putting forth her leaves just as Jesus said. The end-time clock is counting down.

How will end-time events unfold?

Several passages in the Bible outline the sequence of events that will take place in the last days, including Daniel 9:24-27, Matthew 24, and Revelation 6-19. From these and other Scriptures, we understand that a world leader, identified as the Antichrist, will rise to power through the means of peaceful diplomacy. Then, according to Daniel 9:27, he will confirm a covenant with Israel. The word translated “confirm” in that verse means “to make stronger.” This suggests that when the Antichrist comes to power, there will already be an agreement in place, which he will strengthen.

Currently in the Middle East, there is an effort to normalize relations between Israel and the surrounding nations through agreements called the Abraham Accords. Each agreement is a declaration emphasizing peace, and states in part, “We believe that the best way to address challenges is through cooperation and dialogue, and that developing friendly relations among States advances the interests of lasting peace in the Middle East and around the world. We pursue a vision of peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and around the world.”⁴ These declarations could be the next step in preparing the way for the Antichrist.

The confirmation of the covenant will mark the onset of the seven-year period commonly known as the Tribulation. John the Revelator foretold that during the initial phase of the Tribulation, when the second seal is opened, “power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth” (Revelation 6:4), suggesting a time of peace, perhaps worldwide. Additionally, the Apostle Paul wrote that “when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3), likely referring to the Tribulation. That period, also known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), will be marked by unthinkable destruction on earth dominated by war, famine, natural catastrophes, and death. Jesus said of this period in history, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved” (Matthew 24:22). Just prior to the start or during the initial stages of the Tribulation, Israel will build the third Temple and reinstate the sacrificial system. However, at the mid-point, the Antichrist will break the covenant, cause the Temple sacrifices to cease, and require the world to worship him.

During the first half of the Tribulation, with the Antichrist governing, Israel will have had a false sense of peace and security. The second half of this time period, known as the Great Tribulation (Mathew 24:21), will culminate with the kings of the world launching an attack on Jerusalem that leads to the Battle of Armageddon. When all seems lost at this battle, a remnant of the remaining Jewish people will cry out to God, and the Revelation of Christ will take place. Jesus will return to earth with His glorified saints to defeat the Antichrist and world powers, and the surviving Jews will at last acknowledge Him as the true Messiah (Revelation 19:11-21; Zachariah 14:1-4).

What is our hope?

Some people worry about who the Antichrist is and whether he is already on the earth and rising to power. However, we don’t need to be concerned with that. Those of us who have repented of our sins and maintained our allegiance to Christ will be raptured before God’s judgments are poured out on the Antichrist’s evil reign.   

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote of a glorious event awaiting us. He said, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

We have hope that this event, the Rapture of the Church, will take place before the Tribulation begins. One of many reasons is found in the Book of Revelation, which records a vision given to the Apostle John while he was in exile. He was shown an overview of earth’s history from the time of the Early Church and told to write down what he saw. In chapters 2 and 3, he referenced the Church seven times. Then, in chapter 4, he “looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (verse 1). From that point onward, as the events of the Tribulation unfolded before his eyes, John did not mention the Church. 

By observing that nearly all the prophetic signs pointing to the Tribulation have been fulfilled, we can be certain that the return of Christ is imminent. At any moment, we could hear the sound of the Trumpet and be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. That is an event we do not want to miss! Are you ready?

¹ Ruth Kark, “Consequences of the Ottoman Land Law: Agrarian and Privatization Processes in Palestine, 1858-1918” in Societies, Social Inequalities, and Marginalization: Marginal Regions in the 21^st Century, ed. Raghubir Chand, Etienne Nel, Stanko Pelc (Switzerland: Springer Cham, 2017), page 101-119

² Temple Institute, “About Us,” Temple Institute. Accessed October 7, 2025. https://templeinstitute.org/aboutus.org/#research

³ Amar, Dvir. “Israeli News.” Israel National News. March 28, 2024. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/628389

⁴ United States Department of State, The Abraham Accords Declaration, Washington DC, 2020, https://www.state.gov/the-abraham-accords.