No one on the WordTruth team claims to be a “prophet or a son of a prophet” and, unlike the prophet Amos, those ministering through WordTruth cannot claim that the Lord has told any of us to “go prophesy” (Amos 7:14-15).
As members of the Body of Christ, however, we have noticed how nations are currently “linked” economically like no other time in history. This linkage, which could not have been imagined or forecast even 10 years ago, has created a situation that lends itself to significant global challenges.
Consider the following:
- Financial decisions made by a nation or a small group of nations can now create wave after wave of financial difficulties for many other countries.
- The richest nations jointly totter on an economic precipice that is fraught with peril and lack of clarity regarding financial solvency.
- There seems to be no recognizable path out of the dilemma of global fiscal entanglement.
- Supposedly profitable agreements between nations or among a consortium of international financial institutions have proven to be staggeringly detrimental.
- Global monetary dependency dictates that bankruptcy or an economic downturn by key financial nations could have disastrous effects on the entire world.
The world’s current financial challenges can generate repercussions that contribute to mounting global difficulties, quite possibly those associated with the Last Days. As believers in Christ are aware, the Bible describes the time period immediately preceding the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Last Days.
No one knows the exact time frame of the Last Days from beginning to end, but God’s Word reveals its characteristics. For example:
2 Timothy 3:1-5, But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
This passage emphasizes that self-centeredness will become even more pronounced during the Last Days. Without a doubt, each aspect of this deterioration process has grown from bad to worse in recent decades. This escalation of personal debauchery corresponds to an increase of other noticeable “signs of the times.”
Luke 21:8-11, And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”
These verses highlight the conflicts between nations, the appearances of false messiahs, and the occurrences of significant natural catastrophes. Other passages, such as Matthew 24 and Luke 21, indicate that trouble will markedly increase in the Last Days. We should also note mounting international opposition to the land of Israel, a small piece of real estate that is specifically associated with the Last Days.
In the midst of increasing global trouble prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Anti-Christ will be revealed.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-12, Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day [the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ] will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 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… 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. [Explanation added]
With many prophecies concerning Jesus Christ already fulfilled and other prophecies about God’s Son, our Messiah, that will be fulfilled, the Bible points to the soon coming return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who believe in this reality are preparing themselves to meet the Lord (1 John 3:2-3).
1 John 3:2-3, Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Believers in Christ are not to focus on difficulties that increase in the world. Instead, believers are to “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10). As believers, we should “not grow weary in doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13) as we “look up, for our redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Together we pray, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly” (Revelation 22:20).
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World Economic Crisis and the Last Days © 2011 WordTruth, Inc—http://www.wordtruth.net.
Verses from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version © 2001Version by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers