PARNTER WITH US

Are We Ready for the Second Coming of Our SAVIOR and LORD?

It is written in Job, perhaps the oldest book in the Bible:

“Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand on the earth.  After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see GOD. I myself will see Him, with my own eyes, I, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!”  Job 19:23-27

With these words the prophet Job, who endured a great deal of suffering in his life through Satan’s attacks, proclaimed the wonderful knowledge of His Redeemer GOD who would one day stand on the earth, and that he himself would see the LORD in his own resurrected body. We know that through JESUS’ death and resurrection that this is true for everyone who sincerely trusts in the LORD and the promises of His Word. In these words, Job not only testified to the glorious hope of the resurrection, but also to the return of CHRIST to our world. Not only were these words of Job recorded by the LORD and written on a scroll, and engraved in rock on many a believer’s tombstone, but they have been proclaimed to people in all nations.  

We rejoice in the remembrance of JESUS’ death on the cross for all of our sin and His glorious resurrection through which He has promised us eternal life with Him in new resurrected bodies.  Now He has ascended into Heaven to the right hand of GOD our FATHER, where He is praying for each of us and creating the new Heaven and Earth for all who sincerely trust in Him. He is soon coming back to our world and all who trust in Him should be ready and waiting for Him to come. 

On February 26, 2026, Pakistan declared war on Afghanistan; two days later the US and Israel began a powerful attack on Iran. The war between Russia and the Ukraine continues its slaughter of men, women and children, and is entangling some of the European countries into it. There are countless other developments occurring on our planet today that are literally fulfilling JESUS’ last words to His followers concerning His return to our world (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). Despite these literal fulfillments of our LORD’S prophecies that are being broadcast through the airwaves to all nations every day, most people, including many filling church pews or padded chairs, continue to deny the truth of the coming return of CHRIST and live in the delusion that it won’t happen in our generation. 

There is no question that every part of GOD’s Word will be fulfilled; none of it will pass away.  As our LORD said in prophesying about His return to our world: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35. Are we watching? Are we aware of the times in which we are living? Are we waiting and prepared for His coming? The world and the people of Israel were not prepared for His coming two thousand years ago (John 1:10-11), and the vast majority of those living in our world today, including many who claim some belief in JESUS, are certainly not wanting, waiting or ready for His return.

 As we enter the challenging days that are coming, our prayer for ourselves and for each of you is that we would hold firmly to the LORD, His Word and amazing salvation, and proclaim it to all nations. As believers, committed students (disciples), and servants of our LORD JESUS, we have nothing to fear in these coming days, but can rejoice in our eternal salvation that CHRIST has won for us, and through the power of His HOLY SPIRIT seek to witness and minister His grace and truth and eternal salvation to those around us.  Soon and very soon, in our new eternal resurrected bodies, we will see JESUS, the CHRIST, standing on the earth. Amen, come LORD JESUS. 

In this article we will share:

  1. An Overview of Developments Leading to CHRIST’S Return
  2. The Wisdom of GOD Vs the Foolishness of Humanity
  3. Trusting the LORD’S Revelation about the Future
  4. Is the Gospel of CHRIST Being Proclaimed in All Nations Today?
  5. As it was in the Days of Noah So it will be in the Time of His Return
  6. The Antichrist Will Come Before JESUS Returns
  7. The End of Mission and Raptured into His Glorious Presence

According to the prophecies, the last days began after CHRIST’S death and resurrection around AD 33 and will continue until He descends on the clouds to gather His people together and bring His wrath and judgment on the evil of this world (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-21). These last days over the past 2000 years are the time of the great commission, when those who trust in and love the LORD were and are empowered by the HOLY SPIRIT to spread the Good News of JESUS and His Kingdom and eternal salvation to all nations (Acts 1:7-8.) As JESUS taught in Matthew 24:14 He will return when this mission of proclaiming the Gospel of His Kingdom in all nations has been completed. 

During these last days there will be many signs which take place in our world that JESUS describes as birth pains, which increase in intensity and frequency as the time of His return approaches.  According to JESUS’ words in Matthew 24:4-14, Mark 13:5-13; Luke 21:8-17, and Revelation 6:1-6 these signs will include:

1. Increasing number of false saviors, or antichrists;

  1. Increasing number of false prophets leading people away from trusting in CHRIST and His Word, and encouraging them to trust the idols of this world;
  2. Increasing number of wars and rumours of wars;
  3. Increasing number of people dying from famines, earthquakes, and plagues
  4. Increasing persecution of the true followers of CHRIST;
  5. Increasing number of people who will fall away from faith in JESUS, and in their hatred and love of this world, they will slander and betray those who remain faithful to the LORD;
  6. At the same time as the great increase in these evil signs, through the ministry of the HOLY SPIRIT and His faithful followers, the Gospel of JESUS and His eternal Kingdom and salvation will be proclaimed to people in all nations. Praise the LORD! 

The Times of Greatest Distress

As we get to the end of those last days, we enter the times of the greatest distress or tribulation that JESUS told us about in Matthew 24:15-28, Mark 13:14-23; and Revelation chapters 6-14.  I believe that the conclusion of these last days will begin with the great wars of Revelation 6:7-8 and that following these great wars the antichrist beast will arise to establish his world government and begin the worldwide persecutions of the faithful followers of our LORD (Revelation 6:9-11, 13:1-18). The last years of great worldwide tribulation under the government of this beast will bring the final warnings from the LORD in the devastations of the Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:6- 9:21). 

The Signs in the Heavens-Sky-Universe Immediately Before JESUS Returns

According to our LORD’S own teaching the very last events to happen, immediately prior to His coming on the clouds to rapture His people and judge our world, will be the shaking of the heavens involving the darkening of the sun and moon and falling of the stars – meteorites everywhere.  At that time the citizens and leaders of the antichrist’s kingdom will run and hide realizing that the LORD GOD is about to bring His judgment and wrath on their horrific evils and rebellion (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 6:12-17).

At the time of the seventh trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 11:15-19; 14:14-16) the LORD returns and raptures His people out of this corrupted evil world. This will then be followed by the pouring out of the bowls of GOD’S wrath on the antichrist and his beastly empire (Revelation 15-19). 

  1. The Wisdom of GOD Vs the Foolishness of Humanity

 All people live according to what they believe about the past, the present and the future. The truth is all human understanding of the past, present and future is miniscule at best. In comparison to the total knowledge of all things, all any of us or indeed the whole human race knows is just a teeny-weeny tiny bit. This is offensive to the many worldly people who are proud of their intelligence and supposed knowledge. If only they would realize how little they actually know of what is true. The LORD says to all of us: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:9.  

Today many are trusting  AI- artificial intelligence- systems to tell them the truth about the past, present and future, and to guide their life.  Although AI systems have access to most of the world’s supposed knowledge, even that is just a miniscule amount compared to the total knowledge of all things in Heaven and Earth. Moreover, much of the information that AI systems are communicating about the past, present and future is false because it is based on secularized or paganized interpretations of life. The AI systems are just programmed computerized systems who do not know the LORD or have His HOLY SPIRIT to guide or provide wisdom and understanding of the past, the present, or of the days that are coming. 

It is crucial to understand that the world’s influencers that claim to tell us what is going on are predominantly secular or pagan, and globalist in their world view. The media, educational, governmental, social, scientific and even the religious systems of most nations are under the influence, spell or control of Satan, the evil one. JESUS referred to Satan as “the prince of this world” three times in the Gospel of John (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).  He also stated that the Devil “is a murderer…a liar and the father of lies” John 8:44. The HOLY SPIRIT described him as “a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8. 

The LORD teaches us repeatedly in His Word that those who trust in Him should not believe whatever the world around us is telling us about the past, present or future without testing it by His Word.  This is very crucial for believers in these last days because the evil one through the world is always trying to deceive and lead people away from the truth. The only way to be wise and to know the truth about the past, present and future is to trust the revelation that GOD’S SPIRIT has given to us in His Word, the Holy Bible. 

It is written: “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this coming He promised?”  2 Peter 3:3-4. 

These words are being literally fulfilled in our generation today. I have heard many nominal Christians who scoff at the idea that the LORD could return in our generation. They argue that many Christians over the past 2000 years, ever since the time of JESUS’ ascension into Heaven, believed that JESUS was going to come back in their generation, and He still hasn’t come. Therefore, they reject the idea that CHRIST could return in our generation. Of course, if we follow that logic, then JESUS could never come back because He hasn’t come yet. If the signs that our LORD JESUS told us to watch for that will testify to His return are not true or important for us to know, then JESUS’ whole teaching on His return would be useless and He would be a liar, in which case it would be crazy to trust Him for anything. JESUS always spoke the truth, and He gave these prophesies and signs to us for a reason and so we need to believe them and take them seriously. There is no question that the signs that the LORD has given us are happening before our eyes and ears today, like never before. 

Praise the LORD that He has given us His SON and His HOLY SPIRIT and His Word to enable us to have a basic understanding of history, present reality, and what is going to happen in the days before His return.  We do not need to rely upon the foolish wisdom of this world, or our own feeble and miniscule understanding of life, or upon AI systems. Instead, through the teachings and prophesies of CHRIST and His prophets and Apostles, the HOLY SPIRIT gives us GOD’S wisdom and discernment to guide us through the darkness and confusion in our world and into His eternal new Heaven and Earth (Revelation 21-22). As JESUS taught in His message from the mountain, it is the wise who will receive His Word and build their lives on everything that He has revealed, which includes His teachings on His return (Matthew 7:24-27). The foolish, on the other hand, will ignore the Word of the LORD and pursue their own worldviews, and the idols of this world that will lead them and those who follow on the path of destruction. Just as we believe the LORD’S prophecies to us concerning His first coming into our world 2000 years ago, in the same way we need to believe His prophecies to us concerning His return. 

3. Trusting the LORD’S Revelation about the Future 

These times in which we are living are filled with an urgency and peril for believers and unbelievers. We are living in incredible, exciting, challenging days for all who trust in CHRIST. Our faith is being greatly tested and will be tested even more in the coming days as more of His prophecies literally take shape in the events of our time. 

We can no longer have the attitude, as many church attenders do, that the LORD’S return is something that may happen sometime in the distant future but will not happen in our lifetime.  Anyone who has that attitude is ignoring the very clear prophesies that the LORD has revealed to us through His prophets and apostles to prepare us for living in the days prior to His return. Dear friends, since all but the very last prophesies immediately preceding CHRIST’S return are being literally fulfilled today, it is reasonably likely that our generation today may be the generation living in the days immediately prior to His return as testified to by JESUS in the Gospels (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) and in the book of Revelation. 

No Dates but Many Signs

Although our LORD JESUS clearly taught that we cannot know the exact day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36-51), He also told us that we can know of the events or signs that will immediately precede His return so that we won’t be surprised, but ready and waiting for Him when He comes. The pagan unbelieving world won’t be ready for His return, but there is no reason why believers should be caught off guard. As it is written:

“Now brothers, about the times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the Day of the LORD will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.  But you brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.  You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  So then, let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”   1 Thessalonians 5:1-6

The Oil and the Wine

In Revelation 6:1-6 the LORD first describes the overall situation in our world prior to the LORD’S return. Notice the warning against harming the oil and the wine in those last days at the end of verse 6.  During the Covid days a few years ago, many stores and churches were legally forced to close, but the liquor stores had to be kept open because so many people were dependent upon them, to cope with the stress of the times. JESUS proclaimed that these last days would be times of “great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world” Matthew 24:21. Many will turn to alcohol and other drugs to cope with the distress in their lives and in our world during these times. 

We are also living in the days where oil is an absolute essential to the world economy and the wellbeing of people in every country. Over these last few weeks when the Iranian government has closed the Hormuz Strait and shut off just twenty percent of the flow of oil in our world, the economies of most nations have deteriorated quickly, and in some places, people are beginning to suffer from fuel and food shortages.

World War 3 Unleashed 

Immediately following these general signs of the last days we are told:

“I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named ‘Death’, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.” Revelation 6:8

In this verse the LORD reveals the great wars of the very last days in which about one quarter of the world’s population will be killed. For the first time in history, we are living in those days when these verses can literally be fulfilled. The nations today have developed nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction in the battle for power and control over our world. Those wars, that we can legitimately call World War Three, could begin at any time. About one-thirtieth of the world’s population, around 60 million people, were slain in the Second World War. With over eight billion people living in our world today, this next world war- World War Three – which will be fought with weapons of mass destruction, will result in the deaths of around two billion people. 

Since so many people will be dying from the wars, famines and plagues during this time, no one will be able to keep track of the exact number of deaths. Of course, the world’s media, politicians, and most of the religious leaders will never admit that these coming wars will be the fulfillment of this prophecy of the LORD through John, and that JESUS is really returning soon. Instead, they will blame the radical Christians, like Nero did in Rome after he burned half of the city down. It is not the LORD or His people that will be causing these wars, but GOD allows the world to reap what they have sown. The only people who will understand that these wars are fulfilling GOD’S Word are those who believe in the prophecies concerning JESUS’ return. 

These verses also reveal that most of those who perish in these wars will descend into Hades (Luke 16:19-31), the place where the spirits or souls of all the LORD’S enemies who reject Him, are held until the Day of Judgment, after which they will be thrown into the eternal Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). 

Dear friends, the days of mission will be coming to an end very soon; therefore we need to make the most of the time we have left to spread the Gospel of our SAVIOR and LORD. These wars will be accompanied and followed by the great and final persecution of the LORD’S faithful people, which will lead to the concluding events where the universe itself begins to collapse and CHRIST returns (Revelation 6:9-17). It is important for all who love and trust in the LORD to understand these days we are living in and to prepare our hearts, minds and spirits for the last events prior to JESUS’ return. 

  1. Is the Gospel of CHRIST Being Proclaimed in All Nations Today?

Concerning the time of His return, JESUS said to His disciples: 

“And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come?” Matthew 24:14.

It is very evident that until our generation the Gospel had not yet been proclaimed to all nations, and therefore the LORD couldn’t have come before our generation because every word of His must be fulfilled. Is it happening today? Is the message of JESUS and His eternal Kingdom being proclaimed in all nations today? Although only the LORD knows exactly when that will happen, by any measure we are getting very close to the fulfillment of this prophecy. Through the ministry of GOD’S SPIRIT and His faithful servants all over our world today, the message of JESUS is being proclaimed in all the nations that are considered to be nations by the United Nations. Through the ministry of local congregations, internet, TV, radio, Bible distribution, and an uncountable number of other ministries, hundreds of millions of people every day are receiving the message of JESUS in Word and deed. Despite all the Devil’s disinformation schemes that fill our world today, and the opposition and persecution that the evil one inspires against the LORD’S servants, they cannot stop the spreading of the good news of CHRIST and His eternal Kingdom.  Praise the LORD! 

Now when JESUS said those words, He did not mean that everyone in the world will have heard of His life, death, resurrection and coming return before the very last events prior to His return, but only that the message will be proclaimed in all nations. Now the word “nations” can mean a single “people group”, that is people who live together in a particular area and speak a common language. Certainly, there are still some people groups that do not yet have the Bible in their own unique language. This is why many Bible translation ministries are working in all nations to translate the Bible into the language of some of these smaller people groups. However, almost all these smaller people groups live in nations where at least some of them also speak the language of their larger country, where they have the Bible in their common language and some will have been exposed to the message of CHRIST and His salvation and Kingdom. In many of these people groups there are missionaries already working amongst them even though they don’t yet have the Bible in their own language. Praise the LORD for the missionaries that are especially focused on reaching these “unreached people groups”, like the Apostle Paul 2000 years ago, who wrote:

“It has always been my ambition to preach the Gospel where CHRIST was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather as it is written: ‘Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’” Romans 15:20-21, Isaiah 52:15 

As stated earlier, only the LORD Himself will know when this mission of His faithful church has been completed. Until then we are all called to do our part in sharing and ministering the message of JESUS and His eternal Kingdom to those around us and to the ends of the Earth. 

  1. As it was in the Days of Noah so it will be in the Time of His Return

JESUS said: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”  Matthew 24:37-39

In teaching about His return to our world JESUS told us that in those last days before His return that our world would be comparable to the world in Noah’s generation. In Genesis 6 the world during Noah’s time was described as experiencing a population explosion, uncontrolled idolatry, rampant immorality, and preponderance of violence.

“The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain…Now the earth was corrupt in GOD’S sight and was full of violence. GOD saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways (Genesis 6:5-12). 

The LORD doesn’t give us all the vile details of the evil of Noah’s generation, just a quick summary so we can understand how far and deep the world had fallen from the LORD’S will and purposes for human life. Notice that despite the incredible evil in that generation, people were just going about their lives thinking that all of it was normal and that it would just continue the way it was. However, the LORD knew that the situation then had reached the point where the only solution to preserving human life on earth was the global flood. 

There is no question that our world today is a lot like the world of Noah’s time; indeed, in the total amount of sin, we have probably exceeded Noah’s generation. Every day we are bombarded with the explosion of idolatry, lying, immorality, and wars and rampant and extreme violence against children, born and unborn, youth, adults, and the elderly who are sick and feeble. Lamentably, like Noah’s generation, despite all of this evil and its complete fulfillment of the prophecies pointing to CHRIST’S return, most people today, even in many churches, believe that this is all normal and that our world will just continue as it has in the past. They have been deceived by the evolutionary mythology that our world will just continue, as they imagine it has for billions of years. They have no understanding that we are at that point today where, as JESUS said: “If those days were not cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened” Matthew 24:22. The LORD hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8, etc.), and for the sake of the elect who sincerely trust in Him, before our world destroys itself, He will return very soon to gather His people together into His eternal Kingdom and to destroy and condemn all evil. 

  1. The Antichrist Will Come Before JESUS Returns

According to the prophesies what else must still happen before the LORD’S return to our planet? One of the crucial prophecies pointing us to the imminent return of our SAVIOR is the coming of the antichrist or anti-savior, the Beast of Revelation 13. The Beast will come to reign over and steer the world to its own destruction in their rebellion against the LORD.  It is crucial for those who believe in and seek to follow the LORD in these very last days to have some basic understanding of the LORD’S revelation to us concerning this false savior of humanity, who will come and deceive the world into believing that he is the world’s messiah and god. JESUS warned:

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name claiming, ‘I am the Christ’, and will deceive many…So when you see standing in the Holy Place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ (Savior) or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs (saviors) and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See I have told you ahead of time.”  Matthew 24:4-5, 15-16, 23-25

The prophecies that the LORD gave Daniel, regarding the last days just prior to the return of CHRIST, refer to “the abomination that causes desolation” Daniel 9:25-27 & 11:31-36. It is clear in this prophecy in Daniel, which JESUS highlights, that he was telling us of the coming of a great king in the last days, who will oppose the LORD and His people and proclaim himself to be GOD in the temple. 

The HOLY SPIRIT through the Apostle Paul testified to the “man of lawlessness”, another description of the antichrist, who will come before our LORD JESUS returns:

“Concerning the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the Day of the LORD has already come.  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in GOD’S temple, proclaiming himself to be God” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. 

The HOLY SPIRIT through the Apostle John also testifies to the beast who will come in the time just prior to JESUS second coming to our world. 

“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.  He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name…The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him.” Revelation 13:1-4

What will the antichrist be like? 

The antichrist, the devil’s chosen last days servant, is referred to as “the beast” in Revelation 13:1, etc. For the last forty to fifty years the United Nations and many global leaders of the nations have been working and grooming the world for the coming of a new world order under some great false leader who will arise to save the world. In Canada, both our former prime minister Justin Trudeau and our present prime minister Mark Carney, in conjunction with the United Nations, the WEF (World Economic Forum), the Davos gathering of the rich, famous, and powerful, and many other nations and organizations, are great promoters of this new global order. Prime Minister Carney mentioned the importance of this new world order in the agreement he just made with China a couple of months ago. The world and its leaders are waiting and preparing the way for the coming of this beastly antichrist that they will call the world’s savior.

 I believe that it is most likely that the antichrist will make his presence known towards the end of these coming world wars, because immediately after these wars in Revelation 6:9-11, we are told of the great persecution of the very last days, which we know will take place under the schemes and commands of the antichrist. I suspect after the wars he and his global government and the nations of the world will blame “the fanatical followers” of the LORD for causing the wars and will begin the great purge of the faithful from the world (Psalm 2). 

One of the major characteristics of the reign of the antichrist will be the global persecution of the LORD’S people, which is why he is called “the beast” who will come to destroy those who trust in JESUS. Just prior to the coming of this beastly antichrist we are told: 

“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey GOD’S commandments and hold to the testimony of JESUS.” Revelation 12:17. 

In describing the reign of this beast the emphasis is on his deceptions and worship by all nations and his global persecution of the faithful saints. 

“The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority of forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme GOD, and to slander His name and His dwelling place and those who live in Heaven.  He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.  All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.  He who has an ear, let him hear.  If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go.  If anyone is to be killed with the sword with the sword he will be killed.  This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13:5-10

How will this spiritual beast identify the true followers of the LORD our GOD in order to carry out his worldwide persecution? 

We know from Revelation 13:11-18 that in partnership with the final ultimate false prophet, that this beastly ruler will set up a global economic system where everyone will receive a mark or code – a number code — on their head or hand. It will be the law under this new global system for everyone to worship him and to be registered as a citizen of this new world order. The code will identify people as citizens of the antichrist’s kingdom and will enable them to buy and sell the goods of the world. 

Now it is clear to everyone who is following the developments in our world today, that those who are preparing the way for the coming antichrist beast and his kingdom have almost completed their work on creating a new digital global banking system which they are already introducing in many parts of our world.  Today we use a lot of credit cards which allow us to electronically connect into universal computerized systems to buy and sell anything we want anywhere in the world. Many people are now dumping cash and mostly using digital currencies in their lives and businesses. However, we also know how easy it is to have our cards lost or stolen, or for scammers to use them fraudulently. I believe that in the last year or so we had to replace the major credit card we use twice because of scammers. In the new universal digitized system people will not have to carry credit cards which are easily lost, stolen or scammed. In place of the cards there will be very complex and secure computerized codes that will be placed on a tiny chip or mark easily inserted into our head or hands. In the past it would have been impossible to have established this kind of global economic system. Today, however, everything is ready for the literal fulfillment of this prophecy concerning the reign of the beast over our world. 

Those who refuse to take the mark or code and worship this beast will be imprisoned or killed.  All those who sincerely believe in JESUS and the prophesies of His Word will refuse to take this mark or code. 

Don’t be deceived by the political or even spiritual leaders, or by peer pressure from family or others into believing in and joining in the worship of the antichrist beast and his new global order. It is written: 

“A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink the wine of GOD’S fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke or their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.”  Revelation 14:11

We aren’t at that time yet, but it may come very quickly, so we need to prepare our heart and mind now, so we will be able to stand firm in our trust in JESUS at that time.  As JESUS taught His disciples and teaches us, we need to count the cost of believing in Him, believing in His first and second coming. 

Now I realize that there are many brothers and sisters in the LORD, who believe that this period of global persecution of believers under the authority of the antichrist will happen after the rapture of the Gentile believers out of the world. They believe and teach that the rapture of the Gentile believers will occur a few years before JESUS returns. I believe, however, that our LORD Himself taught His disciples that the great persecution of His followers will happen before the rapture, which takes place when JESUS sends His angels with a loud trumpet call to gather His faithful ones from the earth (Matthew 24:30-31; Mark 13:26-27, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Those who believe that they will be raptured out of this evil and darkened world before this time of great tribulation comes may not be spiritually prepared for these days of persecution which are coming quickly under the new global world order. For all who are living during the days when the prophecy of the great wars in Revelation 6:7-8 are taking place, it should be clear to them that the rapture hasn’t taken place yet, and the days of the final persecution of believers is upon us.

Dear brothers and sisters in the LORD, we all need to prepare our minds and hearts for these coming days so that we will stand firm in our faith in CHRIST and His Word and promises in these approaching times. The LORD is soon returning to gather His people together into His eternal Kingdom and put an end to all persecution, but as we wait for Him to come, He calls us to endure patiently through the times of persecution coming upon believers in all nations. He will cut the days short, so we won’t have long to wait.  The LORD knows when the rapture will take place, so whether our lives on this planet end before the rapture or after, we can rest in the knowledge of His grace and salvation. He is soon bringing in His Kingdom for all who love and trust in Him. 

Who will the Antichrist Beast Be?

Contrary to some misinformed speculations by some theological teachers and preachers, the antichrist beast will not be some AI computer system or a global oppressive governmental system, but a man with an eternal soul who will proclaim himself to be humanity’s king and god. No doubt, he will effectively use all the tools and systems at his disposal, including AI systems that are being developed and that will give him the information he needs to control all people and to persecute those who will be faithful to the LORD.

So how can we know for sure that the antichrist will be a man? That is what JESUS and His HOLY SPIRIT through the prophets and apostles clearly taught. In JESUS’ reference to Daniel’s prophecy concerning the “abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15) He was referring to a king who exalts himself to be equal with God (Daniel 7:9-27; 9:26-27; 11:31-37). As mentioned earlier, the HOLY SPIRIT through the Apostle Paul also testified to this same beast or antichrist, twice referring to him as “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Correspondingly CHRIST revealed through the Apostle John that the number of the antichrist is “man’s number, his number is 666” Revelation 13:18. The LORD also testified that the antichrist, the last ultimate false prophet, and the devil will be “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur… where they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” Revelation 19:20; 20:10. It is living spirits or souls that are thrown into the Lake of Fire, not computerized AI systems, which are not alive and do not have a body with a soul or spirit that can suffer.  

The Powerful Deception

Many people speculate about who the final antichrist will be. We do not know the name of the individual who will become the antichrist yet, since the LORD doesn’t reveal that in His Word to us. However, since the antichrist is going to claim to be the Messiah for the Jews to fulfill the Jewish prophecies, he will claim to be Jewish, a descendant of King David and of Abraham. We also know that he will proclaim himself as humanity’s god and savior in the Jewish Temple. However, since the antichrist will be a deceiver, like Satan his spiritual father, he could be claiming to be Jewish to deceive the Jews, who having rejected CHRIST are still waiting for their Messiah. It is also probable that He will claim to be the Muslim Mahdi, and the proposed savior of every religion and philosophy. Tragically he will also deceive nominal Christians who are not sincerely trusting in JESUS and do not believe the prophecies concerning His return to our world.  

JESUS and His apostles tell us that the deception of those last days will be powerful enough so that anyone who doesn’t continue to believe and trust in the LORD and His Word could be deceived into believing and following the antichrist.

“At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the CHRIST!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See I have told you ahead of time.” Matthew 24:23-24 

“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, GOD sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but delighted in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 

Dear friends in Christ, the only protection that any of us has against the great deceptions of these last days is to know the LORD and His teachings and prophesies regarding the character and work of the antichrist. The Beast will claim to be the savior of the world, but anyone who really knows JESUS and His Word will not be deceived. 

  1. The End of Mission and Raptured into His Glorious Presence

Dear brothers and sisters of our LORD JESUS, my prayer is that each of us will remain faithful to the LORD in these coming days, and that we will all make the most of the time and opportunities the LORD gives us to reach out and minister His grace, truth and eternal salvation to those we meet and have contact with. The days of the mission of His glorious Kingdom will soon come to an end.  In whatever time we have left may the HOLY SPIRIT fill us and enable us to help a few others to come to know the LORD JESUS and His amazing grace and salvation. 

I know that the events of the last days seem oppressive and frightening to many. Indeed, without the knowledge of our LORD and His gracious salvation through His death, resurrection and the coming of His eternal Kingdom, it would all be crushing to our spirits and our hopes and dreams in terms of life in this world. This is especially true for young parents with families. It is crucial for each of us to look beyond these last days events to the coming of the LORD, the rapture of His people and the new eternal life in the new Heaven and Earth He is creating and will give to us. It is also essential that we help our children and grandchildren during these days to know that even though the evil in our world seems so overpowering we don’t need to fear but can praise Him.  We know that all these evil events are testifying that our LORD JESUS is coming back very soon to take all who sincerely trust in Him out of this darkness and into the glorious light of His eternal Kingdom. 

Dear friends our “Redeemer lives and in the end He will stand upon the Earth. After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my  flesh I will see GOD. I myself will see Him, with my own eyes, I, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!”  Job 19:25-27

Amen, come LORD JESUS!