"Don’t let anyone mislead you,
because many will come in my
name, claiming to be the Messiah.
They will lead many astray. And
wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic.
Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t
follow immediately. Nations and kingdoms will
proclaim war against each other, and there will
be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and
famines. But all this will be only the beginning
of the horrors to come. But when these things
begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed
over to the courts and beaten in the synagogues.
You will be accused before governors and kings
of being my followers. This will be your
opportunity to tell them about me. And the Good
News must first be preached to every nation.
But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t
worry about what to say in your defense. Just
say what God tells you to. Then it is not you
who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 13:5-11
What are the signs of the end times? There
have been people in every generation since
Christ’s resurrection claiming to know
exactly when Jesus would return. No one
has been right yet, however, because
Christ will return on God’s timetable, not
ours. Jesus predicted that before his
return, many believers would be misled
by false teachers claiming to have
revelations from God.
According to Scripture, another
clear sign of Christ’s return will be his
unmistakable appearance in the clouds,
which will be seen by all people. In other
words, you do not have to wonder whether
a certain person is the Messiah or
whether these are the “end times.” When
Jesus returns, you will know beyond a
doubt, because it will be evident to all
true believers. Beware of groups who
claim special knowledge of Christ’s
return because no one knows when that
time will be. Be cautious about saying,
”This is it!” but be bold in your total
commitment to have your heart and life
ready for Christ’s return.
