Are we living in the Last Days, according to the Holy Bible? Is the world coming to an end? Is Jesus Christ coming back a second time? The answers to these questions can only be found within the inspired Word of God. The Holy Bible is the only book that describes the end from the beginning. Biblical prophecy is the future written in the past so that we could understand the present times that we are living in. Eschatology (meaning the study and revelation of the last days) is only revealed in the Holy Bible. According to the Bible, we are actually living in the Last Days, and this is due to several fulfilled end-time prophecies. While there are prophecies in the Bible that accurately describe the time before, during, and after the Rapture, we will firstly look at the following passages of Scripture that prophetically describe events ‘before’ the Rapture:

·      Daniel’s prophecy –

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4).

God gave Daniel a look into the future, he saw down through the corridors of time into this 21st. century. Daniel saw a time in which great knowledge would give birth to amazing inventions which would change the world as he knew it. The prophet saw the age in which we live. His prophecy describes a population explosion, and a means of transportation that never existed, even since the beginning of the world. He was told by the angel Gabriel that a time would come when there would be an explosion of knowledge. Today, knowledge has increased exponentially, and is wisely used to created air, land, and sea transportation vehicles. We now have space shuttles that travel to the moon and back! We live in a technological age where instant communication is at one’s fingertip. Daniel categorically states that the era fulfilling this prophecy would indicate the time of the end. We are now literally living in the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophetic vision.

·        Daniel’s 69th Week –

God also gave the prophet Daniel a vision of ‘seventy weeks’, to reveal what was determined for the house of Israel in the Last Days. Daniel 9:21-27 says –

“Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Daniel was told that there would be 69 weeks from the going forth of the edict to restore and rebuild the street and wall of Jerusalem, unto the proclamation of their Messiah the Prince. These weeks refer to ‘prophetic weeks,’ in which each week represents ‘seven years.’ These prophetic weeks were literally fulfilled, for it was exactly 483 years or 173,880 days from the going forth of that decree commanded by king Artaxerxes (See Nehemiah 2:1-8), until Jesus rode triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem and was hailed as the Messiah. The first 7 weeks in Daniels’ prophecy (each week representing 7 years – 7 x 7 = 49 years x 360 days = 17,640 days) was taken to rebuild Jerusalem. This was followed by the next 62 weeks – 62 x 7 = 434 years x 360 days = 156,240 days which was fulfilled in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Prophet Zechariah prophesied the Messiah, King Jesus, riding into Jerusalem on a colt the foal of an ass. This was the fulfillment of Daniel’s 69th week. The prophecy states – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9). Apostle Mark records the fulfillment of both Daniel and Zechariah’s prophecies:

 “And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest” (Mark 11:7-10).

The end of the predicted 69th week had come. Five days after, Jesus the Lamb of God went to the Cross to be “cut off.” Since the Messiah was “cut off” (Daniel 9:26), it was the completion of the sixty-nine weeks. This prophecy was actually completed on Calvary’s cross where Jesus said, “It is finished!” and He gave up the ghost (John 19:30). His purpose for dying was to destroy the works of the devil, and to ultimately save lost souls after His resurrection from the dead. After He ascended back to Heaven and sat at the right hand of God the Father, He sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came from heaven to give birth to the New Testament Church, and to empower it. Since then, we are living in the Dispensation of God’s Grace with the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

After the fulfillment of the 69 weeks, God’s time stopped for Israel, and God’s time started for the Church. God’s 70th week prophecy for Israel as a nation would halt until the fullness of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Between the 69th and 70th week, there is a ‘gap.’ JESUS stands in the gap. This glorious ‘gap’ period is God’s grace period. Daniel’s 70th week is still on hold for almost two thousand years, and will continue until the Church, the bride of Christ, is removed from this world via the Rapture. It is only after Jesus comes for His Church (Born-again Jews and Gentiles), that the final week representing 7 Years of great tribulation will begin for the whole State of Israel, and also for a world that is left behind. Truly, we are living in the Last Days before the Rapture, and the Great Tribulation is yet to follow thereafter.

PROPHECY OF ISRAEL BECOMING A NATION

·      Ezekiel’s prophecy –

“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:12-14).

·      Isaiah’s prophecy –

“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).

·      Jeremiah’s prophecy –

“I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before” (Jeremiah 33:7).

·      Amos’ prophecy –

“And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God” (Amos 9:15).

An amazing prophetic miracle took place May 14, 1948. On that historic day the aforementioned prophecies of a national resurrection for Israel were fulfilled. Israel was officially declared an independent state by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. This remarkable miracle was fulfillment of Bible prophecy to bring Israel together as a whole nation for the final 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy. Although these prophecies can also apply to Israel’s settlement and security during the Millennial reign of Christ after the Great Tribulation, it also applies to the whole house of Israel regathering prior to the time of the Great Tribulation. For if there was no national resurrection and recognition of the whole house of Israel, then there would be no Israel existing as a nation to go through the future 7 years of Great Tribulation.

END TIME SIGNS

·       Jesus’ prophecy –

“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And 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. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.Behold, I have told you before. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24: 5-7, 11-12, 14, 23-25, 36-42).

Those prophetic words of our Lord Jesus Christ were recorded by Apostle Matthew. However, it is important to understand that although our Lord was at that time (almost 2,000 years ago), addressing primarily a Jewish audience, His predictions undoubtedly and clearly describe the time we are now living in, the time before the Great Tribulation, the time nearing the Rapture. Truly, it is noteworthy that Jesus indicated a mystery event that would separate people – “One shall be taken, and the other left.” This was the first clue of what we now know as the Rapture. However, our Lord gave the full revelation and authority to Apostle Paul to teach about the Rapture.

·      Paul’s prophecy –

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Paul’s prophecy of the Last Days describing the time before the Rapture is quite obvious and prevalent today. This too will be the condition of the world without the presence of the Church after the Rapture during the Great Tribulation. However, in this chapter we only presented Scriptural evidence to substantiate the fact that we are literally living in the Last Days before the Rapture.