I’ve been working on a Bible prophecy book (more on that coming soon) to help everyday Christians like me understand Bible prophecy and in my research I was surprised to find so many trusted Christian teachers saying essentially the same thing…that we have more reason than any other time in history to believe Christ’s return could happen in our day. A careful study of the signs that Jesus and others in scripture point us to make me believe we are nearing these events.
Do I feel crazy for saying that? A little, yes. I’m a pretty reserved person who does not like to draw attention, but in the past few years I have become convinced that understanding and teaching Bible prophecy is part of my calling. When I look with natural eyes I want to shrug it all off, but when I prayerfully study scripture taking God at his word I look at the world have to conclude that the conditions of our day perfectly parallel the Biblical narrative for the end times.
There are several specific signs Jesus gave during the Olivet Discourse, especially in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. A careful study of these gave me the solid conviction that we are in this time frame. With this conviction, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being sensationalistic. I wanted to know what the pros thought so I intentionally researched to see if I could find clear quotes and specific stances from long trusted and non-sensationalistic prophecy experts.
What I found was astounding. Every trusted source I checked implied or boldly proclaimed that we are currently in the season of the Lord’s return. Several adamantly believe that we are the generation that will experience the rapture.
I know, I know…people have been saying that for years. I get it, and I understand the reservation. My point is, these aren’t quotes from obscure lone wolf personalities who had some special revelation or strange esoteric method for foolishly setting a date for the rapture or the end of the world. These are solid, highly respected, non-sensationalistic, credentialed experts who have been studying scripture and world events for decades and have a clear sense that the end-time events are likely closer to us than most people think.
WHAT THE PROS ARE SAYING
These are listed in no particular order. Also, this is a partial list. Since I originally compiled this list I have come across several more solid Biblical scholars who feel we are in the season of the Lord’s return including: Terry James, Pastor Tom Hughes, Pastor Greg Laurie, Hal Lindsey, etc.
DR. DAVID JEREMIAH, Author, Senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, in El Cajon, California. “Those with the discernment to read the signs of the times today (Matthew 16:2-3) recognize that the similarities between Daniel’s Babylon and today’s Western culture are signs that Daniel’s dark prophetic visions loom close on the horizon.” Dr. David Jeremiah, Agents of Babylon, (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2015), p. 10.
BILLY GRAHAM, Famous Evangelist, Minister, Author. “What a time to take the news of the day in one hand and the Bible in the other and watch the unfolding of the great drama of the ages come together. This is an exciting and thrilling time to be alive…It is not just Christians that sense something is about to happen. The world knows that things cannot go on as they are. History has reached an impasse. This world is on a collision course. Something is about to give. With increasing frequency, commentators from secular media speak of Armageddon.” Billy Graham, The Reason for My Hope
DR. JOHN F. WALVOORD, Theologian/Pastor, President of Dallas Theological Seminary from 1952 to 1986 (Died in 2002). “Just as history was prepared for Christ’s first coming, in a similar way history is preparing for the events leading up to His Second Coming… If this is the case, it leads to the inevitable conclusion that the Rapture may be excitingly near.” Armageddon, Oil, and the Middle East Crisis, rev. Ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), p. 217. J.
DWIGHT PENTECOST, Theologian, Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary (Died in 2014). “Will you imagine please, a platform that is shut off by a curtain thats drawn? There’s a lot of activity going on behind that drawn curtain. If there’s a little crack between the bottom of the curtain and the floor, you can see feet rushing around, you can hear furniture being moved, you can hear things going on. You can’t see, but you know that the stage manager is in control and is directing to make sure that every person and every prop essential to that drama is in place. I think that’s the day in which we’re living.” The Road To Armageddon, Charles R. Swindoll, John F. Walvoord, J. Dwight Pentecost, 1999, Thomas Nelson, Pg. 100.
DR. TIM LaHAYE, Pastor, Speaker, Author (Best known for the “Left Behind” Series, Died 2016). “…we have more reason than any generation before us to believe He will come in our generation. ” Are We Living In the End Times? By Tim LeHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, 1999, Tyndale House, Pg. 6
THOMAS ICE, Executive Director of the Pre-Trib Research Center on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. “We believe that God is now setting the stage for the next era of history, which is known as the Tribulation. There are signs around us that give evidence of this.” Charting the End Times, (Eugene, Oregon; Harvest House Publishers, 2001), p. 118
RON RHODES, Author, Speaker. “Do I believe we are living in the season of the Lord’s return, and if so, why? Yes. I say this because of what I call the “convergence factor.” Not only has Israel come together as a nation again, as prophesied (Ezekiel 26-27), but a number of ancient prophecies of the end times seem to be converging in our day.” (Living on Borrowed Time by Dr. David Reagan {with Ron Rhodes}, Lamb & Lion Ministries, 2013, Pg. 76.)
JAN MARKEL, Radio Host, Conference Leader, Founder of Olive Tree Ministries. “I think the church is headed into the homestretch of her history and I base that not on emotions or wishful thinking. I base that on what I see happening daily. Just a few examples here that tell me we’re in an actual countdown.” Radio Show: comfort one another with these words episode 8-23-16
JEFF KINLEY, Author, Speaker. “The events outlined in Scripture concerning the last days are no longer relegated to futuristic fantasies or the religious rants of wannabe prophets scurrying about the periphery of mainstream Christianity. The prototypical street-corner doomsday prophet wearing a “THE END IS NEAR” sandwich sign may still seem a bit oddball, but his message isn’t quite as absurd as it once seemed. Not since the early church first received the New Testament letters has there been such a spirit of expectancy among students of the Bible and prophecy. “ As It Was In The Days of Noah, Jeff Kinley, 2014 Harvest House Publishers, Pg. 138
AMIR TSARFATI, Bible and Prophecy Teacher from Israel, Founder “Behold Israel”. “These are the last days. We’ve come to the finish line. The rapture of the church can be any minute.”
DR. CHUCK MISSLER, Author, Speaker, Founder of Koinonia Institute. “…It appears that we are presently being plunged into a period of time that the Bible says more about than any other period of history–including the events of the New Testament.” Prophecy 20/20, Dr. Chuck Missler, 2006, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Pg. 2
ROBERT JEFFRESS, Pastor/Author. “After writing this book, I am more convinced than ever that we are living in the period of time the Bible calls ‘the last days.’ If that is true, then we may be the generation that sees the Second Coming of Christ.” (Countdown to the Apocalypse, Robert Jeffress, 2015, Faithwords, Pg. 10
ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ, Author, Speaker, Daughter of Billy Graham. “If I live out my natural lifetime, I believe I will live to see the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. I don’t say that based on my feelings. I base that on the signs the Lord gives and what I see going on in the world”
DR. DAVID REAGAN, Founder of Lamb & Lion Ministries. “The signs of the times are shouting that we are standing on the threshold of the Tribulation…The time remaining is short. The time for action is now.” The Man of Lawlessness, Dr. David Reagan, 2012, Lamb & Lion Ministries, Pg. 26
DR. MARK HITCHCOCK, Pastor, Author, Speaker. “When I look at the world today, I see events unfolding exactly as we ought to expect them to be unfolding if the Bible is true. And that gives me great confidence that although I don’t understand everything all the time that there’s someone at the wheel. That God is in control. That’s the great message of Bible prophecy and that’s the great message of hope that we have.”
BILL KOENIG, Whitehouse Correspondent, Author, Speaker. “Everything that is Biblically significant…12 or so items..that we can watch to understand where we are Biblically and prophetically are in active play right now.”
