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2 - Revelation’s Greatest End-time Signs

Revelation of Hope North American English 1

Revelation of Hope

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Tonight’s topic is Revelation’s Greatest End-time Signs

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When you look around the world tonight we see many people are perplexed.

They wonder what’s going to happen next; what’s on the horizon.

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They are concerned about the future of their own lives and they are concerned about the future of the world.

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This concern is global. People of a variety of backgrounds and cultures are anxious.

They are worried as they look toward the future. They wonder what is coming next.

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The book of Revelation clearly reveals God’s plan for the future.

Some people look at the book of Revelation and believe it is a closed book.

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They believe it is a book of mystic symbols, of weird monstrous beasts, of unexplainable images. As they think about Revelation, they tend to avoid it.

Revelation is the last book of the Bible given by Jesus Himself. In fact the Bible says:

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Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.

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And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John . . .”

So this book is the Revelation of whom? Jesus.

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It is the Revelation of Jesus, not a book written by some human prognosticator regarding the future.

It is not a book written by some mystic or psychic seer or astrologer.

It’s the Revelation of Jesus. And where did Jesus get it from? God gave it to Him. The Book of Revelation is a message conceived in the mind of a loving God for His people living in earth’s last hours.

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God gave this message to Jesus. Jesus sent it urgently by an angel to John – the last of the living apostles on the isle of Patmos.

And John wrote it down. You and I can read this special end time message in the Bible’s last Book, Revelation. The book of Revelation is not a sealed book – it is an open book. It’s a book about Jesus. And the theme of the book of Revelation – about this Christ - is found in —

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Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.

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And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” The theme of the book of Revelation beats with an urgency about the return of our Lord.

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Revelation leads us to lift our eyes from the earth below to heaven above. It leads us to lift our eyes from the problems, trauma, and disappointments of life to the God who will send His Son to solve this world’s problems.

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Revelation 1:7 states it clearly: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him.”

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The first chapter of the book of Revelation talks about the second coming of Christ.

The last chapter of the book of Revelation talks about the second coming of Jesus Christ.

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Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

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And Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

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And verse 20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” In Revelation 22 it says three times, “I am coming quickly.”

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The Father says, “I am coming quickly.” The Son says “I am coming quickly.” The Holy Spirit says “I am coming quickly.”

The entire book of Revelation ends with John’s earnest prayer, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” The book of Revelation beats with expectancy, it beats with vibrancy. But wait a minute. There is a question.

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How quickly is quickly? How soon is soon? and How near is near? That quickly business…haven’t Christians down through the ages believed Jesus was coming quickly? Haven’t Christians down through the ages believed His coming was near? Haven’t they believed His coming was soon?

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One evening the famous radio evangelist Pastor H.M.S. Richards of The Voice of Prophecy was speaking to a large audience about the signs of Jesus coming. A man in the audience stood up and challenged Pastor Richards’ statements that Jesus was coming soon. He said, “Christ may not come for 100 years, 200 years. No one can possibly have any idea when Jesus will come.” The guy was about 70-75 years old. Pastor Richards said, “Sir. Judging by your age, it won’t be 100 years for you.” And in a sense Christ’s coming is just a heart beat away because in reality if your heart stops beating the next thing we see is Jesus.

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Is there any evidence throughout the Bible that the coming of Jesus is near? that you and I might see the coming of Jesus personally? What signs might there be?

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Jesus preached a sermon on the signs of His return which is recorded in Matthew, Chapter 24.

The signs you read in Matthew are similar to the signs you read in the book of Revelation.

You can compare Matthew and Revelation and they all point forward to one common event – the soon return of our Lord.

The disciples of Jesus wondered what signs pointed to His coming. They came to Jesus and asked,

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Matthew 24:3 “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

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“Lord, is there any evidence in our day that you are coming soon? Is there any evidence that your return might be in our life time? Should our hearts beat with an eager anticipation of your return, Lord?”

We are interested in that same question this evening. We want to ask Jesus – what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?

We too, with those disciples, ask THAT question, “Lord, is the day of your return near?”

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In Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus outlines more than 20 signs of His return.

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He said to His disciples, as He looked over Jerusalem,

One day Roman soldiers will come and destroy the city. He told them that not one stone would be left upon another. Indeed that prophecy was fulfilled.

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In AD 70 the Roman General Titus devastated the city of Jerusalem exactly as Jesus predicted.

Roman armies burned the city not leaving one stone upon another. Jerusalem was leveled to the ground.

The disciples misunderstood Jesus’ words. They thought an event as catastrophic as the destruction of Jerusalem must be the end of the world. The disciples believed Jesus was speaking of the end.

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In a masterful presentation Jesus blended both events. He gave signs of His return.

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Signs in the World of Religion;

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The World of Politics;

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The World of Nature;

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The World of Society.

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He talked to His disciples about events that would lead up to the destruction of Jerusalem when Titus and the Roman armies would invade the city and destroy it.

Those were miniature signs which would take place on a grander cosmic scale just before His return.

The disciples asked the question, “What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the world?”

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The first of these signs is in the World of Religion.

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Jesus said before the end there would be false christs and false prophets.

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Matthew 24:24

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders.” Before the coming of Christ we should expect an explosion of interest in false religions.

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We should expect an explosion of interest in the occult world - in psychic phenomena.

That is happening today just as Jesus predicted 2000 years ago.

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In the United States during the last decade the number of people who identify themselves as belonging to the New Age movement increased 247% percent.

According to the American Religious Identity Survey (ARIS), 40

The modern occult wiccan, pagan, and druid religion is now listed among the ten largest organized religions in the country. Teens especially are attracted to these occult movements and outnumber older converts by 3 to 1.

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We should expect an explosion of interest in religious leaders who are leading people from the word of God and leading them astray by false signs and miracles.

You see, Jesus predicts that just before the end false religious teachers would arise.

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Counterfeits are not always easy to recognize. Some of these false teachers who teach contrary to the Bible would work unusual signs and false miracles. Merely because a miracle has been worked does not mean that the one who claims to have worked the miracle is from God.

There can be another source behind the miracle.

The Bible teaches that evil spirits can perform miracles:

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Revelation 16:14 “For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world,

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to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

So one of the things we should anticipate before the coming of Jesus is a rise of interest in false teachers – an explosion

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in the number and popularity of false religious leaders that lead people from the Bible.

Occasionally these false religious leaders will have miraculous signs accompanying what they do.

They point to these signs as evidence that what they are saying is true. But these signs will be demon inspired to deceive men and women.

No false prophet is going to pass out business cards saying, I’m a false prophet! They won’t have signs hanging around their necks.

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How many of you have ever seen a counterfeit thirteen dollar bill [use local currency]? No!

No counterfeiter in the world is going to counterfeit a thirteen dollar bill. Why? Because [in US currency] there is no genuine.

Counterfeiters produce fake $5, $10, and $20 bills. The closer they get to the original the more credible the counterfeit appears.

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Beware if any religious teacher leads you from the Bible. Beware! If anyone comes to you even if they claim miraculous signs and they can heal the sick.

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That’s why every night we invite you to write down each text and look it up in your own Bible. That’s precisely why we put each Bible text on the screen so you can see it with your own eyes.

We want you to see for yourself what we are sharing directly from the Word of God.

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I will tell you this tonight, anything that I say that is not in harmony with the Bible – reject it – because truth only comes from God’s word.

But, I will make a covenant with you tonight, I will not say anything from this platform that we cannot support, directly from God’s word. Is that fair enough?

Books on the occult are selling in multi-millions.

The number of books, magazines, movies, TV programs and Internet sites on the occult is exploding today.

People are turning to psychic seers. They’re turning to occult artists.

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A recent book titled “Angels of Deceit” outlines the many religious deceptions that people are falling for today. These counterfeits are leading men and women from God’s word. Let me give you a few notable examples.

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In March of 1997, 39 members of Heaven’s Gate Cult committed mass suicide with their leader Marshall Applewhite. Why would they do such a thing?

They believed following the Hale-Bop comet was a flying saucer which would miraculously take them to the next level. In order to hook up with it they must die.

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The leader of the Heaven’s Gate Cult told his followers, “planet earth is about to be recycled. Your only chance to survive is to leave with us.”

Their leader deceived with counterfeit teachings about end-time events. His word substituted for the Word of God. But do you know what the tragedy was?

When the police discovered 39 cult members dead they put out public announcements on television and radio saying,

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“If you don’t know where your child is and you think your child has joined a cult – call us.”

Their phone lines were flooded and in the first few moments they received over 1500 calls from concerned parents, thinking their children might be involved in a cult.

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In the 1970’s Jim Jones captured the world’s attention. He led 913 members of The People’s Temple into a deception.

But, do you know the interesting thing – before that he had been given awards by government figures in San Francisco. Walter Mondale, the Vice President of the United States at that time, visited Jones’ ministry and celebrated what a great civic leader he was.

Video footage of his church services shows people wheeled down to the altar in wheel chairs jumping out claiming they were healed. People with cancer claimed their tumors were gone.

But they followed a cult leader to the jungles of Guyana and poisoned themselves by drinking Kool-aid laced with cyanide and committed mass suicide. You see, it’s one thing to say you have the truth. It’s another thing to lead people to understand the Bible.

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David Koresh had some strange teachings on the book of Revelation. The cult leader believed he could take spiritual wives as partners from members of his cult.

Many people who followed him were sincere, but they were sincerely deceived and they followed him to their death.

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Many of us remember the horror of the FBI agent’s words over national television when he shouted, “Oh, My God, They’re Killing Themselves.”

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According to the website www.cultclinic.org, an estimated 5 to 7 million Americans have been involved in cults, or cult-like groups.

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The total number of these groups ranges from 3,000 to 5,000. There are approximately 180,000 new cult recruits every year. The facts confirm that what Jesus said is true. He said, “Beware of false christs and false prophets.” This is a sign of the times.

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There are many false religious revivals leading people away from God’s word. Indeed, these prophecies are being fulfilled.

Jesus warns us in both the book Matthew and in Revelation that false religious teachers would arise.

But the most urgent warning is about the rise of the most dangerous of all false christs, the anti-christ power.

The end-time anti-christ impersonates Christ just like all these other false christs. Only this one is so incredibly deceptive that almost the whole world is deceived.

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Revelation 13:13-14 “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

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And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast.”

The signs Jesus gave in the realm of religion are being fulfilled before our eyes.

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The Savior then moves to the area of politics.

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He discusses international conflict—War Jesus predicts the very events we see occurring around us today.

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His word predicts not simply that there would be a war, but war would become a way of life for millions just before His return.

The scripture talks about wars and rumors of wars or international conflict.

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Matthew 24:6 says,

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.”

Haven’t we always had wars down through history? If we’ve had conflict throughout the centuries what sense does it make to say war is a sign of the end of the world?

Let’s notice carefully what Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.” “Wars” is in the plural.

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Jesus predicted just before the end there would be international conflicts on a global scale.

In other words there would be world wars. In fact Jesus did not say there would be a single war. He said:

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Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

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What Jesus predicted was not a single war but a world engulfed in war. May I remind you that in the 20th century we have experienced World War I and World War II.

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Having launched into the 21st century we look back on the 20th century as the bloodiest of all. One sociologist estimated in the 20th century there were 180 million deaths from war alone.

Jesus did not say there would be a war, but just before His return there would be an eruption of international conflicts around the world.

I ask you tonight, have we seen in the 20th century those international conflicts in World War I and World War II?

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What about the Viet Nam War? What about the Korean War? What about the Indo-China conflict? What about the Iran-Iraq War? Wars wage in the Middle East. And Tribal conflicts in Africa regularly result in the death of millions. The 20th and 21st centuries have been engulfed in the flames of war.

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And today there is a new kind of war – the war on terror. The terrorists have taken the battle to our streets. From Bali to Spain to London to New York City, the terrorists have struck and there seems to be no end in sight. We think of the attempts for peace and applaud every

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political leader who longs for peace but we must recognize that we will never have peace until Christ the Prince of Peace comes. The opposite side of the war coin is the emphasis of world leaders on peace.

World peace is very fragile. The Bible predicts that all human attempts to achieve world peace will fail. The apostle Paul describes it this way:

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1 Thessalonians 5:3 “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them . . . and they shall not escape.” Let me give you some examples.

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How many times have you heard of peace treaties being signed in the Middle East between the Israelis and the Arabs. How many times have you heard of another peace treaty being aborted.

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A terrorist has blown up another car or bus.

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The Bible says, “When they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them.” We are seeing these prophecies being fulfilled today.

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For all of its best efforts the United Nations has failed to achieve world peace. The Bible is so accurate. It speaks of our day. The Bible says Jesus would come at a time when the human race has the—

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Potential for world destruction. Never before in history has the human race had the ability or the capacity to destroy itself.

Revelation describes it this way: 79

Revelation 11:18 “The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,

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and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

So when Jesus comes to give out His reward He comes at a time when the human race has the capacity to destroy the earth. Did the human race have the ability to destroy the earth 100 years ago? Certainly not. Today we have nuclear weaponry enough to destroy the earth multiple times over.

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Think of the nations that have developed nuclear weaponry in recent years.

India, Pakistan, and now North Korea and Iran threaten to develop nuclear power.

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Are we defusing the nuclear threat? Is the world safer today than 25 years ago?

Time magazine ran an article that reveals the nuclear threat is not being defused as quickly as we think. Take Russia for example.

After the fall of the former Soviet Union, the Soviet economy suffered a severe downturn.

At a time when Soviet Scientists and key military personnel were facing pay cuts, the temptation to sell nuclear material and plans is high.

Pakistan’s eminent nuclear scientist Dr. Khan peddled key nuclear secrets to a number of countries for personal financial gain.

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The television program called “60 Minutes” broadcast an incredible report on Russia’s Secret Nuclear Cities

There are 10 secret cities in Russia. They are closed off to the public.

During the Soviet era they produced plutonium, the key element in developing a nuclear bomb.

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Enough plutonium for one nuclear bomb is currently produced every 3 days in one of these secret cities in Russia in Siberia. Every three days!

In fact this has become such a concern that former US energy commission leader, William Richardson of the United States government expressed grave concern that terrorist and other rogue states— have their eyes on Russian plutonium.

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The eyes of the world are on North Korea and Iran, fearful that they too are trying to develop weapons of mass destruction.

A number of years ago an American newspaper columnist named Walter Lippman made this statement

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Walter Lippmann “. . . poised on the brink of the most calamitous conflict that can be imagined. Indeed, it cannot even be imagined.”

That’s why the Bible says Christ will come at a time when the human race has the ability to destroy the earth. This world is not going to be destroyed in some nuclear holocaust.

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I think I hear the footsteps of the coming of Jesus. I think I hear the drum beat of the coming of our Lord. Time is not some cyclical event with no terminal point. There is an end point. All of history is moving to a grand climax. The signs of the times indeed are being fulfilled. William Ripley of “Believe It or Not” fame expressed his grave fears about the power of the atomic bomb as far back as 1945. Standing at the sight of the first atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima, Japan, he said:

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“I am standing on the place where the end of the world began.” There have never been weapons made that have not been used. Jesus said He would step across the threshold of eternity into time. He will come to deliver us. There is hope and help on the way.

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We can look forward to the coming of Jesus. We can look forward to a joyous tomorrow while millions are gripped with fear.

Luke 21:26: “Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth,

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for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” God says, don’t look around you.

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Look up for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. Jesus says get your eyes off the earth and focus them on divine reality. “I Am About To Return.” Revelation reveals there is hope. There are signs in the world of religion, signs in the world of politics, and

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Signs in the world of nature. The Bible predicts that all nature will be out of control just before the coming of Jesus.

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We should expect tornadoes—

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Fires,

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Floods,

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Hurricanes,

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And an epidemic of destruction that we can hardly imagine.

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Among these natural disasters is the Bible’s prediction for world-wide hunger and famine.

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Matthew 24:7 “There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.”

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Haven’t we always had famines? Haven’t there always been hungry children? We’ve always had famines. There have always been hungry children down through the ages. But here is the difference. Jesus didn’t predict a famine but He said there would be famines –plural – famines on an international scale; hunger on an unprecedented scale just before the coming of Jesus.

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As we look out over our world, indeed, this prophecy as others is being fulfilled.

The United Nations reported recently there is a severe food shortage in 38 of the major countries of the world.

Now I recognize that most of us in the United States go home every night and eat a good meal; maybe too good for some of us.

It’s hard to imagine children whose stomach’s cry out for food. We have to do everything we can to feed everyone we can but the figures are still staggering. The only hope is the coming of the Lord. Look at this:

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One-sixth of the world’s population will go hungry tonight. It is staggering when you look at the immensity of world famine.

Experts estimate that for two billion people in the world today – nearly one third of the world’s population – chronic hunger is an ever present part of daily life.

Jesus’ prediction regarding famine is coming true with uncanny accuracy.

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10,000 people per day, 3.5 million per year die of Starvation

There are more and more people to feed and less and less food to feed them.

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Many are concerned at another disturbing trend. As the population of the world is growing, much arable agricultural land is being lost. Many countries of the world have less than 5% of their land available for agricultural purposes. Through improper land management, environmental disasters, and urban growth—

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Over 100,000 square kilometers of arable land is lost each year. Every 3 years 1% of the entire arable land on earth is being lost. Jesus said there would be famines.

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Then he said there would also be pestilences.

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Matthew 24:7 “There will be famines, pestilences.” What is a pestilence?

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A pestilence is a strange disease which afflicts human beings, crops and the environment. They can result from natural causes or be triggered from the carelessness of human beings. Matthew 24 says, there will be famines and pestilences. This prophecy is being rapidly fulfilled.

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You’ve heard of pesticides on crops. The reason farmers put pesticide on crops is because these diseases are destroying them. Pestilences are rapidly spreading in various parts of the world.

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Another form of pestilences are the new diseases that are springing up around the world. Here are some examples:

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Mad Cow disease, Bird Flu, HIV–AIDS, Marbug Virus, Lyme disease All around us today we see these prophecies of Jesus Christ are being fulfilled. These prophecies - famines and pestilences are being fulfilled in our day. Another source of pestilence is pollution of the environment, which causes many health problems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports—

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2.4 billion pounds of toxic pollutants cause an estimated 50,000 - 120,000 premature deaths each year.

We have pollution of our air, water ways, and land. Our oceans and forests are being rapidly destroyed, often our very food is tainted with with some toxic chemical pollution.

Recently 104 Nobel Prize winning scientists plus more than 1500 prominent international scientists signed a document entitled —

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“Warning to Humanity.” They declared, “No more than one or a few decades remain before the chance to avert the new threats we now confront will be lost and the prospects of humanity immeasurably diminished.”

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Jesus said there would be earthquakes.

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Matthew 24:7 “There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.”

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Ladies and gentlemen – there’s a “whole lot of shaking going on.”

The Bible predicts that there will be a whole lot of shaking going on just before the coming of Jesus. It reveals that there will be an unprecedented rise in earthquakes just before our Lord’s return.

In fact the book of Revelation tells us about the greatest earthquake that will ever hit this planet.

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Revelation 6:14 “Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.”

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Revelation 16:18 “And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake,

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such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.”

The greatest earthquake in the history of the world will occur in connection with the coming of Jesus. Previous to this time thousands of earthquakes all over the world will foretell His return.

These earthquakes will come unexpectedly, swiftly, in rapid succession without any warning. Earthquakes are powerful omens of the coming of the Lord.

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And the Bible predicts that we won’t have fewer earthquakes we’ll have more. Are earthquakes increasing?

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35 earthquakes/day 12,000 - 14,000/year

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Luke 21:11 “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences;

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and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.”

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This upheaval in nature would reveal itself in various ways. Hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, would manifest themselves in rapid succession.

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Luke 21:26 “Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.”

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In the vast forested areas of the west coast of America millions of acres have been consumed by fires out of control.

Because of nature out of control – hurricanes –tornados – earthquakes – famines – fires – floods.

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These natural disasters have resulted in billions of dollars of damage and taken countless lives.

Think of it – people grasping their children – looking at homes destroyed – crying out. It seems today that all of nature is out of control. Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, famines, fire, floods. What on earth is going on?

It seems all of the earth is crying out for deliverance.

Major tsunami’s have increased around the world. Although they created devastation, it was minor compared to the—

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Asian Tsunami disaster on December 26, 2004

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9.1 Magnitude earthquake Over 230,000 were killed almost instantly.

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The damage was indescribable. Hundreds of thousands were made homeless. Relief efforts cannot keep up with the incredible need.

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The Bible describes fearful sight in the heavens. In 2005 The Atlantic Hurricane Season had the most named storms in history.

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Hurricane Katrina • Costliest storm ever recorded in history. • Over $75 billion in damage • Economic impact: $250 billion

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These natural disasters are signs of the return of our Lord. All of earth is crying out – “Oh Jesus, Come quickly.” Hearts are indeed failing for fear and for expectations of those things that are coming on the earth.

We’ve seen an increase in the signs that Jesus foretold all around us. When you look at our world today it does seem that all nature is out of control.

But those of us who have confidence in the Bible believe these are signposts on the way. These are labor pains. Mother earth is having labor pains. Soon the Christ-child will come, not as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger, but as earth’s rightful ruler and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We’ve seen what the Bible says regarding the signs of Jesus coming in the world of religion, world of politics and the world of nature—

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Now let’s look at His predictions regarding the social life around us.

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Our Lord predicted the moral fabric of society would fall apart just before the return of our Lord. Moral decay and corruption would be prevalent everywhere.

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Matthew 24:37,38 “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

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For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,

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marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.” What’s wrong with eating and drinking? Nothing! What’s wrong with marrying and giving in marriage? Nothing! This passage describes a people who continued living self-centered godless lives.

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They took eating and drinking to excess. Pleasure dominated their lives.

And they ignored the signs of the times.

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Noah proclaimed, “A flood is coming.” Noah pointed out the decay of morality. He indicated that a flood was coming and yet people of his day continued to live their self-centered lives. They were not spiritually moved. They did not repent of their sins. Their minds were too occupied. They were enchanted with the here and now. Eternity was crowded out of their thinking. What about today? Jesus predicted there would be loose

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morality at the end of time, just like it was in the days of Noah. When Jesus uses the phrase, “marrying and giving in marriage” to describe not only a complacent attitude toward moral living and spiritual things in general, but He was also predicting:

1) The break-up of the family unit. 2) Complacent attitude toward spiritual things and moral living. Millions are unaware of events which will soon break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. Let’s look at some incredible statistics regarding births to unmarried women in America today.

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Births to unmarried women USA This chart shows the dramatic increase over the last 40 years until now roughly a third of all babies are born to unmarried woman.

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In fact, in western society typically 1 out of 2 or 50% of marriages end in divorce. The rate is as high as 75% in some countries.

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The U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey shows that: 50.3% of households are headed by unmarried people. 46.9% of people over age 15 are unmarried, 31.7% of children live in unmarried households.

And this trend is rapidly spreading around the world.

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The Biblical model for the family is being shattered in modern society.

These prophecies are being fulfilled before our very eyes tonight. But what a tragedy that love has degenerated into sexual immorality in so many cases. What a tragedy that homes are breaking up.

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We can thank God that whatever circumstances you find yourself in tonight, even if you are one of those statistics we have just looked at, God can heal your heart. God can give you a new sense of his love and care.

He will put His arms around you. He offers you a new future. Whatever mistakes you may have made God can forgive you and give you a new start.

Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah.” What was it like in Noah’s day? If we could go back and live in Noah’s day, what would it be like?

Here is another aspect of how the social fabric of society is falling apart.

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We live in a world of rising crime and violence.

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Genesis 6:5,6 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,

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and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Think about our day. Many recognize the harmful effects on society of all the sexual immorality on television, magazines, movies, and the internet. Certainly it is fair to describe much of society as “the intents of the heart [are] only evil continually.” The Bible says—

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And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”

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Genesis 6:11,12 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

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So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”

In Noah’s day God destroyed the world with a flood because it was filled with violence.

Is our earth filled with violence? Is it a global concern? Are world governments concerned about violence? Yes, governments are concerned.

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The World Health Organization has revealed just how great a problem violence is on a global scale. The first ever world report on violence has produced some shocking statistics.

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The World Report on Violence and Health, WHO, 2002. “Each year, more than 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence. . . . many more are injured and suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems.

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Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years worldwide, accounting for about 14% of deaths among males and 7% of deaths among females.”

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Facts about TV Children watch an average of three hours of TV a day. By age 12, they've seen 14,000 murders on TV. There are increases of violence (5%), foul language (30%), and sexual content (42%). Crime! Violence! These prophecies are being fulfilled. We see them being fulfilled before our very eyes.

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The Bible also predicts economic uncertainty as a sign of the last days.

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James 5:1-3 describes it this way: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. . . .

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Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.”

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James 5:4, 5 continues:

“Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

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You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”

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Revelation 18:17 “For in one hour such great riches came to nothing . . .”

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Jesus is coming! These prophecies are being fulfilled before our very eyes.

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Signs are being fulfilled:

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1. False christs and prophets 2. Wars and rumors of wars 3. Cries of peace, but no peace 4. Famines 5. Pestilences

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6. Earthquakes 7. Sexual immorality 8. Homes falling apart 9. Violence filling our lands 10. Economic uncertainty All these signs are fulfilled.

But there are two more signs which will prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that indeed we are living in the very last days of this worlds history.

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Jesus said, just before the end of time, just before His coming knowledge would be increased.

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Daniel 12:4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end;

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many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

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Knowledge would be increased. Anyone who thinks knowledge has not increased is sleeping through the computer age. Knowledge is exploding today.

A few years ago we may have used a fountain pen or a typewriter. Now we send and receive gigabytes of information anywhere in the world instantly.

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Knowledge is being increased dramatically. 90% of all the scientists and technicians that ever lived are living today.

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Every time you click that computer and go on the internet you see an explosion of knowledge. Every time you push that computer mouse it is an indication that we are living on the verge of the kingdom of God and Jesus is soon to come.

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Daniel 12:4 “. . . and knowledge shall increase.” When the Bible talks about knowledge being increased it is talking about something more than intellectual knowledge; more than scientific knowledge.

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It’s talking about a knowledge of the gospel of Christ. It’s talking about a world-wide movement when the gospel goes to the whole world.

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Just before the return of our Lord the gospel would be preached to all the world. This is indeed happening today. This is the final sign. How would we know we are on the verge of the coming of Christ? How would we know that all of the signs of the times are being fulfilled in our day? We would know because the gospel would go to the world rapidly, quickly, unexpectedly.

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Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

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Revelation 14:6 “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel

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to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” In Revelation Jesus says you will know we have come to the end by the final sign.

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When you see the gospel going quickly around the world. This prophecy is rapidly being fulfilled today.

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Come with me and witness for yourself what God is doing. God is on the Move.

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God is working miracles around the world today. His Holy Spirit is being poured out.

In the Philippines, thousands are coming to Christ and being baptized. God is on the Move. The Gospel is going to the world. Come with me to Africa.

A spiritual revival is taking place in most countries of Africa. God is doing something unusual, again thousands are being baptized into Jesus Christ. Prophecy is being fulfilled. God is on the Move.

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In the former Communist lands, God is working miracles. The Berlin wall has crumbled.

The iron curtain has come down. Totalitarian regimes are no more.

In Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, God is doing something amazing.

The Gospel is going forward in power and ten’s of thousands are responding to God’s final call.

Prophecy is being fulfilled. God is on the Move.

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What about the Hindu lands? Come with me to India.

Here is a country that has resisted the preaching of the Gospel. Early Christian Missionaries worked for decades for one convert.

But India is open to the gospel today. Thousands are coming to Christ and being baptized.

Former Hindus are becoming Christians. In one section in Northern India, over 100,000 have accepted Christ recently.

In every village the people are begging for someone to tell them about Jesus.

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God is on the move. Prophecy is being fulfilled.

Around the World, God is doing something special. He is fulfilling His word. We are on the verge of the kingdom of God.

The signs that our Lord gave are being fulfilled. It is the midnight hour. And God is appealing to men and women, He is appealing to you and me, to be ready for His return.

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