Welcome back to part three of our series, Biblical Hope: A Simple Guide to the End Times. If you missed the first two posts, we are now narrowing into what the Bible actually teaches about the signs of what’s ahead—because God never intended for the end times to paralyze us with fear.
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Avoid the Extremes: Don’t be Apathetic or Fearful
When it comes to the “end times,” it is incredibly easy to swing to one of two unhelpful extremes.
On one side is panic. We watch the evening news, see wars raging and economies shaking, and immediately start trying to match headlines to Bible verses, terrified that the sky is falling. On the other side is apathy. Because we’ve heard so many failed predictions about the end of the world, we stop paying attention altogether, assuming Christ’s return is so far off that it doesn’t matter today.
Jesus addressed both of these extremes head-on. As His return draws near, He gave us specific signs to watch for—not so we would cower in fear, but so we would stay spiritually awake in a deeply distracted world.
So, what did Jesus actually say we should be looking for?
The “Birth Pains” of the New Age
In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples came to Him privately and asked a very direct question: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
Instead of giving them a specific date or a rigid timeline, Jesus gave them a vivid illustration: a woman in labor. He warned them that they would hear of wars and rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes. But then He added a crucial clarification: “See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8).
If you have ever been around a pregnant woman close to delivery, you know how birth pains work. They start out small and infrequent. But as the moment of birth approaches, the contractions increase in both frequency and intensity.
Jesus is telling us that the world will experience a similar pattern. We will see periods of intense global hardship, natural disasters, and human conflict. As we draw closer to the end, these “contractions” will become more frequent and more severe.
Alongside these physical signs, Jesus and the apostles warned of spiritual signs:
- Widespread Deception: Many will come claiming to be the Messiah or offering false paths to salvation (Matthew 24:4-5).
- Apostasy: Many will turn away from the faith, and because lawlessness will increase, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:10-12).
- Global Proclamation: The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
Setting the Stage (The Pretribulational Perspective)
In this series, we are generally approaching the end times from what is called a pretribulational, premillennial perspective.
This view teaches that before the world enters a final, devastating seven-year period known as the Tribulation, Jesus will return in the clouds to catch up His Church (an event often called the Rapture). After the Tribulation, Christ will return physically to the earth to establish a literal 1,000-year kingdom of peace and justice (the Millennium).
From this perspective, the signs Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24 are primarily pointing toward the Tribulation and His physical Second Coming to earth. However, if we can already see the “shadows” of the Tribulation forming today—rising global tensions, spiritual deception, and the rapid spread of the Gospel—how much closer must the Rapture of the Church be?
In this view, we aren’t waiting for the world to perfectly align before Christ can rescue His Church; His return for us is imminent (it could happen at any moment). The signs we see today are simply the stage being set for the final act of human history.
Acknowledging Other Biblical Views
While the pretribulational, premillennial view is held by many faithful Christians today, it is important to recognize that historically, believers have understood these signs in a few different ways:
- The Preterist View: Many faithful scholars point out that Jesus was specifically prophesying the destruction of the Jewish Temple, which happened in 70 A.D. Therefore, they believe many of the signs in Matthew 24 (like famines, earthquakes, and false prophets) were largely fulfilled in the first century during the intense persecution of the early church.
- The Amillennial View: Others view the “signs” as general descriptions of the entire Church Age (from Christ’s ascension to His final return). They expect a continuous parallel growth of both the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness until Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead.
- The Postmillennial View: Some hold a highly optimistic view, believing the spread of the Gospel will gradually Christianize the world, ushering in a long period of global peace and righteousness before Christ physically returns.
While these differences can lead to healthy biblical debate, we must not miss the forest for the trees. Regardless of which timeline you hold, every orthodox Christian view agrees on the final outcome: Jesus Christ is coming back to make all things new.
Wisdom from Trusted Voices
Rather than getting lost in endless speculation, we can look to the wisdom of trusted pastors and theologians who remind us of the true purpose of biblical prophecy:
“Prophecy is not given to scare us, but to prepare us.”
— Dr. David Jeremiah
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”
— C.S. Lewis
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
— Corrie ten Boom
How Then Should We Live? Awake and Alert
Because we know the King is returning, how should we process the chaotic headlines we see today?
In Matthew 24:42, Jesus gives us the application for all of His prophetic teaching: “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
Staying awake does not mean obsessively watching the news, hoarding supplies, or living in constant anxiety. Spiritual alertness means living every day with a conscious awareness that this world is not our final home. It means doing our daily work with excellence, loving our neighbors sacrificially, and sharing the Gospel urgently, knowing that our time is short.
When the world around us shakes, we do not need to panic. God is not pacing the floors of heaven wondering how the current geopolitical crisis will pan out. He is sovereignly guiding human history toward its glorious, appointed conclusion.
Keep your eyes on the horizon. Stay alert. Be watchful. And above all, trust the Lord of history. Our future is secure in His hands, and there is absolutely nothing to fear.
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