How close is the rapture of the church? I think we can get a good idea based on recent surveys of self-identified Christians in the United States.
Recently, The Christian Post reported in a survey conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University that only 37% of pastors hold a biblical worldview. Assuming this is true, it should come as no surprise to learn the people sitting in the pews of these churches hold similar views. Among its findings:
56% believe “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.”
38% see Jesus as “a great teacher, but he was not God.”
60% say “The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.”
65% think “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.”
These beliefs don’t fit with what the Bible teaches, meaning those surveyed either haven’t read the Bible or they reject what it says. This “falling away” from the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith, by those who profess to be Christians, is an indication the world is on the verge of the seven year Tribulation. And since the Bible tells us the rapture occurs prior to the Tribulation (Revelation 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9), if we see signs and indications we’re on the verge of witnessing the events of the Tribulation, we can know the rapture is even closer.
The Bible says the Day of the Lord (the Tribulation) will not come and the Antichrist will not be revealed until “a great falling away” happens first (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Some translations call this “a rebellion” or “apostasy” – an abandonment of the faith by professed Christians. Do these survey responses indicate a great falling away? They seem to.
However, by itself, this sign isn’t enough to indicate the nearness of the end times – and thus, the rapture. After all, it’s subjective. That said, these surveys indicating a falling away from the faith are not the only sign telling us the end times and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are at hand.
Jesus and the prophets gave us a number of signs to look for. Furthermore, and this is the key, Jesus said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). This was in response to the disciples asking Jesus to tell them “the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3). These signs include:
Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12). That return started in 1948 and continues today.
The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said people other than the Jewish people will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.
The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a very specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. And then? And then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. This generation is on the verge of spreading the Gospel to every last person on earth.
An Increase in Travel and Knowledge – Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said “travel and knowledge” will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge.
Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasture lands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, Israel’s Muslim neighbors have claimed the land of Israel for themselves.
Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.
Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of other nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.
Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.
The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.
It’s not true to say these signs have always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Zero. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33).
This means the church is on the verge of the rapture. The rapture has always been an imminent, signless event. No preconditions are necessary for it to happen. However, as we approach the beginning of the Tribulation – a time period filled with numerous specific events – we’re running out of time for the rapture to come unexpectedly on the world. Jesus said, “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Matthew 24:44).
By definition, Jesus can’t be talking about a time during or after the Tribulation. Once the events of the Tribulation begin to unfold, the glorious appearing of Jesus will be expected. He’s talking about the rapture before the Tribulation. Furthermore, Jesus promised to keep us from “the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world” (Revelation 3:10). This means if we see the events of the Tribulation just ahead and the rapture takes place beforehand, we’re extremely close to the rapture.
The signs of His return are all around us. Jesus is coming. If you’ve been waiting to share the Gospel with someone, don’t wait one minute more. You may not have another opportunity. The hour is late. The signs are present. Now is the season of the Lord’s return. So keep your eyes fixed on Him – Jesus is coming!