In today’s world, disasters like wars, pandemics, earthquakes, and famines are becoming more severe. Various signs of the Lord’s return have appeared. What do these signs mean? How are they related to welcoming the Lord’s second coming? Read these Bible verses on the signs of the end times, and you will get a chance to welcome the Lord and partake in a banquet with Him.

1. The Signs of the Lord’s Second Coming and the End of the World

“And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3).

This is a significant moment when the disciples of Jesus inquire about the signs of His second coming and the end of the world. It serves as a pivotal scene in Jesus’ prophecies about the last days and provides us with profound spiritual revelation. It reminds us that when we witness the signs of the end times, it signifies that the Lord has arrived, prompting us to actively seek and welcome His coming. If we observe these signs but refuse to seek and fail to welcome the Lord’s coming, we risk becoming foolish virgins who are abandoned and excluded by the Lord, only to lament and gnash our teeth in the midst of disaster.

2. The Arrival of Various Disasters

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7–8).

As we read this passage, we can all affirm from the depths of our hearts that this prophecy has indeed been fulfilled. In recent years, wars have erupted frequently, such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the internal turmoil in Myanmar, among others. What is even more concerning is that wars continue to escalate. It is not just the occurrence of wars, but also the ongoing global pandemic that has spread for over 3 years, along with earthquakes, famines, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather events, and other disasters that are becoming increasingly severe. The occurrence of these signs forces us to acknowledge that the prophecies in the Bible regarding the end-time calamities have been fulfilled. Just as God says, “The last days have arrived and countries across the world are in turmoil. There is political disarray, there are famines, pestilences, floods, and droughts appearing everywhere. There is catastrophe in the world of man; Heaven has also sent down disaster. These are signs of the last days” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Practice (2)).

3. Churches Become Desolate

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).

In recent years, genuine believers in the Lord have shared a common observation—the religious community, across different denominations, is experiencing a state of desolation. Unlawful activities within religious circles have been on the rise, with many religious leaders disregarding the teachings of the Lord. Observing the desolation within the church and the lack of love and lukewarm faith among the believers, the leaders don’t lead believers to seek the work of the Holy Spirit and the appearance of the Lord; rather, they focus on preaching biblical knowledge to elevate and promote themselves, seeking the worship and following of the believers while failing to bear witness to the Lord and exalt Him. Their sermons become repetitive and lacking in new insights, unable to provide spiritual nourishment to the believers, resulting in the loss of faith and a lack of spiritual sustenance. Many individuals pursue worldly trends and become entangled in secular affairs, losing their focus on the Lord. Furthermore, there are some preachers who turn the pulpit into a battleground, attacking one another and engaging in power struggles within the church. They vie for positions and form factions, treating the church as if it were a political arena. These unlawful practices have caused many believers to become passive and weak, resulting in a lukewarm faith, while following the ways of the world. These are the primary reasons for the desolation and decline within the religious community, where the work of the Holy Spirit has been lost. The fact that desolation is evident across various religious denominations serves as a fulfillment of the prophecy of the Lord’s return.

4. The Gospel Spreads to the Ends of the Earth, the End Times Approach

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14).

2,000 years ago, after the resurrection, the Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). This is a divine mission to spread the gospel of the kingdom throughout the world. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit came and inspired believers to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Starting with the 12 disciples, Christianity gradually spread to every corner of the world. Missionaries embarked on challenging journeys, crossing oceans, traversing deserts, and venturing into unknown territories, all to fulfill the Lord’s mission of sharing the gospel with every nation. Today, more than 2000 years later, Christianity has spread throughout every continent, becoming a global religion, with many countries adopting it as their national faith. In every corner of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania, people worship the Lord, carrying on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even in China, where atheistic political parties hold power, the gospel of the Lord Jesus continues to be spread. Despite persecution, tens of millions of people have accepted the gospel of the Lord Jesus. This demonstrates that the gospel of the Lord Jesus transcends language barriers, cultural differences, and breaks down racial boundaries. Especially with the advancement of technology, the gospel of the Lord Jesus spreads rapidly and extensively through mediums such as the internet and satellite television, reaching every corner of the world. From these facts, we can see the fulfillment of this prophecy.

5. Appearance of False Christs

“And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5).

Jesus’ words warn us that in the end times, false Christs will arise to deceive people. In recent years, there have been incidents worldwide where false Christs emerged, misleading those who couldn’t discern. It is evident that Jesus’ prophecy has been fulfilled.

Perhaps many people who are eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return are aware of the presence of false Christs and are afraid of being deceived by them, so they hesitate to seek and investigate the appearance and work of the Lord. If this is the case, would it be like throwing away food because of the fear of choking? Would it be easy to become foolish virgins and miss the opportunity to welcome the Lord? Therefore, it is of utmost importance to learn how to discern between true and false Christs. In fact, the Lord has already told us the main characteristics of false Christs. Jesus said, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). The primary characteristic of false Christs is that they perform great signs and wonders to deceive people. Since false Christs lack the truth, they can only imitate the work God did in the past and perform miracles and wonders to deceive people. Only Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. Whoever can express the truth, bestow life upon humans, and point the way for people is the true Christ. Anyone who cannot express the truth is undoubtedly a false Christ, an impostor. This is the fundamental principle for discerning between true and false Christs. God says, “If, during the present day, there is to emerge a person who is able to display signs and wonders, cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform many miracles, and if this person claims that they are Jesus who has come, then this would be a counterfeit produced by evil spirits which imitate Jesus. Remember this! God does not repeat the same work. Jesus’ stage of work has already been completed, and God will never again undertake that stage of work. … In the notions of man, God must always display signs and wonders, must always heal the sick and cast out demons, and must always be just like Jesus. Yet this time, God is not like that at all. If, during the last days, God still displayed signs and wonders, and still cast out demons and healed the sick—if He did exactly the same as Jesus—then God would be repeating the same work, and the work of Jesus would have no significance or value. Thus, God carries out one stage of work in every age. Once each stage of His work has been completed, it is soon imitated by evil spirits, and after Satan begins to follow on the heels of God, God changes to a different method. Once God has completed a stage of His work, it is imitated by evil spirits. You must be clear about this” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Knowing God’s Work Today).

The word of God clearly tells us that He is a God who is always new and never old, and He does not repeat His work. Just as when the Lord Jesus came to work, He ushered in the Age of Grace, bringing an end to the Age of Law. He accomplished the redemptive work, saving humanity from sin, and demonstrated some miracles and wonders to achieve the desired effect. When the Lord comes back in the last days, He will bring an end to the Age of Grace and initiate a new era. He will not repeat the work that the Lord Jesus finished but will express all the truths necessary for the salvation of humanity based on the foundation of the Lord Jesus’ redemptive work. He will cleanse people of their sins, completely save them from sin, and lead them into the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, false Christs are evil spirits who impersonate Christ. They are fundamentally incapable of initiating a new era or ending an old era. Furthermore, they cannot express the truth. They can only perform simple miracles and wonders to deceive those who are ignorant and lack discernment. However, they are unable to replicate the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus, such as raising the dead, feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, or rebuking the wind and sea. They simply cannot achieve such miracles. If we understand the truth about discerning between true and false Christs, we will not be deceived by false Christs.

6. The Restoration of Israel

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32–33).

These two verses link the arrival of summer with the sprouting and leafing of the fig tree, using this metaphor to prophesy the restoration of Israel. 2,000 years ago, the Jewish authorities, in collaboration with the Roman regime, crucified the Lord Jesus, committing a grave sin that incurred God’s curse and punishment. As a result, Israel experienced nearly two thousand years of national demise. Despite Israel enduring periods of exile, conflict, and devastation throughout history, God's promise remained steadfast. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence, marking a significant moment when the prophecy of the Lord Jesus was fulfilled in the contemporary era.

Conclusion

From the above Bible verses about the signs of the end times and the fulfilled facts, we can be certain that the Lord Jesus has already returned. So, how can we welcome Him? In fact, the Lord Jesus has already told us the path to success in welcoming Him. He said, “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him” (Matthew 25:6). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). From these words of the Lord, we can see that when the Lord comes back, He would speak and knock on the door through His words to seek His sheep. The wise virgins who love the truth and eagerly await the Lord’s appearance actively seek and investigate when they hear someone proclaiming, “Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.” They pay attention to listening to the words of the returned Lord. They can recognize God’s voice in the words of the returned Lord and then accept and follow Him. This is how they welcome the Lord and join Him at the feast. From this, we can see that the only path to welcoming the Lord is to be able to hear God’s voice. Just as God says, “Wherever God appears, there the truth is expressed, and there the voice of God will be. Only those who can accept the truth will be able to hear the voice of God, and only such people are qualified to witness the appearance of God. … So let us seek God’s will and discover His appearance in His utterances, and keep pace with His footsteps! God is the truth, the way, and the life. His words and His appearance exist concurrently, and His disposition and footprints are open to mankind at all times. Dear brothers and sisters, I hope that you can see the appearance of God in these words, begin following His footsteps as you stride forward into a new age, and enter into the beautiful new heaven and earth that God has prepared for those who await His appearance!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 1: The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age).

If you desire to listen to God’s voice and welcome the Lord soon to join Him at the feast, please feel free to reach out to us through the online chat window at the bottom of our website. We will be always available to share God’s words and communicate with you.