How Close Are We?

How close are we to the end of this unsatisfactory system of things and the beginning of God's new world? Bible prophecy clearly gives us the answer. For instance, Jesus himself foretold what to look for so that we could determine our position in relation to, as the Bible puts it, "the conclusion of the system of things." This is recorded in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Also, as recorded in 2 Timothy chapter 3, the apostle Paul foretold that there would be a period of time called "the last days" when various events would further verify where we are in the stream of time.

Jesus said that this period of time would begin wih these events: "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earth quakes in one place after another." (Matthew 24:7) Luke 21:11 shows that he also mentioned "in one place after another pestilences." And he warned too, of "the increasing of lawlessness." - Matthew 24:12.

The apostle Paul foretold: "But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of Godly devotion but proving false to its power.... Wicked men and imposters will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled." -2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13.

Have those things that Jesus and Paul foretold taken place in our time? Yes, they certainly have. World War I was by far the worse war up to that time. It was the first world war and was the turning point in modern history. Along with that war went food shortages, disease epidemics, and other calamities. Those events from 1914 onward were, as Jesus put it, "a beginning of pangs of distress." (Matthew 24:8) They began the foretold period of time called "the last days," the beginning of the last generation when God would permit wickedness and suffering.

Likely you are familiar with the events of the 20th century. You know the chaos that has arisen. Some 100 million people have ben killed in wars. Hundreds of millions of others have died from hunger and from sickness. Earthquakes haven taken countless lives. disregard for life and property grows. Fear of crime has become part of everyday life. Moral standards have been shoved aside. The population explosion poses problems that are not being solved. Pollution is spoiling the quality of life and is even endangering it. Truly, we have been in the last days since 1914 and are nearing the culmination of Bible prophecies involving our time.

How long a time period would these last days prove to be? Jesus said regarding the era that would experience the "beginning of pangs of distress" from 1914 onward: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matthew 24:, 34-36) Thus, all the features of the last days must take place within the lifetime of one generation, the generation of 1914. So some people who were alive in 1914 will still be alive when this system comes to its end. that generation of people is now very advanced in years, indicating that there is not much time left before God brings this present system to an end.

Another prophecy showing that the end of this system is very near was given by the apostle Paul, who foretold: "Jehovah's day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: "Peace and security!" Then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them........, and they will by no means escape." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3; see also Luke 21:34, 35.

Today the Cold War is over, and international war my no longer be a major threat. So the nations may feel that they are well on the way toward a new world order. But when they feel that their efforts are succeeding, it will mean the opposite of what they think, for that will be the final signal that this system's destruction by God is imminent. Remember, political negotiations and treaties are not making any real changes in people. They are not making people love one another. And world leaders are not putting a stop to crime, nor are they eliminating disease and death. So do not put your trust in any development of human peace and security and think that this world is on its way to solving problems. (Psalm 146:3) What such a cry will really mean is that this world is very near to being on its way out.


Continued-Next time: Preaching Good News