CHAPTER 4: SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The Bible is not a man made book. It is a book of divine revelation. Just one of its characteristics is that it is an apocalyptic book. It teaches us that our human existence on this Earth is linear not cyclical. We are born. We live and we will someday die. When a person is laying on his deathbed there are visible signs that his death is imminent. Human history is no different. Our existence as a race is also linear. That is our present world is headed for a coming climax. No one who seriously studies the Bible can conclude otherwise. This present world will not go on forever. There will be someday an end followed by a judgment. What then are the signs of the coming climax? As believers what signs in our present world all point to the future apocalypse? Some who read Matthew 24 might say that there will be wars and rumors of wars. Yes those words can be found in that chapter. However here we need to think like a skeptic. A skeptical retort to wars as proof might be, " There have always been wars even wars going back to the time of King Tut. Only the weapons have changed. Also as the world's economy becomes more and more global, we might actually see fewer wars." This is a valid point. Afterall the same can be said about famines and earthquakes. They have always been around. This raises the question - Are there any signs that are unique signs that can only point to a coming apocalypse? Can we know that the Second Coming of Christ is very near? Yes there are such signs! Below I have listed seven signs in our present world that can only mark the time of the end. 1. THE RISING TIDE OF IMMORALITY Yes there has always been immorality but few would argue that in terms of open public immorality in the entertainment media, our world is becoming worse. In times past people lived by the virtues of family, God, and country. Women were respected as people rather than as objects of pleasure. Children were taught the Bible, the work ethic, and the ideals of our Founding Fathers. The only America-bashers were on the other side of the Iron Curtain. In 1939 the classic film Gone with the Wind was banned in some cities because of just one word. The 1960s saw a turning-point in our popular culture. Long hair on men, drug use, and wild music were all symptoms of a moral slide. For the first time our society tolerated public immorality. The 1969 Woodstock Music Festival gave all of us a visual of the moral slide that was brought on by the care-free Vietnam generation. In the years since the 60s we have seen nearly every kind of immorality imagineable in the entertainment media including references to the gay lifestyle. But what I find more disturbing than all the gory violence, language, and sex put together in the movies is when Christian characters are depicted as being either crooked or crazy. The bad guy in the 1983 schlock film Porky's 2 was a racist and demented minister. In the acclaimed but highly offensive 1996 film Seven, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt track the crimes of a serial killer. The killer, played by Kevin Spacy, was a loathesome Christian who acted as judge and executioner against people guilty of committing the seven deadly sins. How does this image of the faith play to non-believers? What about television? In past years viewers could enjoy clean family entertainment. But starting in the fall of 1997 we were given South Park. Along with the usual vile, this animated show once featured depictions of Jesus using profane language. Does any of this shock you? I hope so. What about music? In years past we had thoughtful love songs that expressed the joy of God's gift of love and romance. The 1973 Spinner's hit Could it be I'm Falling in Love is one of my favorites. But today we have so-called music artists like Ludacris and Eminem whose songs push vulgarity, violence, and the constant degregation of women. Some of these songs contain lyrics that are to vile to quote. What about video-games? In 1980 PAC MAN came out as a game that offered good clean fun. But today we have Grand Theft Auto IV, a game that glamorizes the stealing of cars and the killing of policemen. I wonder what the widows of fallen police officers feel about this being pushed as innocent entertainment? The successes that are found in the entertainment media often reflect the attitudes and moral values of the culture. As long as there is a demand and money to be made from these low standard kind of games, don't expect any of them to go away. "Woe to those who call good evil and evil good"
(Isaiah 5:20) Why do we have this sudden moral slide? I've found two reasons. First is the break-up of the traditional family. The institution of the God-ordained traditional family is under attack like never before. Once the home was a place of moral and spiritual instruction. It was where you wanted to be at the end of a hard day at work or school. But thanks to the sins of selfishness, lust, and irresponsibilty, life in many homes today resembles a clip from the Jerry Springer Show. Instead of the fruit of the spirit, these homes display the works of the flesh. (Galatians 5). Divorce becomes an option. Children from these homes grow up with no moral compass. When these children grow up and start families the cycle often repeats. As the family goes so goes society. Crime rates tend to increase. Broken families lead to broken lives and broken lives can lead to broken neighborhoods, cities and nations. Instead of quoting a bunch of crime stats, I would like to share this thought. We in America have more political freedom than any other people. German, Canadian, and Japanese citizens don't enjoy as much political freedom as Americans do. But freedom demands responsbility. A free people are a responsible people. To stay free we must be responsible to our families, to our employers, to the rule of law, and most important of all to our God. Second is the rise of moral relativism. This is the same moral relativism that is taught in our public schools and many of our best universities. It says that everyone is free to do what is right in his own eyes. Morality becomes a matter of opinion. Since Darwin, Marx, and Freud came onto the world scene, modern man is now too heady and highminded to read much less study something as ancient as the Bible. The Bible is God's perfect Word. How could an eternal God write a book that would someday become out-dated and irrelevant? Since people no longer have their lives grounded in God and His Word, they feel they are free to follow their own natural passions. What becomes important is whatever pleases the flesh. Is enjoying life wrong? No. God is not against us having pleasure. He is against us putting pleasure on a pedistal and worshipping it as a god. When Karl Marx died in 1883 his co-hort Fredrich Engals gave his eulogy. In his eulogy Engals mentioned that one thing that he and Marx hoped for was a world without moral absolutes. Today Engals is getting his wish and society is paying a high price with broken families, substance abuse, suicides, and rising crime. According to a CNN on-line article dated November 5, 2017 of the 30 mass shootings that have occured since 1949, 18 have happened since 2007. In our time we have a generation that might believe in the existence of God but they fail to take seriously the promises and warnings that are found in His Word. I might believe in the existence of my worst enemy but that doesn't mean that I care to have any kind of a relationship with him. There is an even more basic reason why unsaved people are on a downward moral slide. It is found in Romans 3:18: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 2. DECEPTION OF FALSE GOSPELS Jesus said concerning the last days: "For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:24) Paul wrote in regards to false brethern: "For such are false apostles deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing that his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness." (2 Cor. 11: 13,14 and 15) The main drawback of living in a country that offers freedom of religious expression is the rise of false cults that do not offer real salvation and who often exploit their followers. First I want to point out that I will attack no person's political right to hold the religion of his/her choice. Religious freedom is a right that our Founding Fathers fought to protect and I want that right to stay. If it were not to stay we would all be less free. Free speech, a free press, and freedom of public assembly would all be eliminated. Therefore since John Travolta and Kirstie Alley wish to belong to the Church of Scientology, they are to have that right. Note that religious freedom isn't just the right to attend a church. It is the right to say "No" to the government only when our spiritual convictions are being violated. Not all believers in other parts of the world have that political right. All of the above is a political position. Now let's move from the political to the theological. This brings us to our second point - just as Jesus and Paul attacked apostacy, so all of us, who believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, must also attack apostacy. If a religion cannot replace my sin debt with the gift of eternal life, then what good is it? The "God is dead" movement of the 60s gave birth to the cult movement of the 70s. Since rebellious man won't submit to the God of the Bible, he instead refashioned his own god according to the cult's beliefs. This way he could have the "hope" of salvation without turning away from his sin. What are the marks of a false cult? A. They will have an authority that is above the Bible. Cults may use the Bible but they will train teachers to teach the Bible in light of all the false doctrines. There will always be a book or text that is above the Bible. Also no one is allowed to read the Bible in private. B. Cults will have a salvation plan based on works rather than grace. Here is a very important difference between religion and faith in Christ. Religion has man reaching up to God and appeasing Him by doing pious acts to win His favor. Grace has God reaching down to man and doing for man what man cannot do for himself. When we accept God's free gift of salvation, His spirit takes up residence in us. This is a genuine born-again experience that no false cult can replicate. Paul had warned the church at Rome: " if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans 8:9) This is a very serious warning to anyone who wants to substitute religion for a walk with Chirst. "Salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9) No false cult can give a lost sinner the Spirit of Christ. Only Jesus Himself can do that. It needs to be noted that one main problem with a works gospel is that the person never knows if he has done enough good to merit salvation. Where is his peace of mind? And if he could know would there be a human tendency to go into a spiritual retirement once he's earned all his salvation points? Another problem with a works gospel is member exploitation. One Arkansas based cult that was headed up by the late Tony Alamo, basically exploited its followers. Members were required to work long hours in a hot sweatshop that produced flashy designer jackets. The jackets were sold to raise money for the cult. Some of the jackets were sold to celebrities. But I'm sure that Tony numberous times reminded his followers that their salvation depended on their workmanship. C. Cults will have no tolerence for any kind of criticism. Like an authoritarian regime no one is allowed to question or criticize the cult, its beliefs, or its leaders. Followers are expected to act like the toy dog in the car's backwindow that only bobs its head up and down, "Yep yep we agree with eveything we are taught. None of us will ever question the thoughts or words of our perfect leader." To do this cults will practice mind control. They will isolate their followers from any outside contacts or critics. They will stress to their followers that since we have the corner on truth, only our religious material is to be studied. All other religious material is misguided and satanic. Anyone who does not follow all of these directives is shunned. Once shunned the ex- member is to have no contact with current members and vice-a-versa even if they are one's own family. The A&E program "Scientology the Aftermath" featured a story of a seventeen year old girl who was shunned by her "church". Sadly the mental and emotional abuse brought on by the shunning caused her to take her own life. D. The last characteristic of a false cult is that they believe in a false Jesus. Cults may use the name of Jesus but they will present Him in a false way. They may claim that He was a brave and moral teacher(He claimed to be God, would a good moral teacher lie about who He was? NO, He wouldn't be a good moral teacher!). They will deny that He is God the Son, the second member of the Trinity. They may claim that His sacrifice on the cross is not enough to wash away all our sins. They may also claim that Jesus has been reincatnated in the person of the leader. Believing in a false Jesus is as bad as believing in no Jesus. If He wasn't the perfect Son of God then He cannot be our Saviour. The false Jesus of the cults cannot save. No real Jesus means no real salvation for anyone in the cult. 3. MARY APPARITIONS (Matthew 24:24) Jesus and Paul warned us that there would be deceptive signs and wonders in the last days. "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders." (2 Thes. 2:9) Mary apparitions are such a sign. Mary apparitions, visions or ghostly visits of "Mary" or "Jesus", have been reported all over the world in places like Africa, South America, Portugal, and even Japan. Also reports of Mary's ghostly visits and "heavenly messages" have been increasing. There have been more Mary apparitions since 1900 than in the previous 1900 years. Let's keep something important in mind. God has given us His Word. We have the entire counsel of God in the Bible. We don't need any more divine revelation than that. God doesn't need to dispatch Mary's spirit to further inform the world. Demanding a sign simply shows a lack of faith in God and His complete Word. All signs and wonders are from God is a dangerous position to hold. The 114 surahs (visions) that make up the Koran prove that even demons can work signs and wonders. Here is even more proof. One of the most terrible true stories involving a Mary and Jesus apparition occured in Uganda in March 2000. In late 1999 two Ugandan nationals received visions from Mary and Jesus. The visions claimed that God was ready to judge the world and the end would occur in 2000. An apocalyptic cult called The Movement of the Restoration of the Ten Commandments was created. It promised its members a future paradise starting in 2000. In the following days hundreds of Ugandans joined the group hoping that the end of all suffering would start on January 1, 2000. When the end didn't occur as promised many discenting members were secretly murdered. Worse yet on March 17, 2000 some 500 church members were gathered inside the MRTCG church building where the doors and windows were nailed shut. An explosion occured starting a massive fire that destroyed the entire building. All 500 members were trapped inside the inferno and burned alive. Some believe that the event was a mass suicide. Others believe that the church leaders were responsible for the tragedy. Don't place your faith in some ghostly apparition that may or may not be telling the truth. Base your faith in something solid - the Bible. 4. THE FORMATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL In Matthew 24:32 Jesus told His disciples the Parable of the fig tree. "Now learn the parable of the fig tree. When its branches have already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near." In eschatology language the tender branches that sprout leaves all refer to a sign that the end is coming, and "summer" refers to the end of the age. The question we need to ask is what does the fig tree represent? Many theologians claim that it represents the state of modern Israel. During World War I the British forces pushed the Ottoman Turks out of what was called Palestine. In November 1917 England passed what was known as the Belfour Declaration. It was a public pronouncment that the Jews would be given the Palestinian territory as a homeland. This slowly led to the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. For the first time in centuries the Jews had a homeland. Jews came from many parts of the world to settle in the new state of Israel. Jesus also foretold, "And Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles." (Luke 21:24) Here He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Temple which occured in 70 AD. He added, "...until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". Note His use of the word "times" instead of "time". This means that various Gentile groups will occupy Jerusalem for their alotted time or season. Since 70 AD Jerusalem has been occupied by the Romans, the Persians, the Byzantines, the Arab Muslims, the Crusaders, and the Arab Muslims again. By 1517 the city would fall under the control of the Ottoman Turks and 400 years later by the British. Then between 1948 and 1967 the old city would be occupied by the Palestinian Arabs. Fortunes changed for Jerusalem when Israeli forces won a surprise military victory over their Arab enemies in the Six Day War. Along with other territories the old city of Jerusalem was brought under Israeli control. This meant that the "times of the Gentiles" had ended. Those events are more proof that we are getting closer and closer to the end. 5. KNOWLEDGE SHALL INCREASE Daniel's prophetic words recorded in chapter 12 verse 4 promise that in the end times knowledge shall increase. "But you Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase" Indeed knowledge has certainly increased and at a staggering pace. Since 1850 we have gone from the age of the locomotive to the age of the Internet. In 1903 the Wright brothers made humanity's first flight. Just 66 years later Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. The first wireless radio transmission wasn't until 1896. Today we have smart phones that can transmit and store audio and video. In former times the only way to spy on an unfriendly government was with an undercover agent. Today we have spy satellites that can read the numbers on a car's licenceplate from miles in space. In 1946 the ENIVAC computer system was completed at the University of Pennsylvania. It marked the dawn of the computer age. This engineering marvel of its time contained over 18,000 vacuum tubes. By the 70s a pocket calculator could do anything that that old prototype could do. Also today we live in the era of computer animation. In addition to producing kid's shows and cartoon movies, computer animation can be used in courtrooms and medical schools. How did all of this knowledge come about? Did humans suddenly become smarter? No rather the human situation changed. Humans became more free. The Protestant Reformation broke the papacy's choke-hold on the western world. By God's grace people would come to experience a higher degree of religious freedom. This led to more political freedom. Prior to 1657 it was unlawful for a Dutch citizen of the New Amsterdam colony to offer his private home as a meeting place for Quakers. The Flushing Remonstrance changed that law. Concerned Dutch citizens signed and sent the FR petition to the Dutch government demanding religious freedom for all citizens including Quakers. The petition was granted. The FR would be an early forerunner to the Bill of Rights - which became the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. With political freedom came the need for an informed electorate. Hence public education was started. The Puritan denomination in New England fiercely advocated for the need for literacy and education. So in 1635 in Dedham, MA the Boston Latin School was founded. Thanks to the efforts of Rev. Ralph Weelock and other Puritans the Massachusetts Bay Colony would later have the highest literacy rate of any British colony. All of this led to the need for higher education especially in the fields of math and science. Over time the natural curiosity of scientists, the adventurous spirit of inventors like Thomas Edison, along with the capitalist drive for newer and better innovations have all brought us the technological advances we have today. Great minds were guided by reason rather than superstition. Scientists were free to study cause and affect science under controlled and observable conditions. The ignorance and superstition that clouded the minds of people present during events like the Salem Witch Trials were finally dying out. There is one thing that needs to be said at this point - faith in the Bible is not anti-intellectual. True science is not at war with the Bible. Science and the Bible go hand-in-hand. Whereas science gives us an understanding of our natural world, the Bible gives us an understanding of our spiritual world. Both are important. Note that Christians have made amazing contributions to science. The man who invented the MRI machine, Dr. Raymond Damadian, is a born-again believer. The Bible student needs not fear the world of science. Our God is the God of all truth. This includes scientific truth. It doesn't undermine my faith in the Bible to know that the Earth revolves around the sun. Or that the Earth could be several million years old and was re-created somewhere between 6000 to 13,000 years ago in six solar days (See reluctant - messenger.com/gap theory). Or that Noah's "global" flood most likely was a regional flood much like the tax registration mentioned in Luke 2:1 was a Roman event that did not apply to "all the world" (See godandscience.org/apologetics local flood "The Genesis Flood - Why the Bible Says It Must be Local" by Rich Deem) "Okay but what if the next big scientific discovery is able to disprove the existence of God?" That can never happen. Science has its limits. Science cannot explain First Cause. The entire universe had a first cause. Big Bang is not a first cause. How did all that cosmic matter that got big banged come into existence? It is impossible to get any kind of matter from nothing. The real First Cause of all that exists is our eternal God. What is not only sad but downright diabolical is how the enemy uses unproven scientific dogma to attack religious faith and advance a political agenda. Here is a tragic example. When the communists first took over China one of the first things they taught the masses wasn't so much Marx or Mao but Darwin. For the communist state to reign supreme it first had to "kill off" God. Their weapon of choice was atheistic evolution. In the following years millions of Chinese perished because of Mao and his police state. But here is a thought-provoking question - how many students in our public schools and universities are being taught the FACT that Darwinism is at least partially responsible for all of the atrocities of communist China? I would like to close this section with this thought. Technology is a mixed blessing. The same modern technology that gave us the artifical heart also gave us the atomic bomb. May God grant all of us the gift of His wisdom since He has given us the gift of scientific exploration. 6. THE RISING PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS Persecution of Christians is of course nothing new. It is an evil that goes back to the time of the Roman Empire. Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, wrote that hostile treatment of the godly Christian in a world that is dominated by ungodly people is to be expected. "Yes and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2Tim. 3:12) Note what the verse says but also note what it doesn't say. It doesn't say that all those who claim to be Christians or church members but all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Those of us who stand firm for the sake of the Gospel will have both the rejection of the world and the blessing of the Lord. Those who compromise their convictions will have peace with the world but will someday have to face Jesus in eternity knowing that they lived a compromising life. Now in regards to the last days we are seeing that the persecution of Christian worldwide is on the rise and probabily will continue to become worse. Why? Because Satan knows his time is running out. He is doing what he can to hinder and even kill those who have the true Gospel to share with a lost world. How bad is it? In an article entitled "UK Parliament Told Christianity is 'Most Persecuted Religion'" which appeared in the March 2014 newsletter of "The Church Around the World" we read: "The plight of Christians around the world was discussed in the Houses of Parliment in London. Members of the House of Commons were told the persecution of Christians is increasing, that one Christian is killed about every 11 seconds around the world and that Christianity is the most per- secuted religion globally."
The article goes on to state that the countries that have high persecution rates include: Syria, North Korea Eritrea, Nigeria, Iraq, and Egypt. Why has persecution increased so much in the Arab world? One reason is the so-called Arab Spring. Opinions differ as to whether or not the US led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the overthrow of Saddam helped inspire the Arab Spring. But here are the facts. America's hope was to spread democracy in that part of the globe. In 1989 democracy replaced communist tyranny in Eastern Europe. Would the same thing happen in the Middle East? Yes there were a few dictatorships that were toppled but they were not replaced by a democracy. This is because Islamic tradition does not respect Jeffersonian democracy. It respects Shariah Law. There are no civil rights for Christians, Jews, or atheists in a country that enforces Shariah Law. Keep in mind that according to Islamic thought there are two "Houses". One is the House of Islam the other is the House of Infidels. Islam as an ideology can not be at complete peace until the House of Infidels has been crushed. It should be noted that rights differ from country to country. Christians in Qater have more rights than those living in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless Christians are still being treated as second class citizens in countries that are dominated by Islam. Of all the countries that dishes-out the worst Muslim persecution of Christians, none is as bad as the former Dutch colony of Indonesia. Curiously most persecution comes not from the state but from self-appointed "holy warriors" who believe that it is their sacred duty to rid the country of Christians. These religion of peace ruffians have used the most barbaric means , including the beheading of middle school age children, to stamp out the Christian faith. One of the worst single days of persecution came on Sunday June 9, 1996 when ten churches were targeted for reprisal. Like their blood-thirsty "prophet" before them, these brutes offer their neighbors savagery rather than grace and mercy. Why does this keep happening? Some might say that part of the problem is Indonesia's primative culture. What is the difference between Indonesia and Singapore? Singapore is much more civilized. For more information of Christian persecution in Muslim and communist countries visit persecution.com or Open Doors.com Here in America we have a federal government that allows freedom of religious expression. Christian persecution over here comes from what I call social rejection - that is rejection from those closest to us who value the things of the world more than the things of God. This kind of rejection is often a reflection of our country's moral climate. As moral standards decrease rejection of Christians who want to remain faithful to the Bible increases. Back in the 1950s Christian conservative speakers could speak at a university campus like UC Berkeley with no problem. Today the liberal thought-police are eveywhere on such universities wanting not only to heckle but also to shutdown such events; so much for American free speech. All of this brings to mind the words of Dr. Hal Webb: "If the Gospel of Jesus Christ isn't strong enough to make some people mad then it's not strong enough save." Now consider this question. Imagine a fellow believer being mocked and reviled because of his/her convictions; what would you do? Turn and walk away or come to that person's defense? Imagine if Jesus said to us "I was reviled by sinners in your time and place and you said nothing." May God grant all of His elect the moral courage to faithfully stand for Him. Also we are to hate the sin but love the lost sinner. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spirits of wickedness in heavenly places.(Ephesians 6:12) 7. THE UNPRECIDENTED GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY WORLDWIDE After hearing all of that bad news, here is some very exciting news. Christianity is growing throughout the world as never before! Jesus promised us: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) In his book entitled Gorbachev author Robert Fraid wrote that there is not a country anywhere in the world where the gospel hasn't been preached. Those words were published back in 1988! Lee Strobel has said: "This is a faith that has circled the planet." Let's look at some encouraging numbers. It was once said that you could fit the entire evangelical Protesant population of Mauratania in one church pew; but that is all changing. Today Christianity is spreading throughout Africa at an incredible rate. The Christian Post sites figures from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. The Center claims that the Christian population of Africa is as high as 390 million - that's three times the population of Japan! China is another example. China has an authoritarian regime that is communist in name only. Their secret police even monitors the Internet. Yet inspite of all the "gates of Hell" their government is putting up, the Gospel is still reaching the Chinese people. How many Christians does China have? According to Xiaowen Ye, the head of the Communist Party's State Adminisration of Religious Affairs, the Protestant population of China is an amazing 110 million. That was 2006. Today the Protestant population could be as high as 163 million. That's more people than the combined populations of the United Kingdom, France, and Venezuela. (See billionbibles.org) There is good news coming from Albania. That country was once an atheistic communist stronghold during the Cold War. Parents could not even give their children Christian names. But according to Christianity Today, Albania is now home to 160 active evangelical churches. Even western Europe is experiencing an outpouring of God's spirit. France is a good example. According to the Jews for Jesus newsletter, there is more evangelical activity in France today than there was in 1970. Acts International, founded by Australian author Dick Innus, has an Internet outreach that has recorded decisions for Christ in 165 countries; including closed countries like Morocco and Saudi Arabia. I have saved the biggest shocker for last. Guess which country, according to Operation World, has the fastest growing Christian population? IRAN! According to an article that appeared in the April 2014 issue of Charisma by Troy Anderson, Christianity in Iran has been growing incredibly in recent years. Iranian born former Muslim Hormuz Shariat fled Iran and settled in California. He and his wife founded Iran Alive Ministries in 2001. The ministry produces Christian television that is translated into Farsi and is broadcast by satellite to Iran. This programming has more than 100 million potential Iranian viewers and the people are responding. "...over the past twelve years of broadcasting we have the names of 27 thousand people who have called us to receive Christ.", says Shariat. According to the article the Christian population of Iran could be as high as 5 million. That's roughly equal to the combined populations of Chicago and Houston! Does that number seem unlikely? Consider these points. First ISIS recruiters who are Sunni want nothing to do with Iranians who are mostly Shia. Second most Iranians are young. Many of them were born after the 1979 revolution. Currently they have grown tired of the international isolation and are more tired of all the bearded mullahs telling them what they must believe. Also thanks to the Internet many of them want to explore western culture. Many of them want to wear bluejeans and listen to Britney Spears. More importantly young minds are open to new ideas and many young Iranians are willing to take a close look at the Gospel of Christ. They want a living Lord and Saviour instead of dead religion. "I believe Islam is experiencing its greatest defeat in history," says Shariat, "It's so wide and deep that it is irreversible." How do we account for the sudden rise of evangelism in places like Albania, China, and Iran in the latter days? *WORLD CONDITIONS In a world that is filled with uncertainty, unstable markets, natural disasters, and every kind of vice, people want and need something solid and unchanging in which to invest their lives. Communism failed in Russia, China, and eastern Europe. False cults offer false hope, isolation, and exploitation. But Jesus Himself offers real spiritual healing, hope beyond the grave, and eternal purpose in life. *MISSION TRIPS Countless Christian colleges, churches, and para-church organizations offer short and long term mission trips to countries all over the world. In the fall of 1989 I participated in a short term mission trip to Ixtapa, Mexico. For me it was an unforgetable experience. Elim Bible Institute, near Rochester, NY, arranged the trip. EBI, as of 1989, had mission projects in 20 countries. *MODERN TECHNOLOGY With the advents of the Internet, satellite radio, and satellite television, it is now possible to beam the Gospel message to formerly unreachable places. Iran has been an example. Governments might be able to arrest street preachers but they can't always control satellite communications. Is any of this activity something that we humans can take credit for? Certainly not. All of this mission work is possible only because of the activity of God's spirit. Paul said it best: "It is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13) Some might ask, "With all of these signs why hasn't Jesus come back yet? How do we know that He will ever come back?" All I can do is quote the words of Paul: "...He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has ordained." (Acts 17:31) Since God knows the end from the beginning He therefore knows the date of the end. That date is carved in stone. It cannot be post-poned or sped-up. But it will come. Our job isn't to work on math formulas for setting that date or to hide away in some underground bunker pretending to be safe. Our job is to send out the Gospel message while we still can. The only reason Jesus hasn't come back yet is because there are people and people groups out there that He is interested in reaching. Anyone who became born-again since last year should be grateful that Jesus didn't come back before last year. Today Jesus is still preparing His bride for His Second Coming.