This present age of the world will end with the rapture of the church and a seven year period of severe natural disasters, war, and tyranny called the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, Jesus will return to the earth to begin His 1,000 year reign on the earth. Many Christians refer to the sequence of rapture, tribulation, and second coming as “the last days.” Some Christians fill their time searching for evidence Christ will return soon. Some believe the Bible instructs them to study the signs to know if the world is getting closer to the end.

The Bible gives no signs indicating when the rapture will occur, and the Bible does not command people to search the daily news to discover the signs of the times. However, in Matthew 24 Jesus describes events which will occur before His second coming. Those events include widespread war, persecution of believers, earthquakes, famines, wide spread plague, astronomic upheaval, and the installation of a despicable, polluting idol in the temple of God. In Matthew 24:33 Jesus said, “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near– at the doors!” Undeniably, Jesus was teaching people to look for the signs which would appear before His second coming.

However, the only believers able to obey Jesus’ command are those who live during the Tribulation. Matthew 24 does not discuss the rapture, but the second coming of Jesus. The rapture is the sudden removal of all Christians from the earth. This event will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1 Corinthians 15:52) The raptured saints will be lifted off the earth to meet Jesus “in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) At that time all Christians will ascend to Heaven with Jesus, and will return to Heaven with Jesus without Him setting foot on earth.

The second coming of Jesus is His descent to the earth to conquer. He will come down from Heaven to the Mount of Olives, defeat the armies of the anti-Christ, imprison Satan, establish of His 1,000 year kingdom, and physically rule the world from Jerusalem. This event will be preceded by seven years of signs like those described in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6-19. These signs will make it plain to all who have eyes to see that the Second Coming of Jesus is close. None can know the precise moment of Jesus’ second coming, but those who are faithful to Him will recognize the cataclysms of the Tribulation as the final woes before the return of Jesus.

The rapture and the second coming are separated by the seven year period of intense tribulation. Nothing foretold to occur during the Tribulation has to take place before the rapture. Therefore, the Bible gives no sign which allows the Christian today to conclude we are close to the rapture. Instead, the Bible tells Christians to stand guard, be persistent in prayer, and be faithful in holiness until the rapture.

Many Christians rightly identify situations in the world which resemble events which will also happen during the Tribulation. Many Christians see a resemblance between current international tensions and the international conflict during the Tribulation. The present troubles may be setting the stage for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. They may not be. None will know until the prophecies are fulfilled. The Bible does not command Christians to identify the relative proximity of Christ’s return. The Bible commands Christians to be obedient to the Lord until He returns.