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The
End of the World
Signs
of the End of the World?
Biblical
Wisdom from Billy Graham & Franklin Graham
By The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
“Now
concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have
anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day
of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying,
“There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as
labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
“But
you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a
thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not
of the night or of the darkness.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 (ESV)
Google searches for “end
times” and “rapture” are spiking as news watchers try to interpret
the stories scrolling across their screens.
So what do we know
about the end of the world?
Just as importantly,
what don’t we know?
And how should we
live in light of this knowledge?
Let these Biblical
messages from Billy Graham and Franklin Graham guide you as you pray for God to
give you wisdom and peace.
Understand the Truth About the End Times
How is the world
going to end? Can anyone predict when it will happen? How bad will things get
before Jesus comes back?
Read Billy Graham’s
short answers to each of these questions and others.
Make Sure You’re Ready
Posting to his Facebook
followers,
Franklin Graham quoted the book of Revelation, “Then I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness he judges and makes war” (Revelation 19:11,
ESV).
“Jesus
Christ came to earth as a suffering Servant,” Franklin wrote.
“He
will return as conquering King. A day of reckoning is coming, and we are
invited to be ready. Have you bowed your heart in repentance and faith before
the King of kings?”
That’s the most
important question you’ll ever answer.
The Bible says it’s
not “if” but “when” Jesus Christ will come back to judge the
earth.
By choosing to follow Christ now, you can
ensure you’ll have eternal life in heaven when all is said and done.
Know the Signs
While the Bible makes
it clear that no human being knows when the world will end, it also says there
will be signs that Jesus’ return is approaching.
The best source for
understanding signs of the end times is the Bible itself. Take a careful look
at some of the things Jesus said about His return.
From recent
hurricanes and earthquakes to the rise of ISIS and this year’s total solar
eclipse, many people are asking whether specific events are signs of the end
times.
The short answer is
we don’t know.
Billy Graham once
preached in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, on the night of a total
lunar eclipse.
Rather than pointing
to the eclipse as a specific sign from the Lord, he used the moon and stars to
illustrate the incomprehensible vastness and power of God.
Mr. Graham has,
however, said he believes there are Biblical signs of the end times visible in
the world today.
Nearly
10 years ago, he wrote, “We see the storm clouds gathering and events taking
place that herald the second coming of Jesus Christ.”
Understand There Will Be ‘Scoffers’
On the last night of the 1969
New York City Crusade, Billy Graham preached that there will
be “scoffers” in the last days.
In 2 Peter, chapter
3, the Bible describes these scoffers as people who will follow their own
sinful desires while mocking the truth of Jesus’ return as though it will never
happen.
“People
will say, ‘Oh yeah, God is dead,'” Billy Graham explained. “‘We can’t
find God anywhere. We took a trip up in space. We didn’t meet God; we didn’t
meet any angels while we were there.’
“And
there are going to be other scoffers that will scoff at the idea of future
judgment, scoff at the idea that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth
again. They’ll laugh at the whole idea.”
Why do people mock
the Bible, and why don’t they want Jesus to come back?
Hear the answer in
Mr. Graham’s message below.
Choose Hope, Not Despair
In the same message
from New York City in 1969, Billy Graham said people tend to react to the idea
of the end of the world in one of three ways: with pessimism, activism or hope.
“Because
my hope is not centered in this world or in what man is going to do or not
going to do. My hope is centered in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
the Bible says is going to come back someday and straighten the whole mess
out.”
If you are a follower
of Christ, you also have hope, especially when it comes to end times. The idea
of the end of the world may seem frightening, but those who are in Christ have nothing to
fear.
When events at home
and around the world cause you to despair, remember that Jesus has overcome the
world, and He will come back for His people.
As
Billy Graham once said, “I have read the last page of the Bible. It is all
going to turn out all right.”
“I
have said these things to you, that in me you may have
peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I
have overcome the world.” — John 16:33, ESV
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Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is reaching more people than ever before
through innovative ministries and global outreach projects.
Around
the world and around the clock, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with millions of people every year.
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