Is the End Near? Biblical Signs of the Times Explained

In recent days, headlines have once again turned our attention to the Middle East. Israel is locked in active conflict with an Islamic regime in Palestine and has been bombarded by Iran, a serious escalation that is drawing global concern. Bombs fall, alliances shift, and speculation surges: Are we living in the last days? Is this the beginning of the end?

For many Christians, these questions evoke fear, confusion, and fascination. Prophecy watchers sound alarms, online forums ignite with speculation, and pastors are flooded with end-times questions. I would challenge you to read the news or watch the news and see if you can go five minutes without finding at least one or two references to the ongoing conflict. It has provoked fear, despair, and end times speculation across the world. Yet amid all the noise, we must return to the authoritative voice of Scripture. What does the Bible actually say about the signs of the times? And more importantly, what are Christians called to do and believe in moments like these?

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 often come to mind in moments like this. He warned of wars, rumors of wars, and nations rising against nations. But He also said something that often gets overlooked: “See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.”

War in the Middle East is tragic, and we should pray fervently and unceasingly for peace. But we must also remember this isn’t the first time violence has erupted in that region. Throughout history, from the Roman occupation in Jesus’ time to the Crusades and modern geopolitical struggles, Israel has been at the center of global conflict. The city of Jerusalem itself has been attacked, defended, and conquered for as far back as historians are able to date human occupation in that region. That geographical significance does not automatically translate into prophetic fulfillment in the way some claim. Jesus warned about war not as a countdown, but as a reality of a fallen world.

I see these moments not as signs of hopeless decline, but as reminders of the ongoing need for gospel witness in a world still marred by sin and rebellion. We are fallen people. Every single one of us. We are in desperate need of saving, which is what the Gospel message is all about.

It isn’t just international conflict that raises questions. Many point to the state of our culture, moral confusion, hostility to biblical teaching, and a growing spiritual apathy as proof that the end must be near. Paul speaks of a “falling away” in 2 Thessalonians and of a time when people will “not endure sound teaching” (2 Timothy 4:3). These signs are real, but they are not new.

Even in the early church, apostasy was present. Christians were betrayed, teachings were twisted, and truth was often drowned out by public opinion. This isn’t a sign of imminent end times; it’s just the reality of life. As I stated in a previous post, John himself was writing against false teachers. They were working hard to distort the Gospel before all of the Gospels had even been written. That reality hasn’t changed. What matters most now, as it did then, is not the volume of cultural darkness, but the faithfulness of Christ’s people. The church is called to be a light in the world, not a bunker from it. One of the most tragic mistakes a church can make is to adopt what my mentor called the “fortress model” of church governance, barricading itself off from the world to pursue purity of doctrine. We are in the world, but not of it. We should not simply close ourselves off in fear of a changing culture, culture always changes.

Jesus said the end would not come until the gospel had been proclaimed to all nations (Matthew 24:14). This is not a threat but a promise: the kingdom is advancing. Despite war, despite spiritual confusion, the gospel is still bearing fruit around the world.

Even in places where Christianity is persecuted, underground churches flourish. Digital evangelism is reaching isolated regions. Local congregations continue to send missionaries, support Bible translation, and raise faithful children. The message of Christ crucified and risen is still going out into the world, and that is one of the most compelling signs of all.

Natural disasters, climate crises, pandemics, some things we’ve all become familiar with thanks to the unending news cycles, these realities are often framed as warnings from God. And while the Bible does speak of the earth “groaning” (Romans 8:22), it speaks even more frequently about creation’s longing for redemption. Jesus referred to these events as “birth pains,” signaling not doom, but new life.

The current global unrest, including what we see in Israel, might stir fear. But for Christians, these groanings should stir action, compassion, advocacy, prayer, and gospel proclamation. Fear paralyzes. Hope mobilizes. And the Spirit empowers us to live as people who expect Jesus’ return but are not shaken by every tremor along the way.

Many wonder if the current political unrest signals the rise of the Antichrist. We focus far too much on The Antichrist and nowhere near enough on the antichrists already around us. John writes that “many antichrists have already come” (1 John 2:18). The spirit of antichrist is not confined to one person at the end of time, but is any ideology, system, or figure that sets itself against Christ and deceives others.

Deception is subtle. It appears in corrupt religion, false teaching, and manipulative politics. It thrives in fear and exploits ignorance. That’s why Christians must be grounded in Scripture, shaped by worship, and surrounded by a faithful community. The answer to deception is not speculation, it’s discipleship. Are you being discipled? Who are you discipling? The answers to those questions will show you how prepared you are to face the already present reality of antichrist around us.

To plug my own perspective, I am a post-millennial. The post-millennial perspective does not deny suffering or minimize global unrest. Instead, it sees all history, including the conflicts of today, as part of a broader story: the ongoing, victorious expansion of Christ’s kingdom. The Kingdom is not diminishing; it is expanding. You may not feel it if you spend too much time online, but the reality is the West is at the beginning of a spiritual reawakening and revival. Mark my words, Church attendance is going to grow within the next 50 years by a remarkable amount.

Yes, there is conflict. Yes, there is apostasy. But Christ reigns now. His gospel is going forward. The Church, though imperfect, is being built by His hand, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The future is not spiraling downward; it is being drawn upward, toward the final renewal of all things.

Jesus was clear: no one knows the day or the hour. While the current situation in Israel is serious, it does not grant us the license to predict timelines or sensationalize news reports. Our calling is to be alert, not reckless.

Rather than poring over prophecy charts or obsessing over headlines, we should instead be pouring ourselves into Scripture, prayer, community, and mission. The best way to “prepare for the end” is to live faithfully in the present, trusting in God’s sovereignty and bearing witness to His love.

So, is the end near? Maybe. Maybe not. But what’s far more important is that Christ is near. The kingdom is still growing. The Spirit is still working. The Church is still called to be a beacon of light in a world that so desperately needs it.

Let the current unrest in Israel remind us of the world’s brokenness, but also of the gospel’s power. Let it drive us to our knees in prayer, but also to our feet in mission. Let it stir our hearts not with fear, but with hope, the sure hope that Christ reigns, and He will come again, not to destroy the world, but to renew it.