Through all of history, studying Bible prophecy and the end times has been essential. As believers, our hope is anchored on God’s promise of what is still yet to come.
But false teachers have always gotten it wrong. Date-setters have come and gone. Hal Lindsey tied Revelation to the European Union and followed up with a book predicting Armageddon in the 1980s. Wrong. Edgar Whisenant published reasons the rapture would come in 1988, then 1989, then 1993, then 1994. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Harold Camping predicted Christ’s coming in 1994, then 1995, then 2011. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
They all dismissed what Jesus said plainly: “Concerning that day and hour, no one knows. Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32).
We will never know the day or hour beforehand. Nevertheless, the Bible is clear that we can know the season when the end of days is near.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.”
“You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 (ESV)
“The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.”
As followers of Christ, the end times should not surprise us like a thief. Just like a barometer forecasts the weather, we should recognize signals when that appointed time approaches.
The signs are all around us.
“In the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, without self-control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” Moral decay in world culture. Check.
“Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Lawlessness increasing. A spiritual frost setting in. The gospel reaching every nation. Check.
“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” An information age with artificial intelligence. Check.
Look at the fig tree. Look at the clouds. The time is near. Get ready.
But how do we get ready?
Be Watchful: Awake, and on the Lookout
“Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
“Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.”
Jesus repeats the command: stay awake. In the evening. At midnight. When the rooster crows. In the morning. Lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (ESV)
“You are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”
Children of light do not get caught off guard. They are awake. They are watching. They are sober.
Discussion
- What are the “cares of this life” that are most likely to weigh down your heart and pull your attention from what matters most?
- What does it look like to be spiritually awake in a culture that is spiritually asleep?
Key Takeaways
- Stay awake. Jesus commands watchfulness repeatedly. This is not a suggestion. It is an order from the Commander.
- Children of light are not surprised. The day of the Lord will surprise the world. But believers who are awake and sober will recognize the season.
- Watch yourself first. Before looking outward, guard your own heart from dissipation and distraction.
Be Prepared: Ready and Waiting
“Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the bridegroom came and “those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.” Those who were not ready? Locked out.
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast.”
“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on.”
No one involved in a wedding can just wing it last minute. There is a ton of preparation. The dress, the flowers, the food, the music. So much work in advance.
In the same way, we need to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Study. Pray. Put away sin. Seek his face. Build each other up. Invest in eternal things. Trim your lamps. Dress for action. Be ready for when he comes and knocks.
Discussion
- What does “staying dressed for action” look like in your daily life?
- If Jesus returned this week, what would you wish you had done differently to be ready?
Key Takeaways
- Readiness is not passive. It takes active preparation. Study, prayer, putting away sin, building up the body.
- The door shuts. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, those who were not ready were locked out. Preparation is not optional.
- Dress for action. Keep the lamps burning. Stay clothed in righteousness. Be waiting.
Stand Firm: Patiently Endure, Be Faithful to the End
“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
The enemy is a “cosmic power” (kosmokratores). In Ephesians 2:2, Paul calls him “the prince of the power of the air (aeros), the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” That same word for air (aeros) appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, where believers “will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
Take up the armor of God. Stand firm against this cosmic power of the air. The shield of faith can extinguish the enemy’s flaming darts. The sword of the Spirit can pierce.
Pray, persevere, patiently endure, remain faithful to the very end. No matter the cost.
“Be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
Endure. Patiently endure. Hold on. Keep the faith.
Discussion
- Where in your life do you need to stand firm right now?
- What does patient endurance look like when the waiting feels long and the battle feels real?
Key Takeaways
- The battle is spiritual, not earthly. Kosmokratores. Cosmic powers. The enemy operates in unseen realms. The armor of God is designed for this fight.
- Stand firm. Paul does not say run. He says stand. Withstand. Hold the line. Having done all, stand.
- Endurance is the mark of the saints. Revelation 14:12 defines the faithful as those who keep the commandments and their faith in Jesus. To the end.
Something to Sit With
God has a plan. The signs are all around us. The question is: are you dialed in?
Be watchful. Awake and on the lookout. Be prepared. Ready and waiting. Stand firm. Patiently endure. Be faithful to the end.
The time is near. Get ready.
“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.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5, ESV)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bible predict when Jesus will return?
No. Jesus explicitly said that no one knows the day or hour, not even the angels or the Son, but the Father only (Matthew 24:36). What Scripture does provide are general signs and seasons that indicate the end is approaching, and a consistent command to be ready at all times.
What are the signs of the end times?
Scripture describes several indicators: moral decay and self-love (2 Timothy 3:1-5), increasing lawlessness and spiritual coldness (Matthew 24:12), the gospel reaching all nations (Matthew 24:14), increased knowledge and travel (Daniel 12:4), scoffers denying Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:3-4), and cosmic disturbances (Luke 21:25-26).
What does it mean to “stand firm” in Ephesians 6?
Standing firm means holding your ground through spiritual warfare by putting on the full armor of God: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. Paul does not command believers to retreat or advance. He commands them to stand, withstand, and keep standing.
How should Christians prepare for Christ’s return?
Through spiritual readiness, not date-setting or fear. Study God’s Word. Pray constantly. Put away sin. Build up fellow believers. Stay alert and sober. Invest in eternal things. Live each day as if it could be the last, not with panic, but with purpose.
What is the Parable of the Ten Virgins about?
In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells a story of ten virgins waiting for a bridegroom. Five were wise and prepared with oil for their lamps. Five were foolish and unprepared. When the bridegroom came, only those who were ready entered the feast. The door shut on the rest. The lesson: be ready, because the timing is unknown.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.