Preparing for the End Time

Why does God reveal what the future holds? So we will be spurred to change. What do you need to do to be prepared?

Approximately a fourth of the Bible is prophetic in nature. Much of this material is profoundly connected to world-changing events. The Bible is a perennially up-to-date, applicable book.

Regarding earth-shaping trends and occurrences, no section of Scripture is more applicable to our world than the Olivet Prophecy, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. This is where Jesus Himself warns us to be vigilant about our spiritual state. He describes and summarizes the conditions and events that will lead to His second coming. What should we be doing—or not doing—as that time draws closer?

After describing the dire state of the world to which He would return, Jesus said to His disciples regarding the exact time of His coming, "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (Mark 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
See All..., New American Standard Bible).

That we will not know for sure does not mean we should neglect to keep a watchful eye on world trends and conditions and our own spiritual condition. Notice what Jesus instructs in the next verse: "Take heed, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time is" (verse 33, NASB).

He then compared Himself and His second coming to a man who traveled to a distant country, left his servants in charge of his property and asked the doorkeeper "to stay on the alert" till he returned.

Then Jesus Christ gives His warning to His disciples a second time. "Therefore, be on the alert —for you do not know when the master of the house is coming …" (verse 35, NASB).

Next He warns His servants not to fall asleep on the job, followed by a third and final appeal emphasizing the importance of their task. "And what I say to you I say to all: 'Be on the alert!'" (verse 37, NASB).

Luke's account emphasizes our personal conduct, with Christ warning us to be diligent in keeping our personal spiritual house in order and showing us exactly the kind of distractions to avoid:

"Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day [of Christ's return] come upon you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth" (Luke 21:34-35 [34] And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
[35] For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

See All..., NASB).

The vast majority of people, says Jesus Christ, will be taken by surprise. They will not be spiritually alert, much less aware, as prophesied conditions and trends develop. Christ wants His servants to avoid falling into this trap.

So He tells us in verse 36: "But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (NASB).

In his exhortation regarding the Day of the Lord, the apostle Peter asks, "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?" (2 Peter 3:11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
See All..., NASB). The emphasis throughout is on the importance of personal preparedness for Christ's coming and having a heightened alertness and anticipation of that event.

Protection for God's servants

One of the most encouraging aspects of this subject is knowing that God has promised to watch over and care for His people during this time of unprecedented worldwide turmoil. Jesus said there is nothing wrong with wanting to avoid suffering the end-time disasters. In fact, as we saw in Luke 21:36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
See All..., He encourages us to be alert and aware, watching our own spiritual state as well as world events and conditions and earnestly praying we will be worthy to escape the coming devastation, if it occurs during our lifetime.

Just as in Noah's day, God will provide a way for many of the faithful to be protected during those 3 1⁄2 years. As Zephaniah 2:3Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.
See All... tells us, "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger."

Although Satan will try to destroy God's people, God will provide the means for many of them to be spared this dangerous time (Revelation 12:13-17 [13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
[14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
[15] And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
[16] And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
[17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

See All...). Jesus says He will care for those who faithfully serve Him during that time.

He tells one faithful group at the end, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
See All...).

In Revelation 7, God's servants are sealed and spared from the coming global upheavals. "Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads'" (verses 2-3).

Who are these servants of God? Notice how the book of Revelation describes them. They are those "who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus," those "who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" and "those who do His commandments" (Revelation 12:17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
See All...; 14:12; 22:14).

The book of Revelation shows that those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus are God's people. (To learn more about these commandments and the people who comprise God's Church, download or request your free copies of our booklets The Ten Commandments and The Church Jesus Built .)

Yet, sadly, prophecy reveals that not all of God's people will be protected during the end time. Christ foretold that part of His Church at the end would not be spiritually ready. In Matthew 25 His parable of the 10 virgins shows that some of His people would neglect their spiritual state and be unprepared.

He concludes the parable with this warning: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
See All...). Consequently, as the end time begins, some of God's people will be protected from Satan's persecutions while others bear the brunt of the devil's fury (Revelation 6:9-11 [9] And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
[10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
[11] And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

See All...; 12:14, 17).

A time to be spiritually awake

Although the end time is a period of unprecedented world trouble, it is also the threshold of God's Kingdom. Paul gives a wonderful perspective of how we should spiritually prepare for that time, regardless of when it comes:

"But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

"But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 [4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
[5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
[6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
[7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
[8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
[9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
[10] Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
[11] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

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We should take great comfort in God's promises and the knowledge He has made available about the end time. The good news is that, if we prepare ourselves spiritually, this can be a time of confidence, hope and joy leading inexorably to God's incomparable Kingdom. As Jesus assures us in Luke 21:28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
See All..., "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."