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Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42 #coptorthodox #bibleverse #bible #bibleversedaily #dailyverse #coptic #orthodox @coptorthodox #secondcoming #christiscoming #eternallife #christreturn #matthew24 #matthew2442 #matthew24v42 #watch #watchthelord https://www.instagram.com/p/CTjXK9gPOug/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Are We Living in the Last Days?

By Author Eli Kittim

Mt 24.6-14 (NRSV):

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of

wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this

must take place, but the end is not yet. For

nation will rise against nation [WW1], and

kingdom against kingdom [WW2], and

there will be famines and earthquakes in

various places: all this is but the beginning

of the birth pangs. … Then many

will fall away, and they will betray one

another and hate one another [hate

crimes]. And many false prophets will arise

and lead many astray. And because of the

increase of lawlessness [civil unrest], the

love of many will grow cold. But the one who

endures to the end will be saved. And this

good news of the kingdom will be

proclaimed throughout the world, as a

testimony to all the nations; and then the

end will come.”

The 20th Century Was the Most Violent in Human History

Notice that Matthew mentions that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Mt. 24.7) as “the beginning of the birth pangs” (v. 8). And then he mentions another signpost, namely, “the increase of lawlessness” (v. 12). If we focus on these 4 prophetic markers——i.e. world wars, famines, earthquakes, and “the increase of lawlessness”——we will gain a better understanding of the specific *timeline* that Matthew has in mind. Francis P. Sempa, a prolific author and professor of political science, once wrote:

“The optimists among us who believe in the

inevitable progress of man, either forget or

ignore the fact that the twentieth century

was the bloodiest, most destructive century

in human history. The century’s two world

wars resulted in the deaths of at least 60

million people. The Russian Civil War of

1917-21 killed another 5-6 million. Between

them, the tyrannical regimes of Hitler,

Stalin, and Mao killed at least another 60

million of their own citizens. Many millions

more were killed in dozens of other, smaller

conflicts.”

Not to mention the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that killed almost a quarter of a million (226,000) people! Author Matthew White (Historical Atlas of the Twentieth Century, 2010) has even higher estimates of the total number of victims of collective violence in the 20th Century, which indicate that over 200 million people perished due to war, oppression, famine, and disease. No other century even comes close.

The Deadliest Famines in History Occurred in the 20th Century

According to an article in Wikipedia:

“During the 20th century, an estimated 70 to

100 million people died from famines across

the world, of whom over half died in China,

with an estimated 30 million dying during

the famine of 1958–1961, up to 10 million in

the Chinese famine of 1928–1930, and over

two million in the Chinese famine of 1942–

43, and millions more lost in famines in

North and East China. The USSR lost 8

million claimed by the Soviet famine of

1932-33, over a million in both the Soviet

famine of 1946-47 and Siege of Leningrad,

the 5 million in the Russian famine of 1921–

22, and other famines.”

Some of the Deadliest Earthquakes Ever Recorded in History Occurred in the 20th Century

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_20th-century_earthquakes

Lists of 20th-century earthquakes - Wikipedia

A Significant Increase of Lawlessness in the 20th Century

Lawlessness also implies civil unrest. The civil unrest that the world has seen in the past century is unparalleled. It would be beyond the scope of this paper to furnish the reader with an exhaustive list of crime figures and statistics of the past century. One thing is certain. The 20th century ushered in, particularly with the advent of two global conflicts, an unprecedented increase of lawlessness and destruction on a scale unimaginable only a few centuries ago. There was also a significant increase in crimes against humanity in the past century, especially due to the rise of fascist and totalitarian regimes (e.g. Nazism, Stalinism, Maoism, etc.). Never before have there been war crimes, murders, massacres, genocides on such a massive scale where, for example, in the case of the Holocaust, approximately 6 million Jews were exterminated. Today, we still hear of hate crimes being perpetrated on large populations and minorities (e.g. ethnic cleansing, police brutalities, terrorism, etc.). Given that society is becoming increasingly lawless, more and more people are being armed with concealed weapons either to perpetrate crimes or to defend themselves and their loved ones.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that there is a prophecy in the Book of Daniel that suggests an *increase in knowledge* in the last days (which would include modern innovations, such as smartphones, computers, satellites, self-driving cars, laser surgery, the internet) as well as *transportation efficiency,* such as increased speed in sea, road, rail, and air transportation, unlike anything we had ever seen or even imagined before. Up until the 20th century people still used traditional means of transportation, such as Horse Carriages to get around. But with the twentieth century came an explosion of knowledge and innovation, from cars to high-speed trains to airplanes to jet engines to space shuttles to computers to nuclear weapons, you name it. Anticipating all that, Daniel 12.4 (ESV) reads:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal

the book, until the time of the end. Many

shall run to and fro [fast travel], and

knowledge shall increase.”

There are also numerous Old Testament prophecies regarding the future restoration of Israel, which became a reality in 1948 (cf. e.g. Ezek. 36.24; 38.8)! Therefore, it cannot be denied that the 20th century offers the best explanation of the historical causes that give rise to the phenomena of the Little Apocalypse (Mt. 24), which foretells of a worldwide tribulation just prior to the coming of the Son of Man. The 20th century saw the most destructive global conflicts in human history, the Nuclear arms race, as well the highest surge in famines, earthquakes, lawlessness, and deaths on a scale unimaginable only a few centuries ago. That these global wars and disasters have been doubly intensified in the last century is borne out by the aforementioned figures. Thus, there is compelling and irrefutable evidence that we’re living in the last days!

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. ~Matthew 24:44~

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The Unknown Day and Hour of Christ's Return

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus teaches His disciples about the uncertainty of the timing of His second coming. He emphasizes that no one knows the exact day or hour, not even Himself or the angels in heaven, but only God the Father.

This verse serves as a reminder for us to always be prepared for Christ’s return, as it will happen at an unexpected time. As believers, we should live our lives in a way that reflects our readiness for His coming, focusing on our relationship with God and our service to others.

Time to reflect

To apply the lessons from this verse, consider these points:

Recognize the uncertainty of the timing of Christ’s return.

Embrace the importance of being spiritually prepared for His coming.

Focus on cultivating a deep and meaningful relationship with God.

Serve others and share the gospel message with those around you.

Trust in God’s perfect timing and His sovereignty over all things.

Prayer Of The Day

Lord, thank You for the reminder in Matthew 24:36 that we do not know the day or hour of Jesus’ return. Help us to remain vigilant and spiritually prepared, always ready for His coming. Guide us in cultivating a deep and meaningful relationship with You and in serving others as we share the gospel message. We trust in Your perfect timing and Your sovereignty over all things. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

To apply the lessons from this verse, take these action steps:

Reflect on your spiritual preparedness for Christ’s return and identify areas in your life where you can grow closer to God.

Serve others and share the gospel message in your community, demonstrating your readiness for Christ’s return.

Study Scripture to deepen your understanding of Christ’s second coming and the importance of being prepared.

Pray for discernment and wisdom in living a life that reflects readiness for Christ’s return.

Trust in God’s perfect timing and His sovereignty over all things, releasing any anxiety or fear about the future.

Today Wisdom

The unknown timing of Christ’s return in Matthew 24:36 serves as a call for us to live in a state of readiness and spiritual preparedness. By cultivating a deep relationship with God, serving others, and sharing the gospel message, we can demonstrate our readiness for Jesus’ return and trust in God’s perfect timing and sovereignty over all things.

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Christians and Jewish people share a common problem, predators who will try to manipulate your sense of doing good for others.

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