The constant state of crisis we see in the world today is exactly what Jesus said the world would look like just prior to His return. He said many things will happen, but “all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (Matthew 24:8). What does this mean? It means we should expect painful events on a global scale to increase in both frequency and intensity in the time leading up to His return.

What’s Coming Next?

If that’s the case, then what’s the next major event? If the global events we’ve endured over the past few years are going to be more frequent and more severe, what are the most likely events we’ll see next? The possibilities are endless. We could see large magnitude earthquakes, major terrorist attacks, or even another global pandemic. We can’t be certain what the next event will be, but here are the six most probable events on the horizon:

1) The Destruction of Damascus

In the event of all-out war between Iran and Israel, Iran will almost certainly unleash its proxies in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and other parts of the world. Hezbollah is believed to have approximately 150,000 rockets and missiles pointed at Israel from southern Lebanon and Syria. If Hezbollah engaged in a massive attack on Israel and overwhelmed Israel’s air defenses, it’s not out of the question we could see Israel respond with a nuclear weapon.

Damascus is known to be a hotbed of terrorists with a mix of Syrian militants, Iranian military personnel, and Hezbollah leaders. If it feels its existence is threatened, Israel will use every weapon at its disposal, and Damascus is one of the top targets. Israel has the ability to destroy the city with a nuclear strike, and many people believe Isaiah 17 (which describes the destruction of Damascus) is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled. Don’t be surprised if the current conflict escalates to a point where we witness exactly that – the destruction of what many believe is the longest continuously inhabited city on earth.

2) Iranian Closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Even if we don’t see an escalation to all-out war between Israel and Iran, we’re very likely to see Iran take another action – the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The failure of Operation Prosperity Guardian to open the Red Sea is evidence the deterrent effect of conventional naval power has ended. Drones now dominate conventional weapons systems on the battlefield. We see this in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and we see it in the Red Sea.

The Red Sea shipping corridor has been closed to Western shipping since Iran, working through its Houthi rebel proxies in Yemen, launched a campaign to attack and harass Western container ships. If Iran can shut down Red Sea shipping lanes, closing one of the most vital corridors to world trade for the past four months, then why can’t they do the same in the Persian Gulf? Given its location, Iran effectively controls the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane that’s the only way in or out of the Persian Gulf. Last month, Iran hijacked the MSC Aries, marking the sixth vessel recently hijacked by Iran or its proxies. Over 20% of global oil consumption travels through the Strait of Hormuz, making it the most important maritime chokepoint in the world.

Rather than engage in an all-out kinetic war with Israel, Iran may instead choose to harass Western shipping in the Persian Gulf or altogether block any ships associated with countries supporting Israel. Even without completely closing off access, a few attacks on oil tankers would dramatically increase insurance costs for oil tankers – costs that would be borne by the whole world in the form of higher oil prices. If Iran did shut down Persian Gulf oil tanker traffic, global oil prices could immediately skyrocket to over $180 per barrel or more – an event that would trigger a global financial crash the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

3) Cyber Attacks on Infrastructure

Despite the warnings, many people remain oblivious to the prospect of cyber attacks on vital infrastructure. We’ve seen numerous instances where this has taken place on a limited basis, but the prospects of escalating war in the Middle East and other places around the globe make this more likely with each passing day. The threat is greater now because state-sponsored cyber attacks during a time of war will likely cause damage and chaos on a much greater scale than attacks we’ve seen in the recent past.

In the past few years, nation states have shown a greater willingness to attack vital infrastructure. Examples include destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines and Houthi threats to sever underwater Internet cables in the Red Sea. Recently, Iran threatened to attack U.S. water systems, and speculation continues over whether or not the Baltimore bridge collapse was due to a cyber attack or not. The WEF has warned of (which probably means they’re preparing to launch) a global cyber attack on the Internet. A broad-based attack could shut down financial institutions, water supplies, the electrical grid, and/or other resources vital to daily life. Such an attack could take place at any moment, and most people are woefully unprepared for such an event.

4) A Global Banking Crisis

In March 2023, a global banking crisis emerged, resulting in the second, third, and fourth largest bank failures in U.S. history. In addition, Credit Suisse (a global systemically important bank) came close to failure before a shotgun wedding with UBS. A failure of Credit Suisse would have triggered a global financial crisis, prompting credit fears to spread through the global financial system overnight. Central bank actions (such as the Federal Reserve’s Bank Term Funding Program) kicked the can down the road, delaying the crisis for another day. But the end of that program, along with other factors, sets the stage for a new banking crisis to re-emerge at any moment.

Some of the largest banks in the world (such as J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs) recently issued disappointing earnings reports due to a number of factors. One of those is the imploding commercial real estate market, which has hammered a number of regional banks already and could trigger a crisis worse than the 2008 sub-prime housing crisis. On top of that, the recent rise in interest rates has hit bank balance sheets hard with U.S. banks alone currently sitting on more than $600 billion in unrealized losses.

As if the banking environment weren’t already difficult, the Bank Term Funding Program that helped prevent the 2023 banking crisis from consuming the entire banking system came to an end on March 11^th. In addition, a major source of post-pandemic liquidity for banks – the Federal Reserve’s reverse repo facility, is drawing down to its end. The result is a set-up that could quickly lead to a re-emergent banking crisis at any moment.

5) A Currency Crisis

As if all these other prospective events weren’t bad enough, we’re also on the verge of a major currency crisis. The Japanese yen currently sits at its lowest level relative to the U.S. dollar since 1990. To prevent the situation from getting worse will likely require the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates or the U.S. Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Given the recent persistence of inflation, it’s unlikely we’ll see the U.S. lower rates in the short term. This means the Bank of Japan may be forced to raise rates and take other measures to defend its currency. This is especially true if conflict in the Middle East leads to a spike in oil prices.

If oil prices spike while the yen continues to depreciate relative to the dollar, Japan (the fourth largest economy in the world) will stand on the precipice of economic ruin. Despite efforts to move away from the petro-dollar, the majority of global oil transactions are still denominated in U.S. dollars. Japan produces virtually zero fossil fuels domestically, making it heavily dependent on foreign imports to power its economy. If the yen continues to depreciate relative to the dollar while oil prices spike, Japanese energy costs will skyrocket as the Japanese are forced to trade yen for dollars in order to buy oil.

Faced with an economic meltdown regardless of what actions it takes, the Bank of Japan would almost certainly move to defend the value of the yen. This would cause a reversal of the yen carry trade (succinctly explained here), which could quickly lead to a disorderly unraveling of financial positions all over the world. Along the way, we could see margin calls and exploding derivatives positions that crash global financial markets. Yet despite the potential carnage, most people remain unaware of this possibility.

6) The Rapture of the Church

The overwhelming majority of the world remains ignorant of the reality that Jesus will one day return for His church. Jesus promised to keep the church from the Tribulation (Revelation 3:10), and signs all around us indicate the 7-year Tribulation period is drawing near. Furthermore, Paul says Jesus will come in “the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52). This means, in a faction of a second, Jesus could snatch every born-again believer from the face of the earth.

Imagine the implications. The disappearance of potentially hundreds of millions of people in an instant would cause global chaos in and of itself. That’s before accounting for all of the second-order impacts of so many missing people all over the globe. Each and every one of those people plays a major role in someone’s life, and the sudden disappearance of so many will directly impact society and all its institutions in profound ways. In fact, the rapture of the church could trigger many, if not all, of the events in this article in an instant and without warning.

What You Should Do

With all these things on the verge of taking place, what should you do? Simple. Make the most of the time you have left. If you’re not a Christian, turn to Jesus now. The Bible says we’re all sinners (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Yet, while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). He paid for our sins through His blood as shed on the cross, and there is no other name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus alone is the way to heaven (John 14:6), so put your faith in Him while you still can.

If you’re already Christian, don’t fear the things of this world, especially the coming events of the Tribulation. Jesus promised to protect His followers from “the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10). So, Christians will not endure the Tribulation. However, don’t think that means you won’t face sorrows in this life. Jesus says you will. He says you’ll face many trials and tribulations in this world, but don’t be discouraged because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Understand this – the rapture of the church could be the next traumatic event to hit the world. Think of those left behind. Think of the fear they will have. Think of the world they’ll be living in. Let that motivate you to spread the Gospel. Right now, more people than ever are seeking God. And according to His purpose, He uses every event for good (Romans 8:28). World-shaking, global events are no exception.

Traumatic global events are an assault on the world’s sense of security. It’s in these moments when people seek God the most because He can not be shaken. He’s the rock upon which you should build your life (Psalm 18:2). If you do, such events won’t have the same impact on your life. So if you know this already, make sure to share what you know. Take advantage of this moment and tell others about the hope you have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15). You may not have much longer because He is coming soon!

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Britt Gillette is the author of several books on Bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com

 

For over four years now, almost everyone who pays attention to what’s going on in the world lives in a constant state of anxiety. The reason? They’re waiting for the next shoe to drop – the next major global event that will upend their lives.

This is understandable. Over the past four years, we’ve endured COVID, the government response to COVID (lockdowns, passports, mandates, etc.), global supply chain issues, global inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, the shutdown of Red Sea shipping lanes, and numerous rumors of other major events set to break at any moment. So what’s next? Will it get worse before it gets better? The answer is yes, and this article reveals why.

The Interregnum

One of the reasons we see all these events taking place is the interregnum. What does that mean? Well, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, defines an interregnum as:

“The interval of time between the end of a sovereign’s reign and the accession of a successor.”

This typically describes a time period between two reigning kings, but in this instance, we’re using it to describe the time period between one superpower or group dominating global affairs and second rising to take its place. The last time we experienced an interregnum of this type was the 1914 to 1945 timeframe. Needless to say, this was quite a tumultuous era – 31 years that included two world wars and a global depression.

When 1914 started, the Royal Navy of the British Empire ruled the high seas. The colonies of the British Empire spanned the globe, and it had dominated the 19th Century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the pound), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (London).

When 1945 ended, the United States Navy ruled the high seas. U.S. military bases spanned the globe, and the United States dominated the 20th-century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the dollar), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (New York).

As 2024 begins, we see U.S. naval power waning. Houthi rebels have shut down the Red Sea to all traffic from Israel, the United States, and their Western allies. Almost 12% of all global trade passes through the Suez Canal, making the Red Sea one of the most vital shipping corridors in the world. For over 80 years, the U.S. Navy has carried out the role of ensuring the world’s shipping lanes remain freely navigable and open to international trade. Now, they are increasingly unable to do so.

The ability of the U.S. to project military power across the globe and secure vital waterways is one of the primary reasons the U.S. dollar dominates international trade. Another reason is the petro-dollar. When President Nixon ended the U.S. dollar’s convertibility to gold, it became a fiat currency – meaning its value is derived from nothing more than government edict. Since that day in 1971, all the world’s major currencies have been fiat currencies – something unprecedented in history. History shows all fiat currencies eventually reach their intrinsic value – zero. So what happens when all the world’s currencies collapse at the same time?

In 1974, Henry Kissinger brokered a deal with Saudi Arabia wherein OPEC agreed to only trade oil for dollars. This has helped underpin demand for U.S. dollars for the past 50 years, but now the petro-dollar is ending. Saudi Arabia and OPEC are increasingly accepting other currencies for oil. U.S. debt is at unsustainable levels. Foreign nations are dumping U.S. debt in favor of gold, and the BRICS nations are attempting to create an alternative to the U.S.-dominated global financial system.

In other words, the post-World War II order of global military power is transforming, and the current global monetary system is coming to an end. All this and more is why we see U.S. power and influence in decline, an increasingly fragmented global order, and a world where it seems we’re moving from one crisis to the next.

But I would argue there’s a more significant reason we’re seeing all this. Depending on your preconceived beliefs, you might reject it out of hand. But I encourage you to read on and examine the evidence for yourself. If you do and reject my conclusion, that is fine. But it might just open your eyes to a truth that could change your life forever.

What’s Really Happening…

If the interregnum alone is not the reason for this constant state of crisis, then what’s really happening? Why do we see all these global events taking place? The answer is simple.

Jesus is coming.

The constant state of crisis we see today is exactly what Jesus said the world would look like just before his return:

“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?’ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” Matthew 24:3-8 (NLT).

Read that last line again, where Jesus says, “all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (emphasis mine). What does Jesus mean by the phrase “birth pains”? What do the spiritual, natural, societal, and political signs He described have in common with birth pains? Only this – birth pains (or labor contractions) are sharp pains which increase in both frequency and intensity in the moments leading up to birth. Jesus says this same pattern will precede His coming.

There’s another name for this pattern. It’s called an exponential curve. If you were to plot labor contractions on a graph, the result would be an exponential curve that increases right up until the time the baby is born. According to Jesus, the signs He describes and the general nature of things in this world will increase in both frequency and intensity just prior to His arrival. In other words, the exponential increase of the signs of His Coming is how we’ll know He’s near.

So, what are those signs? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Jesus told us. The prophets told us, and the Bible is filled with verses that tell us. Furthermore, Jesus told us how to recognize the general timeframe of His return. When the disciples said, “Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus told them a number of things to look for. He then said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

This means the #1 indication Jesus will soon return is all the signs appearing together. The Bible tells us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It’s the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs confirms our generation will witness the Second Coming – not according to me, but according to Jesus.

Below are just a few of those signs. They include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said non-Jewish people (Gentiles) will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. Jesus promised to return once that happened (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it, and then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel rarely left a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated into hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, T.V., satellite, and the Internet. For the first time in history, we’re on the verge of seeing the Gospel preached to every last person on earth.

Digital Currencies – According to the Atlantic Council, 134 countries (representing 98% of the global GDP) are exploring, developing, or preparing to roll out central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). CBDCs will mean government control of programmable currency, giving government insight into every financial transaction taking place. Almost 2,000 years ago, the Bible said:

“He required everyone – small and great, rich and poor, free and slave – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name” Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT).

While CBDCs are NOT the mark of the beast, they set the stage for it. CBDCs are indistinguishable in function from the mark of the beast, giving government the power to control who can buy and who can sell.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say, “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten-nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete that no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

The World is in Crisis Because Jesus is Coming

Keep in mind, these signs haven’t always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). The convergence of all these signs confirms it.

Moreover, Jesus compared these signs to birth pains. So it shouldn’t surprise us to see global events increasing in frequency and intensity. We should expect this constant state of crisis.

Jesus is coming.

When He arrives, will you be ready? Jesus says you’re either for Him or against Him (Matthew 12:30). He also says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Furthermore, Jesus said:

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” John 3:18-19 (NLT).

So if you don’t know Jesus, I encourage you to invite Him into your life today. The Bible says you will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11).

Britt Gillette is the author of several books on Bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com