{"id":3956,"date":"2018-05-25T21:40:38","date_gmt":"2018-05-26T01:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=3956"},"modified":"2026-05-30T12:15:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T16:15:40","slug":"when-is-christ-coming-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/when-is-christ-coming-back\/","title":{"rendered":"When is Christ Coming Back? (69)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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When is Christ Coming Back?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/p>

By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>

~ A Saturday Morning Post #69 ~<\/em><\/p>


I don\u2019t know. You don\u2019t know. \u201cBut of that day or hour no one knows\u2026 nor the Son, but the Father alone\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 24:36). Whereas God does not tell us the specific time of His Son\u2019s return, He does say we can know the general time. \u201cWhen you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 24:34). In past posts, I have listed out \u201cthese things\u201d<\/em>, the signs, events and conditions that need to take place<\/a> before Christ\u2019s return. But in this post, I want to explain why I believe it will be many years<\/strong> before all \u201cthese things\u201d<\/em> come to pass, and then the church is raptured.

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Birth pains:<\/strong> Matthew 24:5-8 tells us there will be false Christs, famines, earthquakes and wars occurring before Christ\u2019s coming, and these are \u201cthe beginning of birth pains.\u201d<\/em> In referring to these birth pains<\/a>, Luke 21:9 says, \u201cthe end does not follow immediately.\u201d <\/em>We are now \u201chearing\u201d<\/em> about these things happening in \u201cvarious places\u201d<\/em>\u00a0around the world, but they are only the beginning, for these signs will increase in intensity and frequency, and \u201cthen they will deliver you <\/em>(Christians) to tribulation\u201d <\/em>(Matthew 24:9). It\u2019s now 2018, and we need to know there\u2019s still a ways to go before Christ\u2019s return and the rapture.

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Globalism: <\/strong>The trend in this world in the last 100 years has been towards regionalism and globalism, illustrated by different organizations, like the UN, NATO, EU, WTO and the IMF. This is all leading to that time when the people of this world will once again try to build a “tower of Babel”<\/em> (Genesis 11). But now, there\u2019s a strong current of nationalism, for many countries want to be more independent of others. For example, you see this in the United States, Great Britain and China. I believe this global landscape needs to change a whole lot more before countries subject their sovereignty to the Antichrist, before Revelation 13:4 comes true – \u201cthe whole earth was amazed and followed after the Beast.\u201d

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United States: <\/strong>The United States has to decline<\/a> in power before the Antichrist and his kingdom can rule this world, and the way things look now, this could take some time. Without question, the United States is still the strongest nation in the world, and it doesn\u2019t look like anyone will soon supplant her from her superior position. Barring a stock market collapse, a massive earthquake, a huge cyber or nuclear EMP attack, any of which could cause the U.S. to quickly collapse, I believe this country\u2019s #1 position is secure for a while. It is Daniel 8:9-14, 9:26-27, 11:36-45 that explains why the Antichrist is from across the Atlantic, and not from the United States.

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Increasing Sin: <\/strong>The moral condition of this world has declined rapidly in the past 50-60 years, but it needs to go downhill<\/a> a lot more before the rapture of the church. In the time leading up to Christ\u2019s coming, there will be rampant lawlessness, a corrupt culture, a sin-dominated society and the Antichrist, a \u201cman of lawlessness,\u201d<\/em> ruling the world. There will be a clear polarization between believers and unbelievers, between a holy church and a wicked world, but we\u2019re not there yet. Matthew 24:12, 2 Thessalonians 2:3

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Global Anti-Semitism. <\/strong>Zechariah 12:3, in speaking about the Jews<\/a> in the end times, says \u201call the nations of the earth will be gathered against her.\u201d<\/em> At this time, most countries in the world are strongly opposed to the Jews, demonstrated by their anti-Semitic votes in the United Nations. But the United States and other countries aligned with her, are still supporting the Jews. Before Christ can come back, this country and others will have to join with the rest of the world in their utter hate for the Jews. We are not there yet – it\u2019s going to take more time before \u201cJerusalem <\/em>(is) a heavy stone for all the peoples.\u201d <\/em>Zechariah 12:3

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The Image and Mark of the Beast. <\/strong>The Antichrist will need to have the technology, a sophisticated global system in place to be able to spiritually, militarily, and economically rule the world, to be able to communicate with everyone in the world, demand people to worship his image, and force people to take his mark. In this information age, with computers, the internet, smart phones, and many means of surveillance, it’s obvious that we are getting closer to that time when the Antichrist will be able to control the world. But I believe we are still years away before one man (Antichrist) will be able to implement his one-world order, when people in the world will want him to rule, and accept his means to rule over them. Revelation 13:14-17

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Put all these together<\/strong>, birth pains, growing globalism, decline of the U.S., increasing sin and anti-Semitism, technology for one-world rule. Add in the need for more wars, further realignment of nations, global gospel preaching, a peace treaty, a temple in Jerusalem, and great persecution, and you can see how<\/a> it could take many years<\/strong> before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. I plan to share much more on this next week.

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We are now at that stage, \u201cthe beginning of birth pains,\u201d<\/em> and as Luke 21:9 says, \u201cthe end does not follow immediately.\u201d <\/em>A lot more must happen before Christ comes back. In the years ahead, \u201cthose who have insight\u201d<\/em> (Daniel 11:33) will see prophecy being fulfilled, and therefore \u201csee the day drawing near\u201d<\/em> (Hebrews 10:25), and they are to instruct and strengthen other Christians. Always remember and be encouraged by Jesus\u2019 last words in the Bible, \u201cBehold, I am coming soon.\u201d <\/em>Revelation 22:20

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P.S. I want to encourage you to read (or read again) this post, Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?<\/a> It relates directly to this post, and really helps you understand more about the timing of Christ’s return.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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