PTNews
August 2020
Published monthly
All Bible references are from the KJV
(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)
P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006
Jesus is Coming Soon!
“…when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matthew 24:33
By Mike Wingfield
During the 62 years I have been walking with the Lord I have been looking for His return. It will be the greatest day in my life! But, I must admit that there have been times when I was not focused upon His coming due to events that preoccupied my thinking. However, in recent weeks and months, my mind has been once again consumed with the possibility that the coming of Jesus to rapture His church to heaven seems to be very near. This expectation is more than just emotions or feelings. It is based upon solid biblical commands and the teachings of Jesus and His apostles.
Someone may say it is wrong to reach these kinds of conclusions. My response is that it is unbiblical and a matter of disobedience to not be watching for our Lord’s coming. We are to be longing and looking for His coming at any moment! After Jesus talked about the signs of His coming and the world conditions at the end of this age, He commanded His disciples to “watch” for His coming (Matthew 24:42, 43). The Greek word translated here is a very powerful word. It means that the believer is to be vigilant, and filled with expectation as he awaits his Lord’s return. In the same passage, Jesus reminded His disciples that no one would be able to know the exact day or hour of His coming (Matthew 24:36).However, before these words, He did tell His disciples that when the final generation would observe all of the things He mentioned about certain world conditions at the end of this age, that they could “know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33).
Someone may say it is wrong to reach these kinds of conclusions. My response is that it is unbiblical and a matter of disobedience to not be watching for our Lord’s coming. We are to be longing and looking for His coming at any moment! After Jesus talked about the signs of His coming and the world conditions at the end of this age, He commanded His disciples to “watch” for 
His coming (Matthew 24:42, 43). The Greek word translated here is a very powerful word. It means that the believer is to be vigilant, and filled with expectation as he awaits his Lord’s return. In the same passage, Jesus reminded His disciples that no one would be able to know the exact day or hour of His coming (Matthew 24:36).However, before these words, He did tell His disciples that when the final generation would observe all of the things He mentioned about certain world conditions at the end of this age, that they could “know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33).
It is evident from reading many New Testament passages that the apostles and the early church were expecting Jesus to come at any moment. James wrote the first New Testament book in 45 AD. Even then, he wrote, “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:8).
About five years after James wrote his epistle, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at Thessalonica. In this letter he explained the doctrine that we call the Rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). In the next chapter, Paul explained that the coming of the Lord would be “as a thief in the night” to those who do not know Him (1 Thessalonians 5:2). The sudden coming of Jesus will catch them completely off guard. They will not be looking for Him. They will consider the coming of Jesus to be an unwelcomed intrusion into their lives, just like the coming of a thief. I am greatly moved and saddened to think that perhaps 99.9 percent of the world’s population is totally oblivious to what is about to happen!
The coming of Jesus for His church will usher the world into the most dangerous and horrific period of time every recorded on earth. While speaking about the time after His coming in the Rapture, Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21, 22). Therefore, those who would be left behind on earth after the Rapture will face a “sudden destruction [from which] they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). They will be trapped in a world filled with death, disease, destruction, distress, and demonic deception. Jesus said, “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:35).
The Apostle Paul went on to explain to the believers in Thessalonica that while the world will be clueless about the coming judgment, Christians should not be caught off guard. He wrote, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6).
We have not been exhorted to watch for certain signs to occur before the Rapture will take place. Technically, there are no signs for the Rapture. Since Jesus ascended back to heaven in 30 AD, the church has been anxiously awaiting His return. He can come at any moment!
However, there are signs that point to the unique period of time after the Rapture, called “the Tribulation.” This defined period of 7-years is clearly revealed in Scripture. Developments in this time will be totally unique and unprecedented! The Bible has much to say about the spiritual, political, economic, geological, medical, and social developments during this troublesome time. For three decades, I have been searching the Bible and identifying, classifying, cataloging, and correlating the signs of the Tribulation. I must confess that I have never been as awed by the developments of our world as I am at this moment in my life. Without question, we are witnessing the trends and events that will usher in the Tribulation Period. My inner spirit is being moved by the Spirit of God to greatly anticipate that the moment of the blessed hope we have been waiting for is about to happen! Jesus’ return is near!
But in the wake of His return, the sudden destruction that will come upon the world is repeatedly compared to the “travail” or birth pangs that come upon a woman as she is about to give birth to a baby (1 Thessalonians 5:3). See Isaiah 13:6-9; Jeremiah 30:6; and Matthew 24:8. Without question, our world is pregnant with the signs of the end of this age. Furthermore, when a woman has contractions, the intensity and frequency of her pain increases as she is about to give birth. It is glowingly apparent to me that the trends that signify the nearness of the Tribulation Period are intensifying and unfolding at an enormous rate at this present time. Just consider all that has happened in 2020, and the year is not over!
Let us briefly look at a few of the trends that are shaping our world for the Tribulation Period.
At the center of the end-time events are the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. The Tribulation Period is not a time for the Lord to refine His church, as some people think. The Tribulation Period is not for the church. It is a time for the Lord to refine His chosen people – Israel (Zechariah 13:8-9). The Lord will use this time to prepare the nation for the millennial kingdom that will follow Christ’s revelation. The Tribulation Period will begin when the Antichrist confirms a false covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27). The mid-point of this period will be marked by the Antichrist’s seizure of the newly-rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1, 2). The last half of the Tribulation Period is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). The Tribulation will end when Jesus returns to Jerusalem to defend His chosen people and defeat the forces of the Antichrist at the Armageddon campaign (Joel 3:1, 2; Zechariah 14:1, 2; Revelation 19:11-21). It is important to note that the events that mark out this unique period of time, as previously stated, have nothing to do with the church (the predominately Gentile bride of Christ). This 7-year period is a divine focus upon the conclusion of God’s eternal promises and purposes for the Jewish people, which were made in an unconditional covenant with their forefathers- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God spoke through Moses 3,400 years ago and told the Jews that when they returned to their land in the last days that it would be a time of “tribulation” (Deuteronomy 4:30), and that “evil will befall you in the latter days” (Deuteronomy 31:29). Since a remnant of the Jewish people has returned to their land and the nation was born in 1948, they have endured an ongoing state of war and terrorism from their Islamic neighbors.
However, conditions in Israel at this moment are reaching a very critical point. Due to COVID-19, Israel is facing the possibility of a very serious economic collapse. Millions are unemployed and the nation is facing a second wave of the virus, leading many to be quarantined once again. Violent riots are breaking out all over Israel in rebellion against the government’s policies in dealing with this dangerous pandemic. The riots of the liberally motivated Israelis citizens against the conservative leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu almost mirrors what is taking place in the U.S. today.
In addition, Iran continues to openly declare its desire to destroy Israel. It should trouble us all that our world ignores these ongoing and serious threats to the Jewish nation. While the world focuses and responds to the tweets from President Donald Trump, it totally ignores the viral threats by the Iranian leadership to destroy Israel. The Bible indicates that when the end of this age has arrived, all nations will be united under the evil régime of the Antichrist against Israel. It is very obvious that the world is ready to sacrifice the Jewish state to appease the growing global Muslim population.
While the Trump administration is attempting to isolate Iran and apply economic sanctions to hinder its development of a nuclear weapon, the rest of the world is not concerned. Russia, China, India, Europe, and North Korea continue to do a brisk business with Iran in exchange for oil.
Israel continues to deal with the threat of war with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon (which are merely Iranian proxies), and Iran and Russia in Syria. In recent days, Israel has amassed troops on its northeastern border with Lebanon, expecting an imminent war with Hezbollah.
Furthermore, anti-Semitism is rapidly escalating throughout the world, especially in Europe and the United States. Riots in the U.S. have targeted Christians and Jews. On the night of Sunday, August 2, rioters burned Bibles and the American flag in front of the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon.
For the first time in modern history, many American Jews are seriously planning to immigrate to Israel. In recent days, Israel has been overwhelmed with requests from Jews living in France and the United States, expressing their desire to immigrate to Israel. According to the prophetic Scriptures, this is a major development that signals the Tribulation is near. The Tribulation Period will be a time of increased global anti-Semitism, forcing millions of Jews to seek refuge in Israel – the only Jewish nation in the world. The fact that we are witnessing these events now is a very serious indication that the world is about to erupt into a virulent cycle of hatred for God’s chosen people. According to the Bible, the hatred, violence, and insatiable desire to annihilate the Jewish nation will surpass anything any nation in all of history has had to endure (Daniel 12:1).
Meanwhile, to complicate matters, the newly-formed government in Israel is on the verge of collapse. A coalition that attempted to bring Israeli liberals and conservatives together has failed. This time of political division, economic upheaval, and social unrest in Israel is causing its enemies in the Middle East and around the world to view this as a time of Israeli vulnerability. Will this lead to an invasion of Israel by the Gog and Magog nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38? Many in Israel say this attempted invasion is imminent.
As all of this materializes, Egypt and Turkey are reportedly ready to go to war over Turkey’s desire to take control of Libya – Egypt’s neighbor to the west. Also, Turkey’s radical Islamic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is threatening to invade Greece, due to a dispute over territorial areas in the Aegean Sea. A serious territorial dispute between India and China over their shared border in the Himalayas is becoming more intense. We must take heed to all of these developments because Jesus said that the end of this age would be marked by “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6). Jesus also said that the time of the end would be like the days of Noah. According to Genesis 6, Noah’s day was marked by a global increase in lawlessness that was manifested in sexual immorality and violence. Here in America the recent lawlessness and riots are basically a violent demonstration to erase gender recognition and the biblical view of marriage and the home. The goal of these violent protestors is a sexual freedom that expresses a total abandonment of all that is civil and normal. The Bible declares that it was a haughty spirit of pride, laziness, and immorality that brought about the divine destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16:48-50). It is very apparent that at this very hour, the wickedness of this world is inviting the visitation of the wrath of Almighty God!
While speaking about the Tribulation Period, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people…” (Isaiah 60:2). We are living at a time of great spiritual darkness. Every form of evil is manifesting itself at an enormous rate. Witchcraft, sorcery, and the occult are being openly embraced and considered forms of entertainment. In the name of abortion, babies are being sacrificed on the altar of the god of self. These were the very abominations of the inhabitants of the nations that God called Israel to cast out of the land as an act of divine judgment (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).
Spiritual darkness happens when light (God’s revelation – the Bible) is ignored, scorned, and rejected. We are living in a world that is suppressing the Word of God. Our world hates God and His Word. According to the Bible, the last days will be marked by a godless people who openly and defiantly rebel against God and His laws (Psalm 2:1-3).
The next two issues of this newsletter (September and October) will focus on “Unmasking Socialism.” Be sure to read these issues and pass them along to your family and friends. This November, the U.S. will conduct its most critical election in the history of the nation. We must know clearly what is at stake in the battle for America.
Unfortunately, this spiritual darkness is permeating the professing church. Just as the Bible predicted, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrine of [demons]: speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron…” (1 Timothy 4:1, 2). The professing church is abandoning the truth because of the love for self and its indulgence in the things of this world (2 Timothy 3:1, 2). The lives of these professing Christians are just like the lifestyles of those who are not born-again. These people are described in 2 Timothy 3 as those who are lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. They have “a form of godliness… [are] ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. … these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:5-8).
However, in the midst of all of this, we can rejoice that there is a godly remnant of believers who are clinging to God’s truth. These Christians desire to live a holy life before their holy Lord. Those who are longing for His appearing will strive for purity because they know that at any moment they will stand before their Savior and Judge, Jesus Christ (1 John 3:2, 3).
A major sign of the end of this age is the collapse of America as a free superpower. When the end comes, an evil, lawless empire will rule the world under the dictatorial leadership of the Antichrist. It is my opinion that this global empire and its leader cannot come on the scene until the United States surrenders its sovereign power to some form of wicked global leadership. At this moment, America is fighting for its survival. America has been used by God, in spite of its sinfulness, to promote His laws contained in the Constitution of the United States. America has been raised up by God as a home for the church and as a base for global missionary efforts to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been used of God to provide a safe haven for God’s chosen people – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, all of this is now coming to an abrupt end.
The next two issues of this newsletter (September and October) will focus on “Unmasking Socialism.” Be sure to read these issues and pass them along to your family and friends. This November, the U.S. will conduct its most critical election in the history of the nation. We must know clearly what is at stake in the battle for America.
Mike Wingfield
We are also witnessing another major sign of the end times – the brutal murder of believers in Jesus Christ. During the Tribulation Period, believers in Jesus will be considered public enemies. They will be hunted down and killed. Many of them will be killed for refusing to worship the Antichrist and his god (Revelation 13:15). The enemies of the cross will literally be intoxicated with a hatred for Christians (Revelation 17:6). Many who come to Christ during the Tribulation will become martyrs for Jesus (Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 12:11). The majority of them will be “beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God” (Revelation 20:4).
In the last few decades, hundreds of thousands of Christians have been imprisoned, slaughtered, tortured, burned, raped, kidnapped, beheaded and crucified for their faith. It is not an accident that the overwhelming numbers of these martyrs were killed by Muslims and Communists. Again, this is more evidence that this will be the political marriage that will produce and promote the ruthless dictator the Bible calls the Antichrist.
The Christian Post recently reported, “House churches across China have experienced intensified persecution in recent months, with Communist officials telling Christians they are not permitted to believe in God in the atheist country” (reprinted and reported by www.wnd.com on July 30, 2020).
The economic impact of COVID-19 around the world is bringing our world to a frightening point of economic collapse. Before this pandemic swept across the face of the earth, the world was on the verge of an economic crisis. It appears that the massive response on the part of governments to quarantine global populations to stop the spread of this virus has created a massive problem with unemployment. As a result, this has produced a substantial problem with incomes and the flow of goods in a global setting that is totally dependent upon those products and services for survival. Many financial markets around the world are reporting that this is the sharpest economic downturn since the depression of the 1930s. The dramatic increase in the cost of precious metals in the last few weeks indicates that many investors are concerned about the global economy.
According to the Bible, near the beginning of the Tribulation Period, the world will experience a dangerous cycle of hyper-inflation. Revelation 6:6 reports that a single loaf of wheat bread will cost a person his wage for a single day of work.
During the enormous upheaval of the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist will attempt to control and manipulate the global population by forcing them to take some type of mark on their right hand or forehead. This mark will enable him to control all of their economic activity (Revelation 13:15-18). As you read this newsletter, an effort is already under way to force the global population to adopt some form of international ID. It is called ID2020. A report given by www.biometricupdate.com states, “The ID2020 Alliance has launched a new digital identity program … Digital identity is a computerized record of who a person is, stored in a registry. It is used, in this case, to keep track of who has received vaccination [for COVID-19]. … ‘Digital ID is being defined and implemented today, and we recognize the importance of swift action to close the identity gap,’ comments ID2020 Executive Director Dakota Gruener. ‘Now is the time for bold commitments to ensure that we respond both quickly and responsibly. We and our ID2020 Alliance partners, both present and future, are committed to rising to this challenge’” www.biometricupdate.com). While this is not the mark of the Antichrist, it is preparing the technology he will use when he takes over the world.
In addition to these complications, during the Tribulation Period the world will face dangerous and deadly cycles of natural disasters – global earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, drought, dramatic climate change and dangerous pollution of all ocean and fresh water. An examination of the data of global natural disasters demonstrates that they are increasing at an alarming rate, especially since the birth of Israel in 1948. Make no mistake about it. The creation is in the hands of its Creator and Ruler. Long ago, the psalmist wrote, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou [God] shalt endure: yea, all of them shall [grow] old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed…” (Psalm 102:25, 26).
These developments are only a small fraction of the significant trends that are setting the stage for the Tribulation Period. I must admit that all of these things are very troubling unless you remember that this world is not our home. We need to exercise the faith of Abraham. According to the Bible, he knew he was only a stranger and pilgrim on this earth (Hebrews 11:13). His faith caused him to look past this temporary world to “look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
We must not allow our hearts to be overcome by fear as we watch all of these troubling events come crashing down on our world. Behind all of this bad news is the good news – Jesus is coming soon. Does this comfort you? It should. Get ready for the shout that will take us out!