In Between Birth Pains?

In Between Birth Pains?

 - By Todd Hampson - http://www.raptureready.com/2018/03/03/birth-pains-todd-hampson/

 

Is it me, or do end-time birth pains seem to be getting more distinct, intense, and all inclusive? 2017 saw an intense convergence of birth pains; and, in my spirit, I sense (as I study God's word and look around at world events) that we're in between birth pains, but a tidal wave is coming. When contractions begin, there are periods of relative rest in between, but the birth pains don't stop until the baby is born.

 

Beginning in late August 2017, we witnessed one natural disaster after another. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma hit Texas and Florida-both record-breaking events. Hurricane Maria devastated several island countries, including Puerto Rico where the entire country was completely without power for an extended time.

 

If three monster hurricanes hitting the US and US territories in one month weren't mind-blowing enough, consider that-at the same time-India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh had record monsoons with massive death tolls. Sierra Leone and Niger had massive floods, mudslides and thousands of deaths as well.

 

In the midst of those events, we also witnessed worldwide record-breaking heat and fire seasons. California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Greece, Brazil, Portugal, Algeria, Tunisia, Greenland, Russia, and Siberia all had record forest fires. Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia had a triple-digit heat wave, which they dubbed "Lucifer."

 

Then Mexico had two major earthquakes in less than a month, and Yellowstone experienced a lengthy earthquake swarm. At the same time, Japan had two noteworthy earthquakes. Following that, we saw systemic abuse in Hollywood and illegal "deep-state" activity in Washington exposed like never before. Oh yeah, and Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. To me, the last 4-5 months of 2017 seemed like a major Olivet-Discourse-converging birth pain.

 

Take a Breather

 

At this moment, I believe we are experiencing somewhat of a breather between contractions. In true labor-pain form, it's an active rest. Contractions have subsided enough to catch our breath, but we still feel the less-intense labor which continues. Like a beach experiencing the unusually calm low tide before a tsunami, there's an eerie calm (at least on the surface) that gives us the sense something is on its way.

 

As the new year began, I highlighted 5 things to keep an eye on this year. Many more could be added, but those are still the 5 main converging categories I feel we should watch for in terms of the next birth-pain convergence.

 

In this rest period, prophetic developments are still occurring daily. Not the big earthshaking kind (notwithstanding the recent quakes in Mexico), but the subtle chess-game moves that continue to line things up for the next big push. We still see 2 Timothy 3:1-5 playing out daily. The demonic mass shooting in Florida (and I mean that literally) reminded us of that fact. Our perplexed (Luke 21:25) and reactive culture looks for bandaids to stop the violence and addresses the systemic causes that only national repentance and a return to Christ can truly fix.

 

The stage continues to be set for Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38, as we recently witnessed (for the first time) the direct conflict between Israel and Iran in Syria as well as direct conflict between US forces and Russian mercenaries (let that sink in).

 

All of this is going on while some type of "ultimate deal" with Israel at its center and "peace and safety" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:3) as its purpose is being worked out in secret, primarily by President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. (BTW, if this deal has any type of 7-year time frame associated with it, we had really better pay attention-as it could very well be the framework or the actual treaty that the antichrist will later enforce.)

 

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump on March 5th.

 

The globalist elite continue their puppetry behind the curtain as deep-state plots against Trump and Netanyahu (and those associated with them) continue to be revealed. Empirical evidence proves the now-undeniable existence of shadowy elite players. Some of your grandfather's "crazy conspiracy theories" are proving to be true.

 

These powerful globalists can't yet do all they want, but the moment Christians (along with their prayers and the restraining influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit) are snatched from enemy territory via the rapture-the gloves will come off and all Hell will begin to break loose in rapid succession and increasing destructiveness.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creeping up from under the tech industry and oozing through private companies and government entities-promising to foist sudden radical change on how we do almost everything. Singularity beckons, we are told. Secular tech leaders warn of its dangers. What science fiction entertained us with will soon bring Orwellian realities to the world.

 

So, groundwork is being laid for the next set of birth pains as we watch (Matthew 24:8). A storm is coming.

 

One Last Gospel Push?

 

Pastor, Evangelist, and counselor to presidents, Billy Graham died on February 21. He was 99 years old and had been hanging on for some time. His daughter, Anne Graham-Lotz, has stated on several occasions that she believed God was holding her father here until just the right time. She stated that she believed his death would be somehow related to the end-times (see Matthew 24:14) and that perhaps her father's funeral would be one last worldwide evangelistic crusade-one more big push for everyone to hear the gospel of Jesus and have an opportunity to respond.

 

With that in mind, I think it is of note that his funeral events will likely occur in early March, then in April Israel will celebrate her 70th birthday (using the Jewish 360-day calendar). All of this while war drums beat ever louder with Hamas to her south and Iran to her north.

 

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words

 

Sometimes pictures serve as great metaphors. During the last round of California wildfires in late 2017 (mentioned above), I saw several pictures showing people doing normal, everyday activities while everything around them was literally on fire. A golfer focused on his putt on the greens of a nice course while the hills surrounding the course were ablaze. Commuters drove to work on a freeway while flames licked the guardrails and smoke filled the air like smog on steroids.

 

Those vignettes paint a perfect picture of our day. End-time signs and conditions continue to develop at unprecedented speed and intensity. The end-time RPMs are pushing the world engine to yet-untested measures, but the world-and even many Christians-aren't paying attention.

 

I have recently heard several prophecy experts such as Chuck Missler, Bill Koenig, and Carl Gallups make astounding statements about the times we live in. In varying ways, each of them has stated that we are currently in the most prophetic time since the first coming of Christ. That is a bold statement. Missler even adds the admonition, "Don't believe that just because I say it. My challenge to you is to try and prove me wrong." That, of course, will drive people to study Scripture themselves to see if these claims are true. I believe they are.

 

Don't Look Scared; Look Up!

 

If you are not familiar with Bible prophecy, then all that I mentioned above may sound scary but completely random. If that's the case, please take time to study a few 2,000-2,600 year-old prophecies. Isaiah 17, Ezekiel 38 and Matthew 24 are not just knocking on the door-they are almost beating it down. If you have never studied these things, now is the time. You'll suddenly see things in new light. While you're at it, read 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and ask if this specific end-time passage of Scripture doesn't describe modern culture in absolute clarity.

 

Keep looking up. Pay attention to Israel and the Middle East. Keep studying Scripture to see where we are. Keep trusting in Jesus's omniscience and omnipotence. Keep living for the Lord and telling others about him!

 

In the coming days and weeks, I would encourage you to leverage the life and legacy of Billy Graham to point people to the Savior. His life was a lightning rod for the Gospel and for God's favor, and his passing will be used mightily by the Lord to get the gospel out again in these trying times.

 

What do you think? Is another major convergence contraction on its way? If so, how can we live fearlessly and point others to Jesus during this highly prophetic season?