Though many signs suggest Christ's return is near, such as the fig tree putting forth leaves (Matthew 24:32-35) and the Four Horsemen's influence in the world, numerous prophesied events have not yet occurred: significant persecution of the saints, the scattering of Israel and the Second Exodus, the rise of the Beast and False Prophet, armies surrounding Jerusalem, and the 200-million-man army from the East. The specifics of timing remain hidden for good reason, since such knowledge could corrupt believers (Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:41-48). The Olivet Prophecy outlines a sequence of events, but the overall theme of Jesus' prophetic parables in Matthew 24 and 25 is that no one knows when He will return, so all must be watchful and prepared at all times. The same uncertainty applies to each person's life, as the cases of Stephen and of Ananias and Sapphira show, since preparation can end abruptly. Whether the end of the age or the end of one's life, the timing is beyond knowledge. The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) and God's rebuke in Haggai 1:4 warn against misplaced priorities that favor material comfort over spiritual concerns. Because God's Temple is both the church and the individual Christian, spiritual condition and strengthening the Body of Christ must take precedence. Prophecy gives a general understanding of the future, but those who focus on spiritual preparation will be ready whether or not they live to see Christ return.

We are living in the end time, with the Day of the Lord and the Tribulation possibly close at hand, so the question is how to conduct ourselves to be counted worthy to escape what is coming and enter God's Kingdom. The Bible, written for the end-time church, answers this, and the closing chapters of Hebrews fit the present situation like a glove. Hebrews was written shortly before Jerusalem fell in 70 AD, the end of an age and of the Temple system, just as the destruction of this world lies ahead of us. Its readers suffered the same problems as the church today: drifting through neglect, being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, and losing spiritual understanding, much like the Laodicean condition in Revelation 3. Hebrews 12 supplies the framework: others have finished the race, so repent and run; God's chastening, including the scattering of the church, toughens us for the great tribulation ahead; God has given us access to His throne, far beyond what Sinai offered; and the consequences of failing, as with Esau, are irrevocable. Because God will shake heaven and earth, only His unshakable Kingdom remains as refuge. Chapter 13 then gives ten practical actions, including brotherly love, hospitality, empathy for the afflicted, strong marriages, contentment instead of materialism, following faithful leaders, avoiding strange doctrines, leaving the world, constant prayer, and charity. These must flow from a right heart, not hypocritical ritual.

Rising deceit is a hallmark of the end time, as Jesus' answer to the disciples' question about the sign of His coming shows: "Take heed that no one deceives you," for many false prophets will arise and deceive many, including those who use His name to preach falsehood. This is seen in the false gospel of worldly Christianity, in Judaism, Islam, Eastern religions, and New Age syncretism, and also in a secular world built on Satan's original lie, where lying has become habitual and an art form in finance, government statistics, insurance, and everyday life. Such deception erodes trust in one another and eventually in God, breeding distrust, rebellion, and apostasy. Paul prophesied this falling away in II Thessalonians 2, which may already be underway, aided by the flood of information and the ease of manipulating it. The coming lawless one is still future. Empowered by Satan, he will perform false signs and lying wonders with all unrighteous deception, and all whose names are not in the Book of Life will worship him. God will send strong delusion on those who did not love the truth. The surest defense is conviction of the truth first delivered to the apostles: test all things, hold fast sound words and the traditions taught, and contend earnestly for the faith, so as not to lose the full reward (II John 7-8).

God's will in the end time is best understood through the long contest between God as Parent and rebellious humanity as His child. Israel's history of ignoring prophets and trusting Egypt and other nations ended in severe discipline, like a bulging wall that collapses (Isaiah 30). The same crack now runs through the whole world, and at some point God's patience will end. Joel 3, Zechariah 14, and Psalm 2 show Him drawing the nations' armies to Jerusalem and judging them in the Valley of Jehoshaphat for their treatment of Israel and their insolence toward Him. Plague, panic, and slaughter will make that judgment public and unmistakable. Destruction, however, is followed immediately by restoration. After the Great Tribulation a Second Exodus returns the surviving remnant to the land. Romans 11 explains that Israel's blindness is temporary and that calling the Gentiles is meant partly to provoke Israel to jealousy, so that all Israel will be saved under the New Covenant (Hosea 14; Jeremiah 31). In the Millennium all nations are taught God's ways (Isaiah 2). Satan's final release brings one last rebellion, which fire from heaven devours. The Great White Throne Judgment then raises billions to physical life, with the opportunity for conversion and eternal life (Ezekiel 37; Revelation 20). God's will, as II Peter 3:9 says, is that none perish but that all come to repentance and humbly conform their wills to His.

Recent hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes are not direct signs that the end is at hand; media hype and a rising cost of damage exaggerate the actual increase in disasters, and believers must not let a truth-deficient media or their own longing for Christ's return override what Scripture reveals. Only the "more sure" word of prophecy (II Peter 1:19) can be trusted, and speculation from prophecy enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists lacks biblical foundation (Isaiah 8:20). Following Amos 4, such disasters are better understood as precursor judgments, prods toward national repentance before the ultimate Day of the Lord. In Mark 13:32-37, Christ says no one but the Father knows the day or hour, so calculating timing is futile; instead believers must take heed, watch, and pray, spiritually staying ready and worthy to escape and stand before Christ (Luke 21:36). Matthew 24 gives signs, but wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes are only "the beginning of sorrows," and the worldwide preaching of the gospel marks only the general vicinity of the last days. The coming Great Tribulation will be the worst the world has ever seen, yet the end is not yet. Claims of a secret or hidden return are deceptions, for Christ's return will be visible worldwide like lightning across the sky, during war, with cosmic upheaval. He will come in wrath as Judge to slay His enemies and establish His Kingdom (Isaiah 66:14-16), a "great and dreadful day" that believers should prepare for by repenting and drawing closer to God.

The world is saturated with evil, including abortion, murder, fraud, sexual immorality, war, and the growing forgetfulness of God. Scripture teaches that when the signs of Christ's coming begin to appear, the closing events of this age will unfold with startling speed. In the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-33), Jesus says the fulfillment of the signs means He stands "at the doors," and opening and passing through a door takes only seconds. The same swiftness appears in the flood of Noah's day, when everyone outside the ark perished within weeks. It also appears in Zephaniah 1:14 ("near and hastens quickly"), in Malachi 3:5-6, where God acts in judgment before Israel's sins mount to the point of annihilation, and in Matthew 24:22, where the days are shortened so that flesh may be saved. Revelation repeats the warning, with Christ telling the churches He is coming quickly (2:5, 2:16, 3:11, 22:7, 22:12, 22:20) and standing at the door knocking (3:20). His return will be unexpected, like a thief in the night. Once a tipping point is reached, God will not delay, and little time will remain for preparation. Because spiritual growth is like a harvest that needs a whole season to mature, it cannot be rushed once the end-time signs unfold. Jesus therefore commands, "Be ready" (Matthew 24:44), as in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, urging believers to build Christian character now, while there is still time.

Recent disasters are not signs of Christ's imminent return. Media hype and numerology, such as linking the eclipse and Hurricane Harvey to Luke 21:25-26 or a planetary alignment to Revelation 12, distort prophecy, and disaster statistics adjusted for economic growth show only a modest increase. As Amos 4 shows with Israel, such calamities are warnings and precursor judgments that call nations to repent before God's final punishment, and Christ returns at the end of that sequence. The word of prophecy is more sure than the evening news, so understanding must rest on Scripture rather than on wishes or speculation. Wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes are only the beginning of sorrows and happen as a matter of course in a carnal world. The gospel witness to all nations shows only that the last days are near. The coming Great Tribulation will be worse than anything in history, including Hiroshima, the Holocaust, and the Flood, and the world has not yet reached that level. Christ's return will be unmistakable, like lightning from east to west, during world war, with the trumpet and the gathering of the elect. Yet no one knows its day, hour, or time, since only the Father does. Date-setting is futile and disappointing, and Christ commands believers to take heed, watch, and pray. That means staying spiritually alert, prepared to respond appropriately, and growing in relationship with God and in readiness for Kingdom service. The Day of the Lord will be dreadful, a time of wrath and death, so believers should repent and draw close to God as He prepares His bride.

The time of the end, as described in Jeremiah 30:5-7, will be a unique and horrific period, unmatched in all of man's history. It is termed the time of Jacob's trouble, marked by universal and intense fear, where every man will be as a woman in labor, with faces turned pale. Yet, there is comforting hope, for Jacob shall be saved out of it, under God's oversight. Jesus, in His Olivet Prophecy, elaborates on this period, foretelling that His second coming will be preceded by frightening and tumultuous events. Worldwide, wars, earthquakes, famines, and disease epidemics will increase in frequency as events climax at His return. These will be accompanied by heart-breaking betrayals among Christians and hateful persecutions from the world, echoing an intensified repetition of the times before the Noachian Flood. God's pledge to deliver Jacob assures us that He will manage these events, just as He did with Noah during the Flood. Jesus emphasizes in Matthew 24:13 that those who endure to the end shall be saved, highlighting the necessity to hold onto faith through situations where nothing can be done but to bear up under the trials of that time.

A significant portion of Americans, as revealed by a recent poll from the Joshua Fund, perceive the current crisis as a divine wake-up call. Nearly half of American adults, 44%, believe it signals a return to faith in God and indicates coming judgment. Additionally, 29% of respondents see this crisis as evidence that we are living in the last days as described in the Bible. This perspective is echoed by the understanding that the present age is evil, from which Christ seeks to deliver us, as stated in Galatians 1:4. The urgency of these times is further emphasized in Romans 13:11-14, where Paul urges believers to awaken from spiritual slumber, recognizing that salvation is nearer now than when they first believed. The night is far spent, and the day is at hand, calling for a casting off of darkness and a putting on of the armor of light. This reflects the shortness of time, as noted in I Corinthians 7:29-31, where Paul declares the time is short and the form of this world is passing away, urging detachment from worldly concerns. Moreover, I John 2:18-21 warns that it is the last hour, marked by the presence of many antichrists, signaling the nearness of the end. This serves as a reminder to discern truth from falsehood through the anointing of the Holy One. The imminence of Christ's return, though not tied to a specific date, underscores the need for readiness, as life's brevity and the uncertainty of personal end times demand immediate action to live for God. Finally, the call to wake up and redeem the time is clear in Ephesians 5:15-17, urging wise living in evil days, and in I Peter 4:17-19, which notes that judgment begins with the house of God, pressing the importance of committing to good works in light of the nearing salvation. The time to act is now, for the opportunity to serve Him will not last forever.

In these critical times, we are witnessing the unfolding of Jesus' prophecies in Matthew 24, where wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes mark the beginning of sorrows. These events are worldwide, inescapable, and their pressures will intensify, forming the major external realities we must confront. God has willed that we live through these circumstances, and we must endure and overcome them with His help to avoid being pulled away from our faith. The prophecy in Jeremiah 30 speaks of a time of unparalleled trouble, described as Jacob's trouble, the worst in human history. Yet, there is hope, for God promises to save His people from captivity, breaking the yoke from their necks and bursting their bonds, ensuring that foreigners will no longer enslave them. This fulfillment lies ahead, tied to the return of Jesus Christ, and applies to both Israel and Judah together, encompassing the entire Israelitish nations. Though we are not yet at that point, we are already experiencing a form of captivity in our own land, a loss of freedom that parallels historical accounts in Judges 6, where Israelites were oppressed by invaders within their borders. The hope that sustains us is rooted in the Day of Trumpets and the anticipation of Christ's return, the establishment of the Kingdom of God, the resurrection of the dead, and life under God's rule. This hope is a constant expectation of an unseen reality, motivating us to persevere through the anti-God influences aggressively attacking our faith. We must guard against the spirit of the times, resisting the despair and hopelessness that pervade the world, and hold fast to the truth that God will never leave nor forsake us, remaining our source of strength and trust.

The material presents the end times through the Olivet Prophecy as a period of worldwide wars and commotions, nation rising against nation, great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights, and great signs from heaven. These conditions create occasions for testimony while requiring believers to settle beforehand not to meditate on responses, since wisdom will be supplied that adversaries cannot contradict. Betrayals by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, along with hatred for His name's sake, will occur, yet not a hair of the head will be lost if patience possesses the soul. Deception by many claiming to be He and asserting that the time has drawn near must be rejected, for such things must come to pass first though the end will not follow immediately. The same era brings a snare upon all dwelling on the face of the earth, with hearts weighed down by carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life causing the Day to arrive unexpectedly. Modern communication enables instantaneous awareness of these events, fulfilling the prophecy's implication that the church will know of them as they unfold. In this setting redemption draws near, yet remains a future process involving the full receipt of the Spirit and release from every effect of sin. Firstfruits groan within themselves, eagerly waiting for adoption and the redemption of the body. Complacency resembling the Laodicean claim of being rich and in need of nothing must yield to zealous repentance, or transformation will be blunted as illustrated by the unwise virgins who frittered away their opportunity. Redeeming the time because the days are evil therefore becomes essential, enabling the purchased possession to glorify God and stand before the Son of Man when full redemption occurs.

Biblical exhortations in Romans and Thessalonians urge awakening from spiritual sleep because salvation draws nearer and the day of the Lord approaches, requiring believers to cast off works of darkness and put on the armor of faith, love, and hope. This theme of alertness connects directly to the Olivet Prophecy, where Jesus instructs His followers to watch and be ready at every hour since the timing of His return remains unknown even to Him. Herbert Armstrong followed this responsibility by repeatedly warning through multiple media that a series of enervating wars, trade conflicts, natural disasters, famines, epidemics, and economic collapse would weaken the Israelite nations while enabling the Beast power to rise, culminating in national slavery. Although events have moved more slowly than anticipated, the overall direction has aligned with those prophecies. The greater church fell into the same sleep illustrated by the ten virgins, remaining insensitive to doctrinal changes and its own spiritual condition until scattering occurred. Peter reinforces the need to heed the sure word of prophecy as a light until the day dawns. Warnings function to prompt preparation, as seen in Ezekiel's watchman appointments and the plagues on Egypt, where those who heeded escaped harm while the negligent suffered loss. God supplies needs according to His riches, yet He expects prudent cooperation through work, foresight, and disciplined living, as Paul learned contentment in both abundance and want and as the ant models seasonal storage. Jesus affirms storing provision against evil days provided spiritual responsibilities toward God and others are not neglected, with biblical reserves ranging from a season to multiple years. These end-time realities therefore require believers to live as though Christ's return could occur at any moment while exercising practical stewardship to endure coming hardships.

In the material, end times conditions serve as a divine alert that the process of redemption remains incomplete and demands greater urgency from those called as God's peculiar people. Jesus describes worldwide signs including wars and commotions, nations rising against nations, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and fearful sights from heaven, events that allow the church to recognize the period immediately because modern communication makes them known instantaneously rather than locally. These signs precede more personal trials such as betrayal by family and friends, hatred for His name's sake, and persecution that tests faithfulness. The warnings emphasize that hearts can become overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and cares of this life, causing the day to arrive unawares like a snare set for all who dwell on the earth. Scoffers will appear, questioning the promise of His coming and claiming all things continue as before, yet the Lord is not slack but longsuffering, desiring repentance. The days resemble those of Noah, with people continuing ordinary activities until sudden judgment falls. This context connects directly to the ongoing transformation from glory to glory, the earnest of the Spirit as a pledge of full redemption still future, and the responsibility to glorify God through zealous good works rather than assuming completion. The Laodicean attitude of being rich and increased with goods blinds some to their wretched state, while the parable of the ten virgins illustrates how the unwise fritter away opportunities and find themselves unprepared when the bridegroom arrives. Therefore the call is to watch, pray, redeem the time because the days are evil, and press toward perfection so that one may escape these things and stand before the Son of Man when redemption reaches its fullness.

The sermon connects the moral and spiritual decline of the United States and other Israelitish nations to the conditions prophesied for the end times. These conditions arise from repeated rejection of God's revelation in favor of human knowledge, producing widespread lawlessness, loss of restraint, and internal instability. As a result, the nation faces the opening stages of tribulation unless God intervenes, with events matching the descriptions in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13. Wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and other calamities are identified as the beginning of sorrows that must come to pass. These developments set the stage for intensified persecution of those holding to Christian principles, betrayal among people, the rise of false prophets, and the cooling of love due to abounding lawlessness. The message emphasizes that some will be delivered into tribulation and tested, with no absolute promise of escape to safety for every individual, since God determines the path according to His purpose. Endurance to the end is presented as the requirement for salvation, requiring wholehearted commitment to God's way amid collapsing foundations. This preparation strengthens faith by revealing cause and effect, enabling believers to cling to divine revelation rather than being drawn into the surrounding chaos, and positions them to glorify God whether through deliverance or through the trials ahead.

Jesus Christ warns of end-time calamities in Luke 21, including wars, commotions, nation rising against nation, great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights, and signs from heaven. Persecution will precede these events, with believers delivered to synagogues, prisons, kings, and rulers for His name's sake, betrayed even by family and friends, and hated by all. Hearts will fail for fear as the world is torn apart. In the midst of these trials, Christ instructs His followers to settle their hearts, rely on the wisdom He supplies, and persevere without yielding, for by patience they will possess their souls and preserve their lives. He further commands them to watch and pray always so they may be counted worthy to escape all these things and stand before the Son of Man. God permits these events so that mankind may finally recognize its inability to rule itself. Those who endure to the end receive the promise of salvation. Hope in God's promises, faith in the body of truth once delivered, and a clear vision of the Kingdom produce the determination never to quit. This endurance equips believers to stand fast, communicate encouragement, study diligently, and pray fervently while resisting the pressures of a lawless world. The outcome includes the first resurrection, reigning with Christ for a thousand years, the healing and restoration of Israel under righteous government, and ultimately a new heaven and new earth where God dwells with His people and all former sorrows pass away.

Jesus teaches that famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places mark only the beginning of sorrows, with far greater tribulations to follow as the end approaches. He illustrates this through the parable of the fig tree, explaining that when its branches become tender and put forth leaves, summer is near, so that those who observe all these signs will recognize that His return stands at the doors. He affirms that this generation will not pass away until all these things take place, though heaven and earth will pass away while His words remain. These signs connect directly to the present age, where false religions, war, famine, pestilence, and death already move throughout the earth as the horsemen of Zechariah continue to and fro, their full ride unfolding with the opening of the seals in Revelation. The wickedness described in Genesis and the judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah parallel the conditions of Babylon in Revelation 18, whose sins reach to heaven and whose plagues arrive in one day with death, mourning, and famine. Pandemics such as the Black Death and COVID-19 serve as reminders that such events recur and will intensify toward the end times, prompting preparation through daily repentance, growth in the image of God, and readiness for His return or for death. Psalm 91 assures protection for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High, where no plague comes near the dwelling of those who trust in Him. Deuteronomy 28 warns that extraordinary and prolonged plagues will come upon those who fail to observe His law, while 1 Peter 4:17 states that judgment begins at the house of God. The broader message therefore calls believers to overcome the world, come out of Babylon, and live according to the commands of God now, so that through faith they may weather the storms that are coming as the seasons change.

Current events in Western nations, including laws compelling churches and Christian institutions to accommodate transgender ideology and same-sex marriage under public accommodation rules, signal the onset of intensifying pressure on believers. These developments, such as Massachusetts regulations requiring churches to permit restroom use and pronoun usage consistent with gender identity at public events, represent direct challenges to religious practice that extend beyond worship into daily conduct. Similar cases in Colorado and Washington demonstrate how civil authorities prioritize alternative lifestyles over objections rooted in biblical convictions, leading to fines, lawsuits, and convictions for those who refuse to participate. This pattern connects to end-times prophecy as the initial stages of the fourth beast's campaign against the saints. Daniel 7 describes a horn that makes war on the saints and prevails against them until the Ancient of Days intervenes, granting judgment in their favor and allowing them to possess the kingdom. The same passage indicates this power will persecute the saints for a time, times, and half a time, speaking pompous words against the Most High and attempting to alter times and law. Revelation 11 reinforces the setting by locating the slaying of the two witnesses in the great city spiritually called Sodom, where the beast ascends from the bottomless pit. These prophetic elements frame the present liberal humanism as a subtle yet insidious force that erodes Christian influence through cultural and legal means rather than overt violence, gradually wearing down resistance until loyalty to God is tested. The broader message emphasizes preparation through awareness of these signs, enabling believers to endure the coming pressures while remaining faithful, with the assurance that divine judgment will ultimately vindicate the saints and establish God's kingdom.

The end times constitute a uniquely stressful period in human history, identified as the time of Jacob's trouble, during which a voice of trembling and fear prevails rather than peace. This era stands apart because electronics enable virtually instantaneous communication of events across every nation, while weapons capable of terrorizing populations exist in greater numbers than ever before, turning fear itself into a weapon. Knowledge increases to overwhelming levels, producing relentless psychological pressures from political, economic, military, and personal matters that reach individuals wherever they are and leave no complete escape, as God has willed these conditions as part of preparation for His Kingdom. Although some normal activities continue, the combination of global connectivity and constant threats creates stresses exceeding those of earlier ages, including the days of Noah. Those who have completed the initial steps of salvation must now concentrate on sanctification and perseverance through these pressures to reach future glorification, which depends on demonstrated love, loyalty, and growth. Perseverance requires active persistence rather than passive endurance, as believers stand firm in spiritual warfare against organizations and powers that are spiritual, including unseen forces from the headquarters of evil under Satan's command. The conflict intensifies as the journey toward the Kingdom advances, demanding single-minded commitment, sacrifice, discipline, and resistance that holds ground already gained without yielding to the enemy. Hardships, privations, and battles serve to build the character traits needed for victory, with God providing gentle training amid the conflict to foster obedience and faith. This process links directly to the overall message that faithful perseverance through end-time difficulties forms the final stage leading to glorification if God approves the measure of growth achieved.

Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24 is above all an admonition to His disciples, in every era, to stay alert and prepared. Its comments move from general to specific. The wars and rumors of wars in verse 6 are only "the beginning of sorrows" (verse 8), comparable to the early Braxton Hicks pangs that signal the coming birth of the Kingdom of God, and they show that the end is not yet but is drawing nearer. Because wars have occurred throughout history, the significance lies in a dramatic increase in their number. The sign also requires an age of rapid worldwide communication, since disciples are now scattered across the earth and must be able to hear of these events as they begin. God has supplied this through electronic media, so that no one has an excuse for being unaware. The United States illustrates the escalation. For its first 210 years it fought nine wars, roughly one every 23 years, but the intervals between conflicts then shrank sharply. Since about 1990 it has been involved in nearly constant military operations, and about 41 conflicts, active or unresolved, are now counted worldwide. These conditions show that the present age is the beginning of sorrows and that the march toward the rest of Jesus' prophecy is underway.

Luke 17:21 is often used to claim that God's Kingdom is spiritually within a believer, but the Greek entos, when paired with the plural "you," means "among" or "in the midst of." Jesus was answering Pharisees, His bitter enemies, so the Kingdom could not be inside them. He meant that He, the King, was present among them. The whole passage (verses 20-37) actually concerns His second coming, when He will set up a literal government on earth (Zechariah 14:9). He tells His disciples that His return will be unmistakable, like lightning, but only after He is crucified. It will come suddenly, as in the days of Noah and Lot, when people go about normal life unaware and society is degenerate and wicked. His coming will test His followers' willingness to leave everything behind, even their lives, as Lot's wife failed to do. Each person will be judged individually, since no one's obedience saves another. His answer that vultures gather where the carcass is points to a return at a vast battlefield, paralleling Zechariah 14:1-5 and Revelation 19:11-21. The Kingdom is therefore a real, soon-coming government under Jesus Christ, which will grow to fill the whole earth in the Millennium.

Today's moral and societal corruption matches Christ's signs of the end of the age, much like the days of Noah (Luke 17:26-27; Genesis 6:12). Corruption touches media, government, courts, religion, and communication itself, and deep-fake and AI technology make truth nearly impossible to discern by the senses alone. Christ's chief warning about the end times is widespread deception, which He repeats throughout Matthew 24 (verses 4-5, 11, 24-25), including false christs and prophets whose signs could deceive even the elect. This matters especially in the Laodicean era, the final church period before Christ's return, whose lukewarmness stems from self-deception about its spiritual condition (Revelation 3:16-17). The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) pictures believers just before Christ's return. All of them slumber, but only half are ready when the bridegroom comes, because the foolish let the light of God's Spirit go out through distraction, worldly priorities, and complacency. Paul's calls to awaken (Romans 13:11-14; Ephesians 5:14-17) apply with urgency, since salvation is nearer. Satan uses worldly distractions and false teachers posing as angels of light to lull believers to sleep (II Corinthians 11:14). Being wise rather than foolish depends on staying close to God and Christ through daily effort, not on loyalty to a particular church. Believers are in a battle for eternal life and must remain vigilant.

Christ's return is nearer than scoffers claim, and Peter and Jude warned that skeptics would argue otherwise by assuming events will keep progressing as they always have. The "last days" is a flexible biblical term, most often meaning the general period before Christ's return. The clearest sign is Matthew 24:22: mankind's ability to annihilate all flesh, which has existed only since the atomic and hydrogen bombs of 1945 and 1952. Luke 21:32 says "this generation" will not pass before all is fulfilled, meaning the generation that sees the Olivet signs. That points to the generation that fought World War II and the Cold War, now elderly, though the day and hour remain unknown (Matthew 24:36). Increasing deception, war, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes are the "beginning of sorrows." Matthew 24:14, the worldwide preaching of the gospel, was prefigured by Herbert Armstrong's work but is fulfilled in the Two Witnesses, who testify worldwide during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 11). Finally, II Thessalonians 2:3 says the "falling away" (apostasia) and the revealing of the man of sin must precede Christ's return. The recent apostasy within the church of God is further evidence of the last days, and believers must hold fast to the truth they were taught.

In the biblical history of Israel, the sound of the trumpet often signified an immediate warning of imminent war, death, and destruction, heralding severe punishment for the people's disobedience. Jeremiah 4:19-22 expresses deep anguish over the alarm of war, with destruction upon destruction cried out as the land is plundered, reflecting God's judgment on a foolish people who do not know Him and are wise only in doing evil. Jeremiah 6:1-8 calls for the children of Benjamin to flee Jerusalem as disaster looms from the north, with God commanding war against the city for its oppression and wickedness, warning that without instruction, Jerusalem will be made desolate. Further, Jeremiah 6:9-10 portrays God's intent to thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel, lamenting their uncircumcised ears and rejection of His word, which has become a reproach to them. Jeremiah 6:11-17 reveals God's fury poured out on all, from children to the aged, due to widespread covetousness and false dealings, with the people refusing to walk in the old paths or listen to the trumpet's warning, thus facing inevitable punishment. Zephaniah 1:14-18 describes the great day of the Lord as a time of wrath, distress, and devastation, with the trumpet sounding alarm against fortified cities, bringing distress upon men for their sins against the Lord, as neither silver nor gold can deliver them from His jealousy and wrath. Zephaniah 2:1-3 urges the undesirable nation to gather and seek the Lord in humility before His fierce anger comes, hoping to be hidden in the day of His anger. Ezekiel 33:1-5 emphasizes the role of the watchman who blows the trumpet to warn of the sword; those who hear but do not heed the warning bear their own blood, while those who take warning save their lives, underscoring the personal responsibility of Israel to respond to God's call to repentance amidst impending punishment.