Someone has said, “Because the Bible is the only book which gives us an accurate forecast of the future, we must turn to its pages in order that we may be delivered from inexcusable ignorance and be prepared as God unfolds His prophetic program.”

We reserve a few minutes to discuss current trends that you’d expect from reading Bible prophecy.

We are futurists. We interpret all unfulfilled prophetic passages as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context.

Biometrics, Artificial Intelligence, cashless commerce, the manipulation of human DNA, global government, the exponential growth of human knowledge, one-world religion, instantaneous global communication, and the rebirth of national Israel are End Times developments the Bible predicts.

All of these are increasingly trending in the news.

We haven’t talked much about the predicted rise of the occult. In The Revelation we are told, “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (The Revelation 9:20-21).

That passage discusses events in the seven year Time of Jacob’s Trouble that we call the Great  Tribulation. It makes sense that interest in the occult would be rising prior to the Tribulation… and it is.

Witchcraft is on the rise. According to a January 2023 article I read:

• Wiccans or Pagans number 1 to 1.5 million people in the U.S [2014 Pew Research Center].
• Both religious and nonreligious Americans hold New Age beliefs [pewresearch.org].
• Google searches for “spell casting” have increased fourfold since 2016 [Global News].
• Witchcraft influencers have thousands of followers on Instagram.
• Almost 19 billion views are recorded in a community of TikTok called “WitchTok.”

The millennial generation and Gen Z have fallen victim to witchcraft more than any other age group. Just in time for the antichrist. He will be the greatest influencer the world has ever known.

A Master of Arts (MA) degree in witchcraft, magic, and occult science is scheduled to be offered starting September 2024 at the University of Exeter in England. The professor says she’s seen a ‘surge in interest’ from students.

I went to the college website. It’s for reals, as we like to say for emphasis. While poking around, I came across this incentive: “Graduate with the skills to, and knowledge needed to, influence and drive business strategies that make a positive contribution to the environment and society.”

What department do you think is offering this degree? The program is part of the Department of Arab & Islamic Studies.   

I’ll briefly mention UFO’s. Or maybe I should simply ask, “What is up with all the positive talk about UFO’s & aliens?” All of a sudden it is mainstream.

For example, thehill.com posted an article in mid-2023 titled, How the search for UFOs went mainstream. The UFO phenomena is completely compatible with supernatural activity. Many prophecy teachers have suggested that UFO’s will offer an explanation for the rapture.

The occult is on the rise – just as we expect it would be.

We live in the Church Age, between the first coming of Jesus and His return to establish and rule the Kingdom of God on earth. His return will be preceded by a seven year time of incredible trouble upon the earth. Most commonly it is called the Great Tribulation, but the prophet Jeremiah calls it the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. It is a reminder that God will use that time to reveal Himself to unbelieving Israel. By the end of the seven years all Israel will be saved.

Jesus promised His Church, “I… will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

He keeps us entirely out of the 7yr Great Tribulation by raising deceased Church Age saints, then rapturing “we who are alive and remain.”

When? The return of the Lord for us is imminent. It could happen any time. Nothing needs to occur before Jesus can come for us.

Are you ready for the rapture? If not, Get ready; Stay ready; Keep looking up.

Ready or not, Jesus is coming!