With all the talk about war and natural disasters such as volcanic activity in Alaska, the fires in Australia and earthquakes around the world, I feel worried. This reminds me of the end of times described in the Bible and the events leading up to it. Am I wrong for feeling worried?
First of all, let look at a passage of Scripture which does indeed teach us that there will be more “natural disasters” as we approach the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” In Matthew 24:3 the Disciples of Christ asked Him, “And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age.” These men were students of the Bible and in this question, they are asking, “What sign will we see that signals Your coming to reign as the Messiah, and of the end of the Jewish age?” More than likely they were thinking of the great prophecy of “70 weeks of years” (“490 years”) that Daniel was given (see Daniel 9:24-27). This prophecy foretold that the Messiah would come to usher in all the promised blessings that were given to the Jews throughout the Old Testament at the end of the 490 years. But the disciples wanted to know if there was an actual SIGN that would precede His coming.
In Matthew 24:4-28 He gave them MANY SIGNS that would precede His coming. In response to your question, we will only look at verses 7-8, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these are merely the beginning of birth pangs” (NASB). As you rightly stated, “wars and natural disasters” are some of the “events leading up to the end of the age.” Are we in that period right now? If not for space limits I would go into great detail to show us that these SIGNS are in the future; they will take place AFTER the Rapture of believers (in this “church age”) to heaven (see John 14:2-3 and 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18). Once the church of God is removed from earth these signs will take place and according to verse 8 they are “the beginning of birth pangs.” What does that mean? It means that there will OTHER SIGNS besides these and that just as a woman in travail they will become more frequent and more severe as time goes on.
Having said that, I do believe it’s quite possible that God is allowing earthquakes and other natural disasters to accelerate even now, but they pale in comparison to what will occur during the “last week (7 years) of Daniel’s great prophecy.” In that sense, what we are seeing today is a “foreshadowing of things to come.” Should you be worried? That depends on what your relationship to Christ is. If you have trusted in Christ as your Savior you are one of the believers alluded to above who are waiting for Him to come to take you home to heaven, which, as we saw, happens BEFORE the 7-year Tribulation Period and the signs of Matthew 24:4:28. The believer today need not worry at all, for we are not looking for signs that precede His Second Coming in power and glory; we are looking for Him to come at any moment to translate us to glory. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21…NKJV). If you are not a believer, I would appeal to you to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation” (Acts 16:31) before it’s forever too late.
I should mention that after the Rapture there will be souls saved. Revelation 7:9-10 says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” They will witness the signs mentioned in Matthew chapter 24 and other signs as well, but they will be told NOT TO WORRY while the unbelievers shake with fear. How do I know this? Luke 21:25-28 says, “And there will be SIGNS in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with PERPLEXITY, the seas and the waves roaring; MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FROM FEAR and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, LOOK UP AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, BECAUSE YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR.” Just as believers today “look up and wait for our Savior to come,” so believers then will “look up and wait for their Redeemer to come.” The main difference is they aren’t waiting to be taken to heaven; they are waiting for their Redeemer to come to establish His kingdom on earth (see Matthew 24:29-31 and 25:31-34). (407.1) (DO)