There are many prognosticators who predict what lies ahead for the coming year and beyond. On this show, I’ll share three trends to watch for in 2025 and beyond, straight from the pages of the Bible. To learn more, order our free booklet: The Middle East in Prophecy: https://bit.ly/49Q3opy WEB version: https://www.worldoftomorrow.org/brochures... On today’s show, we’ll turn to the Bible to see what it tells us about our near future. While we can’t know the exact date of most Bible prophecies, we CAN know the general timeline of what lies ahead. Some prophecies give specific time markers, and I’ll be discussing one of them on today’s show. But first, let me explain a common misconception. Some people mistakenly conclude that we can’t know when Christ will return. They claim that He can come back at any time, tonight or a thousand years from now. So let’s look at Matthew 24:36 and explore the context in which this passage is given. “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). This statement is true, but in what context is it made? Is it not the context of detailed signs given by Christ that lead up to the end of time and His second coming? Notice the beginning of this prophecy on the Mount of Olives – Matthew 24:3: “And he sat upon the mount of Olives: and the disciples came privately, and asked him, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be [i.e. the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem], and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” » (Matthew 24:3) Jesus then gave signs that would announce His return. The idea that we are to throw our hands up in the air and have no idea when He will return contradicts the context of this chapter. Jesus said that there would be specific indicators of the end of this age. Notice the following, beginning with verses 4 and 5: “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:4-5, New International Version) Counterfeit Christianity is the first sign He spoke of, and I will come to that in a few minutes, but let us continue with verse 6: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars… For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” But all these are just the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:6-8, New International Version) The twentieth century saw two world wars that literally took tens of millions of precious lives. It also saw a pandemic in 1918 that killed between 50 and 100 million people. It was a plague that dwarfs Covid! And there were many famines, floods, and earthquakes. But notice what I left out in verse 6: “…See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Luke’s parallel account of the Olivet prophecy puts it this way in chapter 21, verse 9: “And when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must first come to pass. But the end is not yet.” » (Luke 21:9)