In Part 1 of Signs of the End, the Rev Tony Higton outlined a number of specific signs that one would expect to see increasing nearer to the Second Coming of Christ – including false messiahs, wars, famines, earthquakes and pestilences. In this follow-up article, Rev Higton makes note of some further prominent signs.

Worldwide Persecution (Mt 24:9; Rev 2:10; 6:9-11)

The persecution of Christians is increasing.

In November 2022, a debate on ‘Christian persecution - Freedom of religion or belief’ was held by the UK Parliament Backbench Business Committee. The following statements were published in the report:

“In 2022… at least 360 million Christians experienced ‘high levels of persecution and discrimination.’ This was 20 million higher than 2021. The group also estimated that the number of Christians killed for their faith rose to 5,898 in 2022, up from 4,761 in 2021. Persecution included instances of serious intimidation, disinformation, stereotyping, legal threats, and attacks on places of worship.

 The Middle East-North Africa region had the highest share of countries in which Christians were harassed

The Pew Research Centre reported that the number of countries in which Christians had been harassed rose every year bar one from 2013 to 2019, increasing from 102 to 153 (77% of the 198 analysed countries). The Middle East-North Africa region had the highest share of countries in which Christians were harassed (19 of 20), followed by the Asia-Pacific.

Secularism & compromise (Mt 24:12; Rev 2:4, 14-16, 20; 3:1, 15-17)

I am looking at the trend in the UK. In 2022 a survey by Kings College, London found that only 49% of the British population believe in God, compared with 75% in 1981. Western Europe is less religious than Eastern Europe. Only China (17%), Sweden (35%), Japan (39%), South Korea (40%) and Norway (46%) have less people saying they believe in God.

Research by the Co-op in 2019 found that only 10% of British people want a religious funeral. The Church of England experienced a 50% decline in the number of funerals between 1999 and 2019. The number of regular Sunday worshippers in the Church of England fell from 925,000 in 2016 to 510,000 in 2021. The number of Methodist worshippers fell by nearly 30,000 in the last 3 years, to just over 130,000. 100 chapels closed in 2021-22.

 68% of British Christians think that freedom of religion is under threat in the UK

A survey by Colin Bloom, an Independent Faith Engagement Adviser, found that some 68% of British Christians think that freedom of religion is under threat in the UK. The report said; “Some members of both Christian and minority religions felt they were at risk of being marginalised, de-platformed, or even losing their jobs for practising their faiths or beliefs.”

In 2017, Tim Farron was effectively driven out as leader of the Liberal Democrats for being an evangelical Christian. Kate Forbes, who came a close second to being the Scottish Nationalist Party’s leader, was attacked for being an active member of the Free Church of Scotland, which opposed the gender recognition reform bill.

• Similarly, David Campanale was deselected by the Liberal Democrats in Sutton and Cheam as their parliamentary candidate because he was a practising Christian.

False Teachers (Mt 24:11; Rev 2:2)

The New Testament clearly teaches that we should submit to God, i.e. to His Word. However, we now live in a “Me first,” “My rights” age, which is totally contradictory to New Testament teaching.

 Interfaith undermines the clear teaching of Jesus that He is the only way of salvation. It is now rife in the Church.

These attitudes in society have been embraced by many churches in the West in various ways including:

• Approval of homosexual practice, which is unbiblical;
• Blessing homosexual marriage, which is unbiblical;
• Choice of gender, which is unbiblical;
• Universalism compromise. Universalism is the belief that we will all get to heaven in the end whatever our beliefs (or behaviour).
• Interfaith compromise. Interfaith undermines the clear teaching of Jesus that He is the only way of salvation. It is now rife in the Church.

False Prophets (Mt 24:11, 24)

There are numerous false prophets in the USA and elsewhere, gathering large followings, including through the media.

Worldwide Evangelism (Mt 24:14)

One Christian research group (Lifeway Research) has stated that “Global Christianity is advancing in ways previous generations could have only imagined.” They estimate that, in 1900, over half the world was unevangelised, but, by 2023, that had fallen to just over a quarter of the world.

 in 1900, over half the world was unevangelised, but, by 2023, that had fallen to just over a quarter of the world.

The Pew Research Centre estimates there are 2.38 billion Christians, which is nearly one third of the world population of about 8 billion. There were some 600 million in 1910, but the world population was 1.8 billion. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates there will be around 3.3 billion Christians, out of a world population of 9.3 billion in 2050. However, some of these people will be nominal Christians.

The World Christian Encyclopedia estimates that some 2.7 million people convert to Christianity from another religion every year. Evangelicals (especially Charismatics) and Pentecostals are the fastest growing groups, projected to reach 1 billion before 2050.

The Pew Research Centre say that about two-thirds of all the 158 countries and territories in the world have a Christian majority. 1.3 billion Christians live in the Global South (61%), and about 860 million live in the Global North (39%).

The highest growth is in Asia (1.62% per annum) and Africa (2.76% per annum). In 1900, there were less than 10 million Christians in Africa. Now 718 million live there. The Christian population in Africa is expected to reach 1 billion before 2050.

 The Christian population in Africa is expected to reach 1 billion before 2050.

Sadly, the Middle East has the lowest concentration of Christians (about 4% of the population) and the smallest number of Christians (about 13 million) of any major geographic region.

Baylor University Institute for Studies of Religion estimates that 10.2 million Muslims have converted to Christianity. The study says the highest number of converts are from Indonesia (6,500,000), Nigeria (600,000), Iran (500,000), the United States (450,000), Ethiopia (400,000) and Algeria (380,000).

Modern media facilitates world evangelism. For example, Global Media Outreach, describing itself as a family of online evangelistic ministries, claims that about 400,000 people per day visit one of their 102 websites and that huge numbers say they have decided to receive Christ.

Also, most people in the world have access to a smart phone. Estimates vary but the most prominent say that it is around 85% of the world population, approximately 7 billion people. This means they have access to evangelistic sites, whether for written or spoken material.

 there are approximately 3,000 ethnic people groups that are unreached, have no church in their area, and few, if any, known believers.

However, there are approximately 3,000 ethnic people groups that are unreached, have no church in their area, and few, if any, known believers. 'Operation World' states "The sobering fact is that, even with all this activity, probably 24-27% of the world’s population have not had the Good News presented to them in a way they could appreciate and meaningfully respond to."

‘The Abomination of Desolation’ (Mt 24:15)

In Revelation 13 we read about world government and the rise of “the Beast”, who controls the world economy and eventually demands worship.

Trends towards world government are growing. Global cooperation can bring many benefits and is increasingly important because of the problems we are facing. But we must remember that world government is likely to bring dictatorship and oppression, which relates to prophecies in the New Testament.

It is not difficult to see how this could become a tool in the hands of the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will need to use surveillance, which is spreading rapidly through the use of fixed cameras and Artificial Intelligence. It is only recently that the huge dangers (as well as benefits) posed by AI are being recognised and addressed. (The first international conference on AI was held in the UK in 2023). It is not difficult to see how this could become a tool in the hands of the Antichrist.

Conclusion

It seems clear that the signs Jesus told us to watch out for are increasing in intensity and regularity. This includes the later signs: worldwide persecution, secularism and compromise, false teachers and prophets, trends that can facilitate the emergence of the ‘abomination of desolation’ and worldwide evangelism.

Then there is the re-establishment of Israel, which is a clear later sign (Luke 21:24). The situation is serious, and we need to keep watch.

Let us remember that Jesus’ return will bring both salvation and judgment. In Mark 13:37 Jesus said: ‘What I say to you I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’

Tony Higton has been a Church of England Minister for over 40 years, led a ministry among Jewish people in Jerusalem for several years, and since 2015 has led a national ministry encouraging prayer and preparation for Revival.