Has the World Grown Old & Reached Its End?
3 Biblical Signs About the End of the World: Mass Apostasy, Mass Martyrdom, & World Missions
Babies designed from 3 Parents. A World Controlled by AI. Rumors of a Third World War fought by Drones in the sky. Sometimes it can feel like we are living in dystopian novel about the end of the world. As many people witness our modern world change so rapidly, I have been asked by many students and friends if I thought ‘The End’ was near. My response was to take them to the Scriptures in order to point to some of the signs that will precede the Return of Christ AND to also show them what are NOT THE SIGNS. Let’s begin with those ‘false signs.’
Wars, Famine, Plagues, & Natural Disasters Are Not the Signs
Many of the church fathers felt ‘The End’ was near as they witnessed the dark clouds of history roll in all around them. Pope St. Gregory the Great (6th century) was no exception. In the midst of plagues, starvation, and invasions, Gregory stated in one of his sermons that “the world had grown old.”1 Church historian, Fr. Brian Daley, notes:
“While Augustine remained cautious about reading in the disasters of his day signs that the end was near, Gregory did so without hesitation. Living in an Italy that was economically and socially ravaged by the Lombard invasions (the devastation of crops & buildings), and personally overwhelmed by a sense of Rome’s political decline, the former praefectus urbi was convinced that the Parousia (2nd Coming of Christ) and judgment were not far off…”2
Not only was their great devastation all around him, but St. Gregory was also dealing with a grave plague that had even killed the previous Bishop of Rome/Pope. Fr. Jeffrey Steenson notes:
“During those months, Gregory sought to help the people of Rome find their way back to God through prayer. We have a contemporary account of his efforts, preserved in Gregory of Tours’ History of the Franks (Book X). Gregory devoted all of his family’s assets to feeding and caring for the sick and poor. He led a procession of clergy and monastics and lay faithful through the city’s streets, chanting “Kyrie eleison” (Lord Have Mercy) as they called the people to repent and prayed for God to alleviate the plague.”3
In his Dialogues, St. Gregory writes,
“The world was not merely announcing its end, but pointing directly to it.” And in one of his epistles (Ep. 3.29 [April 593]), he notes, “The very plagues of the earth have now become like the pages of our books.”
St. Gregory should not be faulted for thinking it was near the end of the world since he was experiencing the end of his world. This happens to many. The fall of the Temple in 70 A.D. was the end of the world for the Jews at that time. The fall of Rome disturbed many of the church fathers. If America falls before the return of Christ, it will feel very significant to Americans. Because we all value safety, survival, and our sacred way of life, we are all tempted to view pandemics, wars, and natural disasters as signs that the world is breathing its last.
But what does our Lord say about these things? Ironically, Jesus states that these traumatic events are NOT the signs of His return. Many New Testament scholars note that Jesus (in Mark ch. 13) is actually trying to keep his followers from speculating about ‘The End’ and primarily wants to keep them vigilant about the Great Commission:
“Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. 10 And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations” (Mark 13:6-8).
When Christ uses the phrase “wars and rumors of wars,” he specifically states that these are the beginning of the birth pangs and not the specific signs accompanying His return. In other words, it is only ‘ordinary time’ when quakes, famines, and wars ordinarily rock our world. New Testament Scholar, Dr. Ben Witherington III, writes,
“Wars and reports of wars are not to disconcert the disciples… They should also not be misled to think this is the End. Indeed, nation will rise up against nation, there will be earthquakes and famines. Yet all of this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”4
Witherington then quotes two other NT scholars in his commentary on Mark:
Dr John Painter: “Jesus was asked for ‘the sign’ that heralds the end. He began by speaking of signs that signalled ‘the end is not yet.’”
Dr. Moran Hooker: “What Mark has set out, then, are three false signs of the End which might mislead the faithful.”
Many of us, including me, have misread the Gospels thinking that the wars, earthquakes, and pandemics WERE THE SIGNS, but actually are NOT THE SIGNS.
However, this doesn’t mean that the New Testament doesn’t give us anything to work with. Our Lord does give us a hint of a sign that must occur before His return:
“The good news must first be proclaimed to all nations” (Mark 13:10)
This is an interesting sign and makes a lot of sense when you study the Book of Revelation. In St. John’s heavenly vision on the island of Patmos, he beholds every ethnic group (every tongue & tribe) worshiping the Lamb “who takes away the sins of the world.” Every people-group is invited to the heavenly banquet! “Blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb!” The apostles took this sign and mission very seriously and went to far off places that were considered to be the ‘edges of the earth.’ St. Paul made it to Spain (per St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons), and St. Thomas made it to India (as witnessed by the St. Thomas Christians living in India for 2,000 years!)
The 3 Great Signs Preceding His Second Coming
Let’s continue looking at this first sign and a few possible others. In his commentary on Revelation, Dr. Peter Williamson (see page 335)5 points to 3 primary signs that Christ gives that will accompany his return, included the one we just touched on.
The Great Commission: The Gospel will be preached everywhere. (See Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10). Williamson writes,
“The Church’s testimony to the nations is progressing toward that goal. Almost all nations (cultural-linguistic groups) have heard the gospel, and the number of Christians in Africa and Asia is rapidly increasing.”
An important note about this sign is that it isn’t one you can simply find by studying the stars or complicated timelines. You cannot measure it with mathematical precision. It requires you to simply roll up your sleeves and share the Gospel with the people near you and far off. Christ could have come back when Thomas reached India, but he did not. He could have returned when the Assyrian Christians reached China, but he did not. He could have returned when Saints Cyril & Methodious went to the Slavic people, but he did not. We could go down the list of missionaries who brought the Gospel to the Americas (many Franciscans) or to the southern most regions of Africa, but none of these arrival points brought Christ down to us! Some Christians have pondered the question: “Will Christ return when the Gospel has literally been proclaimed in every language-group that is currently spoken? Even among the unreached tribes on isolated islands that know nothing of the modern world?…”
I do know of Christian missionaries who are seeking to fulfill the goal of reaching every isolated tribe with a translation of the Bible in their own language in a very literal way. (We talked about this quite a bit at my alma mater, Taylor University, an evangelical college dedicated to world missions and intentional discipleship. Some world missions experts have stated that this goal could be completed in our lifetimes or even before 2030 just in time to commemorate the 2,000 year anniversary of Christ’s Resurrection! Whether this achievement will actually usher in the Return of Christ in our lifetimes is certainly speculative, but we should simply rejoice at the fact that every person will have the Bible available to them in their own language.
*Those of us who are Orthodox & Catholic Christians must become more motivated to ensure that these people not only have the Word of God in their hands but also have the sacraments and a life of liturgical worship available to them. It has been shown that many Christians in Africa, China, India, and the Amazon become heretical and syncretistic if they lack basic discipleship & catechesis after receiving the Scriptures. Christ founded a Church, and He longs to anchor people in the sound teaching of His Word and to nourish them with His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. I pray that more Orthodox and Catholic Christians respond to becoming missionaries whether they are priests, monks, or ordinary lay people. Family Catholic Missions is a great place to check out.
The Great Apostasy: Many people will leave the faith. This is the first time in history that we have seen such a massive number of Christians leaving the faith voluntarily. Throughout Europe, cathedrals that were built to hold hundreds or thousands of people now only have 20-30 in attendance on a Sunday morning. Dr. Williamson notes that the only other time that we have seen such a high level of apostasy in church history was in the 7th century when Christians were coerced and persecuted to leave the faith in North Africa and the Middle East during the Muslim conquests. Although those events should greatly sadden us, and we pray for a Christian revival in those lands, we should be even more saddened over the situation in Europe where Christians have left willingly and voluntarily.
Although the United States is in much better shape than Europe (in part due to immigration from countries where Christianity is growing), we should still be very concerned about the mass numbers of people who have become non-affiliated (the NONES) and no longer worship with other people. A 2021 Gallup poll revealed that church membership in the US has fallen below 50% for the first time in American history. Many studies also project that this number will continue to drop. A recent study released this month (May 2023) also reveals a significant drop in church attendance following the pandemic. (*This picture will become darker unless God’s people become mobilized and take missionary discipleship seriously!)
We should also keep in mind that apostasy cannot happen to non-Christians. Only Christians can become apostates, because the act of apostasy is the willful rejection of the Christian faith. Many Biblical scholars have stated that a Great Apostasy will occur before the Return of Christ and is referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,
“As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, for that Day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the Lawless One is revealed, the one destined for destruction.”
This Great Rebellion led by the Rebellious One (the ‘lawless one’ or the Anti-Christ) will be permitted by God to happen, and this period of time will lead to the spiritual hardening of many hearts. Our Lord says that the “love of many will grow cold.” (This is happening quite a bit among friends and families even over the last few years). Jesus seems to be commenting on this period of apostasy in Matthew 24 when speaking about the last things:
“10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
This passage, when combined with Revelation 9:1; 20:7-8, gives us the impression that Satan will be released from his chains in the Abyss (after having been bound by Christ, St. Michael, and the work of the Church) in order to deceive the nation. For the sake of our children, let us pray that this time of Great Apostasy is not now, and if so, that they will cling to our Lord and endure until the End.
The Great Trial: Many Christians will be persecuted & martyred. The Scriptures, the fathers, and many saints warn of a Final Trial that will occur before the Return of Christ. It is also referred to as the Great Tribulation and by St. Thomas Aquinas as the Conflagration. The biggest sign of the Great Trial is the martyrdom of God’s people and is likely overlapping with the Great Apostasy. Sadly, it is likely that the apostates themselves who hate Christianity will be the ones who lead a Great Persecution against true followers of Christ and create many martyrs and orphans.
Satan will not only be released for a final push of deception, but he will also be allowed to wreak havoc and chaos upon the world. Just as he rejoiced at the death of our Lord, he will rejoice at the death of his followers. In contrast to the Lamb’s Supper, ‘Satan’s Supper’ will be the drinking of the blood of the saints as depicted in Revelation 17:6. The Catechism describes ‘The Final Trial’ in this way:
“Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.” (CCC 675).
Of course, martyrdom has been happening since Christ’s Ascension beginning with St. Stephen at the hands of Saul (who became St. Paul the Apostle). Most of the saints that we honor from the first few centuries were martyrs. Shoot, even most of the first Popes became martyrs for Christ! Martyrdom is not a particularly unique sign over the last 2,000 years. However, did you know that it is estimated that around 35 Million Christian were martyred from the 1st century to the 19th century AND that in the 20th century alone, there were 45 million Christian martyrs? The 20th century had more martyrs than all of the other previous centuries combined?!6 We are certainly living in an unprecedented time of Christian martyrdom, particularly in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Perhaps we are entering into the Final Trial.
Returning to St. Gregory the Great, we must remember that he did not approach ‘the End’ like a wild, doomsday prophet, but instead, like a pastor and doctor of souls. He wanted to prepare his congregations to meet their Beloved either at death or His return. He didn’t encourage them to become anxious or worried, but instead to trust the Lord, repent of their sins, care for the poor, offer up true worship, and share the Gospel with the world. There was nothing to actually fear, because Christ was their future.
So has ‘the world grown old’ as St. Gregory says?
Our only hope is to cling to the One who can make the world young again, for when His holy and pierced foot touches our soil again, it will usher in an eternal spring for all those who are found to be alive in Him.
Be entirely His until that Day!
-Kyle
*If you haven’t subscribed to you my Youtube channel (@barrelagedfaith) yet, please do so! My goal is to get to 1,000 subscribers so I can begin monetizing the channel, which helps support the work at Barrel Aged Faith.
*Also, you may like this recent clip from my interview with Dr. Holly Ordway when we discuss how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien depict the reality of heaven and the end of the world in different yet complementary ways!
St. Gregory the Great in Hom. in Ev. I.I.I: PL 76.1077C7f. cited by Fr. Brian Daley on pg. 211 in The Hope of the Early Church: A Handbook of Patristic Eschatology.
Daley, Brian. The Hope of the Early Church: A Handbook of Patristic Eschatology. Baker Academic. 1991. pg. 211-212)
https://chnetwork.org/2020/05/26/pope-gregory-the-great-in-the-time-of-plague/#:~:text=Gregory%20devoted%20all%20of%20his,God%20to%20alleviate%20the%20plague.
Witherington III, Ben. The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2001. Pages 341-344
Williamson, Peter. Revelation: Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Baker Academic. 2015. Pages 335.
https://earlychurchhistory.org/martyrs/christian-martyrs-now/