“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.” He answered and said unto them, “When it is evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky: but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Matthew: 16: 1-4.

A number of bible scholars have continued to explore, examine, and analyze the prophecies of the ancient biblical prophets, particularly those of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Joel, Zephaniah, David, Peter, John, and Paul, and above them all, those authoritative statements of our Lord and King Jesus Christ on two major imminent events of unparalleled historical magnitude. They are the greatest mysteries in the plan of God for humanity – Rapture of the entire body of Christ that appears imminent during this generation and the second coming of Jesus that shall be ushered in by the father of all wars – the war of Armageddon. In this write up we are concerned with the first event, the rapture. Those who are not raptured would have to face the horrendous seven years of tribulation- the outpour of the wrath of God on the Universe and the most agonizing and traumatic anti-Christ rule

The entire bible is made up of at least 28% of prophecy about the end-time, the judgment of God and the amazing glory of the Messianic Kingdom. These Prophecies and signs of the bible are intended to:
1. Provide authentication of the bible as the inspired word of God to convince the corrupt and faithless generations passing through the corridor of life.
2. Admonish the church to live in purity, holiness, love, and top alert preparedness for the sound of the trumpet.
3. Commission the church to witness to those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior while re-engineering those who after accepting Christ, are still living carnally.
4. Provide a clear picture of the irrevocable consequences for our various choices: Eternal condemnation into hell fire burning with sulfur and brimstone, and everlasting tormenting and gnashing of teeth for children of disobedience and eternal kingdom of glory where there is no sorrow, illness, pain, suffering or death for children of obedience. Rev 14.
While all books and literature are written to inform us and educate us, the bible and all its prophecies are intended to transform us and prepare us for life hereafter.

Evidently human life is now threatened more than ever in history of this planet; not just by one peril, but by a battalion of closely linked devastating perils – all working together and coming to a head all at the same time. With all the prophesized signs coming into actualization with such spiritual accuracy and mystifying frequency, my vision of Church/ Grace Age coming to a close before year 2018 remains difficult to contest. “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things are fulfilled.” Matth. 24: 34. What generation was our Lord Jesus referring to? The generation commencing in 1948 when Israel became a sovereign nation. A generation is 70 years. Psalm 90:10.

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree, when its branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near.” Says the Lord Jesus Matth. 24: 32-33. Global warming, weather pattern changes, rising sea level, monster sea storms and catastrophic hurricanes, volcano eruptions, devastating earthquakes, plagues, floods, terminal diseases, killer heat waves, and human generated violence such as wars, genocides, frequent homicide, rape, abduction and all forms of insecurity have continued to assume a pinnacle of horror.
The parable of the fig tree is figurative. The fig tree is often used biblically to represent the wall – clock of God which is the State of Israel. But the usage in this instance is to depict the re – incarnation of the time of Noah, when the world was destroyed by deluge-flood. The signs of the time of Noah – “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually. Gen 6: 5. The earth was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence, and God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me” Gen: 6: 11-13. Paul also listed similar signs that would herald the end of time in Tim: 3: 1-5. These signs of ungodliness, violence, murder, reckless love of wealth, homosexuality, adultery, idolatry, oppression of the weak, looting, travesty of justice, etc are true in every age but never before has this monstrous dimension been attained. This climax is simply saying that this is the terminal generation.

People have either abandoned God, rejected God or challenging the relevance of God in their daily affairs. The commandments of God are now seen as unnecessary harassment and the worship of God as a total waste of precious economic time. Under the guise of freedom mankind is now evidently at war with God. Nations and people now trust on their political, economic, scientific and military power for their protection and security. But when the Lord spoke through the Tsunami, through earthquake, hurricane, Snow and other natural arsenal of heavens the military might of the world powers had remained totally helpless in averting or stopping the hand of God. The mother earth, is now crying loud and emitting hell fire through most devastating and frequent earthquakes to signal the end of time. The earthquake is the voice of God, through the mother earth.

During the time of Noah, the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened dumping upon the world forty days and nights of rain. The water level above the entire earth was 17,022.5 feet for 150 days and a further 221 days passed before the flood totally dried off. Gen: 8: 8-11 advises us that after 306 days in the floating ark, Noah sent out a dove on surveillance mission. The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot and she returned to the ark confirming the total annihilation of all living things on earth. Noah sent out the dove a second time seven days later, to survey whether the flood had actually abated. He came back this time with an olive leaf symbolizing the dawn of a new age.

The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 with a death toll of about 250,000 and the New Orleans hurricane generated flood of September 2005 with a death toll of 1033 are reminiscent of the Noahic flood on local level. While the world was still lamenting the New Orleans disaster created by hurricane Katrina, another hurricane Rita emanated from the Sea to keep the world in a state of consternation. And yet today, September 08, 2005 the entire world is once again languishing under the devastation created by a 7.6 magnitude quake in Kashmir – a quake that is likely to gulp over thirty thousand lives and send millions into shelters.
Going by the revelation from Jesus, another major tsunami/earthquake is expected to send yet another tremor into the world through another continent which looks like Africa.
Jesus Christ, through this parable of the fig tree, is clearly saying to the world that when you see flood that are reminiscent to Noah days, and difficult signs of all times happening at the same time and attaining climax point you should be aware that the count-down to the end of time has begun. The Lord has vowed never o destroy the world again with flood but with consuming fire. Joel. 2

Heavens are clearly warning, through hurricane, flood, weather, and mother earth that this is the terminal generation.
The world economic situation is also experiencing stress and a sharp downward spiral under the rebuke of heavens. Sharply rising rate of employment, resulting in significant drop in consumer spending, drop in productivity, drop in savings, drop in re-investment, decline and closure of businesses culminating in significant rise in crime and all sort of violence for survival. “Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattered the inhabitants thereof. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.” Isaiah 24: 1-3.

During the past twenty five years, at least 35 new diseases have reared their heads up to threaten the health of hundreds of millions of people. For many of these diseases there is no treatment, cure or vaccine. HIV/AIDS infected victims of over 50 million within the last decade continues to maintain the lead, new species of Cancer are emerging daily while Ebola remains an instant killer. Diseases that have been around for centuries are also propping up in incurable strains reported the WHO from Geneva. The sudden explosive magnitude and ruthlessness of these incurable diseases can only be explained through the message of the last days prophesized in Rev. 6.

With all these warnings and divine signs, are you really making any effort to receive Jesus Christ into your life? “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.” Jer. 8:7. If you must experience the Rapture and escape the after-rapture seven years of tribulation, the satanic and most wicked rule of the anti Christ, and above all, the condemnation into everlasting hell fire of severe torment and excruciating pain, I strongly admonish you to accept Jesus Christ into your life today and totally withdraw from the world of wickedness, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, murder, drug, stealing, lying, abuses, and all forms of ungodliness. Find time to worship God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Eccle.12:13.
This is a clarion call to repentance.

ASE Joseph O Olorunnisola
Head USA Diocese - Region A