Several events in the last few weeks, have appeared as sign posts marking our approach to the "end of the age." Europe has moved closer to becoming a single nation comprised of subordinate states. Jesuit educated Herman van Rompuy, Belgium Prime Minister, has been elected to a two and a half year term as the first full-time EU president. Formerly, rotating presidents from various EU countries served part time for only 6 months.

In his acceptance speech, Rompuy lost no time in revealing his viewpoint: "2009 is also the first year of global governance with the establishment of the G20 in the middle of the financial crisis." And: "The climate conference in Copenhagen is another step toward the global management of our planet." We know from Bible prophecy that "global management" by the "beast" will ultimately occur.

Just days after Rompuy's installation, the EU foreign ministers issued a statement pushing for Jerusalem to be divided with half of it the capital of Israel and the other half the capital of a "Palestinian state."

Europe has long insisted that Israel give up the part of Jerusalem captured in the 1967 war. Since this would mean Israel giving up hope of ever rebuilding the temple, they have refused to even consider that possibility.

Another sign of the end times is described by Zechariah in chapter 12. He sees a day when Jerusalem will be a burdensome stone and a cup of trembling when "...all the people of the earth be gathered against it." No one can doubt that we are living in that day.

Persecution of Bible believers is another prophetic theme in Scripture. Estimates run as high as 50,000 are martyred each year. Nearly one fourth of the world lives in Islamic countries where Christians are forbidden. Another third lives in India and China where Christians are regularly attacked by Buddhists, Hindus or driven underground by the government.

Christians in the other third in the Western World generally do not have to fear for their lives, but secular materialism has succeeded in crowding them to the margins of the culture under the banner of evolution. The Bible predicts rising lawlessness in the last days. God's law has been trampled by the legalization of sins such as abortion, sodomy and fornication.

Another sign of the end is that the love of many will wax cold. Unfortunately, many who claim to be "Christians" no longer demonstrate a love for the gospel and the sinner. Bible believers must keep their focus on the great commission. We must test everyone we can to see if they are ready to hear the gospel.

If we don't have time to talk to them personally, it takes only a couple of seconds to place the gospel into their hands with a tract that contains a compelling story and a clear challenge to surrender to Jesus.

Then their choice will determine their eternal destiny, and we can be assured that we have clearly presented them with that choice and their blood will not be on our hands. (See Eze. 3:18.)

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