Welcome to another entry in the Eschatology Foundations Series. All these teachings link together to form a comprehensive outline of not only the book of Revelation, but of the entire end-times timeline.
In our Revelation Preface Teaching, we briefly discussed this topic. It is a crucial one. Christians should be on high alert looking for the things that Jesus said to look out for. However, over many generations, people have become tired of talking about the end. This has led to something called Normalcy Bias:
Normalcy bias, or normality bias, is a cognitive bias which leads people to disbelieve or minimise threat warnings. Consequently, individuals underestimate the likelihood of a disaster, when it might affect them, and its potential adverse effects.
Even the disciples asked Jesus the question - "What will be the signs of your return?". If the disciples asked this kind of question, then we should care about it too.
In this teaching, we will outline 7 major things that must be in place before the Tribulation can begin. Some of these might actually shock you, as they did me. It might make you wonder if we have much time at all...
The Signs of the End
I will make the shortened list here and then go into detail on each point later on.
- Israel Exists as a Nation.
- Jerusalem is Ruled by the Jews.
- A Third Temple has Been Built.
- Jordan is Friendly or Neutral to Israel.
- The Empire of Clay and Iron is Ruling.
- Iraq is Rebuilt.
- The Birth Pangs Have Begun.
- Israel Exists as a Nation
Israel as a nation was destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman Empire. This was done by Rome because a full-scale revolt broke out in 66 AD when Jewish zealots rebelled against Roman rule. Rome responded with overwhelming force under General Titus and destroyed Israel's temple (And their nation) as a show of force.
John wrote Revelation in 90AD, so he knew Israel was no more, but he writes as if Israel is back on the map, which would have been strange for him to write.
However, Israel became a nation again in 1948 through a long historical process involving Jewish survival during nearly 1,800 years of diaspora, and growing Jewish immigration to the land while it was under Ottoman and later British control.
International support increased through events such as the Balfour Declaration (1917), the British Mandate system, and especially the Holocaust, which created global urgency for a Jewish homeland.
In 1947, the United Nations Partition Plan proposed two states—one Jewish and one Arab—which the Jewish leadership accepted and the Arab states rejected. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the State of Israel, and major powers quickly recognized it.
The day Israel was born again in 1948, every Arab nation surrounding it launched an invasion to destroy it. To this day, the war is a testament to God's hand over Israel. This tiny nation repelled and was victorious over all the surrounding countries. Amazing!
Many commentators believe this was the fulfillment of Isaiah's words:
Isa 66:8 Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.
- Jerusalem is Under Jewish Control
Despite Israel now being a state, all parts of the land were heavily contested with its neighbours, who bore hatred for this country. Part of this contested land was Jerusalem (Alongside places like the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Sinai, etc.)
In 1967, Israel fought the Six-Day War, one of the most decisive and fast-moving conflicts in modern history. After rising tensions with Egypt, Syria, and Jordan—including Egypt blocking Israel’s shipping routes and massing troops in the Sinai—Israel launched a preemptive strike on June 5. In just six days, Israel defeated all three neighboring armies and took control of several strategic territories: Jerusalem, the West Bank from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria.
The most significant moment was Israel capturing Jerusalem’s Old City, including the Temple Mount and Western Wall, for the first time since 70 AD. The war permanently reshaped Middle Eastern geopolitics and remains central to modern Israeli–Arab relations.
Interestingly, the world is now pushing for a two-state solution, one that involves splitting Jerusalem between the Jews and the Palestinians. I do not advocate for this at all. I don't dare think what kind of judgment God would bring to those nations that approve the splitting of God's holiest city. However, I do not believe this would be a stumbling block to rebuilding another temple.
In any case, now that Israel controls Jerusalem, the stage can be set to rebuild the third temple, but we will come to that in our next point.
- A Third Temple in Jerusalem is Built
The temple is the most important thing in Judaism. Without it, there is no place to worship, no place to sacrifice to God (And therefore cleanse your sins), and no symbol to look to when you seek Yehovah. Yehovah is God's real name, and we have a teaching on that here.
There seems to be some poetic justice from God here. As Christians, we know Jesus washes away our sins. He already came and is seated with God now. God is giving hints to the Jewish people - You have no temple anymore, because His Son has already come!
But Revelation indicates there will be a third temple during the end times. John wrote Revelation in 90AD, and despite him literally seeing the Temple destroyed, he saw in his visions a new, third temple in the end times.
Rev 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers.,
What is even more incredible is this verse, straight after verse 1:
Rev 11:2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
Do not measure the outer court, for it is given to the Gentiles... Do you know what stands on the Temple Mount right now? Al Aksa Mosque & The Dome of the Rock - Right where the outer court should be. Muslims are gentiles.
I will be interested to see how non-Christians argue against the Bible when a third temple is rebuilt, 2000 years later, after it was prophesied. It seems inconceivable that a Jewish temple will be built next to a mosque, belonging to the religion that hates Jews the most. This verse is so true:
1Co 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
If you are wondering why the words 'Red Heifer' are in the news every year, this is because a red heifer (A type of female calf with reddish fur) is required to consecrate the Temple of God in Numbers 19. Without it, the Temple cannot be acceptable to God. Not just any red heifer can be used, this heifer must be without spot or blemish. This is so strict that even 1 hair that is not a perfect match to the rest of the hide will disqualify it.
Not a single qualifying red heifer has ever been born since Israel became a nation again. So when one is born, this is a major event in the end times, building towards this point - The Third Temple.
However, this temple will not be all good news. In the end times, the anti-Christ will defile the temple at the mid-point of the Tribulation, causing the Jews to flee out of Israel, which leads us nicely onto our next point...
- Jordan is Friendly/Neutral to Israel
As mentioned before, when Israel became a nation, they were attacked by all surrounding Arab nations, including Jordan.
Jordan is actually the ancient nation of Edom (As well as Ammon. Edomites are the descendants of Esau, and Ammon are the descendants of Lot's incest). In the Bible, Jordan has historically been an enemy to Israel.
In Revelation, it tells us that after the anti-Christ defiles the temple, the Jews are forced to flee Israel 'into the wilderness' for 3.5 years.
Rev 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
As we stated in our Preface Teaching, whenever a woman is referred to, it refers to Israel. While the location is not explicit, we can actually uncover it because the location must be:
- A wilderness area - In the Bible, wilderness is actually the word for desert in English.
- East or southeast of Israel - It is not possible for Jews to flee any other direction, given Jerusalem's location.
- A safe place that the Antichrist cannot penetrate - As they will be safe during these 3.5 years.
There is only one location that ticks all of this, and it is Jordan:
- It is a desert wilderness east of Israel
- It is naturally defensible—surrounded by cliffs and narrow passageways
- Daniel 11:41 says Edom, Moab, and Ammon (modern Jordan) escape Antichrist control
- Micah 2:12 describes the remnant gathered as sheep “in Bozrah”
Bozrah is translated as 'Rock', and so many scholars, and now myself, believe that the place Israel flees to, is the rock fortress of Petra, Jordan.
How beautiful is that - The Jews will call on Jesus to save them, by trusting Him as their rock.
But there was a problem - This could never happen, because Jordan was always an enemy of Israel. Until 1994, when Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel. Now the place in the wilderness is fully prepped for Israel's flight. God's hand is slowly shuffling the pieces together.
- The Empire of Clay and Iron (Roman Empire) is Back.
This is the last kingdom left on Earth, according to the prophecy of Daniel. We will do an in-depth teaching on this vision in another release.
In 1992, the European Union was formed, and united all the EU states again. Exactly how it was during the Roman Empire.
- Iraq is Rebuilt
Back in time, Babylon was the greatest city in the world. This is the place where the Tower of Babel was built, and where idol worship flourished. It was so impressive that even Alexander the Great wanted to make Babylon his capital to rule from.
Unfortunately, when Alexander died in 323 BC, his empire fractured into rival kingdoms, and Babylon and the entire region of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), fell into the hands of the Seleucid Empire, and from that point on, the region was constantly fought over, even to this day.
Babylon is mentioned as a key player in Revelation, and so we expect Iraq, and specifically Babylon, to be rebuilt and thriving during the end times.
- The Birth Pangs Have Begun
The disciples, even though they were with Jesus, still could not resist asking, "How will we know when your return is near?"
Jesus' answer is very clear to us:
Mat 24:4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
Mat 24:5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
Mat 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Mat 24:7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
We get some more info in Mark:
Mar 13:9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
To summarize, the birth pangs are:
- False prophets and misinformation
- Wars and rumours of wars
- Famines
- Earthquakes
- Persecution of Christians for preaching the Gospel.
Many people believe these things are part of the Tribulation, however, I do not believe that. The reason is quite clear, because Jesus says:
Mat 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Jesus makes it clear, the end is NOT during the birth pangs (The end is a term referring to the start of tribulation).
If I take a moment to reflect on that list, to me it seems like we are living in most of these birth pangs.
In Summary
Let's write the list again, but now let's see if these things are already fulfilled (Indicated by the ✅ or ❌):
- Israel Exists as a Nation - ✅ Fulfilled in 1948.
- Jerusalem is Under Jewish Control - ✅ Fulfilled in 1967.
- A Third Temple in Jerusalem is Built - ❌ Not Fulfilled.
- Jordan is Friendly/Neutral to Israel - ✅ Fulfilled in 1994.
- The Empire of Clay and Iron (Roman Empire) is Back - ✅ Fulfilled in 1992.
- Iraq is Rebuilt - ❌ Not Fulfilled.
- The Birth Pangs Have Begun - Let's see which ones are ongoing:
- False prophets and misinformation - ✅ I would say we are living in this age, especially with the rise of AI.
- Wars and rumours of wars - ✅ In 2025, we are living in a time of war and rumours of wars.
- Famines - ❌ Not Fulfilled.
- Earthquakes - ❌ Not Fulfilled. At least not to the extent that I believe it should be. (I expect massive Earthquakes to shake continents).
- Persecution of Christians for preaching the Gospel - ✅ / ❌ Partially Fulfilled. In places like Nigeria or North Korea, you are killed for preaching Jesus, but in other countries, you are free. In the end, all nations will persecute Christians.
So as you can see, there are lots of items that must still be checked off before the end can come. But it is incredible how many items have suddenly been fulfilled, and so recently. It seems like the time is accelerating, and as I write this in November 2025, I wonder how much this list will change in one year from now. I will write a follow-up teaching, looking back at this list, in November 2026.
Conclusion
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”, He gave them a detailed list of signs to watch for. This teaching showed that many of those signs are no longer distant possibilities, but are coming to pass in front of our eyes.
We began by exposing the danger of normalcy bias, the modern condition in which people dismiss or downplay biblical warnings because life feels “normal.” Yet the prophets, the apostles, Jesus Himself, and even the earliest disciples, urged believers to remain sober & alert.
God has already moved history in ways that previous generations never witnessed. Israel exists again, exactly as Revelation assumes. Jerusalem is back under Jewish control, fulfilling Jesus’ predictions and setting the stage for future prophecy. Jordan’s unexpected peace with Israel, something once unthinkable, aligns perfectly with Revelation 12 and Daniel 11 as the future refuge for fleeing Jews. The European Union, mirroring Daniel’s revived empire of iron and clay, appeared in our generation, not centuries ago. Even now, the world is watching for the rebuilding of Babylon (Iraq) and the construction of the Third Temple, both of which Revelation directly references.
Finally, Jesus’ list of birth pangs in Matthew 24, deception, false messiahs, wars, & persecution reads like a description of today’s headlines. While not all have reached their fulfillment, the world is shifting, aligning, and accelerating toward these events.
What makes this so compelling is not one sign, but the convergence of all seven appearing in a single generation. Israel revived, Jerusalem reclaimed, global empires re-emerging, peace treaties forming in previously hostile territories, rising persecution, misinformation at unprecedented levels, and a world growing increasingly unstable.
“When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
Be Blessed!
