Could We Be Earth's Final Generation?

What is more important for us to discern than the weather?

Matthew 16:2, 3

When asked for signs of the end, what was Jesus’ first response?

Matthew 24:3, 4

His discourse is recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

As He began His forecast for the church, after mentioning a few early signs, Jesus prophesied the destruction of what city?

Luke 21:20

In less than forty years from the giving of that warning, Jerusalem fell to the armies of Rome. And just as He had predicted, not one stone of the magnificent temple was left upon another that was not thrown down.

What sign would let Christ’s followers know that the desolation of the city was nigh?

Luke 21:20

In October, A.D. 66, Cestius besieged Jerusalem. The Christians in the city recognized this as the sign given by Christ. When the Romans suddenly withdrew, the Christians fled, not one losing his life. Soon Roman armies led by Titus returned, and in A.D. 70, the city was destroyed. More than a million Jews perished.

What terrible experience would follow that event?

Matthew 24:21

For the next nearly 250 years the church suffered intense persecution from the Roman government. Christians were given to wild beasts, or smeared with pitch and lashed to poles to serve as torches for the arena. Three million were martyred for their faith in Christ.

Then Constantine, realizing that Christianity could not be stamped out, staged a political conversion, and proclaimed Christianity (well mingled with paganism) to be the official religion of the empire. But the long centuries of enforced religion that followed produced even more severe religious intolerance which took the lives of more than 50 million people. Not until the opening up of the American continent were Christians finally permitted full liberty of conscience without threat of persecution.