The Whole World Will Know
Signs of the End Times Pt 6
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matt 24:14
Here is one sign of the End Times we can actually look forward to: the gospel will be preached to the whole world.
Jesus places this prophecy just before “the end.” This means that it occurs after and even as a consequence of the tribulations He describes in the previous verses: wars, trials, persecutions, false prophets, famines, earthquakes, hatred, and betrayals.
It’s funny how suffering and persecution often lead to more people following Jesus. This may be why Christianity is growing the fastest in Africa and Asia, where Christians suffer persecution the most.
Just a couple of weeks ago, ISIS terrorists in the Congo rounded up seventy Christians, took them to a church, and beheaded them. The media and even the Church have been largely silent about this atrocity. I believe it is a sign of things to come.
Who still hasn’t heard the gospel?
According to the Joshua Project, there are 7,000 people groups who have not heard the gospel. That’s about 40% of the world’s people groups. There are still many places in the world where it is either illegal or too dangerous for missionaries to go.
Yet God is not limited to one mode of spreading the gospel. In fact, the Bible tells us that in the last days, the gospel will be spread in three distinct ways: the 144,000 witnesses, the two prophetic witnesses that resemble Moses and Elijah, and the angels.
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.” Rev 14:6
As a fan of angels, I’m thrilled to know that they will be a primary means of spreading the gospel. How will that happen, exactly? One way could be with dreams and visions. Just as an angel appeared to Joseph in dreams, many people today first come to know Jesus through dreams.
Joel prophesied that in the last days:
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29
The Man in White
About 25% of Muslims who come to faith in Jesus Christ do so because of dreams and visions. A missionary from Lebanon told me once that Muslims would crowd into her church weekly claiming to have dreamt of the “Man in White” who claims to be Jesus. That makes sense to me, for Islam is a religion all about dreams and visions. God speaks to people in the language they understand, drawing them to Himself.
“The reports of these supernatural occurrences often come from “closed countries” where there is no preaching of the good news and where converting to Christianity can invoke the death sentence. But these are more than just dreams. Setting them apart is the intense reality of the experience and the surrender of one’s heart and mind to Christ in the wake of the dream. A common denominator appears to be that the dreams come to those who are seeking—as best they can—to know and please God.” (Lausanne World Pulse Archives, 2007)
There are many testimonies online of hardened terrorists encountering Jesus in visions. Here is one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcXGQX-LPPM
In his book “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus,” Nabeel Qureshi recounts his personal journey of faith from Islam to Christianity. He asked God for three specific dreams to confirm his decision, since he knew that to declare himself a Christian would alienate him from his family perhaps forever. God delivered those dreams.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PbsL5r2NzJQ
The Gospel is for Everyone
Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This was a radical command that resonates today, because it wasn’t to be accomplished through conquest or coercion, but through love and service.
Contrary to popular belief, Christianity is the most diverse of the world religions, because it is not based on any one national or ethnic identity. Islam is centered among the Arab peoples, Judaism among the Jews, Hindu among Indians, etc. Organic growth outside those ethnic boundaries is not very common.
Christianity started in the Middle East, but it didn’t stay there. It moved into Europe, the Americas, and now flourishes in Africa and Asia, where it is growing faster than the population. People of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds embrace Christianity. The PEW Research Center reports that 31% of the entire world’s population is Christian, more than any other religion.
Jesus’ commission is still an ongoing process, though PEW now reports a slight uptick in the number of professing Christians worldwide after years of decline. While we have yet to complete the mission, we see God using remarkable methods and people to spread the Good News.
Bible sales were up 22% in 2024, and that percentage is increasing, mostly with first-time buyers. Gen Z is the first generation to be less likely to identify as atheist as their parents. The Bible is also the most shoplifted book ever.
Last year, Asbury University held a worship and prayer service that lasted for 16 days, garnering national attention. Since then, many other colleges and universities have experienced unprecedented revivals and spontaneous baptisms, with thousands of students giving their lives to Jesus.
Secular podcasters like Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan now regularly talk about Christianity. Rogan’s interview with Bible scholar Wes Huff garnered 3 million views on YouTube alone.
According to The Spectator, even Britain is experiencing a Christian revival, saying, “All that our post-Christian society has delivered so far is confusion, a mental health crisis in the young and the culture wars. It’s not surprising then that a movement of New Theists has sprung up.”
Richard Dawkins, one of the “Four Horsemen of the New Atheists” who hoped for the demise of organized religion, now claims to be a “cultural Christian”: “I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian. … I love hymns and Christmas carols, and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. … We [in the U.K.] are a ‘Christian country’ in that sense.”
Remember when NFL star Tim Tebow was ridiculed for his devout Christian faith? Nowadays it seems like every pro football player gives glory to Christ in their post-game interviews. That’s a big shift from the BLM-inspired kneeling trend that took place only a few years ago.
More and more A-list celebrities speak about their faith in Christ, including Mark Wahlberg, Russell Brand, Mel Gibson, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Carrie Underwood, to name a few.
One of the most popular comedians in the country is Nate Bargatze, a professed Christian who doesn’t swear in his act.
A new Hollywood-based production company, Wonder Project, with backers like Lionsgate and United Talent Agency, will produce faith-based films for a mainstream audience, such as “House of David.” Even the New York Times has reported on the “streaming rush to turn scripture into scripts.”
Politicians would often pay lip-service to God while espousing anti-Christian rhetoric. Remember when Barack Obama called Bible-belt Christians “bitter clingers?” And supposedly Catholic Joe Biden affirmed abortion? In contrast, President Donald Trump, whom I would not call a devout Christian by any stretch, gave God the credit for saving his life from an attempted assassination. Vice-President JD Vance has been unapologetic about his faith.
We are clearly headed down the road toward the last days. We know what’s going to happen if we believe the Bible, but this knowledge should not scare us. It should prepare us. “See that you are not alarmed,” Jesus said, “for this must take place.” (Matt 24:6)
“In this world you will have trouble,” He said. “But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Notice Jesus didn’t say “I will overcome the world.” He said “have.” That’s the present perfect tense, which means it’s already happened and is still happening at the same time. Jesus has already declared victory. We just need to finish the race laid out for us. But isn’t it so much easier to run a race that has already been won?
What should we do then?
Live in victory. Spread the Good News. Take heart. Believe Jesus.
Get ready. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
