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Being a "Web guy" by profession, I keep a pulse on the advancement of technology. And I have to tell you, the rapid advancements in technology continue to blow my mind. As a matter-of-fact, Daniel 12 teaches that this very acceleration of technology is a sign of the end of this age and the soon return of Jesus Christ.
The prophet Daniel 2,500 years ago was trying to get his mind around all the fantastic events the Lord was laying out to him and he just couldn't understand them. The Lord responded, "But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." For Daniel to understand what he was hearing, he needed to understand what we today understand and take for granted — modern technology.
Transportation
Take for instance the first part of Daniel 12:4 about the rushing here and there. The 20th century began on horseback and ended in a rocket. Why, last March it took me only 13 hours by plane to travel to Israel, whereas it took Mark Twain in 1866 by boat 3 whole months!
Knowledge and Communications
We can now contact anyone anywhere in the world at any time. I haven't written a paper letter in 10 years! Email and texting have replaced the pen, and I find writing anything without a keypad laborious.
My 8-year old asked me what hermit crabs look like without their shells, and rather than extracting his pet from its home, we looked it up in seconds online and learned by watching a video. The wealth of knowledge and learning today is utterly amazing!
How could the Gospel be proclaimed to the entire world (Matthew 24) before the invention of media like radio, television, and the Internet? The Apostle John may not have understood how the world will be able to watch the 2 witnesses in Revelation 11 be killed and then brought back to life 3 1/2 days later, but we know that's a simple thing with these media technologies.
Computers and Medicine
Likewise, how could the Antichrist control all buying and selling worldwide (Revelation 13) without the aid of computer technology? How could the False Prophet create the illusion of giving life to a statue (Revelation 13) without the new technologies in computer graphics, virtual reality, or robotics? How could an army of 200 million come out of the Far East (Revelation 9) before the population explosion that was aided by modern medicine?
Power
Has there ever been in history the firepower capable of annihilating the world like Revelation portrays as we have today with nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons?
The incredible carnage of the Seal and Trumpet Judgments portrayed in Revelation 6 and 8 indicates that the Antichrist will conquer the world through the use of nuclear weapons. We are told that one-third of the earth will be burned and that one-half of humanity will be killed. Further evidence that this is a nuclear holocaust is found in Revelation 16 where we are told that at the end of the Tribulation the survivors will be covered with sores that will not heal (Revelation 16:11). It is no wonder the Bible says that in the end times "men will faint from fear over the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Luke 21:26).
Truly, our lifetime is like no other, and the amazing benefits of today's technology will be used for the horrors of the 7-year Tribulation that is soon to come. Technology shows us that the Lord is coming back soon.
Are you ready?
Read More:
The Acceleration of Life
Modern Day Signs of the Times
50 Reasons Why We Are Living in the End Times
