It's Only the Beginning: What World Events Tell Us About the Return of Jesus

Wars, earthquakes, famines, and tragedy seem to dominate the news cycle. But what if these events are not just random chaos? What if they are signals pointing to something far greater? Matthew 24 gives us a clear picture of what the world will look like before Jesus returns, and the message is both sobering and full of hope.

What Did Jesus Say Would Happen Before He Returns?

In Matthew 24:3-8, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him a direct question:

"Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, NIV)

Jesus did not leave them without an answer. He described a world marked by deception, wars, famines, and earthquakes. Then He said something that reframes everything:

"All these are the beginning of birth pains." (Matthew 24:8, NIV)

These are not signs of the end. They are signs of the beginning. And that changes how we should respond to everything happening around us.

Why Does God Allow Tragedy?

Tragedy has a way of waking people up. When September 11th happened, churches across the country were packed. People who had never thought about eternity suddenly wanted to know where they stood with God. Many ran to the altar. Many were baptized. Many received the Holy Ghost.

That is not a coincidence. That is God using a crisis as a wake-up call.

Genesis 50:20 puts it plainly:

"But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

God does not cause evil, but He is sovereign enough to use it. Tragedy gives us an opportunity to repent, to evaluate our lives, and to ask the question we often avoid: if I took my last breath today, where would I be?

Is God Being Slow, or Is He Being Patient?

Some people look at the state of the world and say, "Jesus has not come back yet, so He probably is not coming anytime soon." But Scripture addresses that thinking directly:

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

God is not slow. He is patient. He is waiting because He loves people too much to return before they have had a chance to get right with Him. His long-suffering is not weakness. It is love in action.

In Hebrew, the concept of long-suffering is connected to the image of slow, controlled breathing. When a person becomes angry, their breathing grows fast and hot. God, by contrast, takes a long time to respond in anger. He is giving us time. He is giving us space. He is giving us every opportunity to turn to Him.

How Should We Respond When We See Warning Signs?

Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel once said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." His point was that a crisis creates an opportunity to do things that could not be done before. The same principle applies spiritually.

When you see wars, earthquakes, and tragedy, do not let those moments pass without letting them draw you closer to God. Let the crisis spark a conversation about what the Bible says. Let it push you toward prayer, toward the Word, toward repentance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bible sales surged to historic levels. People who had not opened a Bible in years suddenly wanted to know what God was saying. Revival broke out in homes, in parking lots, and in parks. The enemy tried to shut down the church, but God moved anyway.

That is what happens when people stop letting tragedy harden them and start letting it shape them.

Stop Looking at Everyone Else and Start Looking at Yourself

One of the most common traps is spending more time evaluating other people's lives than examining our own. It is easy to look at someone else's struggles and feel grateful that things are going well for us. But that kind of thinking can blind us to what God is trying to do in our own hearts.

Proverbs 21:2 says:

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts." (Proverbs 21:2)

God is not just looking at our actions. He is looking at our hearts. And He is asking us to do the same. Stop assuming you have it all together. Stop using other people's problems as a measuring stick for your own spiritual health. Ask yourself the harder question: am I truly ready if Jesus came back today?

What Does It Mean to Be Deceived by False Leaders?

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:5:

"For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many." (Matthew 24:5, NIV)

This is not only about people claiming to be Christ. It also describes leaders who demand unquestioning loyalty, claim exclusive spiritual authority, and present themselves as the only source of truth. It describes preachers who offer motivational messages full of temporary blessings but never talk about repentance, holiness, or the reality of eternity.

A message that makes you feel good but never challenges you to change is not a biblical message. God's Word is meant to penetrate the heart, not just warm it. If the preaching you are sitting under never calls you to repentance, it is worth asking whether it is pointing you to Jesus or to something else.

What Are the Birth Pains Telling Us?

Just as birth pains increase in intensity and frequency before a baby is born, the events described in Matthew 24 are increasing in frequency before Jesus returns. Earthquakes in diverse places. Nation rising against nation. Famines. Wars.

These are not reasons to panic. Jesus said clearly in Matthew 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." (Matthew 24:6, NIV)

Do not be alarmed by the wars. Be more concerned about the people around you who have not yet repented. Let the birth pains shape you, not harm you. Let them push you toward holiness, toward prayer, toward a deeper walk with God.

What Does God Really Want From Us Right Now?

The answer is simple, even if it is not always easy. He wants repentance. He wants us to seek Him first.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

Too many people are asking God to bless plans they made without Him. Too many are living for the temporary and ignoring the eternal. Too many are calling themselves "spiritual" while avoiding the Bible entirely.

Joshua 24:15 draws a clear line:

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

The choice is in front of us every single day. And the warning signs all around us are God's way of saying: choose now. Do not wait. I am on My way.

The Warning Signs Are Actually Sounds of Love

It might seem strange to look at earthquakes and wars and call them love. But that is exactly what they are. God loves us too much to let us sleepwalk into eternity unprepared. Every shaking, every crisis, every moment of pain is Him saying: I see your future, and I want you in it. I am not here to harm you. I am here to give you a hope and a future.

When Jesus said "it's only the beginning," He said it 2,000 years ago. We are closer now than we have ever been. The birth pains are intensifying. And God, in His patience and love, is still waiting for more people to come home.

Life Application

This week, instead of scrolling past the news or letting world events create anxiety, use them as a prompt to examine your own heart. Let every headline be a reminder that Jesus is coming back, and ask yourself whether you are living like you believe it.

The challenge is this: identify one area of your life where you have been avoiding repentance or putting off getting serious with God. Bring it to Him this week. Not next month. Not when things settle down. This week.

Ask yourself these questions:

• If Jesus returned today, would I be ready, or am I assuming I have more time?
• Am I spending more energy evaluating other people's lives than examining my own heart before God?
• When I encounter tragedy or hardship, does it draw me closer to God or push me further away?
• Am I seeking God first, or am I asking Him to bless the plans I have already made for myself?
• Is the spiritual input I am receiving pointing me to Jesus and repentance, or just making me feel good?

The world is experiencing birth pains. Jesus is on His way. The warning signs are not reasons to fear. They are invitations to get right, stay close, and look up.