It is an undeniable fact that Christ distinctly acknowledged those portions of the Old Testament which are most challenged...
Matthew 24:7-8 states, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." Over the years, I have heard various reports from prophecy teachers of an increase in earthquake activity indicating the soon coming of Jesus Christ. However, I have also read rebutals to these claims from scienctific sources. A couple of the responses were 1) that the totals numbers were up simply because better equipment now detected lighter earthquakes, and 2) that periodic ups and downs being natural are not a long-term rise in earthquakes. Because I considered these responses to be valid, I have always discounted reports of increased earthquake activity. Also, I do not doctrinally believe we would have to see this activity (though we might) before the rapture.
Last month, Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics announced that 5.64 million Jews now live in Israel. This means that for the first time since ancient days, there are more Jews in the land of Israel than in any other country. This reminds us of the parable of the fig tree, "When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh" (Matthew 24:32).
Eastern Lightning is the name of a religious cult in China that is doing much harm. The group appeared in the early 1990's in China's Heilongjian province. They base their cult on Matthew 24:27 - "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." However, they deny the authority of scripture and fundamental doctrines like the trinity. They believe that Jesus has already returned as a 30-year-old Chinese female. Belief in this female messiah is required for salvation.
