I thought it a good time to again look at how this generation shapes up with regard to the Bible prophecy puzzle. I define “prophecy puzzle” for purposes here as the agglomerate, major prophecies given for that portion of the wrap-up of human history prior to the Millennium.

Next, we must think on what prophecies are major and which are minor. This will doubtless be considered a judgment call by some measure, but it is nonetheless a distinction that should be attempted, even though yours truly might be branded as presumptuous by some for venturing into that arena.

I will, however, risk the obloquy.

I’m sent daily many news items or purported news items that are unfounded speculation. Most who send these—and I appreciate being kept informed by those who send pertinent items—believe the information relates directly to Bible prophecy being fulfilled in our time. For example, items referring to children and/or animals being micro-chipped for purposes of finding them in case they are missing frequently are such items of interest I find in my inbox.

While such electronic implantation is indeed of interest, it does not, in my view, equate to people who agree to this implantation saying they agree to receive the mark of the Beast prophesied in Revelation 13:16–18.

Such concern is legitimate to a degree, I agree, with regard to Bible prophecy yet future because it does show humanism’s progression toward the implementation of that Antichrist system of control. However, again, in my opinion, it does not rise to the level of being one of the major prophetic developments taking place in our day. It is not one of the prophetic puzzle pieces I am writing about here in our attempt to fill out the end-times big picture.

So, what are the major pieces of the end-of-the-age puzzle, and how do they fit within the picture we are seeing develop through our daily news headlines? Just where do we stand on God’s prophetic timeline late in 2017?

I will attempt to analyze these puzzle pieces from their ascending order as I view them—i.e., from the least significant to the most significant. Again, these are judgment calls that will no doubt engender not-so-gentle disagreement.

Daniel 12: 4 Every direction one turns, the explosion of technology greets the senses of this generation. Moore’s law observes that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years. I’m told by someone I consider a computer expert that this “law” no longer applies. The technology is rapidly reaching its limits at the “molecular level.” Now, whereas I fully admit to my ignorance of exactly what that means, I do know that this, if true, means the advancement of knowledge in this particular area of computer science is nearing its maximum development, barring unforeseen breakthroughs.

When considering this bit of information alone, the prophet Daniel’s words have never been more in view. The information age, with the basic knowledge of mankind doubling and redoubling every few months and years for a long time now, has been a part of this generation. It is a major puzzle piece of the big picture.

Ezekiel 38–39

We have written many times about how the development of the Gog-Magog coalition almost certainly seems to be in the making.

Russia, “Rosh,” as given in the KJV of the prophecy, is cozy with Iran, “Persia.” These entities are in cahoots to threaten Israel and many other nations in the Middle East and elsewhere.

“Rosh” even has an arrogant, ruthlessly ambitious leader that forever more seems to fit the “Gog” character prophesied to lead that diabolist horde in attempt to plunder the land to their south.

Putin, in particular, is in the headlines on an hourly basis, and seems to be pushing all nations of the world into the end-times milieu, most fundamentalist, Pre-Trib prophecy scholars agree.

The natural gas deposits that Putin controls give him leverage over Europe and all within his sphere of influence. Without the natural gas, Europe will quickly descend into hardships beyond imagining.

Israel is the one fly in Putin’s ointment. The Jewish state apparently possesses gas deposits greater than those under the Russian leader’s thumb. Problem is, they are under water, just off the coast, and as of now there is no practical way to get the gas to Europe and others who could benefit from the resource.

Want to bet that Israel will soon announce technology that can deliver that product to whomever wants to buy it?

Then, I believe, there will be some major action by their hostile neighbors to the north. Regardless, the Gog-Magog prophecy is a puzzle piece ready to fill out the end-of-the-age picture.

Revelation 13:16–18

Gog—the leader of Rosh, will think an evil thought. It will involve plunder—riches. It will be in large part about economy.

The whole world more and more today concerns itself, collectively, with matters of economy. It is only by God’s staying hand, in my and others’ views, that the world system, starting with the United States economy, hasn’t come crashing down.

Some leaders of this nation and the nations of the world seem to want to implode the economy of Planet Earth, as a matter of fact. But, this has not been allowed. I believe that is because it is the Rapture, not the devices and ambitions of the powers-elite that will bring the world system of economy—and everything else—cascading down around the ears of the rebellious earth dwellers, as God’s prophetic Word calls them.

It will be the Lord’s decision and timing, not theirs.

The tremendous angst portrayed daily in national and world headlines regarding monetary matters presents the picture of this major piece of the prophetic puzzle. The things involved are shaping for the moment when the world’s last and most evil tyrant will step onto the stage of history and institute the marks-and-numbers system that will somehow glorify his name and that of his father, the devil.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

That man of sin—the Antichrist—can’t appear to institute that devastatingly brilliant marks-and-numbers system of absolute control until the apostasy is full blown. That means the church of Jesus Christ will be first taken from the planet to receive rewards and to dine at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Apostasy, the Greek word apostasia, has two definitions, and I believe both are in play in this prophecy (I suggest you get our book published some years ago, The Departure, to ascertain the meanings offered here): 1) The “falling away” means the departure of the church from earth; 2) The “falling away” means the departure from the truth as given by God. The Bible is the prescription for living by which man should comport himself in order to live in true, godly peace.

Sadly, even a large part of the true church is caught up in apostasy in these closing days of the Age of Grace. We have only to flip through the television channels at any given hour to see devotion given not to God, but to the individual. The “prosperity” message rings from practically every “Christian” channel. God promises prosperity to His children, especially for dollars sown to the ministry clanging out the message.

The perversion of the truth regarding God’s provision is ubiquitous. The gospel message is on the very back burner—ahead only of Bible prophecy. Such anxiety-producing thoughts as sin and coming judgment for a wicked world does not facilitate the euphoric sense of self-help the wealth-and-health purveyors slyly present in their slick, God-is-Sugar-Daddy stream of gobbledygook. The world’s love of money is thus validated by the twisters of truth within the church structure. It is a key puzzle piece of the end-times picture.

Zechariah 12:1–2

Israel is the most profound end-of-the-age puzzle piece. This tiny state, although hounded and threatened with extinction and surrounded by the hatred of not only its immediate Islamic enemies, but by the entire world in a growing anti-Semitic campaign, stands strong even as its once-staunch ally, America, backs away, even embraces, those who would eliminate the nation if they could.

But, they can’t. The God of Heaven is on their side, despite the Jews’ blindness to His Son, Jesus the Christ.

Zechariah the prophet gives us the greatest single puzzle piece that tells us precisely where this generation stands with regard to the nearness of Christ’s return.

Daniel 9:26–27

Daniel further presents the single most amazing element within Zechariah’s great prophetic message. The peace process that will ultimately produce that “covenant made with death and hell” (Isaiah 28:15, 18) is, at this late hour, on the drawing board of history for all to witness. The no longer mentioned Roadmap to Peace isn’t the final product, but it is at the heart of formulating the process that will produce, I believe, the instrument Antichrist will use to, “through peace, destroy many” (Daniel 8:25).

That covenant will be the final puzzle piece to bring the age to a close. It will finalize man’s rebellious antagonism to the God of Heaven and will initiate the worst era of human history, according to Jesus, the greatest of all prophets.