The World is Having Birth Pains

By Steven J. Hogan

God is At Work
Wow! Do you see what’s going on?

Difficult and distressful things are happening all over the world! There was a pandemic, and now there’s war in Ukraine, higher prices in the U.S., a famine in Afghanistan, and recently, an earthquake in Japan.

These are but a few examples that the world is having birth pains. But they aren’t just happening – God is at work! “… God troubled them with every kind of distress” (2 Chronicles 15:6). The Bible talks extensively about these birth pains, and it’s vitally important that you know how they relate to the future, to the end-times, and the coming of Christ.

1. What are these birth pains? Wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes, and financial problems. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus told us there would be these catastrophic and calamitous events taking place before the end of this age, before His coming (Matthew 24:3-8; Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:7-11; Revelation 6:1-8).

2. Why are these birth pains happening? We live in an evil age, and in a very sinful and evil world (Galatians 1:4). Our holy and mighty God is sovereignly allowing these birth pains – these troubling events – to get our attention, so that we humble ourselves and turn from our sin and trust in Him. They are also signs, designed by God to wake us up to the fact we live in the end-times, and to let us know it won’t be long before His Son returns to Earth.

3. These birth pains won’t be experienced by every person on the planet. “You will be hearing of wars … in various places there will be famines and earthquakes” (Matthew 24:6, 7). Many people will be hearing about these birth pains but won’t be affected by them. And they won’t be happening in every country, but only in various places (Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:9-11; Revelation 6:8).

4. These birth pains affect Christians and non-Christians. These birth pains are not part of the Day of the Lord wrath that will be experienced by unbelievers. We know this because Revelation 6-9 tells us that the birth pains come before the Day of the Lord. The birth pains, affecting both saved and lost, are discussed in Revelation 6:1-8. The Rapture, which is for Christians, is referenced in Revelation 7:9-14. The day of the Lord, which afflicts only non-Christians, is described in Revelation chapters 8 & 9. Thus, we can conclude that Christians will be here for the birth pains, but not for the Day of the Lord.

5. A great number of people will die because of these birth pains. Revelation 6:8 informs us that these birth pains will impact 1/4 of the earth, but it’s not clear whether 1/4 is numerical or geographical. Either way, millions and millions of people will die (Matthew 24:28).

6. These are beginning birth pains. “All these things are merely the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:8). That these birth pains are happening doesn’t mean this age is coming to an end right away. “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately” (Luke 21:9). Many more things need to occur before Christ comes back (Matthew 24:9-25). As bad as these beginning birth pains are, they will only increase in frequency and intensity – it’s going to get worse before it gets better, before Christ returns to rescue us from this wicked world and the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

7. What are these other events that must happen, and conditions that must be met, before this age comes to an end? There will be a great apostasy, the confirming of a treaty between the Jewish people and other nations, the Jewish people building their temple, many false teachers, increasing sin and lawlessness, a great persecution of Christians and Jews, the desolation of the temple, the evil rule of the Antichrist, false wonders, most people taking the mark of the Antichrist, cosmic signs in the heavens, and a great earthquake (Matthew 24:9-26; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 6:9-17; chapter 13).

8. The world is now in the birth-pain stage. As we think of the timeline of Earth’s history from the creation of the world to Christ’s coming, we must realize we are now in the birth-pain stage. God has given us these birth pains to know where we are at in the big scheme of things and, specifically, where we are at in God’s end-time’s plan for the world. Why else would God give us so much information about the end-times (Matthew 24; Luke 21; Mark 13; 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-2; the book of Revelation)? As a good watchman, you need to understand God’s prophetic word and see how it is presently being fulfilled in the world. Then you are to tell others what is happening, and what is yet to come, “… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).

9. Our world is changing, leading to the coming of the Antichrist and his evil control of the world. “Wisdom and power belong to God. It is He who changes the times and the epochs. He removes kings and establishes kings” (Daniel 2:20-21). There’s Xi Jinping, Putin, Zelenskyy, Macron, Biden, etc. There’s the rapid and visible decline of the United States. There’s the realigning and reshaping of nations. There are global energy problems. There are rulers forcing their policies upon the people. There’s the growth of artificial intelligence. There’s talk of a great reset, a one-world order. There’s global control and conformity. There’s increasing evil and wickedness. There’s all this plus all the birth pains! It’s obvious this world is changing before our eyes. And only God knows exactly how all this relates to His Son’s return to rapture the Church, judge the world, and set up His kingdom on this earth (Revelation 6-20).

10. Without question, this is a very tough time in which to be alive. It is easy to wonder and worry about this confusing and crazy world we live in. But God’s prophetic Word has told what we need to know about the condition of the world in the years leading up to coming of Christ. God has given us the big picture, the general outline of what He is doing in the last years of this age, and how things will end. How then should we think, and how then should we live at this time in history?

* Learn what God says about the end-times, Christ’s coming, the Rapture, and the age to come. 
* Do not be afraid. Be at peace. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea … the Lord of hosts is with us … He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth … Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted above the nations” (Psalm 46). “Peace I leave with you … do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27).
* Know that God is sovereign, He is completely in charge. He is working out every detail, every event, working through every person, carrying out His grand plan to bring about the return of His Son “… with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ … we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:9-11).
* Do your job, do the work God wants you to do. “Do business with this until I come back” (Luke 19:13). “Do not be worried about your life … seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:25, 33).

Steven J. Hogan has been a pastor-teacher for 25-plus years and at Hope Bible Church of Tampa since 2003.