[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]
Trends for 2025
Welcome to Tomorrow’s World. The United States elected Donald Trump to be its 47th President in a landslide victory. Many see Mr. Trump as a messiah figure, a savior of the country that has gone astray. What might we expect over the next four years? It would do us well to remember two biblical proverbs. The first one is from Proverbs 16:9:
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
Yes, a man may have his own agenda, but that is not always the way his future turns out. Often a leader is remembered not for what he planned, but for how he handled circumstances out of his control. This is further spelled out in Proverbs 19:21:
There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
About 75% of Americans believed that the country was going in the wrong direction, and that was reflected in the outcome of the election. So what can Americans, and citizens of this world, expect for 2025 and the years following? Can we know?
The Bible Has the Only Sure Predictions
There are many prognosticators predicting what’s ahead for the coming year and beyond. Some base their predictions on their understanding of geopolitics. Others look into crystal balls. Some claim a spook in the night revealed the future to them. And of course, there is Nostradamus, but a close look at his predictions—and [those] of other famous psychics—show[s] that they are vague and are more backward-looking interpretations by his fervent followers than true predictions. Let me give you an example.
Some enthusiasts say his mention of “the great man will be struck down in the day by a thunderbolt” refers to the moon landing, a significant milestone in human achievement. … People find it easy to understand humans reaching for the stars; therefore, fans love to talk about this (“5 predictions of Nostradamus that are believed to have come true,” Times of India, October 28, 2024).
Then there are wild interpretations of biblical scriptures. Yet, it is from this very source—the book known as the Bible—that we here at Tomorrow’s World turn to know the future course of our world.
On this program, I’ll give you three trends to watch for in 2025 and beyond—straight from the pages of the Bible.
The Bible Prophesies Events Just Before the Return of Christ
On today’s program, we’ll look to the Bible for what it tells us about our near future. While we cannot know the exact timing of most Bible prophecies, we CAN know the general timeframe of what is ahead. And there are a few prophecies that do give specific time markers, and I’ll refer to one of them on today’s program.
But first, let me address a common misunderstanding. Some people erroneously conclude that we can have no idea when Christ will return. They claim that He could come at any time—tonight or a thousand years from now. So, let’s look at Matthew 24:36 and explore the context in which this scripture is given.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only (Matthew 24:36).
This statement is true, but what is the context in which it is found? Is it not detailed signs that lead up to the end of the age and Christ’s second coming?
Specific Signs of the End-Times in Matthew 24
Notice the beginning of this Olivet Prophecy—Matthew 24:3.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be [that is, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem]? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Jesus then went on to give signs that would lead up to His return. The idea that we must throw up our hands and have no idea regarding the timing of His return contradicts the context of this chapter.
In the Last Days: False Christianity
Jesus said there would be definite indicators of the end of the age.
Let’s notice what follows, beginning in verses 4 and 5.
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5).
A counterfeit Christianity is the first sign that He gave, and I’ll come back to that in a few minutes, but let’s read further from verse 6.
Beginning of Sorrows: Wars and Rumors of War
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:6–8).
The 20th Century saw two world wars that killed literally tens of millions of precious lives. It also saw a pandemic in 1918 that killed somewhere between 50 and 100 million people. That was a plague that paled COVID! And there have been many famines, floods, and earthquakes. But notice what I left out of verse 6.
See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet (Matthew 24:6).
Luke’s parallel account of this Olivet Prophecy says it this way in chapter 21 and verse 9:
But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately (Luke 21:9).
As any reader of history knows, the last 2,000 years—and even before that—were filled with wars and natural disasters, so what are we to make of these signs?
Parallel End-Time Signs in the Book of Revelation
The book of Revelation is also focused on the end of the age and lays out a framework of end-time events. There we read of a scroll sealed with seven seals that, according to Revelation 5:3-5, only the Lamb of God—that is Jesus Christ—can open.
And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (Revelation 5:3–5).
Four Seals and Four Horsemen of Revelation 6 Match Signs in Matthew 24
When He opens the first four seals, we find the famous four horsemen. The second, third, and fourth riders are easily discerned, and they match up with what Jesus revealed in the Olivet Prophecy. They represent war, famine, and pestilence (or disease epidemics). But what of the first?
Let’s read it in Revelation 6:1–2:
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Most commentaries say this rider represents Christ or His followers conquering for Christ. They usually link this rider with the returning Christ that we read of in Revelation 19.
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True…. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.… And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11–16).
But notice that the weapons wielded by these horsemen are different. The King of kings has a figurative sharp sword, coming out of His mouth, but the rider in chapter 6 has a bow in his hand. Why the difference? And what does that have to do with what is ahead for mankind in 2025 and beyond?
I also said I would give you the first trend to watch in 2025 and beyond. Here it is:
Trend #1: Watch for a worldwide revival in counterfeit Christianity
Why? Two riders in the book of Revelation look alike, but have different weapons. One carries a bow—the other, a sharp sword. This is significant.
Leading up to the opening of the seven seals, we learn from chapter 5 and verses 3 to 5 that only the Lamb of God—Jesus Christ—can open the seals.
Each of the four horsemen of Revelation is easy to discern, except the first one—though it appears on the surface to be easy to understand—and that’s the rub. Is that rider Christ? Or is he a close counterfeit? How can we know?
The answer is simple: only Christ, the Lamb of God can open the seals, and when we look to the words of Christ spoken elsewhere, we have the answer.
Trends for 2025 Are the End-Time Signs Jesus Gave
Remember the first sign Jesus gave that leads up to His return? Read it again in Matthew 24:4-5.
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name [that is, claiming His authority], saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ [in other words, telling people that Jesus is the Christ] and will deceive many.”
Now notice the comparison between Revelation 6 and Matthew 24.
- In Revelation 6, we read of a rider on a white horse. But in Matthew 24, the first sign that Jesus gave is Christian deception.
- Revelation 6 speaks of a rider who takes peace from the earth. Matthew next talks about wars and rumors of war.
- Revelation 6, a rider on a black horse of famine, and Matthew 24 speaks of famines.
- In Revelation 6, the last rider is one on a pale horse of pestilence. Matthew 24 next speaks of pestilences.
False Christianity, False Prophet, and Beast of Revelation
Now it should be obvious from this that the first rider in Revelation 6 is a counterfeit Christianity. And that is why our first trend to watch is the revival of a counterfeit Christianity that will take hold of much of the world.
This great false prophet is spoken of in a number of scriptures, but notice this passage in Revelation 13th chapter, and verses 11 and 13.
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. … He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men (Revelation 13:11-13).
A counterfeit Christianity is not new, but since the four horsemen reflect end-time events, look for a charismatic leader to perform deceptive miracles. He will look like he represents Christ, but he will in fact represent Satan the Devil. He will bring about a revival of apostate Christianity—not new in doctrine, but he will confuse the whole Christian world with enthusiasm, emotion, and deception.
Now, don’t think it can’t happen, because it will. So our first trend to watch going forward is:
Trend #1: Watch for a worldwide revival in counterfeit Christianity.
Trend #2: Conflicts in the Middle East Will Not Stop Until Jesus Returns
The first Trump administration was able to do something no one thought possible. It actually looked like peace would break out in the Middle East due to the Abraham Accords—a series of agreements to normalize relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.
This was the start of a process that continued in the Biden administration, and it looked as though Saudi Arabia and Israel were on the verge of normalizing relations. But then came the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
Can the new U.S. President bring peace to that region? The answer is NO—not according to Bible prophecy.
Continuous Attempts to Overthrow Jerusalem (Zechariah 12)
The prophet Zechariah speaks of the opposite of peace, foretelling our very time today when there would be a Jewish state in the area of Jerusalem, and they would be surrounded by hostile neighbors. Notice how remarkably accurate these prophecies are.
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah [that is, the Jews,] and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it (Zechariah 12:2–3).
But how will the Jews fare with their enemies on every side? What does the Bible tell us, that we can see with our own eyes in our daily news? Verse 6:
In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:6).
In a moment, I’ll show you a couple other prophecies about the State of Israel—prophecies that literally leap out of the Bible and onto our news feeds.
Jews Did Not Control Jerusalem for More Than 1,800 Years
I left off in Zechariah 12 where we saw that the Jews would have a country in the Middle East controlling Jerusalem. This was not the case from 135 ad until 1948, and they did not control all of Jerusalem until 1967. That makes Zechariah’s prophecies, given 2,500 years ago, absolutely remarkable. I’ll come back to Zechariah in a moment, but notice a prophecy that is even more ancient, but precisely accurate.
The patriarch Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had 12 sons. At the end of his life, he foretold what would become of each one as they grew into tribes and nations—not at that time, but more than 3,500 years in the future—at the time of the end of the age.
Notice it in Genesis 49:1:
And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.”
Were these prophecies the result of a hallucinating old man? Or were they given under the inspiration of God? Let’s read what he said about Judah, the father of the Jews, in the last days, and you be the judge. Verses 8 and 9:
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him (Genesis 49:8–9)?
Dear friends, is this not exactly what we see?
Relentless Attacks Against Jerusalem Foretold in Isaiah 29
Here’s another prophecy about the Jews in the book of Isaiah.
The prophecy is addressed to Ariel, and while there is controversy over what the word means, virtually all scholars agree that it is a prophecy regarding the house of Judah (that is, the Jews) and Jerusalem. The early fulfillment was during the time of Assyrian king Sennacherib, but there is clearly an end-time fulfillment. Note how the Jews’ enemies anticipate victory only to wake up and realize it’s a dream.
The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her fortress, and distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, and look—he eats; but he awakes, and his soul is still empty; or as when a thirsty man dreams, and look—he drinks; but he awakes, and indeed he is faint, and his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, who fight against Mount Zion (Isaiah 29:7–8).
Time and again Israel’s enemies see victory slip away from them.
Jerusalem Will Finally Fall Just before the Return of Christ (Zechariah 14)
However, Zechariah reveals that there is a time in the future when the Jews will be overthrown and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will have to come back and save them. We read of this in Zechariah 14:2–4:
For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city [indicating it’s a divided city] shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.
No, there will be no peace in that part of the world no matter who is the U.S. President. There may be exuberance over what appears to be peace, but it will not end well, as Paul wrote about the time of the end in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
Our second trend to watch is:
Trend #2: There will be continuing conflict in the Middle East that will lead to Christ’s return.
Trend #3: Watch for Daily Sacrifices to Begin in Jerusalem
We cannot know the specific time of these biblical prophecies, although as we have seen, easy-to-understand prophecy regarding the Jews and Jerusalem, given 2,000 and even 3,500 years ago, are taking place right now for anyone to see. But I want to give you a third trend to watch, because this one could literally begin at any time.
Daily Sacrifices Must Start Before the Abomination of Desolation Can Occur (Daniel 12)
We find a countdown to the time of Christ’s return in the 12th chapter of Daniel. The prophet wanted to know when the end would come and was told that the visions were sealed until the time of the end. He was then told this in verse 11:
And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days (Daniel 12:11).
That’s three years and seven months.
I don’t have time to explain the abomination of desolation on this program, but for now, let’s focus on what is easy to understand. For sacrifices to be cut off, they must first begin, and daily sacrifices have not been offered in Jerusalem for the better part of 2,000 years. Therefore trend #3 is: Watch for daily sacrifices to begin in Jerusalem.
Final Countdown Begins 1,290 Days After Sacrifices Stop
This will be a big deal once they begin, because when they are stopped, that will begin a countdown of 1,290 days before Christ steps in to save mankind from self-annihilation. So watch for these three trends in 2025 and beyond:
- Trend #1: Watch for a worldwide revival in counterfeit Christianity.
- Trend #2: There will be continuing conflict in the Middle East that will lead to Christ’s return.
- Trend #3: Watch for daily sacrifices to begin in Jerusalem.
I hope you profited from this video. If you found it helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free booklet titled The Middle East in Prophecy by clicking the link in the description or going to TWTV.org/East.
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Thanks for watching! See you next time.
