The signsalerting people to be prepared for a great future event are everywhere. The event could be something good or bad, but the essence of the warning signal is to keep the people concerned properly informed; so that, they will not be taken unawares. The rapture of the saints signifying the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is going to be the greatest event in human history. It is the time everyone under heaven will demonstrate in practical terms whether his or her journey on earth is successful or not. It will be a time of stock taking, manifesting the practical account of how one lived his or her life on earth.

The purpose of being on earth is for us to attain perfection and prepare for eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord returns and the rapture takes place, only the sinless and people without spots and wrinkles that will be taken to meet him in the air.

The warning signals are to alert everyone to be prepared for the return of the Lord and the rapture of the saints. As at present, the signs of His second coming are evident everywhere, hence Matthew 24:4-13 says:“And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you. 5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places.8: All these are the beginning of sorrows.9: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.12: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

There is no gainsaying these signs are already manifesting in different parts of the world. In our present eyes today, killing innocent people for no just cause in the name of terrorism, banditry, religious bigotry are common everywhere. There is no continent in the world, today, you will not hear of wars. Many nations and tribes, kingdoms are rising against one another.

The world is awash with false prophets presenting themselves as gods, and preaching heresies. These, however, are not yet the end, but beginning of sorrows. The situation presents two sides of a coin —sorrow and happiness. The world is full of evil, but the word of God is there for you to make choices and avoid evil. The people who will choose evil will have sorrows when the trumpet will sound; they will be left out.

Today, the people who choose to follow Christ may suffer in this evil world, but will surely be happy at the end when they will be taken by rapture. The Bible advises endurance to the end because the happenings now are not the end as stated in the lead scripture. Falling away or religious apostasy is the act of professed Christians deliberately rejecting the revealed truth in relation to:
1 • The deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 • Redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice(1Jn.4:1-3).

Apostasy differs from error concerning truth, which may be as a result of ignorance(Acts 19:1-6) or heresy, which could be due to deceit of the Satan (2Tim.2:25-26), both of these could be found in the people of true faith. It is unfortunate that the apostate departs from the faith, but not from the outward profession of Christianity.

When you begin to witness all these, the end will come in twinkling of an eye.In order to checkmate all these, there is the need to continually preach the sound gospel at all times. Christians should not rest at this time. We should be up and doing in preaching the gospel. It is through that the problem of falling away could be countered.

As at now, it is necessary to note that no one knows when the trumpet will sound, but it must surely sound for the saints to be taken away. Christ is coming back to take His people. He has gone to prepare a place for their coming. That is why Apostle Paul in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 says: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16: For the Lord, himself, shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17: Then we, which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18: Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The second coming of the Lord, for the purpose of rapturing the saints, will mark the coming together of both the dead and living saints to meet with the Lord in the air. We are in the expectation of meeting once more our beloved dead saints to part no more. The warning signals are necessary, so that, Christians living at this time and witnessing these signs willnot miss the rapture.

It must be noted that no one will remain in the grave for eternity; all, both the saints and the wicked must partake in the resurrection. The resurrection of the saints will take place first, then after a thousand years the wicked will rise, but into death. As a matter of emphasis,1Corinthians 15:51-54 says:“Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54: So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”Asearlier stated, there will be two resurrections; the first will be thebelievers of the church age including the tribulation saints meeting the Lord in the air. This is a resurrection into life, while the second resurrectioninto death will be after a thousand years.

The effort of the church in spreading the gospel is to ensure that all will beraised incorruptible to life. The church is preaching to ensure the repentance of all, so that,they can meet the Lord in the air. We should, therefore, be watchful so that we will not make a mistake like that of the five foolish virgins. Therefore, prepare yourself and get ready for the coming of the Lord; depart from every form of sin and iniquity, and let Christ be your focus.