Living in the Light with Anne Graham Lotz – February 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Anne Graham Lotz addresses one of the most pressing questions for Christians: What are the signs of Jesus’ imminent return? Drawing from Matthew 24, she explores the “birth pangs”—the signs Jesus described as indicators of the end times. Anne categorizes these signs into five distinct areas, offering scriptural insight and personal anecdotes to encourage listeners to be watchful, discerning, and spiritually prepared.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Analogy of Waiting for her Father’s Return

• Story from Childhood (01:01–04:20):
  Anne opens with a vivid childhood memory of waiting for her father, Billy Graham, to return home by train. The anticipation and certainty of his return serve as a metaphor for watching and waiting for Christ’s second coming.
  • “I know Jesus is coming. I saw him cross that intersection, lights flashing. I know he's on his way. I see the signs. He promised that he would come. I know he's coming. It just seems so long. But I'm waiting.” (04:07)

2. Why Be Watchful? — Discerning the Signs (04:30–09:30)

• Biblical Reference:
  Anne recalls Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 16 for failing to discern the “signs of the times,” urging modern believers not to make the same mistake.
• The Disciples’ Question:
  She explains Jesus’ detailed response in Matthew 24 to the disciples’ inquiry about the end of the age and His return. Anne emphasizes these signs are characteristics of the last generation.

3. The Five Categories of ‘Birth Pangs’ (09:31 onwards)

Anne summarizes the “signs” into five categories, drawing parallels to the increasing discomfort and culmination of labor pains.

• “He’s saying when you see them increase in frequency...and in intensity, they’re record breaking. So as you watch for the signs, you just watch for the ones that say record breaking of biblical proportions.” (12:38)

A. Spiritual/Religious Birth Pangs

• False Christs and Messiahs (09:45–12:00):
  Many will claim to offer peace and prosperity – whether governments, leaders, or ideologies.
  • “There are false prophets out there that say they have a word from God and they can have a big following and they can be popular and charismatic and move people to tears...but they're not from the Lord at all.” (17:20)
• Persecution and Anti-Semitism (13:40–15:30):
  • 360 million Christians persecuted in 2021; worst in Afghanistan, Nigeria, India, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China.
  • Global surge in anti-Semitism since October 7, echoing “from the river to the sea” calls for Israel’s destruction.
  • “When they chant from the river to the sea, that means they want to annihilate the state of Israel...what they're calling for is a genocide against Israel.” (15:08)
• Divisions and Apostasy in the Church (15:40–17:00):
  Doctrinal splits (over sexuality, ordination, theological issues) and a rise in false teachers amplified by social media.

B. National/Political Birth Pangs (18:10–19:50)

• Wars and rumors of wars: Ukraine, Israel, Iran, Taiwan, global instability.
• “Nation rising against nation” refers to world wars—the last century saw two, now some fear a third.
  • “People now are saying we're on the verge of the third world war. And somebody said that the whole world is now our battlefield.” (19:20)

C. Environmental Birth Pangs (19:51–22:00)

• Famines, earthquakes, floods, fires, record-breaking disasters (2023 had 57 billion-dollar disasters in the US alone).
• Examples: Maui wildfires, Hurricane Otis (jumped from Cat 1 to Cat 5 overnight), record heat in August, Siberian wildfires, catastrophic flooding in Libya and Italy.
• Cosmic signs: solar and lunar eclipses, as referenced in Joel 2:31 and Revelation 6.
  • “Rabbi say that a solar eclipse is a warning to Gentile nations, but a lunar eclipse is a warning to Israel.” (22:00)

D. Personal Birth Pangs (22:01–27:00)

• 2 Timothy 3:1: “Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves…”
  • Social media-fueled narcissism, abuse, disobedience, self-indulgence, and increasing wickedness.
• “Have we ever seen such abuse of children? ...mutilate their bodies, which will never be able to be recovered from? That's abuse.” (23:30)
• Disrespect for authority and God's standards, and the normalization of lawlessness globally.

E. Global Birth Pangs: Hopeful Signs (27:01–31:00)

• The Fig Tree – Israel’s Rebirth:
  • Anne explains Matthew 24:32, associating the fig tree with Israel. Its rebirth in 1948 is a pivotal sign; Anne notes the striking coincidence with her own birthday (one week after Israel’s rebirth).
    • “If I live out my natural lifetime, I will live to see the return of Jesus. And I have believed that since I was a child. But to be honest, I believed I would live to see the Rapture...But here we are.” (30:16)
  • The rebirth of Israel as a nation after 2,000 years fulfills prophecy; suggests we may indeed be the last generation.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I think I hear the whistle blowing, and I can almost see the light coming around the corner. And he's coming. You and I need to be ready for the moment when we see him face to face.” (04:00)
• “Just watch for the record breaking and the things that haven't happened before.” (21:13)
• “The deception is mind blowing. The fact that intelligent people can believe a lie and communicate lies as though it's truth, and they say it so many times, people begin to believe a lie…” (23:10)
• “I believe if I live out my natural lifetime, I will live to see the return of Jesus.” (30:25)

The Spiritual War – The “Whack-a-Mole” Analogy (31:01–32:30)

• Priscilla Shirer’s Illustration:
  Anne borrows a story about a children’s festival “whack-a-mole” game. The real battle isn’t with the puppets on the surface, but against the unseen hands—the spiritual realities beneath.
  • “The real problem is a devil himself who is orchestrating things. And we're in a spiritual battle.” (32:20)

Takeaways & Final Encouragements

• Be Watchful and Discerning:
  The proliferation and intensification of these “birth pangs” suggest the time is near.
  • “We need to be watching. We need to be smart, we need to be alert. And also, I think, should I say, we need to be grateful that God would trust us with the responsibility and the privilege of being in the last generation, making him known when everything is getting so dark, lifting up the light.” (31:00)
• Saturate Yourself in Scripture:
  To avoid deception, immerse yourself in God’s Word.
• Understand the Ultimate Conflict Is Spiritual:
  The visible turbulence is a symptom of deeper, unseen spiritual warfare.

Recommended Action:
Reflect on the signs around you, saturate yourself in Scripture, remain expectant, and live as a light in increasingly dark times.