When Jesus told us about end-time events in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, He told us the complete set of events to occur. Notice, though, He gave us only one reference to time.
One Generation
Jesus tells us of the end-time events in Matthew 24:5–31. Following this, in Matthew 24:34, Jesus said (NIV 1984), “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
As if to accent that all end-time events of verses 5–31 will occur over one lifetime, the chiastic and mirrored structure of Matthew 23–25 shows us that the “generation” of Matthew 24:34 is echoed by the “generation” of Matthew 23:36. All the events of the end times—from the First Signpost to the physical Return of Christ—are given between those two “generations” as if they are bookends to one lifetime (ref. Chronicles of the End Times, Ch. 26–27).
The Signpost interpretation of Biblical end-time prophecy, if true, opens our eyes to what is really happening in the Middle East and gives us hints to events in the rest of the world as well. However, the Signpost interpretation does not change any clock settings. Just as the Church Age stretched out over two millennia, the end-times are to stretch out over one lifetime.
The Timetable So Far
Let’s review what we’ve all seen so far. I’ll measure it up against my own lifetime.
In 1979, when I had just graduated from high school, the world witnessed both the first horseman on the white horse (Rev. 6) come to power to lead the lion with wings (Dan. 7), and the Persian Ram (Dan. 8) began standing next to Susa with only one tall horn, with a stubby, barely-there second horn next to the first horn.
In 1980, the white horseman began his first conquest. The lion chased down its first prey. This event triggered the start of the growth of the second horn of the Ram.
In 1990, when I was entering my 30’s, the white horseman began his second conquest. The lion chased down its second prey.
Riding in “as” a conqueror, and not really conquering anything, Saddam was stopped both times. He was stopped first by the Persian Ram, and in the second time by the force that was going to come back 13 years later to make the lion stand and change its mind.
In 2003, as a middle-aged man, I witnessed Saddam Hussein being removed and a democracy installed as the new government of Iraq. Wonderfully, just weeks before it happened, I had arrived at the conclusion (having just discovered the Signposts) that the lion with wings being made to stand as a man, with its mind changed, was to be likely fulfilled by Iraq having its government changed from something brutal to something more civilized. I put this idea on the shelf until two weeks later George W. Bush announced that’s just what the US military was going to do.
Later, the main force of US troops (i.e., the force that made the lion stand) pulled out of Iraq in late 2011.
For many years, like a measuring gauge, we unknowingly watched from 1979 to maybe around 2019 (40 years’ time!) the IRGC growing in power so the second horn had grown longer than the first horn (i.e., the supreme leader). According to Daniel 8, the Persian Ram was not to run out and do its horrendous work until the second horn was longer than the first horn.
With the power of the IRGC now mature, this means we are very close to the start of the Second Signpost.
From 1980 to 2022 (next year) we will have seen six 7-year Jewish cycles go by. The last year of each of these 7-year cycles is known as the Shemittah (or, Shmita) year.
Six cycles saw the First Signpost. (In fact, Saddam’s first war began at the start of a 7-year cycle.) Could the seventh Shemittah cycle give us the Second and Third Signposts? We will see. Those two Signposts comprise a great Sunni-Shia War, and it and its aftermath could easily fit into a seven-year period.
If this is the case, I would see the Fourth Signpost begin in my late 60’s during the eighth cycle, and the Return of Christ one seven-year cycle after that when I am around 80.
Conclusion
So there it is: one lifetime, one generation. If the Signpost interpretation is true, and is a true gauge of end-time events, the end-times started when I came of age and will culminate with Christ’s Return when I am an old man, assuming the Lord hasn’t already taken me home.
I have seen many times with new readers and adherents to the Signposts that it is amazing to them how Mideast events open up in front of their eyes.
However, many also expect events to move right along at a quick clip. Unfortunately, seeing the meaning of events open up doesn’t also mean things will start happening one after the other over days, weeks or months.
I can remember learning of the Signposts myself in 2003 and thinking all our troops in Iraq (to set up the democracy) were in danger of the Iranian invasion. No one to rescue! Well, that was 18 years ago.
In the last two years we have now witnessed the IRGC’s capability to take out oil facilities, navy ships, and hard military assets. I believe this was the IRGC flexing its muscle and testing its abilities. I started the “grace period” because the killing of Soleimani was a turning point, and the supreme leader seemed to be speaking from a position of confidence (we are now in Day 465 on April 17, 2021).
Why the long First Signpost over some 32 years or so? I believe it was God giving the world plenty of time to see that the end times have begun; to allow us to make sense of the Second Signpost.
I will continue to keep this website up and journal about events for as long as God will have me do it, or until the Signposts are proven false, if that were to happen.
There are now thousands of you watching with me, for which I am thankful.
However, live your life and occupy until He comes, while keeping an eye out over your shoulder, staying awake, and watching as the Signposts advance. One never knows when the next significant event will occur whether today or next month.
Watching the end times is a marathon, not a sprint.

Categories: The Four Signposts

Tags: First Signpost, Four Signposts, IRGC, Saddam Hussein, Second Signpost, supreme leader