Signs of the End Times: A Christian's Journey in Sweden
Signs of the End Times: A Christian's Journey in Sweden
A Flicker in the Darkness
Johan Larsson knelt by his bedside, his worn King James Bible resting open to the book of Revelation. The dim glow of the streetlight outside filtered through the curtains, casting shadows on the walls of his small apartment in Stockholm. The world outside was changing rapidly, and he could feel it in his spirit. Tonight, as he read, the words seemed to leap off the page with renewed urgency.
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11, KJV)
Johan had been following the news closely. The recent court ruling against Salwan Najim had rattled him to his core. Salwan had been convicted not for committing a crime, but for failing to distance himself from his friend Salwan Momika, a man who had burned a Quran and paid the price with his life. Johan shook his head as he thought about the implications. "Punishing someone for not disavowing the victim of a crime," he whispered. "What kind of world are we living in?"
The First Casualty of War
The news had labeled Momika’s actions as incitement and Najim’s silence as complicity. But Johan saw the truth. The first casualty of this war wasn’t a man or a political ideal—it was truth itself. And truth, as Johan knew from Scripture, was a person.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6, KJV)
Without truth, darkness spread. It crept into the legal systems, the media, and even the hearts of men. The ruling in Sweden wasn’t just a political shift; it was a spiritual one. It was a sign that the world was preparing for the final conflict, where truth would be silenced under the guise of peace and security.
"Peace through silencing the truth," Johan muttered as he paced his room. "This is the Antichrist system rising. They call evil good, and good evil." His hands trembled as he thought of Isaiah's prophecy coming to life before his eyes.
Persecution of the Faithful
As days turned into weeks, the pressure on Christians in Sweden intensified. Preachers were warned to avoid controversial topics, and street evangelists were fined for disturbing the peace. Johan watched as fellow believers were dragged into court for sharing Bible verses online. One by one, they were accused of hate speech, of inciting division, of failing to conform to the new societal standards.
Johan’s heart ached, but he knew this was just the beginning. He had read the warnings in Matthew:
"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." (Matthew 24:9, KJV)
The system was defending the enemy, Johan thought bitterly. The same enemy that had silenced Momika through assassination now demanded that others distance themselves from him. How long before they demanded that Christians distance themselves from Christ?
A Time to Stand
Johan gathered with a small group of believers in a dimly lit basement, their voices barely above a whisper as they prayed. They knew they were being watched. Surveillance drones patrolled the streets, and anyone suspected of organizing underground Christian meetings faced arrest. But still, they met, driven by faith and the knowledge that their time was short.
"We are overcomers," Johan said, his voice steady. "We don’t overcome through violence or rebellion. We overcome by our testimony and by the blood of the Lamb. We will not love our lives unto death." The others nodded, their eyes glistening with tears, but their spirits resolute.
The group took turns reading from the King James Bible, their words filling the room with hope:
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10, KJV)
The Great Tribulation
The day finally came when Johan was arrested. He had been handing out tracts near a train station, knowing full well the risk he was taking. As the police handcuffed him and led him away, he felt an overwhelming peace. This wasn’t the end; it was the beginning.
In the prison cell, he prayed for strength. He prayed for his fellow believers, for those who had not yet heard the gospel, and even for those who persecuted him. He knew that the world was heading into the Great Tribulation—the worst time in human history.
But Johan also knew that even in the darkest hour, the light of Christ could not be extinguished. They could imprison his body, but they could not chain the truth.
As he awaited his fate, he reflected on the words of Paul:
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, KJV)
And so, Johan Larsson, a humble KJV-believing Christian, stood firm in his faith as the world around him descended into chaos. The Great Tribulation had begun, but Johan knew that victory was already secured through the Lamb of God. For even when the truth is silenced by men, it will rise again.