There may be people alive today that will see Jesus split the sky and behold Him face-to-face, eye-to-eye. In my opinion, we are in the generation that the Lord will return. It could be 50 years or five (probably closer to 50), but I am convinced it’s near. However, no one can know with certainty. The time in which the Lord returns is  ‘great and terrible’. Great in the demonstrations of God’s love and power; terrible cause of God’s judgments being released on all unrighteousness. I believe the Lord will raise up forerunners in the generation in which He returns to prepare for that unique time.

End-timewha Forerunnerwho? An end-time forerunner is one who proclaims the coming of the Lord and the events directly related to it. They intentionally prepare their own hearts for the unique dynamics surrounding the time when Jesus returns. Forerunners cultivate their minds and hearts in the Scriptures — through study, fasting and prayer — in order to prepare the Church to prepare the Earth for Jesus’ return.

Biblical Forerunners

When we look at the forerunners for Jesus’ first coming we gain insight into the life and role of forerunners in the end times. The Messiah’s coming was prophesied as early as Gen. 3. The prophets operated as forerunners as well through Messianic prophesies (Isa. has a massive amounts of prophecies about Jesus). 

John the Baptist
The angel Gabriel describes John the Baptists as a forerunner who would prepare people to receive Jesus at His first coming (Lk. 1:11-19).

It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. —Luke 1:17, NAS

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. —Isaiah 40:3

John was a prophet who also ministered as an evangelist, calling multitudes to come to Jesus. In other words, he announced the coming of Jesus while winning souls to the kingdom and making disciples by teaching them to pray, fast, and live righteously (Mt. 9:14; Lk. 3:3-18; 11:1). 

The forerunner ministry is not reserved for some elite group of people — it is a calling available to any believer who is willing to announce the coming of Jesus.

End-Time Forerunners

Just as the first-century forerunners proclaimed the first coming of Jesus ahead of time, so also the end-time forerunners will proclaim the second coming of Jesus ahead of time. I believe God is raising up forerunners across the Body of Christ worldwide who will operate in many different ways and with different ministry callings. They include those called as evangelists, pastors, teachers, prophets, artists, singers, musicians, media designers, actors, writers and those called to the marketplace. 

Many will focus on preparing disciples through small groups in their church, universities or work place.

Bottom Line

Forerunners prepare the way for Jesus’ return by proclaiming His return and the events directly related to it. Any believer can operate as a forerunner! But not by anything we can do, but because the Holy Spirit can anoint any willing heart with love for Jesus and His return. We must do our part — diligent study, prayer, fasting, as well as small group teachings — and God will do His part by releasing a greater measure of understanding, urgency and passion for Jesus’ return.