There's no doubt that we live in a very special era of fast and huge technological, social, scientific, economic, psychological and other changes. The world is also getting closer to the 6000 year bar, which traditionally marks the coming of the Moshiach.
What observable phenomena correlate to our Sages' outlook on the pre-Messianic era?
ואמר רבי אבא אין לך קץ מגולה מזה שנאמר (יחזקאל לו, ח) ואתם הרי ישראל ענפכם תתנו ופריכם תשאו לעמי ישראל וגו'
And Rabbi Abba says: You have no more explicit manifestation of the end of days than this following phenomenon, as it is stated: “But you, mountains of Israel, you shall give your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel, for they will soon be coming” (Ezekiel 36:8). When produce will grow in abundance in Eretz Yisrael, it is an indication that the Messiah will be coming soon.
(Translation and elucidation courtesy of sefaria.org)
Sefer Yosef Chochma (2011) quotes from the Mishna and the Gemarah (Sotah 49b & Sanhedrin 97b) there are 20 signs from Chazal about the time before Moshiach:
1) Insolence will be greater
2) There will be a great inflation
3) Even though grapes are in abundance, the wine will be expensive
4) Leadership and government officials will be far removed from Tora and will not lead the nation in the way of the Tora
5) The generation will not accept rebuke
6) When people get together, the conversation will frequently center on women, immorality, and infidelity
7) The Galil will be destroyed and the Gavlan (Golan) will be desolate
8) The people that live in the border will be expelled and moving from city to city because no one will have compassion on them
9) The wisdom of our Rabbis will be ridiculed
10)Those who fear sin will be dispised
11) The truth will be missing, no one knows who will hold the truth and everything will be in a state of confusion and doubt
12) The young will embarrass the Elderly
13) The Elderly will stand before the young
14) Sons will curse their fathers
15) Daughters will rebel against their mothers
16) Brides will turn against their mother-in-laws
17) One’s own family members will be his enemies
18) The face of the generation will be that of a dog. That means that people won’t realize when a tragedy occurs to them, it’s from Heaven, to convey a message. Mida keneged mida. Because when you hit a dog with a stick, the dog will think the stick is beating him. He doesn’t realize that, and the will continue attacking the stick.
19) A son will no be ashamed before his father and all shame and courtesy will disappear from the world
20) At that time, our only hope will be in Our Merciful Father in Heaven. We will have to solely trust in HaShem that he will redeem us and bring Moshiach Tzidkenu, Amen!
