Are we residing within the final days?
With all the things occurring on the earth, it’s a good query to ask. Wars, division, disasters, ethical confusion; it could actually really feel like the tip must be close to. And for those who’ve spent any time on-line or in sure church circles, you’ve most likely heard somebody say, “We’re positively residing within the final days.”
However are we?
It’s straightforward to get caught up in dramatic headlines or theories that sound biblical however are extra opinion than Scripture. That’s why, as a substitute of asking what do individuals say concerning the final days, we have to ask a greater query: What does the Bible say concerning the final days?
On this publish, we’re going to look instantly at what Scripture says. We are going to discover each time the phrase “final days” is used and let that form our understanding. You may be stunned by what we discover.
Final Days In The Bible
There’s no scarcity of opinions relating to the tip occasions. A few of them are intriguing. Others… are sort of wild. And numerous it? Truthfully, it’s simply not within the Bible.
The issue is, most conversations concerning the final days begin with somebody’s private definition, what they suppose it means, after which they attempt to squeeze that definition into Scripture. That’s a harmful option to deal with God’s Phrase.
So let’s do the other.
Let’s put aside what we predict we all know, ignore the headlines for a minute, and look instantly at how the Bible defines the final days. As a result of as soon as we perceive how Scripture makes use of that phrase, the image turns into rather a lot clearer.
The phrase “within the final days” solely seems within the Bible 6 occasions. Which may be stunning contemplating how a lot it’s talked about. However perhaps extra stunning is that this phrase will not be present in Revelation. Let’s take a look at every of the 6 occurrences of this phrase.
Acts 2:16
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the group: “Fellow Jews and all of you who reside in Jerusalem, let me clarify this to you; hear rigorously to what I say. These persons are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s solely 9 within the morning! No, that is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘Within the final days, God says, I’ll pour out my Spirit on all individuals. Your little children will prophesy, your younger males will see visions, your previous males will dream goals.
Acts 2:14-17
Acts 2 is the second of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes upon the early followers of Jesus. Some within the crowd are confused, so Peter steps up and explains what’s taking place.
To do this, he quotes the prophet Joel, somebody the Jewish viewers would’ve identified properly. Joel had prophesied a couple of day when God would pour out His Spirit in an entire new approach. Peter factors to that second and says: That is it. That is the day Joel was speaking about. These are the final days.
In different phrases, Peter isn’t speaking a couple of distant future he’s saying the final days had been already taking place.
In different phrases, the declare right here is that the final days aren’t some date sooner or later, they’re the current actuality nearly 2,000 years in the past.
Let’s take a look at one other time Peter makes use of the time period “within the final days.”
1 Peter 1:20
He was chosen earlier than the creation of the world, however was revealed in these final occasions to your sake. 1 Peter 1:20
Discover right here how Peter selected to phrase his phrases. He says, “in these final occasions.” Peter is placing himself within the final occasions. He once more refers back to the final days, not as one thing coming, however one thing they had been residing in.
Jesus, Peter says, was revealed in these final occasions. As soon as once more, the “final days” are handled as a gift actuality, not a future prediction.
We’re beginning to see a sample and we’re going to see it proceed.
Hebrews 1:1-3
Way back, at many occasions and in some ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, however in these final days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the inheritor of all issues, by whom additionally he created the world. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the precise illustration of his being, sustaining all issues by his highly effective phrase. After he had offered purification for sins, he sat down on the proper hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:1-3
Right here, the writer of Hebrews attracts a distinction between how God used to talk (by the prophets) and the way He’s talking now (by Jesus). And the way does he describe this new season? “These final days.”
Which means, in accordance with Hebrews, the final days began when Jesus got here.
We’re three for 3 now. Every passage thus far has outlined the final days not as a far-off occasion, however as one thing that started with Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
However perceive this, that within the final days there’ll come occasions of issue. For individuals shall be lovers of self, lovers of cash, proud, conceited, abusive, disobedient to their dad and mom, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, with out self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of delight moderately than lovers of God, having the looks of godliness, however denying its energy. Keep away from such individuals. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
This is likely one of the mostly quoted passages when individuals discuss concerning the finish occasions. And it sounds prefer it may’ve been written yesterday.
However right here’s the factor: Paul wrote this practically 2,000 years in the past… to Timothy… concerning the world they had been residing in.
He’s not describing a future period to be careful for, he’s describing the cultural actuality they had been already going through. The ethical breakdown, the selfishness, the non secular hypocrisy, it was all taking place of their time.
So when Paul says “within the final days,” he’s not pointing to one thing far forward. He’s speaking concerning the world they had been residing in proper then.
2 Peter 3:1-9
Figuring out this initially, that scoffers will come within the final days with scoffing, following their very own sinful needs. They may say, “The place is the promise of his coming? For ever because the fathers fell asleep, all issues are persevering with as they had been from the start of creation.” However they intentionally neglect that way back by God’s phrase the heavens got here into being and the earth was shaped out of water and by water. 2 Peter 3:3-5
This one appears like Peter may very well be referring to the longer term; till you cease and take into consideration who he’s writing to.
Peter is addressing actual individuals in an actual church who had been already coping with this precise drawback. There have been individuals round them mocking the thought of Jesus returning. They had been asking, “The place is He? I believed He was supposed to come back again.”
If that wasn’t taking place but, there’d be no cause for Peter to convey it up. So once more, probably the most pure option to learn that is that they had been already within the final days, experiencing the precise issues Peter describes.
James 5:1-6
Now hear, you wealthy individuals, weep and wail due to the distress that’s approaching you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your garments. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify towards you and eat your flesh like hearth. You may have hoarded wealth within the final days. Look! The wages you didn’t pay the employees who mowed your fields are crying out towards you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You may have lived on earth in luxurious and self-indulgence. You may have fattened yourselves within the day of slaughter. You may have condemned and murdered the harmless one, who was not opposing you. James 5:1-6
James pulls no punches right here. He’s calling out rich landowners who exploited their staff. However discover the language, “you may have hoarded wealth within the final days.”
He’s not warning them about one thing they could do sooner or later. He’s accusing them of what they had been already doing… within the final days.
Which suggests, once more, James believed they had been residing within the final days on the time of writing.
Which means Of The Final Days In The Bible
So, after taking a look at each passage the place the Bible makes use of the phrase “within the final days,” right here’s what we will say with confidence:
The Bible defines the final days because the time between the primary coming of Christ to the second coming of Christ.
That’s it.
In line with the Bible, we’ve been residing within the final days for about 2,000 years. That may not line up with how most individuals speak about it at the moment, nevertheless it’s the constant definition we see in Scripture.
Loads of Christians suppose “the final days” means Jesus is coming again any minute now—perhaps inside the subsequent few years or a minimum of in our lifetime. And positive, that may occur. However the Bible doesn’t truly say that.
Actually, Jesus Himself mentioned He didn’t even know the day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36). So if Jesus didn’t speculate, perhaps we shouldn’t both.
May He return tomorrow? Completely.
May or not it’s one other 2,000 years? Additionally sure.
That’s why constructing an end-times timeline or studying each headline as an indication normally results in confusion or concern. The Bible doesn’t give us clues or countdowns, it provides us a option to reside within the right here and now.
The biblical authors weren’t obsessive about when Jesus would return. They had been much more involved with how we should always reside whereas we wait.
Are We Dwelling In The Final Days?
So, are we residing within the final days? Sure, we’ve got been for two,000 years.
However that doesn’t imply Jesus is coming again subsequent week… or subsequent yr… and even in your lifetime. Perhaps He’s. Perhaps He’s not. The Bible doesn’t say.
And, that’s the purpose.
The Bible doesn’t name us to determine when Jesus is coming again. It calls us to be devoted till He does.
Too many individuals get caught up making an attempt to foretell the longer term as a substitute of residing faithfully within the current. They twist Scripture to suit their timelines, chase sensational headlines, and miss the precise problem the Bible provides us: Dwell like Jesus has already come and will return at any second.
As a substitute of speculating, we needs to be following Him. As a substitute of making an attempt to crack a code, we needs to be making disciples, loving our neighbor, residing generously, and staying devoted to Jesus; regardless of how loopy the world will get.
I’d love to listen to from you.
What have you ever been taught concerning the final days?
Drop a remark beneath and be part of the dialog.
Or e mail me at: [email protected]
Now take a look at: Why The Rapture Within the Bible Isn’t What You Assume
BA in Biblical Research – Ozark Christian School (2012)
MA in Theology – Regent College (2019)
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