There are various eschatologies, interpretations and theories extant regarding the time of the “last days” referred to in the Bible. And the time of the “last days” is also closely related to the Biblical “end of the age” (not the ‘end of the world/globe’) and the “coming” of Christ.
As we examine this topic…can we trust the Bible scriptures as being God-breathed? 2Ti.3:16 Paul wrote regarding the Old Testament (OT), “All scripture is inspired by God”. God’s Holy Spirit (HS) doesn’t make mistakes. But there are those who think not all scripture or Bible books are inspired by God.
Let’s look at New Testament (NT) writings about the last days, the end of the age, and Jesus’ coming.
Ac.2:16-17 “What you see was spoken by the prophet Joel, ‘It shall be in the last days.” Circa (ca) 30 AD at Pentecost in Jerusalem, the apostle Peter indicated the HS outpouring they were seeing there was happening in the last days.
Ja.5:3 “In the last days you have stored-up your treasure.” Writing in the 50s AD, Jesus’ relative James referred to that time as the last days.
He.1:1-2 “God in these last days has spoken to us by His Son.” The writer to the Hebrews in the 60s AD called that time the last days.
He.9:26 “Now once in the end of the age [aión Strongs g165, Greek] has He [Christ] appeared.” Christ’s 1st century sacrifice (ca 30 AD) occurred in the end of the age. (But which “age” or eon?)
1Co.10:11 “…things written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the age are come.” Writing to the Corinthian church in the 50s AD, the apostle Paul thought that time was the end of an age.
Ja.5:8-9 “The coming of the Lord draws near; the Judge is standing right at the door.” In the 50s AD, James said the Lord was even at the door…His coming in judgment was near!
He.10:37 “Yet a little while and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” In the 60s AD, Jesus’ coming will occur in only a little while, and won’t delay.
Re.1:1 “To show things which must soon [táchos g5034, noun] come to pass.” KJV “shortly”. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says this term meant “quickness, speed”. The same term was used in Ac.22:18 when Paul recounted how the Lord had urged him. “Hurry and go out in haste [g5034] from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony about Me”. Needless to say, Paul didn’t stay in Jerusalem for centuries…he departed soon (ref Ac.9:28-30)!
1Jn.2:18 “Children, it is the last hour [hóra g5610]; even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.” At the time John wrote that epistle, he and others knew it was then the final hour, so to speak! It was then the last hour of the last day of the last days! An end was very near.
This same Greek term is translated “hour” 89 times in the KJV. For example, in John’s gospel. Jn.1:39 “It was about the tenth hour [g5610].” Jn.11:9 “Are there not twelve hours [g5610] in the day?”
Also of note, there were already many antichrists on the scene while the apostle John was still alive to write his epistles! ref 1Jn.2:18, 22, 4:3; 2Jn.1:7. (also see the topic “John Wrote Five Bible Books?”.)
Let’s pause here. Again, the Holy Spirit doesn’t err. Do we believe the HS spoke through John, Peter, the epistle to the Hebrews, James, Paul? For that matter, do we believe the OT…what God said to Moses and the prophets? Do we believe their prophecies about a Messiah? Do we believe John and the other gospels about Jesus as Messiah? If the NT writers quoted above regarding the last days, etc. were wrong, then what other portions or books of our Bible might also be untrustworthy?
John wrote in Re.1:3, “For the time is at hand [engús g1451, adverb]”. Thayer’s engus “Near in time or position”. Prophesied events were soon to begin. Most Bible historians think the same John wrote Revelation and John’s gospel. John used the identical Greek term in Jn.2:13. “The Jews’ Passover was at hand [g1451], and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” The time of that Passover was near, not centuries distant. Mk.13:28 “When the branch of the fig tree puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near [g1451].” And He.8:13 “The first covenant is growing old and near [g1451] to vanishing.” The temple would soon be destroyed, and the Old Covenant ritualistic system vanished then (not 2,000 years later).
Time was short when John wrote Revelation. The latter 2nd century Muratorian Canon list indicates Revelation was written during the reign of Nero (54–68 AD). The Syriac version Preface to the book of Revelation reads, “The Revelation which was made by God to John the evangelist in the island of Patmos, where he was placed by Nero Caesar”. Historians say that after Nero died in June 68 AD, exiles would’ve been released. The temple was still standing in 68-69 AD. When Nero died, John would’ve left Pátmos. So John wrote Revelation on Patmos ca 68 AD. No NT book, not even Revelation, indicates the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple was a past event. Re.11:1-2 the temple court (and Jerusalem, Lk.21:24) would be trampled by gentiles. Accordingly, the temple was destroyed in 70 AD.
Re.22:10 “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near/at hand [g1451].” John again uses the same Greek term as in Re.1:3. And in contrast to what God had told Daniel for his prophecy, John was instructed to not seal the book of Revelation…it’s a revealing, not a concealing!
God had instructed Daniel in Da.12:4-9, 13. “Go your way Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the time of the end.” As Da.8:26, the fulfillment was to be kept secret and delayed until the distant future. Da.12:7 “At the completion of shattering the power of the holy people, these events will be finished.” Until God’s people/Daniel’s people, the Jews, are crushed. To be delayed until Re.10:6. “There be delay no longer.” The fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy is recorded in Revelation!
The 600 years from Daniel until John wrote Revelation is indicated as distant future. So 2,000 years from John until now wouldn’t be termed…“at hand”! The Lord doesn’t purposely confuse. In the Bible, time is almost always denoted in man’s calendar terms of months, years, eras, etc. And we saw in John’s gospel the manner in which John uses the koiné Greek term which meant “near/at hand”.
Jesus said in Re.22:7, “I AM coming quickly [tachú g5035, adverb]”. In Jn.11:29, we see how John elsewhere used “quickly” g5035 (it’s not an idiom). “When Mary heard it, she arose quickly [g5035] and was coming to Him.” It didn’t take her 2,000 years! Also Mt.28:7 “Go quickly [g5035] and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.” As John concluded Revelation’s final chapter…Jesus was then coming soon! This Greek adverb g5035 occurs 13 times in the NT…it meant quickly.
Mt.24:1-3 Jesus told His disciples privately that the temple would be destroyed. “Not one stone here shall be left upon another.” The disciples asked Jesus, “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” When will the destruction occur and the age end?
The parallel account in Mk.13 identified four disciples present; Peter, James, John, Andrew (Mk.13:1-4). This identity of who Jesus was speaking to largely affects the understanding of Mk.13!
Again, He.9:26 & 1Co.10:11 (ref the top) indicated the 50s–60s AD were at the end of the age. Mk.13:5 Jesus told Peter, James, John, Andrew, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name. But when you hear rumors of wars, the end is not yet.” Jesus cautioned Peter, James, John, Andrew not to be misled by rumors. Mk.13:14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.” Jesus is addressing Peter, James, John, Andrew…they’re the “you”. Some or all of them in earshot would still be alive at the time of the abomination of desolation!
Josephus recorded the words of high priest Anánus (murdered in 68 AD) in Wars of the Jews 4:3:10. “I had seen the house of God full of so many abominations, filled with the feet of the blood-shedding villains.” Also Josephus wrote of Roman general Titus in 70 AD. ibid. 6:4:7 “He went into the holy place of the temple with his commanders, and saw what was in it.” That was an act of abomination!
Mk.13:18-19 Jesus instructed Peter, James, John, Andrew to “Pray that it may not happen in winter, for those days will be a time of tribulation”. v.23 “Take heed; I have told you everything in advance.” Peter, James, John, Andrew were informed in advance that the abomination of desolation, Jesus’ coming and the end of the age would occur during their lifespan. Again, Jesus is specifically talking to them. (A careful reading or rereading of Mk.13 should make this apparent.)
Mk.13:29-30 is key! Jesus continued telling Peter, James, John, Andrew, “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, know that He is near [g1451], right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation won’t pass away until all these things take place.” The generation of Peter, James, John, Andrew, to whom Jesus was speaking! And when Jesus’ relative James wrote in the 50s AD, he knew Jesus was standing right at the door then, to come in judgment as Judge (Ja.5:9 quoted near the top). Jesus concluded His Mk.13 discourse by telling Peter, James, John, Andrew, “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be alert!” To Peter, James, John, Andrew and all that generation in Judea…you be alert!
Mt.23:13-ff Jesus pronounced seven woes against those leading scribes & Pharisees who opposed Him. v.33-36 “You serpents, you brood of vipers. Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation [geneá g1074, noun].” The generation of those who opposed Him! Jesus told His disciples in Lk.17:25 that “He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation”. Pulpit Commentary Lk.17:25 “The generation then living.” Greek Bible scholar Spiros Zódiates on the meaning of the term geneá (g1074) here: “A multitude of contemporaries. Genea literally means a space of time. Jesus was telling them that this generation would not pass until all these things occurred, which has proven to be true. He was prophesying the destruction of their nation.” Here genea didn’t refer to race, nativity.
The NT writers (quoted near the top) believed Jesus’ words…“generation” related to a space of time! What would happen? Jesus would come in judgment as Judge. Mk.13:24-26 “The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. The stars will be falling from heaven and the powers will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.” Such language to the ancient Hebrews meant the Lord’s judgment.
In OT times there were other such ‘day(s) of the Lord’, His comings in judgment. Is.13:1, 9-10, 13, 17 described a previous “day of the Lord” (v.9), when He came in judgment against Babylon. v.10 “The stars of heaven will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark, and the moon will not shed its light.” Subsequently, Babylon (v.1) fell to the Medes (v.17) in 539 BC. Notice the language similarity of the heavenly signs in Mk.13:24-26 above!
Also, apocalyptic language was used in Is.34:4-6 to describe the Lord’s judgment upon Edom. Edom fell to Babylon in 583 BC. Je.27:6 Nebuchadnézzar of Babylon was God’s servant. God used human armies with human nature to perform His judgment upon peoples.
Also Ezk.32:2, 7-12 “Take up a lament over Pharaoh, king of Egypt. When I extinguish you, I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you.” Accordingly, Egypt fell to Babylon in the 580s BC.
Also ref Am.8:8-11, 14 about the doom/captivity of Samaria in 722 BC. Also in Je.21:7 God said Judea would be besieged/destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Je.4:16 “Besiegers come from a far country…against the cities of Judah.” v.27-28 “I looked and the heavens had no light, the mountains were quaking, and the heavens above are dark.” The first temple, built by Solomon, was destroyed in 586 BC.
Also Jg.5:1, 4-5, 20 “The mountains quaked at the presence of the Lord. The stars fought from heaven against Siserá.” Sisera and the Canaanítes were defeated.
Even Ps.18:6-17, when David was saved from his enemy Saul by God’s hand. “The earth shook and quaked. He bowed the heavens. Hailstones and coals of fire. The foundations of the world were laid bare. He delivered me from my strong enemy.”
That’s enough examples to illustrate the point. In the above passages, the language of apocalyptic hyperbole with heavenly signs and earth upheaval indicated such judgments/overthrow wasn’t of man’s devising. Since mankind doesn’t have control over the heavenly bodies or earth shakings, such language showed the judgments were God’s doing (also using human agents/armies). Those historical occurrences, as recorded in scripture and by historians…didn’t mean the end of the globe or of time!
In Revelation, John used apocalyptic language similar to that in the above OT passages. John’s 4th gospel doesn’t contain an account of Jesus’ Olivet prophecy (found in Mt.24, Mk.13, Lk.17 & 21 of the three synoptics). John’s book of Revelation is like the Olivet Prophecy expanded extensively; about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of that age. (also see “Babylon The Great’ in Revelation”.)
Murdering the Son of God has been called history’s worst crime! Between the 40-year generation of 30–70 AD, two covenants existed simultaneously in the Land…both the Old and the New. It was the last days of the Old Covenant/Levitical priesthood/temple age. It was the end of the age pertaining to God’s theocracy that had existed for 1,600 years! It ended in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Le.26:14-46, De. 28 recorded the end of the Old Covenant age, 1,600 years in advance.
The Jewish Alfred Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pp.444-5: “Judgment on their city and state, this destruction of their polity, was the ‘Coming of the Son of Man’ in judgment. The second appearance would be invisible but real. There were those standing there who would not taste death, till they had seen the destruction of the city and state. ‘This generation should not pass away.”
In Mt.16:27-28, Jesus told His disciples that He would come with His angels. “There are some of those standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming.” Some disciples would see His coming before they died, others would die prior to His coming. Pulpit Commentary Mt.16:28 “This advent is doubtless the destruction of Jerusalem.” Cambridge Bible “The fall of Jerusalem…best fits the conditions of interpretation.” (If Jesus had in mind His Transfiguration which took place only a week later, Mt.17:1-8, it’d be senseless to contrast that some of His disciples wouldn’t die before then!)
In Jn.21:20-23, Jesus indicated to Peter that John might still be alive when He comes. “If I want him [John] to remain until I come, what is that to you?” (Peter wouldn’t remain, v.17-19, 2Pe.1:14-15.) Gill Exposition Jn.21:22 “Till He should come and take vengeance on the Jewish nation, in the destruction of their city and temple by the Romans…till which time John did live.” Bengel’s Gnomen “The time of the Lord’s coming succeeds immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem…which advent John obtained the privilege of describing in the Apocalypse [Revelation].” Also, Re.1:7 indicated that some who “pierced Him” (put Jesus to death) will still be alive at His “coming”.
Note: Paul didn’t walk with Jesus; Paul came along later (1Co.15:8). It seems Paul wrongly thought that in his lifetime Jesus would return to earth in glory to fully rule and change the kósmos (g2889). So Paul even advised saints in Greece not to marry! What!? Because Paul thought time was “short….the form of this world is passing away” (1Co.7:27-31).
Some Bible prophecies are open-ended concerning the time of their fulfillment. Some prophecy and scenes of Revelation extend far into the future (e.g. Re.20-22). But others do give time constraints. Many books of the Bible were someone else’s mail, written to them specifically. Revelation made imminent sense for seven churches of that era (Re.2-3).
Jesus warned one of those seven churches, Ephesus, in Re.2:5 KJV. “Repent, or I will come to you quickly [tachu g5035], and will remove your candlestick out of its place.” The same Greek adverb tachu was examined above. Today the site of Ephesus is abandoned ruins. Jesus came to judge Ephesus many centuries ago. He removed it! The vanishing of the Ephesian church is mute testimony to the meaning of tachu/“quickly” in the book of Revelation!
Although moral principles of scripture do have universal application, not all prophecies pertain to all nations in all ages. Prophecy concerning the age-ending destruction of the temple/Jerusalem, with Jesus coming in judgment against them…happened. (By the way, I’m not a ‘full/hyper preterist’!)
Again, did the original apostles who spent 3 years with Jesus misinform the early church by saying the 1st century AD was the last days and the end of an age? Did the indwelling HS inspire their words?
In regards to the coming of Christ, a present-day church leader said, “We can forgive the disciples for thinking this was an event that would come in their lifetime”. That man thought the disciples erred!
Scholars & intellectuals, such as Bertrand Russell, Albert Schweitzer, and others, understood the NT grammar did clearly reflect Jesus saying He would return during His disciples’ generation! Those skeptics weren’t Christians; they just thought Jesus was a false prophet and NT writers had erred.
But Jesus wasn’t a false prophet. He did as He said! Jesus’ final red-letter words in our Bible are at the end of Revelation. Re.22:20 “Surely I AM coming quickly [g5035].” He came quickly, just as He said! Jesus’ coming, in the sense understood by the apostles who walked with Jesus in the Land, who heard His Olivet prophecy…happened, as written. 1Jn.2:18 John wrote, it was then even the “last hour” (of the Old Covenant age). John was correct. That 11th hour came and went nearly 2,000 years ago.
Theologian R.C. Sproul isn’t a full preterist. The Last Days According to Jesus, p.169, 30 “…What is at stake here is the authority of Jesus, and we must be consumed with maintaining His authority. I am convinced that the substance of the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in 70AD and that the bulk of Revelation was likewise fulfilled in that time-frame….No matter what view of eschatology we embrace, we must take seriously the redemptive-historical importance of Jerusalem’s destruction in 70AD.”
God’s judgment on Jerusalem/Judea and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, as foretold by Jesus in the gospels…is proof that Jesus was a true prophet! Jesus and primitive Christianity are for real!
Many churches and teachers could at least modify their eschatology, so they don’t make it seem that Jesus or His original apostles or the HS were in error. Surely, God doesn’t make mistakes. We can have trust and confidence that the written words inspired by the HS are true!
However, all the above (e.g. God’s judgment) isn’t to say that history can’t repeat itself, or that Jesus won’t come again (Jn.14:3, Ac.1:9-11, 3:19-21). And we believe our God is a just Judge, and He is merciful! Praise God!
Bible Topic Exposition 