The majority of Christians in our day believe that we are living in the last days. Is this the case? In order to answer that question, we must let the Bible define the term “last days.” So, according to the Bible, when are/were the last days?
There are mainly three views amongst Christians on what the last days are. I certainly can’t cover every verse and every detail in this short article. But hopefully, this will spur you on to study this issue more thoroughly for yourself.
1. The most common view in our day is that the last days is the period of time just prior to Christ’s 2nd coming. Some have dated the start of the last days at 1948 A.D., because that is the year that Israel was reborn as a nation. Others would not use that particular date, but would affirm that we are living in the last days, but that those alive in, say, the 1800’s were not.
Does this view line up with the Bible’s definition of the phrase “last days”? If we allow the Bible to tell us when the last days began, then the answer would have to be “no.” While I can see how one might come to the conclusion that the last days started within the last 100 years or less, the Bible clearly states that the last days started almost 2,000 years ago. The last days began in the 1st century. Don’t take my word for it, God’s word says it.
“[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son..” Heb. 1:2 (all quotes are from the NKJV)
Notice that the author of Hebrews says “these last days.” The days in which the writer of Hebrews lived (the 1st century), were the last days. Furthermore, he says that God spoke through His Son in the last days. Whether he is speaking of Jesus’ teaching while He was on earth, or Jesus speaking through His apostles as they wrote the New Testament, either way, both took place in the 1st century.
When we look at other phrases that are similar to the phrase “last days,” we see the same thing.
“[Jesus] … was manifest in these last times for you…” 1 Pet. 1:20
Notice again that Peter refers to these last times. The times in which Peter lived (1st century) were the last times. He also says that Jesus was manifest (made visible, or made known) in the last times. Jesus was manifested in the 1st century; therefore, the last times had to begin in the 1st century.
“…but now, once at the end of the ages, [Jesus] has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Heb. 9:26
When did Jesus “appear” (same Greek word as “manifest”) to sacrifice Himself? He did so in the 1st century, which the writer of Hebrews says was the “end of the ages.”
As you can see, the last days, last times, or end of the ages, did not start in 1948, they began about 2,000 yrs. ago.
2. The second view on the phrase “last days” is that it is a reference to the entire church age, or to put it another way, the whole new covenant era. The idea is that there have been different eras in God’s redemptive plan and that He worked out that plan through different covenants. Since the new covenant is the last covenant, the new covenant era is the last times, days, etc.
This view is much more consistent with Scripture in that it doesn’t contradict those verses that clearly show that the last days started in the 1st century. Also, there are many great theologians in history who have held this view, so it is not as though this view is a recent invention.
3. The third view is that the term “last days,” etc., is probably a reference to the last days of the old covenant and many of its various aspects (the temple, sacrifices, etc.). There are a few clues in Scripture that suggest this. First, as already noted, the last days can be proven to have begun in the 1st century. It can’t be proven Scripturally that they go beyond the 1st century (though some argue that they do).
There are other clues as well. It is helpful to know that the old covenant wasn’t fully done away with at the time of Jesus’ death. It was on its way out, but it wouldn’t be fully gone until the destruction of Jerusalem & the temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. When the book of Hebrews was being written (after Jesus’ resurrection and before 70 A.D.), the author says that the old covenant had not yet passed away, but it would soon.
“[The old covenant] is becoming obsolete and growing old [and] is ready to vanish away.” Heb. 8:13
Peter also mentions that “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Pet. 4:7). “All things” can’t mean the end of the world, because Peter would have been in error about the end being “at hand.” And if the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write down error, then the Bible can’t be trusted. The “all things” is more likely a reference to the end of the temple, its sacrifices, etc.
We also have a similar phrase in 1 John 2:18,
“…it is the last hour…we know that it is the last hour.”
John referred to the time in which he lived as the “last hour.” John lived in the 1st century, therefore, the last hour was in the 1st century. While the word “hour” can refer to a time period of longer than 60 min. (“our finest hour”), it seems unlikely that John would have used the word “hour” to describe the church age that has lasted 2,000 years and is still going. Again, the term “last hour” would seem to best describe the end of the old covenant. If “last hour” and “end of all things” are references to the end of the old covenant, then it’s possible that last days, last times, etc. are as well.
As I said earlier, this article doesn’t deal with every instance of the phrase “last days,” but hopefully, it has given you some things to think about as you study this issue further.