The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is now doing a study of the last days which we define as the days that started with the beginning of Jesus' ministry until his return.
Session 1 is our introduction to the study. The “last days” began with the first coming of Jesus. the apostles and the early church believed Jesus’s return would be “soon”. They lived with their eyes to the skies. And this belief informed the way they instructed the early Christians to live. For example, Paul says,
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NIV [29] What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; [30] those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; [31] those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Now it’s been nearly two thousand years since Paul urgently put quill to papyrus and wrote those Spirit-inspired words. And here we are. The world has not yet passed away — but about a hundred human generations have. A “very short” time has turned out to be much longer than nearly everyone, except the Father, expected.
The better we know our Bibles, the more we understand that God's soon is typically not our soon. What seems slow to us is not slow to God
Introduction
The bible uses the phrases “the last days” and “the last times” with reference to several different time periods. Since the coming of God's promised Messiah is identified with the last days, there is a sense in which they began with the incarnation of Jesus Christ: “In these last days He [God] has spoken [finally, once for all] to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:2), and “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Pet. 1:20).
Broadly speaking, therefore, the last days include the earthly life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the entire history of the church to the present, as well as all events prophesied in the Scriptures that are still unfulfilled. Even near the beginning of the church's history John pointed out that the “many antichrists [who] have come” are evidence that this “is the last hour”.
Although these predicted events may point to the last days in a broader sense than just the life of the church, Paul warned Timothy that “there will be terrible times in the last days”. Both Peter and Jude warned that in the last days “scoffers” will come . Although such opposers of the Christian faith appeared in the early generations of church history, they apparently will increase and become more active as the church approaches its last days.
The “last days” began with the first coming of Jesus
Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT [1] Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. [2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
From the time of Jesus’s ascension to the closing of the New Testament canon, the apostles believed Jesus’s return would be “soon”.
Acts 1:10-11 NIV [10] They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. [11] “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Revelation 22:20 NIV [20] He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
They lived with their eyes to the skies. And this belief informed the way they instructed the early Christians to live. For example, Paul says,
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NIV [29] What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; [30] those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; [31] those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Now it’s been nearly two thousand years since Paul urgently put quill to papyrus and wrote those Spirit-inspired words. And here we are. The world has not yet passed away — but about a hundred human generations have. A “very short” time has turned out to be much longer than nearly everyone, except the Father, expected.
Mark 13:32-37 NIV [32] “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. [34] It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. [35] “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. [36] If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. [37] What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”
As a result, many of us struggle to feel the urgency Paul felt, and live like he instructed. How do we live in the last days that have lasted so long and may last for generations longer? The Bible addresses this question clearly so all Christians may know how to live without cynicism or apathy in these last days. We need to remember a few important truths.
Remember We Live in God-Time
The first truth to keep in mind is that God marks time differently than we do.
Psalms 90:4 NIV [4] A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV [8] But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
It’s only been two God-days since Jesus ascended and Paul wrote.
The better we know our Bibles, the more we grasp that the Ancient of Days’s soon is typically not our soon. What seems slow to us is not slow to God. Nothing in the New Testament demands that these last days be fewer than they’ve been.
Yes, many people have said and still say, “Where is the promise of his coming?
For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation”
2 Peter 3:3-4 NIV [3] Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. [4] They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
Here we are duly warned that Jesus’s return will seem ridiculously delayed — but he is not late.
Remember the Bridegroom’s Delay
Jesus himself warned us of this. First, he listed off some signs he said must take place before he returned:
An accrual of very compelling, powerful false prophets who lead many astray
Matthew 24:4-5 NIV [4] Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. [5] For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
Matthew 24:9-14 NIV [9] “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. [10] At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, [11] and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. [12] Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, [13] but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:23-28 NIV [23] At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. [24] For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. [25] See, I have told you ahead of time. [26] “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. [27] For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [28] Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
A remarkable and frightening amount of natural and national calamities
Matthew 24:7-8 NIV [7] Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [8] All these are the beginning of birth pains.
An unprecedented level of persecution of Christians, along with an imminent threat of global human extinction
Matthew 24:21-22 NIV [21] For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. [22] “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
And the “gospel of the kingdom [would] be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations
Matthew 24:14 NIV [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus said he would not return until these (and other) conditions are met. Which is why he told the parable of the ten virgins.
Matthew 25:1-13 NIV [1] “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish and five were wise. [3] The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. [4] The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. [5] The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. [6] “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ [7] “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ [9] “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ [10] “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. [11] “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ [12] “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ [13] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Jesus described the bridegroom as being “delayed” — so delayed that the wedding attendants “became drowsy”. In other words, Jesus wanted us to expect his coming to take longer than expected.
Look at 2 Peter 3:9 again
2 Peter 3:9 NIV [[9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The Bridegroom will not allow a single person who is part of his Bride to be abandoned. His is a patient, purposeful, passionate procrastination.
Remember the Fig Leaves
Jesus told another parable to help us to watch the signs of the times with discerning eyes. Have you noticed the proliferation of influential false prophets (not all religious)?
Matthew 24:32-33 NIV [32] “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. [33] Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
We may not know the day or the hour of Jesus’s return, but he expects us to watch for the signs he gave and discern them. He does not intend his coming to be a complete shock to us. He wants us to notice the changing of the leaves:
Have you noticed the scale of natural and national calamities over the past 120 years and the rising “fear and . . . foreboding of what is coming on the world”
Luke 21:25-26 NIV [25] “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. [26] People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
Have you noticed the increasing levels of global hostility toward Christians as well as the increasing approval of the kinds of depravity Paul said would characterize people living in the last days
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV [1] But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. [2] People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, [3] without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, [4] treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— [5] having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Have you noticed the fresh reminders of the existent powers’ ability to eradicate humanity?
Have you noticed the unprecedented, nearly incredible advances of the gospel over the past 290 years — especially the past 120 years? There’s been nothing like the explosive growth of the Christian movement since 1900 in the history of religion — all the more amazing when we consider the ethnic, cultural, and geographical diversity of this growth.
Watch, Pray, and Travel Light
Matthew 24:42-44 NIV [42] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. [43] But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Jesus meant for his return to feel potentially imminent in each generation, while also helping each generation anticipate his potential delay.
Living the last days now is not really any different than it was for the first-generation Christians. We stay ready the same way they were to stay ready:
We watch the signs.
We pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest.
Luke 10:1-4 NIV [1] After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. [2] He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. [3] Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. [4] Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
Be one of those laborers
Isaiah 6:8-13 NIV [8] Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” [9] He said, “Go and tell this people: “ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ [10] Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” [11] Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, [12] until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. [13] And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
We encourage one another with our hope of resurrection and the Lord’s return
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV [13] Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. [14] For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. [15] According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.
We travel light. We are exiles and sojourners here.
We must not encumber ourselves with unnecessary baggage and treasures here because our real homeland and our real Treasure is up ahead And that’s where we want our hearts to be
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV [19] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Four thousand years ago, our spiritual ancestors in the faith lived live like “strangers and exiles on the earth”
Hebrews 11:8-16 NIV [8] By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. [9] By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. [10] For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. [11] And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. [12] And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. [13] All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. [14] People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. [15] If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
That was two thousand years before Jesus came and launched the last days. And we who live today are no less strangers and exiles, because we too “desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one”
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