Are we in the last days?

End Times need not be confusing at all. B.C., A.D., 2nd Coming, Eternity

This study will be of far more benefit to you if you make sure you carefully read all the Scriptures referred to!

There are but two ages: this age, and the age to come. This world, and the world to come. This age includes all world history from the creation through the Mosaic and Christian periods to the time of Christ’s return and the judgment – which time of return only God knows. Matthew 24:36. Date-setting is futile. Only God knows when.

The world to come, which is after the final judgment, is eternal life and eternal punishment. There is no special deal in the end-time for Israel. All have the same inheritance – the same hope, the same eternal future. Acts 26:6-7; 28:20; Galatians 3:18-29; 6:14-16; Ephesians 4:4; Titus 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:3-5. The “all Israel will be saved”, Romans 11:25-32, is that remnant of physical Jews who, like Gentiles, believe in Jesus as Lord of all. Romans 9:6-8,27,30-33 … the point of Romans 1:16-17 and 9-11. God is no respecter of persons. Acts 10:34-43; Romans 2:11.

      Plain, non-figurative Scriptures reveal the basic structure through which the figurative Scriptures such as Daniel and Revelation must be interpreted. Jesus spoke of the restored throne of David when he said the kingdom of God was at hand, and when he taught the kingdom parables. Matthew 4:17; 13:1-53. Peter showed Jesus was sitting on the throne of David in Acts 2:29-36. To interpret figurative passages as though literal is foolish. More later.

       Here are some Scriptures that clearly speak of “this age” and “the age to come”, there being no other ages:

      Matthew 12:32

      Mark 3:29

      Mark 10:30

      Luke 16:8

      Luke 18:30

Luke 20:34–36

Romans 12:2

1 Corinthians 1:20

1 Corinthians 2:6, 8

 

1 Corinthians 3:18

1 Corinthians 10:1-11

2 Corinthians 4:4

Galatians 1:4

Ephesians 1:21

Ephesians 2:2

1Timothy 6:17–19

Titus 2:12

Hebrews 6:5

This simple, two-age view shows the simplicity of end-times (eschatology) in the New Testament. Jesus died and rose alive to shepherd one people for ever. John 10:14-18,27-30. When you compare this two-age truth with other end-time views, it is clear that these two ages have, amongst other things, the following implications for end-times:

 

•   This age and the age to come, taken together, exhaust all time, including the endless “time” of eternity.

 

•   There is no period between “this age and the age to come”. The so-called rapture and 7 years of tribulation,

and a 1000-year reign in Jerusalem, are based on a misunderstanding of  Daniel 9, Matthew 24 and Revelation.

 

•   This simple biblical structure of redemptive history does not allow for premillennialism or postmillennialism.

 

•   An exposition of the whole of Revelation 20:1–10 provides strong proof that the amillennial

     view of eschatology (i.e. there is no literal thousand year reign of Christ in Jerusalem) is the biblical  view.

 

•   The thousand year reign is simply one of many figurative metaphors used in the Bible to explain the struggle between good and evil, and the outcome of that struggle as complete victory in Christ the King.

 

•   Stars falling from the sky, while it might sound like what will happen when God destroys our world at the end

of time, is used frequently as an apocalyptic way of speaking of a nation’s world crashing down, whether it is Babylon, Edom, Israel or Rome. Isaiah 34:4; Matthew 24:29; Revelation 6:13; 8:10. Ignoring the context of such metaphors, or interpreting them literally, will lead to all kinds of erroneous ideas.

 

•   The signs in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 are for the destruction of the temple in AD70. See Luke 21:20.

 

The following single, plain Scripture, when read and applied, will end much of the confusion about end times:

 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

 

1.  Christ’s resurrection 2000 years ago is the basis of our own future resurrection into the age to come.

2.  When Christ returns, it is as King, and then comes “the end” – not the start - of His kingdom.

3.  This means Christ’s kingdom (it is spiritual, not earthly) has already been in force since His resurrection 2000  years ago. See John 3:3-6; 18:36; Acts 2:22-36 (especially vss29-32); Colossians 1:12-14; Hebrews 12:28.

4.  At His return, all are resurrected and judged, and Jesus hands His kingdom back to His Father – his work done.

5. This 1 Corinthians 15 Scripture leaves no room for fanciful ideas about 7 years of tribulation or a 1000 years

    reign from Jerusalem, which are  based on misunderstandings of what symbolic-apocalyptic language means.

 

In the context of the Book of Revelation, the reference to coming to life and reigning with Christ for a thousand years, is simply a metaphor for victory after the death caused by the persecuting Roman Empire of the first century AD. Revelation 1:1-3 shows that the book is mainly dealing with events that were to “shortly come to pass” – shortly after Revelation was written 2000 years ago! 2:8-11 and 14:9-13 say much the same thing as reigning with Christ for a thousand years, but in plainer language, as do  2 Timothy 2:8-13 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Figures of speech are used to emphasise and gain attention. Revelation is encouraging faithfulness in the face of execution by Roman hordes. In Revelation 20 there is no literal chain binding Satan. The 1000 years reign of chapter 20 is just a code for total victory in Christ, as the 10 days of 2:10 is code for brief persecution, as 42 months (time, times and half

a time) is the time of testing and overcoming, and as 666 of 13:18 was code for the Roman Emperor – “the beast.”

 

David Carr