Posted on 05/25/2015 5:41:44 PM PDT by grumpa
Extent of the Biblical Last Days
By Charles S. Meek
Amillennialists often understand that the biblical Last Days began in the first century, but are under the impression that the Last Days extend to the present time. Here’s why that cannot be correct.
There are at least fourteen specific mentions of the Last Days or “End Times” in the New Testament: Matthew 24:14; Acts 2:14-20; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 1:2; 9:26; James 5:3-9; 1 Peter 1:5; 1:20; 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:17-18; Jude 18.
The culmination of none of these can be placed outside of the first century. But five of these twelve are specific about their culmination:
In Matthew 24:14 Jesus said that the “end” would come after the gospel had been preached to the whole world. Then in verse 34 He unambiguously said that ALL of his prophecies would take place during his generation. Interestingly, Paul in numerous places confirmed that the gospel had indeed been preached to the whole world as he was writing (Romans 1:8; 16:26; Colossians 1:6; 23).
Paul declared that the “end of the ages” had come upon those living in the first century (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The writer of Hebrews said that he and his contemporaries were living at the “end of the ages.” (Hebrews 9:26)
Peter declared that “the end of all things was at hand.” (1 Peter 4:7; cf. 4:17)
John insisted that it was the “last hour” as he was writing. (1 John 2:17-18)
In fact, there are over 100 confirming passages in the New Testament that demand that the culmination of the last days events would happen while some of the contemporaries of Jesus were still alive. The writers of the New Testament spoke with one consistent voice on this. Further, there is no sense—NONE—in which these events were fulfilled in the past and will be fulfilled again in the future.
I have heard Christians embarrass themselves going through contortions trying to get around it. But the bottom line is this: Either Jesus and the writers of the New Testament were false prophets, or these things happened as and when they expected.
If we are still in the last days, the extent of the last days is longer than the period to which they are an end. This makes no sense. Be a Berean Christian and study the Scriptures to see if this is so.
Take the time to look up all of the passages I list above. Then, for more detail, see my several articles about this here:
http://prophecyquestions.com/2014/02/01/articles-by-charles-meek
http://prophecyquestions.com/2014/02/01/prophecy-questions-for-all-christians
Eternity is almost here. Reflect the next time you are in a graveyard.
Bookmark for later study.
Act 3:25 Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Preterism is false.
I believe that to be true but the last days meant the end of that age and a new age came as those people lived.
Indeed it is, as also amillennialism mentioned in the lead article.
Because a lot of end time prophesy is found in the OLD TESTAMENT too.
How about Isaiah 17:1 - Woe to Damascus, it has been taken away from being a city, it has become a ruinous heap.
To my knowledge, Damascus is still standing .. although ISIS is creeping closer and closer to it.
So, Isaiah spoke these words a lot of years prior to the New Testament being written.
Seriously? That’s all you got?
That’s not much of an argument. There are more than 250 direct and indirect preterist time statements in the New Testament. That doesn’t include time related material such as Daniel’s 70 Week prophecy, which was expected to be wrapped up in the generation of the Apostles. It’s going to take more than just a mere assertion to prove your point.
Check Revelation 13 re: the mark of the beast - when has this occurred in history? And regarding Daniel’s 70th week, the apostles may have expected it, but it did not happen at that time.
There are all sorts of theories on who the Beast was, and what his mark was, within preterism. I don’t have a strong opinion on which of these theories is correct. But I will say that they seem plausible to me so that I don’t think that it’s unreasonable to say it has happened. What I think you’re missing is how the larger body of prophecy in the New Testament is self consciously claiming to be the climax of Old Testament prophecy. And, every unambiguous time reference in the New Testament asserts that it would happen within that generation. Old Testament prophecy was based on the transition to the New Covenant, judgment against the apostate members of the Old Covenant, and judgment against the supernatural evil governing mankind at the time. That judgement did in fact happen. There is no point to a future cataclysm.
Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Obviously Daniels seventy years was finished when this all happened
But I do not believe revelation is finished by a long way
Rev 20
4 and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Jesus was the first one ever resurrected and obviously a bunch followed him .
1 cor 15
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
The first fruits are those in the first resurrection who live and reign with Christ a thousand years so this alone is adding at least a thousand years to revelation.
Those in Christ who were not in the first resurrection will be raised up at the last day.
Ha Ha Ha, there are a lot of references to the last days which did start as Jesus left to be with his Father.
However, there is no reference to the “end” of the end times. There are still many prophetic instances that still need to be fulfilled.
What prophecies are left, as far as I can tell it could be any minute...
Excellent. I’m pleased to see I’m not the only Preterist on FR.
I’m not sure what you are trying to say. You should do a search on “preterist time statements”. There are literally hundreds of them. Jesus and the Disciples/Apostles clearly said that he would return in their lifetimes. There isn’t a single explicit statement in scripture saying it would be later than that.
So all Biblical prophecy was fulfilled by 70 A.D., and there is no prophetic word for 2000 years? I don’t buy it, and neither do most Bible scholars. Just look at events in the Middle East today, and the great falling away from the faith in the West and you can see prophecy being fulfilled before your eyes. But if you want to believe that this is of no significance, good luck with that.
Bookmark for later.
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