We Are in the Last Days.... And So Was the Early Church

 

Having grown up around the Christian faith, I have heard throughout my entire life that we are living in the last days. This was often accompanied by an exhortation to prepare our lives for Christ's return. Generally, this topic would be emphasized when something bad had occurred or was occurring: a devastating natural disaster, a presidential figure who embodied the ultimate demise of America (because America isn't mentioned in end-time prophecy, right?), and the increasing lawlessness in our civilization. Inevitably, an appeal would always be made to the "perilous times" that Paul said would be present in "the last days" (2 Timothy 3:1).

What I have come to understand is that this emphasis on the fact that we are living in the last days is true, but it's incomplete. It's accurate, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Why? Simply put, according to a careful reading of the New Testament, the last days is a period of time from the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ till his return. This can be observed by looking at three biblical references.

John writes that "it is the last time" (1 John 2:18). The reason why we can know that it is the last time is because, even now, there are many antichrists. John doesn't say that the last hour will come when this or that happens; he says emphatically that it is the last hour.

The writer confirms this position. He begins his letter by noting that God, in the past, often spoke to the pillars of the faith in various ways, including through the prophets. However, "in these last days," God has chosen to speak chiefly through "his Son," who has been "appointed hear of all things" and is "the express image of his person" (Hebrews 1:1-3). Notice, again, that the writer does not speak of the last days as a far off occasion that will immediately precede Jesus' coming. Instead, he explains that they were already in the last days. 

Finally, after the Spirit is poured out in Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 2, Peter stands up in front of the throng of people to explain the cause of this unusual occurrence. He assures the crowd that those speaking in other tongues are not drunk. On the contrary, the events unfolding before their eyes and ears are in accordance with the prophecy of Joel, who had prophesied that God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28). And Peter says, "this is that" (Acts 2:16).

But, importantly, for the purposes of this brief article, Peter inserts a phrase that is actually not in Joel's prophecy. Do you know what the phrase is? The last days! Listen to what Peter preaches: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pout of my Spirit upon all flesh" (Acts 2:17). Peter is then saying that, because it is the last days, the Spirit has been poured out. This verse isn't speaking of a great outpouring of revival that will transpire prior to Christ's return; it is speaking of the glorious fact that the Spirit will characterize the entire period of time known as "the last days."

Are we in the last days? Yes. But so was the early church. Like them, we should eagerly anticipate Christ's return amidst these perilous times, rather than taking the perilous times as indubitable proof that Christ's return was right around the corner. It could be, but we can't know for certain. 

We should also lean in to the truths revealed about the last days. We ought to be listening carefully to the Son (Hebrews 1:2). We ought to receive afresh the power of the Holy Ghost so that we can work effectively in his kingdom (Acts 2:17). We ought to stick with the Scriptures, which is what Paul told Timothy to do amidst these perilous times (1 Timothy 3:1,14-17).

Don't despair because we are facing tough times. Difficult days have been common to humanity since the dawn of creation. On the contrary, embrace the resources available to God's people in these last days: the Spirit, the Son, and the Scriptures.