This topic is not directly relevant to the exploration of God's extravagant grace that is the major focus of my book, blog and website.
However, I am asked this question often so I will answer it and place the question and my answer on the website under the "Questions" link.
So my answer? - Maybe, no, and I don't think so.
If the question is referring to the last days of the church age, then my answer is "maybe"; if it's referring to the last days of the world, then my answer is "no".
And if the question is referring to the last days mentioned frequently in the Bible, then my answer is "I don't think so".
The Last Days of the Church Age
I'm not sure we can find many clues from the Scriptures regarding the last days of the church age.
During the age in which we are currently living, God has put national Israel to one side whilst he gathers the Body of Christ (the Church) from all nations (including Israel).
God has these members already chosen and gives them faith when they hear the gospel so they become believers and the first fruits of the full harvest which is to be completed at the end of the ages.
So the church age will end when the final member of the Body of Christ has been added, and God turns his attention again to national Israel.
And only God knows when that will be because only he knows whom he has predestined to be in the Body of Christ.
So are we in the last days of the church age? ... Maybe ... but who knows but God alone?
The Last Days of the World
From my comments above it is clear than there is still an age or time to come when God deals with, and saves, national Israel. (Romans 11 : 25 - 27)
So are we in the last days of the world? ... No ... there is still much more to come.
The Last Days Mentioned in the Bible
There are many references to the last days in the Scriptures: but they don't appear to be referring to our church age or to the end of the world.
Let's take a look at some of them and see if we can determine to whom they might refer.
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter is explaining why the disciples are behaving in such a strange way:
These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.'
[Acts 2 : 15 - 17 NIV, this event occurred in the 30's AD]
Peter was aware that this gathering was taking place "in the last days".
He was implying that "we are in the last days right now".
Paul was equally aware of the days they were in.
In summing up some warnings from Israel's history, he said:
Now these things happened to those people as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
[1 Corinthians 10 : 11 LEB, written in the 50's AD]
The writer to the Hebrews also described Jesus' visit as being at the end of the ages:
For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf,
and not in order that he can offer himself many times, as the high priest enters into the sanctuary year by year with blood not his own,
since it would have been necessary for him to suffer many times from the foundation of the world, but now he has appeared once at the end of the ages for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.
[Hebrews 9 : 24 - 26 LEB, written in the 60's AD]
John was even more precise when he wrote:
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.
This is how we know it is the last hour.
[1 John 2 : 18 NIV, written in the 60's AD]
The time in which the New Testament writers (and the early Church) lived was variously described as the end of the ages, the last days and even the last hour.
So, the question becomes: the end of what ages, the last days of what, the last hour of what?
I believe they were in the last days of the Old Covenant era - the ages that culminated in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem.
So are we in the last days referred to in the Bible? I don't think so - they have long gone.
Blessings, Barry
I have spent the holidays re-designing the website and it will be ready for display by the end of the month as scheduled.
At this stage it will contain similar content to the current site, but will now be suitable for viewing by all types of phones, tablets, laptops and desktops.
It is composed mainly of brief snippets from the book together with articles (predominantly from this BLOG) that dig a bit deeper than a book designed for the general public would allow.
It will be at the same web address - www.ibtechservices.com.au.
I have also prepared a Scripture Index for "The Really Good News About God" which lists, in Biblical order, all texts referred to in the book. It can be viewed and downloaded from www.ibtechservices.com.au/downloads/ScriptureIndex.pdf.
I have also shifted the Discussion and Study Guide for "The Really Good News About God" from its original location to the same downloads folder. It can now be downloaded from www.ibtechservices.com.au/downloads/DandSGuide.pdf, and can be printed using the suggestions in the post on January 1st 2017 called Study Guide for "The Really Good News About God".
So, very little study and writing in January, just playing web site developer.
Blessings, Barry
In several previous posts I have listed a number of Bible texts that demonstrate the plan of God to eventually reconcile all of his creation. In this post I will use some of them to show how the expression of this plan runs right through the New Testament.
In the beginning God
created all things (Genesis 1) and all (these) created things are to be reconciled to himself (Colossians 1 : 16 - 20), because all things are from him, through him and to him (Romans 11 : 36). For this to be so, God must be in the restoration business (Acts 3 : 21). In fact, he promises to make all things new (Revelation 21 : 5).
God's plan is unchanging (Hebrews 6 : 17), his love, kindness and mercy are also unchanging, even towards his enemies (Luke 6 : 27 - 36), and his patience allows everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3 : 9), reflecting his desire for all people to be saved and to know the truth (1 Timothy 2 : 4). Indeed, he has allowed us all to be stubborn and disobedient so that he can have mercy on us all (Romans 11 : 32).
God appointed his Son, Jesus Christ,
to be the heir of all things (Hebrews 1 : 2), placing all things under his control (Ephesians 1 : 22), and to all of them he will give eternal life (John 17 : 2), through the giving of himself as a ransom for all people (1 Timothy 2 : 6), so that all people will see God's salvation. (Luke 3 : 6)
Jesus, knowing that God had given him authority over all things (John 3 : 35 and John 13 : 3), promised to draw all people to himself (John 12 : 32), and lose none of them (John 6 : 37 - 39). However, if any of them does stray, he will go after them until he finds them (Luke 15 : 4).
Jesus came so that all people should come to belief (John 1 : 7 and 9) ensuring that the world would be saved through him (John 3 : 17) - his grace bringing salvation to the world (Titus 2 : 11) by taking away the world's sin (John 1 : 29 and 1 John 2 : 2). As Jesus said, "I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12 : 47), and he did this by destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3 : 8), destroying death and bringing life and immortality through the gospel (2 Timothy 1 : 10).
So, not only has sin been dealt with (Hebrews 9 : 26), but Jesus gave his life for the life of the world as well (John 6 : 33 and 51). Yes, every descendant of Adam who has inherited death from him will become a descendant of Christ and will therefore inherit life from him (1 Corinthians 15 : 22).
Jesus completes his work when all things have submitted to him (Philippians 2 : 10 and 11), and he hands over his kingdom to God so that God becomes everything to everyone (1 Corinthians 15 : 24 - 28).
Consequently,
we can be assured that God will bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ (Ephesians 1 : 10), having brought justification and life to all people (Romans 5 : 18), that assurance being confirmed by the knowledge that God's gifts and call are irrevocable (Romans 11 : 29).
Surely a quick summary like this can be used as a reasonable excuse for being a heretic.
Blessings, Barry
