Note: this sermon represents the views of the author, not the position of the church or its elders.

Introduction

Just based on the words “the last days,” the phrase could pertain to one of two things:

• the final set of days, where the first set of days ends and a new, last set of days begins,
• or the final days leading up to the end of an era or age.

We will look to see which of these the Bible writers had in mind when they used the phrase.

The Last Days Foretold

In the Old Testament, prophets spoke of a coming time, the last days, when certain events would take place.

Micah 4:1

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it,

• Micah said that the mountain of the house of the Lord would be established in the latter days.
• Micah had just said that Jerusalem would be destroyed for its wickedness (Micah 3:12), then spoke of the latter days.
• Virtually identical words appear in Isaiah 2:2.
• Isaiah had just spoke of a time when God would turn his hand against Jerusalem (Isaiah 1:25), then spoke of the latter days.
• Therefore, they are both talking about the latter days of Israel.

Daniel 2:27-28

but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

• The dream is about the establishment of the indestructible, never-ending kingdom (Daniel 2:44).
• Literally, “latter days” means “end of the days” not “last set of days.”
• Similar to Micah and Isaiah, Daniel placed the establishment of the kingdom during the last days.

Daniel 10:14

and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.

• Daniel is given a vision of what would happen to his people, Israel, in their last days (lit. “end of the days”).
• In chapter 11, the details of the “end time” or “time of the end” (Daniel 11:35,40) are shown to Daniel.
• In chapter 12, Daniel is told that the end of these things would be when “the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end” (Daniel 12:7), including “the regular burnt offering [being] taken away” and “the abomination that makes desolate [being] set up” (Daniel 12:11).
• Jesus clearly identified the abomination of desolation as the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15, Luke 21:20).
• The latter days – the time of the end – would culminate in Jerusalem’s destruction.

OT Recap

• Micah and Isaiah predicted the establishment of the mountain of the house of the Lord in the last days
  • Micah: when Jerusalem would become a heap of ruins
  • Isaiah: when God would turn his hand against Jerusalem
• Daniel placed the coming of the kingdom in the last days
• Daniel saw the power of Israel shattered in the last days

The Last Days Realized

In the New Testament, the apostles spoke about living in the last days.

Acts 2:17

"'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

• Peter, quoting Joel 2:28-32, says that the Spirit would be poured out in, or during, the last days.
• He did not say that the pouring out of the Spirit would signify the beginning of the “last set of days.”
• In Acts 2:21, he says that during these last days “it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• The beginning of the last days preceded the ability to call upon the name of the Lord for salvation.
• Therefore, on Pentecost the last days were already in progress!

2 Timothy 3:1

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

• In 2 Timothy 3:5, Paul tells Timothy to avoid the people who would arise in the last days.
• Timothy would be alive and well during the last days!

James 5:3

Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.

• The rich had spent the last days increasing their wealth by fraud and living in luxury.
• In James 5:7-8, the victims are encouraged to be patient until the coming of the Lord which would be soon.
• In James 5:9, the Judge is standing at the door, indicating imminence.
• James wrote during the last days which would soon be coming to a close!

2 Peter 3:3

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

• In both of his letters, Peter was reminding his readers of things already predicted by the prophets and apostles.
• In his first letter, Peter indicated the imminence of the end, judgment, and salvation:
  • “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5)
  • “[Jesus] is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5)
  • “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Peter 4:7)
  • “it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17)
• In the last days scoffers would arise, following their own sinful desires (just like Paul warned Timothy).
• Jude says that this prediction had already come true (Jude 1:17-19) in his day.
• Jude says they crept in (Jude 1:4), just like Paul warned Timothy (2 Timothy 3:6) and Peter had warned (2 Peter 2:1).
• Jude says Enoch’s prophecy of the Lord coming in judgment was about these people (Jude 1:14-15).
• Jude wrote during the last days which Peter foretold!

Hebrews 1:1-2

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

• Jesus spoke to mankind during the last days.
• Hebrews 2:3 speaks of the word being declared first by Jesus and then later by witnesses, indicating that it was during his personal ministry that Jesus did this speaking.
• The writer says “these last days,” indicating that the last days were presently ongoing in the late 60s.
• So the last days began before the ministry of Christ and extended beyond the writing of Hebrews!

1 John 2:18

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

• In his first epistle, usually regarded to be some of the last NT writings, John indicates that they were living, not just in the last days, but in the last hour.
• This was assured by the presence of the antichrists who had already come.
• In Matthew 24:24-25, Jesus predicted the coming of these false Christs which would be immediately followed by his coming on the clouds (Matthew 24:27,30).
• By recognizing the fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus, John knew that the end was very near.
• The last days were down to their last hour.

NT Recap

• Peter recognized that Pentecost fell within the last days
• Paul braced Timothy for the difficulties of the last days
• James warned the rich who lived in luxury in the last days
• Jude saw the scoffers Peter predicted in the last days
• Hebrews affirms that Jesus spoke during the last days
• John saw the antichrists Jesus predicted in the last hour

Conclusions

• The last days were the final days of Israel, not the entirety of the New Testament era
• The last days began before the personal ministry of Jesus in AD30
• The last days saw the establishment of Christ’s everlasting kingdom and difficult times including scoffers and antichrists
• The last days culminated in Jerusalem’s destruction in AD70

Applications

• When we see the fulfillment of these last-day prophecies, we can have confidence that God keeps his word. 
  • He promised that he would destroy his own people for their unfaithfulness, and he did just that.
  • He promised that in those last days he would establish a kingdom that would have no end, and he did just that.
• Today we can be a part of that everlasting kingdom. On Pentecost, the day when Peter proclaimed that the last days had arrived, he told his audience that they must repent and be baptized to receive remission of their sins. The same holds true for us today.