As we move about our Christian Arenas these days, frequently we will hear the term “Last Days” and we also hear the term “End times”. If we listen closely, it seems that many believers, teachers, pastors, friends etc. will use the two terms interchangeably. Some will be talking about the Last Days and then say, “Well we are surely living in the End Times.
This begs the question, “Are the Last Days and the End Times” just two terms that are referring to the same time period? Let’s examine last days vs end times using the scriptures.
We all are very familiar with the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and the words of Peter explaining, that which had just recently happened in the upper room. Most can even quote the verses.
Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
The prophecy by Joel was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost thus beginning the “Last Days!” The church, which is the body of Christ, also had its beginning at the same time. In Ephesians 3, Paul refers to the church as the Dispensation of Grace. Hebrews also refers to the time when Jesus is at the right hand of the Father ruling from the throne of God as the “Last Days.”
Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward.
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
We see that the “Last Days” began on the day of Pentecost. Also this time is referred to as “the dispensation of the grace of God.” In the body of Christ we call this time period of time “the church age”.
When we examine Revelation 1:19, we find that the book gives its own outline and chapters 2 and 3 are “the things which are.” Contained therein are the 7 epistles to the churches spoken by the Lord Jesus to John to write to the churches.
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks, which thou saw are the seven churches.
The time of the “Last Days” will stop at the harpazo, which is the time the Lord gathers His body, which is the church, unto Himself in the air.
1Thes 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
At this time the “Last Days” will come to an end. The church time clock will be turned off. At that time the Jewish time clock will restart and will finish with the 70th week of the prophecy of Daniel in chapter 9.
Now let’s switch our attention to the “End Times”. Jesus came out of the Temple and made a statement that got the disciples very, very excited. They hurried Him back to the Mount of Olives and asked him three questions. One question was about the End of the Age and Jesus expounded on what the “End Times” would look like. However, at this time the disciples had no understanding concerning the church or the harpazo, which we call the rapture. The church and the rapture are both mysteries. They were revealed after the day of Pentecost.
Matt 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
1. When shall these things be? What things? Not one stone left upon another!
This is the destruction of Temple in 70 AD.
2. What shall be the sign of thy coming? Which coming? The harpazo or the Second Advent?
The Second Advent! How do we know they are asking about the Second Advent?
They don’t know about the harpazo! Why? The harpazo (which we call the rapture) is a mystery
and is not revealed until after Acts chapter 2.
3. What shall be the sign of the end of the age? Which age, the Jewish age or the church age?
The Jewish age! What is the end of the Jewish age? The tribulation period, which is the last half of
Daniel’s prophecy of the 70th week!
Once again, how do we know that the disciples are not asking about the church age in Matt 24?
Because the church is a mystery and they don’t know about the church age! The church was only revealed after the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Notice the preamble of Jesus in answering these questions because it includes the end or “End Times” as we say it.
Matt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceives you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
These wars and rumors of wars are not what we have seen or what we are seeing today. Once the body of Christ is gathered out of the earth, all hell is going to break loose with all nations and evil leaders jockeying for control of the earth. Notice that wars and rumors of wars are a “non-sign”.
Jesus answers question #2. What shall be the sign of thy coming?
Matt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Then Jesus answers question #3. What shall be the sign of the end of the age?
Matt 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
The overview would be this. Once the church, which is the body of Christ, has put the enemy under foot then the Lord Jesus will come in the air and The Head of the church will gather His body and return to heaven. The earth will go into a period of great upheaval with wars and rumors of wars. Then there will arise a great political leader and bring the earth into some form of order and peace. Then this prince, of Daniels prophecy, will confirm the covenant with the many for one week i.e. the 70th week of Daniel. This signing of the covenant will start the beginning of the last seven years of Jewish time. In the middle of the week, 3½ years in, he will commit the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation will begin and this period is the “End Times”, as described by Jesus. At the end of the tribulation period, Jesus will appear like lightening from the east to the west and stand upon the earth. Then will be the judgment of nations.
It is very important to get a clear understanding of Daniel 9:24-27
Another point of importance as per timing is noting that Rev 1:19 list the outline of the book. The things that John had seen, was the resurrected Lord as described in chapter one. The things that are, which are the seven letters to the seven churches in chapter 2 and 3. The things that shall be hereafter is that which will follow the church age.
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.
After this and hereafter are both the Gk words “Meta Tauta” (#3326 & #5023) the same two words as in the Rev 1:19 hereafter.
Rev 4:1 starts the account of that which will follow on the earth after the church age. We notice that from that point, John is seeing things from heaven looking down on the earth.
We are living in the dispensation of grace, which we call the church age. We should be rightly dividing the scriptures between the “Last Days”, which pertain to present time and “End Times”, which pertain to that which follows the time of the church being caught up in the air to meet the Lord Jesus.
“Last Days” and “End Times” are not two different ways to speak about the same time period.
Grace and Peace multiplied in the name of Jesus.
Compiled by Jerry Thomas 04/26/2024.
All scripture references are (KJV) unless otherwise denoted.
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