Last Days – Past or Present? (2 of 2)

by George Sidney Hurd
 
Every generation of believers who has loved or longed for Christ’s return have held on to the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our Lord within their own lifetime, just as we have been exhorted to do (2Tim 4:8; Titus 2:13; Mark 13:37).  
 
However, within just the last few years a growing number of Christians have abandoned the blessed hope, instead embracing Preterism, which is the belief that the last days are behind us – that Christ already returned in 70AD, destroying Jerusalem through the Roman armies, binding Satan in the abyss and initiating His millennial reign on earth.
 
In the title of his book, one Partial Preterist expresses the common sentiment of Preterists towards those who still believe that we are living in the last days, entitling it, “Last Days Madness.” [1] In the previous blog, Where is the Promise of His Coming? I briefly sought to demonstrate from Scripture that the Second Coming is yet future. The objective of this blog is to also demonstrate that the prophecies concerning the last days were not fulfilled in 70AD and that many of them have yet to occur.
 
Two Distinct Sets of Prophecies concerning the Last Days
 
What many fail to take into account is that there are two sets of prophesies concerning the last days. First, there are prophecies given to the people of Israel in the Old Testament concerning the last days, beginning with the coming of Christ, their Messiah. Then, there are the prophecies given to the Church concerning the last days and the Second Coming of Christ.
 
For Israel, the first event in the last days was the coming of their Messiah and King to set up His kingdom on earth from Jerusalem after a prolonged period of dispersion. Several passages prophesied concerning this coming restoration of the nation and the Messianic reign which would begin in the last days:
 
“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” (Hos 3:4-5)
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Yahweh Tsidquenu). 7 Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that they shall no longer say, ‘as the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jer 23:5-8).
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa 2:2-4)
 
As one can see from the above prophesies concerning the latter days, the coming of Christ, Israel’s Messiah, was the first indicator that they were in the last days, when all Israel would turn to the Lord, and He would restore them as a nation, reigning over the nations of the world from Jerusalem. However, Israel rejected their Messiah and King when Christ formally presented Himself in the triumphal entry. It was upon rejecting His kingdom offer that Jesus said to them: “the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matt 21:43). Then, He told them that they would be left desolate because they did not recognize the hour of their visitation:
 
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matt 23:37-39, cf. Luke 19:44)
 
So, when the time came for Israel’s promised last days restoration of the kingdom, the kingdom was temporarily taken from them until such a time when they would receive Him. Instead of Israel being regathered from the dispersion and Christ reigning from Jerusalem, Jesus told the Jews in Judea that they also would be dispersed, just as the northern tribes before them, and that Jerusalem would be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled (Luke 21:24). Only after that will the remaining last days prophesies concerning Israel be fulfilled when Christ comes a second time to deliver and restore them.
 
The disciples, knowing about the prophesies concerning Israel’s restoration in the last days and failing to understand that Israel had been set aside in judgment, asked Jesus after He had risen from the dead if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time (Acts 1:6). They were correct in their understanding as to the sequence of events prophesied concerning the last days for Israel, but they failed to see that, due to Israel’s rejection of the kingdom, the clock for their prophetic calendar had stopped. Israel was temporarily set aside in judgment until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and the fullness of the Gentiles has entered into the fold.  Then the clock will resume for them and all Israel will be saved (Rom 11:25-29).
 
It is for this reason that the author of Hebrews, as well as Peter, spoke of the incarnation and earthly ministry of Christ as having occurred “in these last days” (Heb 1:1-2; 1Peter 1:20-21). Yet, at the same time, Peter spoke of the last days as something still in the future. He said:
 
“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)
 
Here we see Peter telling believers around 65AD what would occur in their future in the last days. Around the same time, Paul also spoke of the latter days as being yet future, saying: “in the latter times some will depart from the faith…”, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…”, and “in the last days perilous times will come because men will be lovers of self…” (1Tim 4:1-2; 2Tim 4:1-5; 3:1-6). Obviously, if Preterism were true, Peter and Paul wouldn’t have been speaking of the last days as something yet future. Being so near to 70AD, surely they would have emphasized that they were already living in the last days.
 
The reason why the New Testament authors could at times refer to the last days as present and also future is because there are two sets of prophesies concerning the last days. From the time of the incarnation of Yahweh Tsidquenu, their Messiah, they were in the last days for Israel, which, due to their rejection of Him, were frozen in time until the times of the restoration of all, prophesied in the Old Testament (Acts 3:19-21). At the same time, they were entering into the times of the Gentiles, which will continue until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, in the last days for the Church, when Christ will return. This age ends with the New Testament signs of the end of the age and the Second Coming of Christ dovetailing with the remainder of the signs of the last days given to Israel in the Old Testament.
 
Last Day Events Yet to be Fulfilled
 
Preterists claim that the last days concluded, and Christ returned in 70AD, ushering in the new age. However, there are numerous prophesies concerning the last days in both testaments which have yet to be fulfilled. Here we will be examining a few of them.
 
The Invasion of Israel by Russia in the Latter Years
 
The expression “latter years” and “latter days” are used interchangeably in Ezekiel 38, indicating that they refer to the same point in history. Therefore, if we establish that the “latter years” are yet future, then all the fifteen times where the “latter days” are mentioned can be assumed to refer to the same future time. Looking at Ezekiel 38 and 39, it is clear that the latter days, or latter years, are yet future:
 
“Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops — many people are with you… 8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you…’ 14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? 15 Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.” (Ezek 38:2-9,14-16)
 
While it is not the objective of this blog to enter into detail concerning the fulfillment of this prophecy, it is definitely referring to a yet future event in the latter days.  History has not recorded an allied invasion against Israel which fits this description. 
 
In the first place, it states that the invasion will take place at a time referred to as the latter years or the latter days when Israel will have been re-gathered into the land. In the first century, Israel had not yet been fully regathered into the land of Israel. On more than one occasion we see reference to those Jews who were still dispersed among the nations in the first century:
 
“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.” (James 1:1; cf. Jn 7:35; 1Peter 1:1; Acts 26:7)
 
Obviously, in the times of Christ the majority among the twelve tribes were still scattered in the dispersion. Some would say that the ten northern tribes were forever lost. However, Paul, in Acts 26:7 refers to the twelve tribes as existing in his day. The promised re-gathering of the nation of Israel, which we see referred to several times in the Old Testament, had not yet occurred in AD 70 (cf. Hosea 3:4; Isa 11:9-11; Ezek 37:21-38:12). Therefore, the latter-day re-gathering of Israel, when David shall be their king for the coming ages, has not yet been fulfilled.
 
It is important to understand that even before Israel crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, the Lord, who knows the end from the beginning, told Israel that they would be conquered and scattered among the nations until the latter days, at which time they would be restored, never to be dispersed again:
 
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. 27 And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 28 And there you will serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. 29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice 31 (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.” (Deut 4:26-31; cf. Ezek 37:21-27; Isa 2:2-4)
 
In Deuteronomy 4, we clearly see that none of Israel’s actions have taken God by surprise. From the moment God called Abraham, He knew that his descendants would reject and crucify their Messiah. That was included in His eternal plan. Also included in that plan was His irrevocable oath that He would not forsake nor destroy Israel, but that they would be re-gathered and restored in the latter days, never to be scattered again. Therefore, we can clearly see that the last days do not refer to Israel’s destruction in 70 AD, but rather they refer to Israel’s re-gathering and deliverance at the time of Christ’s future Second Coming when they shall say, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  
 
In the second place, Israel has not yet been invaded by the allied forces described in this prophecy. While it is debated, Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, most probably has reference to modern day Russia. Meshech and Tubal seem to be referring to the western and southern regions of Russia (Rosh). Before the Bolshevik revolution, the western capitol was Moscow, which is believed by some to have evolved from Meshech, and the eastern capitol is Tobolsk which is said to have evolved from Tubal. Several of the other nations mentioned as participating with Russia are presently allied with Russia against Israel. Also, we see that God’s divine intervention for Israel’s deliverance will be so obviously supernatural that all nations will know that He is the Lord (Ezek 39:6-7). Such an unprecedented deliverance for Israel indicates that we have yet to see this battle take place. Therefore, the latter days have not yet reached their culmination. This battle certainly did not occur in the Preterists 70AD “last days” destruction event. The battle of Ezekiel 38-39 is said to save Israel from their enemies, not destroy her.
 
Some have argued that Ezekiel cannot be referring to modern day Russia, since the description of weaponry does not correspond to a modern-day battle. However, even if Ezekiel was shown a modern battle in his vision, he would have still described it with terms familiar to the people of his day so that they could understand him. There were not even words in their vocabulary to adequately describe modern weaponry.
 
Christ Reigns from Jerusalem in the Latter Days
 
We also see in the Old Testament Scriptures that the latter days not only marks the end of “man’s day,” but also introduces us into the Day of the Lord, when war shall be no more because the Lord will have set up His throne in Jerusalem:   
 
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. 2 Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. ‘For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 5 For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God Forever and ever. 6 ‘In that day,’ says the Lord, ‘I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; 7 I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; so the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.” (Mic 4:1-7)
 
Cleary, this prophesy is yet to be fulfilled when the Deliverer comes from Zion to save Israel (Rom 11:25-29). That which occurred in Jerusalem in 70AD was the exact opposite of that which this prophesy concerning the last days is describing.
 
The Resurrection of the Dead is at the End of Days, after the Great Tribulation
 
Another event that marks the last days, which has not yet occurred, is the resurrection of the dead. That it is a bodily resurrection and not merely a spiritual one, as some Preterists would affirm, is evident from Daniel’s description, where he speaks of it as the awakening of those sleeping in the dust of the earth:
 
“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase… 9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” (Dan 12:1-4; 9-13)
 
Here we see, just as presented in the New Testament, that the resurrection takes place after the Great Tribulation. Daniel is told that he will rise to his inheritance at the end of the days. Are we to understand by this that Daniel was resurrected in 70AD? Of course not! The resurrection is at the end of days, after the future Great Tribulation, at the same time that the living are caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1Thess 4:16-17).
 
Jesus also referred to the resurrection as taking place at the time of the end or the last day:
 
“This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.  40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40)
 
Scoffers in the Last Days
 
There is another passage in the New Testament that, to me, clearly militates against the claim that the last days ended in 70AD, as Preterists claim:
 
“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2Peter 3:3-13)
 
According to the Preterists, the last days ended, and the Day of the Lord commenced in AD 70. However, in this passage we see that, due to the apparent delay of the Lord’s coming, many will begin to scoff at Christians for their continued hope in His return. He explains that the reason for the Lord’s delay is His longsuffering toward us, not willing that any of us should perish. However, he says that the day will come suddenly. When the day of the Lord does come, it says that the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat - bringing in the new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. This is very obviously referring to a yet future Day of the Lord. Nothing occurred in 70AD, which could in any way be said to correspond to that which is here described.
 
Nevertheless, Preterists attempt to argue that it was actually fulfilled in 70AD. Instead of seeing it as having reference to those who will come scoffing prior to a future Second Coming to bring deliverance, the Preterist Jonathan Welton explains in his book, Raptureless: “the Christians were being mocked for believing that Jesus was actually coming to bring judgment upon the Temple.” [2] However, Peter says that at that time the heavens will pass away, and the earth will be burned up. How does Welton explain that? He doesn’t attempt to explain how the heavens could have passed away at that time, but he does try to argue that the reference to the “earth” being burned up in the Day of the Lord, only refers to the land of Israel being burned in 70AD. He says:
 
“The word for ‘earth’ used here in the Greek is ge, not kosmos. Ge is the word for ‘land,’ whereas kosmos is the word for ‘the whole world.’ This is not about the destruction of the Planet Earth (kosmos), but it is about the destruction of the land of Israel (ge).” [3]
 
However, his argument does not hold up under scrutiny. As I further demonstrate in my book Last Days – Past or Present?, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the Greek word ge is the proper name of our planet, just as “the Earth” to us normally means Planet Earth, and even moreso when accompanied by the definite article. Especially when we see the earth mentioned in relation to the heavens, we know instinctively that it is referring to the entire Planet Earth. Therefore, this exhortation for godly living is applicable to the entire Church all around the world and not just to the Christians who happened to be living in Jerusalem before AD 70.
 
 
It further states in 2Peter 3:10 that the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. The obvious sense of the elements melting with a fervent heat is that it refers to the recreation of heaven and earth. However, that does not fit well with a 70AD fulfillment. How does Welton explain this? Incredibly, he argues that the elements that are melted with a fervent heat refer to the elementary rituals and observances of feast days mentioned by the apostle Paul. [4]
 
If indeed the context were to indicate that Peter was actually talking about the observances of the rituals of the Law, we could possibly, with a little creative imagination, construe the “melting of the elements with a fervent heat” to have reference to the passing of the Old Covenant Law. However, the context is not speaking of the Law, but rather the heavens and the earth, which will be melted down and made anew in the Day of the Lord.
 
The Antichrist and the Last Hour
 
Before leaving the subject of the last days, I would like to consider a verse which, as translated in some versions, could lead one to believe that John thought they were living at the very end of the age:
 
“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1John 2:18)
 
As rendered, John seems to be saying that the presence of antichrist gnostic teachers indicated that they were in the final hour when the prophesied Antichrist was to appear. However, this wouldn’t lend support to a 70AD coming, since 1John was written between 95 and 100AD, long after the destruction of Jerusalem. Also, in the original Greek, the phrase “last hour” in both instances is anarthrous (without the definite article), as we see expressed in a literal translation of the text:
 
“Little children, it is a last hour, and as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from which you know that it is a last hour.” (1John 2:18 LITV) 
 
The absence of the definite article in Greek does not necessarily constitute the noun indefinite as in English, but rather emphasizes its character or qualities. Therefore, what John was actually saying was that the times in which they were living had the characteristics of the final hour, due to the presence of antichrists. However, at the same time, he makes it clear that the Antichrist was yet to come on the scene. He did not say that it was the last hour, but rather that it bore resemblance to the last hour. The Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest captures the true sense of 1 John 2:18 in his translation. It reads:
 
“it is a last hour in character. And even as you heard that Antichrist comes, even now, antichrists, many of them, have arisen and are here; from which fact we know by experience that it is a last hour in character.” [5]
 
Welton argues that the Antichrist is not a personage yet to come, but rather a system of teaching. He says: “The antichrist isn’t a person; it is a belief system, specifically, Gnosticism.[6] To do this he must establish that the word antichrist is not a proper noun, and therefore does not refer to a person, but to a belief system. He argues the following:
 
“The reason for the capitalization is because the translators inserted the word the before the word antichrist, thus making antichrist into a proper noun, which requires capitalization. The early Church had heard that antichrist (false teaching) was coming, but they had not heard that the Antichrist (a One-World ruler) was coming. The insertion of the and the capitalization of Antichrist was added 1,500 years later by the translators.” [7]
 
In response, I would like to point out that the Byzantine text, which is representative of the majority of the extant Greek texts, does appear with the Greek definite article, and for that reason, “Antichrist” appears capitalized in the majority of the translations. Even if one places more weight upon the few earlier texts which exclude the article, the absence of the article doesn’t indicate that it is not a proper name. Proper names very often occur in the Greek text without an article.
 
Also, contrary to what Welton claims, we see that the early Church understood the Antichrist to be a person who would come in their future and not just a belief system. [8] Being themselves Greek speaking, and the closest in time to the teaching of the apostles, we should be reluctant to discount their understanding of the Antichrist.
 
Conclusion
 
In summary, we have seen that most of the prophesies concerning the last days, whether they be those of the Old Testament, or those of the New Testament, have yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, the references to the last days in Scripture do not apply to the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem. Looking at the present situation in the world and in many of the churches, I am convinced that we are now living in the last days and that Jesus will soon return.
 
Some say that this subject isn’t worth contending for. However, I am convinced that perhaps the greatest end-time deception of our day is the Preterist’s denial that we are living in the end-times, since it results in the very generation of Christians who most need to be watchful, ignoring the signs of the end and the warnings concerning the end-times deception and a final apostacy or deconstruction, departing from the faith. In closing, I would like to leave the reader with a few of the relevant passages to ponder, passages which are being ignored as being irrelevant by many Preterists in our generation:
 
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim 4:2-5) 
 
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith (deconstruct), giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1Tim 4:1-2)
 
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Tim 3:1-5)
 
“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)
 
“Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  25 See, I have told you beforehand… 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matt 24:23-25,27)
 
“And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.’” (Dan 12:9-10)
 
This blog is in part an extract from my book, Last Days – Past or Present?


[1] Gary Demar, Last Day Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church.
 

[2] Welton, Jonathan (2013-11-01). Raptureless: An Optimistic Guide to the End of the World - Revised Edition Including The Art of Revelation (Kindle Locations 2017-2018). BookBaby. Kindle Edition.
 

[3] Welton, Jonathan (2013-11-01). Raptureless: An Optimistic Guide to the End of the World - Revised Edition Including The Art of Revelation (Kindle Locations 2042-2044). BookBaby. Kindle Edition.
 

[4] Welton, Jonathan (2013-11-01). Raptureless: An Optimistic Guide to the End of the World - Revised Edition Including The Art of Revelation (Kindle Locations 2072-2190). BookBaby. Kindle Edition.
 

[5] An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Wuest
 

[6] Welton, Jonathan (2013-11-01). Raptureless: An Optimistic Guide to the End of the World - Revised Edition Including The Art of Revelation (Kindle Locations 2262-2263). BookBaby. Kindle Edition.
 

[7] Welton, Jonathan (2013-11-01). Raptureless: An Optimistic Guide to the End of the World - Revised Edition Including The Art of Revelation (Kindle Locations 2268-2271). BookBaby. Kindle Edition.
 
[8]Irenaeus (AD 160 to 230)“But when this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this world, he will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the temple at Jerusalem; and then the Lord will come from heaven in the clouds, in the glory of the Father…”
“For he (Antichrist) being endued with all the power of the devil, shall come, not as a righteous king, nor as a legitimate king in subjection to God, but an impious, unjust, and lawless one…”
 
Tertullian: (AD 160 to 220)
“…that the city of fornication may receive from the ten kings its deserved doom, and that the beast Antichrist with his false prophet may wage war on the Church of God…”
 

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