by Dave Root, VividChristianity.com, last modified on 07/16/2024.

As you read this section, keep in mind that the New Testament is not merely a history book, it's meant to change us to become more and more like Jesus. When we read any passages in the New Testament, our goal should be to discern what God wants us to believe and do so that we can be obedient to Him.


The Church Age began on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4, and it will end when Jesus comes and "snatches up" all Christians to take us into heaven, which will be followed by seven years when the Antichrist will be in power, followed by the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth (see my series called The Rapture of the Church). When modern Christians talk about the last days or the end-times, they're usually referring to the final years of the Church Age before Jesus returns.

However, when the human authors of the Bible talked about the last days, they didn't always have the same "last days" in mind. For example, these passages use the Hebrew words for "last days" (ahariyt yom), but there's no clear connection with Jesus' return:

"And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days [ahariyt yom]"" (Genesis 49:1 NKJV)

"And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days [ahariyt yom]." (Numbers 24:14 NKJV)

"When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days [ahariyt yom] you will return to the LORD your God and obey him." (Deuteronomy 4:30)

"For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days [ahariyt yom], because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands." (Deuteronomy 31:29 NKJV)

"The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days [ahariyt yom] you will understand it perfectly." (Jeremiah 23:20 NKJV)

"The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days [ahariyt yom] you will consider it." (Jeremiah 30:24 NKJV)

Some of the above passages might be referring to what we call the end-times, but we can't really be certain.

These passages also use the Hebrew words for "last days" (ahariyt yom), and they describe certain things that will happen after Jesus returns:

"In the last days [ahariyt yom] the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:2-4)

"Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days [ahariyt yom]." (Hosea 3:5)

"In the last days [ahariyt yom] the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Micah 4:1-3)

""Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab In the latter days [ahariyt yom]," says the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab." (Jeremiah 48:47 NKJV)

"'But it shall come to pass in the latter days [ahariyt yom]: I will bring back the captives of Elam,' says the LORD." (Jeremiah 49:39 NKJV)

"You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days [ahariyt yom] 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." (Ezekiel 38:16 NKJV)

"Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days [ahariyt yom], for the vision refers to many days yet to come." (Daniel 10:14 NKJV)

Isaiah 2:2-4 (above), Hosea 3:5 (above), and Micah 4:1-3 (above) are referring to Jesus' thousand-year reign on earth after the Second Coming (see my article called What Will Happen after the Second Coming?). Jeremiah 48:47 (above) and Jeremiah 49:39 (above) are also probably referring to Jesus' thousand-year reign on earth after the Second Coming, according to a number of Bible commentaries, because "bring back the captives" can also be translated as "restore the fortunes." Ezekiel 38:16 (above) is part of an end-times prophecy concerning a Russian invasion of Israel, which has not yet happened but will take place before the Second Coming (see sign #15 in my article called End-Times Prophecies Are Coming to Pass Right before Our Eyes). Daniel 10:14 (above) is part of a number of prophecies given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel that describe the activities of various kings and armies (many of which were fulfilled long ago), leading up to the activities of the Antichrist during the seven years before the Second Coming (see my series called The Rapture of the Church). The above passages are all of the places in the Old Testament that use the Hebrew words for "last days," and we can see that they're not always referring to what we would call the end-times.

These passages are all of the places in the New Testament that use the Greek words for "last days" (eschatos hemera):

"On the last day [eschatos hemera], that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."" (John 7:37 NKJV)

""And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day [eschatos hemera]. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day [eschatos hemera]." ..."No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day [eschatos hemera]...Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day [eschatos hemera]."" (John 6:39-54)

"Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day [eschatos hemera]."" (John 11:23-24)

"There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day [eschatos hemera]." (John 12:48)

"Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 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 [eschatos hemera], 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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.'"" (Acts 2:14-18)

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days [eschatos hemera] he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days [eschatos hemera]." (James 5:1-3)

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days [eschatos hemera]. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

"Above all, you must understand that in the last days [eschatos hemera] scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."" (2 Peter 3:3-4)

John 7:37 (above) refers to the last day of the week-long Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). John 6:39-54, 11:23-24, and 12:48 (above) all refer to the Rapture, when Jesus will "snatch up" all Christians to meet Him in the clouds (resurrecting all of the dead Christians) and take us back into heaven, which will be the Church's last day on earth in our mortal bodies (see my series called The Rapture of the Church). Acts 2:14-18 (above) took place just after the original 120 disciples spoke in tongues on the day of Pentecost. This passage tells us that in one sense, the last days began in the first century. Hebrews 1:1-2 (above) and James 5:1-3 (above) also indicate that the last days began in the first century. As my article called The Rapture of the Church - Part Six shows, most of the authors of the New Testament expected that Jesus would return in their lifetime, so they believed they were living in the last days or the end-times. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (above), the apostle Paul said that there will be (future tense) terrible times in the last days, and 2 Peter 3:3-4 (above) says that in the last days scoffers will come (future tense), so those passages place the last days in their future. The above passages are all of the places in the New Testament that use the Greek words for "last days," and we can see that they're not always referring to what we would call the end-times.

The New Testament doesn't use the expression "end-times" or "end times" or "endtimes," but it sometimes refers to "times" or "ages":

"We should not test Christ, as some of them did - and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come." (1 Corinthians 10:9-11)

"but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." (1 Peter 1:19-20)

"Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself." (Hebrews 9:26)

"he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment - to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." (Ephesians 1:9-10)

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6-7)

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3)

"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." (Jude 1:17-19)

In 1 Corinthians 10:9-11 (above), 1 Peter 1:19-20 (above), and Hebrews 9:26 (above), Paul and Peter and the author of Hebrews referred to the first century as "the culmination of the ages" and "these last times." But in the other passages above, Paul and Jude spoke of the coming ages and the last times as being in their future.

What we've seen is that when the human authors of the Bible talked about "the last days" or "ages" or "times," they didn't always have the same last days or ages or times in mind. As always, the context is important when studying the Bible, and it's also very important to try to be thorough, objective, and unbiased so that we can see the full picture when we study the Bible (see my article called How to Study the Bible).

Again, when modern Christians talk about the last days or the end-times, they're usually referring to the final years of the Church Age before Jesus returns. As my article called The Rapture of the Church - Part Six shows, Jesus' return was considered to be imminent all throughout the New Testament, so in that sense they believed they were living in the last days or the end-times. His return is still imminent, as my series on the Rapture shows, so in that sense we're always in the last days, even if He doesn't return for another hundred or thousand years.

However, notice that Jesus repeatedly spoke about "the end of the age":

"Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear."" (Matthew 13:36-43)

"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:47-50)

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."" (Matthew 28:18-20)

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."" (Matthew 24:3-8)

In Matthew 13:36-43 and 13:47-50 (above), Jesus gave us the order of the events that will happen shortly after the Second Coming, which are described in detail in my article called The Rapture of the Church - Part Eight. Notice that He referred to the time shortly after the Second Coming as "the end of the age." In Matthew 28:18-20 (above), Jesus said that He will be with us to the very end of the age, helping us carry out the Great Commission (see chapter 1 in the free PDF of my book called Divine Healing Absolutely Is for Today). Jesus told us to pay attention to the signs of the times so that we'll know when we're in the season of His return (Matthew 16:1-3, Luke 21:27-31), and in Matthew 24:3-8 (above), the disciples asked Him what will be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age. In that passage, He gave us the one specific sign to watch for that will tell us when we're in the season of His return, and He compared that season with a woman's birth pains (because when her labor pains begin, it means that the baby is on its way).

So Jesus gave us one specific sign to watch for that will tell us when we're in the season of His return. What most Christians probably don't realize is that this one specific sign happened early in the twentieth century, and ever since then, many very specific prophecies of the end-times described in the book of Revelation and in other prophetic passages have already been fulfilled or else they are well underway, and the world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described in Bible prophecy. All of these very specific signs of the times are described in my article called End-Times Prophecies Are Coming to Pass Right before Our Eyes.

When a woman goes into labor, it might last a few minutes, or several hours, or even longer. That's the human time frame for labor. In God's time frame, we really don't know how long the "birth pains" (as Jesus called them) will last. But the "birth pains" have begun. We're in "labor" right now. We're in the season of Jesus' return, and we've been in this season since early in the twentieth century. We are very definitely in the last of the last days and near the end of the end-times. To get an idea of how close we might be to the Rapture, see the intended impact of my book.