This Article: (4 Pages)
- 1. Latter Days and End Time
- 2. It was not for the Apostles to... Know the Times of the Return
- 3. The latter days of the nations
- 4. Daniel 8: the 2,300 years
3) The latter days of the nations
The“day of the Lord” was the judgement on Jerusalem, on those who cried, “His blood be on us, and on our children” (Mat 27:25) which occurred in AD 70. This 'day of the Lord' was brought about by,
“the people of the commander that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26).
The 'people of the Commander' were the Romans, just as Nebuchnezzar was the servant of Yahweh (Jeremiah 27:6). Mark and Matthew's record of the Olivet prophecy focuses on this dreadful day, but Luke's record focuses more on events after that. Yeshua saw a period of down-treading of Jerusalem “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). When these times are fulfilled the latter days have already begun.
Ezekiel says in “the latter days” Israel will exist as a nation.
And thou (Gog) shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days... . (Ezekiel 38:16)
Jeremiah further enlarges on this,
For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. .. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. (Jeremiah 30:3-9)
Daniel revealed,
But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days; (Dan 2:28)
The vision covers time until the image stands with kings who are partly weak and partly strong.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)
Therefore the latter days refers to the era just before the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. Daniel is told also what would happen to Israel,
Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. (Daniel 10:14)
Daniel is then given a history of the king of the South and the king of the North until the time Michael– meaning 'One like God (El- Mighty One)' comes in a 'time of trouble' to deliver his people. Hosea adds,
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. (Hos 3:4-5)
Since 1948 there is a nation of Israel. They do not, as their neighbour Jordan, have a king. They also don't have a temple or the sacrifices as they had at the return of the captivity from Babylon. This prophecy says that they shall be like this for 'many days'. These are the latter days.
Why we won't know the exact date of 'the last day'
The 'latter days' is an era of time. The 'last day' is a specific day. The length of time of the prophecy is often quite clear, however, the exact start date may not be obvious. In other cases the prophetic period is expressed in terms of “times and seasons”, so firstly it must be determined what is precisely meant. Another issue is that an event in history is very rarely encapsulated in one date or day. A point that should be made is that prophecy is written so it is seen as if looking through a telescope, the end always seems close.
So the dates in the work following must be understood as a speculation based on the best knowledge now. The future may reveal more.
Show All
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
This may be one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible. Paul is notorious for long sentences of connected thoughts, and this is part of a complex wide ranging thought which lasts 2 chapters, and includes what seems opposite advice:
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Cor. 5:11-13)
Over all of history the servants of God have known the signs of the times: their times. They have seen the direction of events toward the Kingdom of God on earth replacing the kingdoms, republics and democracies of humans.
An article prompted by National DNA day April 25 celebrating the understanding of DNA.
As I was thinking to write this article, having just read Psalm 46 as I do each year on that day, on January 25th a Bible was found untouched after a tornado hit Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
We have been given many time periods to prophetic events in the Bible. Many people think it too hard, and do not make an effort to understand them. However, if they were not to be understood, why were they given? And the Bible says the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:10).
