Firstly, let it be known that the purpose here is not to come to a conclusion as to when the world will end, but rather to come to a better understanding of the context of scriptures referring to the end time.

When speaking of the end of the world, the Lord told his disciples that “of that day and hour no man knows—not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Nonetheless, immediately after Christ’s ministry on earth, false prophets and teachers arose, espousing many doctrines and beliefs, even going so far in some cases as to say the resurrection was already past. Many other false prophets followed even until the present, making prophesies and assigning dates, which, for the most part, both they and their “prophesies” have now expired.

It is not for us to know the exact times, but it is given to those to whom it pertains to know the seasons. When the disciples asked Jesus if he was at that time going to restore the kingdom to Israel, he said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.”

The specific time and season they had inquired about regarding the restoration of Israel and his coming did not pertain to them. It was not to be in their time. Therefore, it was not given to them to know, being that the ministries given to them were to plant and build the church and to feed the flock.

When Peter inquired of Jesus about what was to become of John in the future, Jesus answered him, saying, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.”

Just as the disciples had a great curiosity to know the future, it is understandable that we also desire to know what will come and when. However, God only gives us what we need to know. It is not a good thing to become overly engaged in affairs that are not going to be beneficial to what the Lord has planned for your life. As Jesus said, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”

If we become preoccupied with expectations of things that we think might be, we will miss things that are now. Only too late do we realize that we have failed those in our lives who should have been the focus of our attention. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.

Nonetheless, we are not to be without knowledge as we see the day of the Lord approaching. For it is given to us, not to know the day or hour, but to know the season. Indeed, the Apostle Paul wrote that we should not be ignorant. In an admonition to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote to them: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.” For yourselves, know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

And Jesus himself gave us signs to watch for when he said,

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.”

It is noteworthy that in the Bible, figs and the fig tree are often used as metaphors for Israel.

But before we proceed any further, we need to establish the time frame we are speaking of when we use any of the terms used by the Apostles to refer to the last time, the end time, or the last days.

Obviously, the end of the time frame is the return of Christ. Therefore, it is the beginning point that must be established to determine the period of time being spoken of.

Seeing how the terms are understood in different contexts by different people; it is key that we understand the terms in the same context as intended by the authors when they used them.

What then do the scriptures say? In the Bible, we are given a point of, or at least one very near, the commencement of the “Last Days,” as understood by the Apostles and disciples of Christ. and this is confirmed by multiple witnesses.

In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the followers of Christ who had gathered together in Jerusalem, and they began to speak in different tongues. As onlookers marveled in amazement and doubt, Peter addressed them, explaining the meaning of what was taking place, and said:

“…[T]his is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, that 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.”

Peter declared plainly that Joel’s prophecy was set to take place in the last days, and the gift of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment. Being that point in time is now approaching a two thousand-year anniversary, we can see a greater period of time—other than a brief period occurring near the end of the world—as being designated as the “Last Days,”or the “Last Time.”

The Book of Hebrews, chapter 1 confirms this as it opens by proclaiming the time then present as being the final age, stating, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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….” The word “these” in these last days means at the time of the writing. 

Again in Hebrews 9 in verse 26, it is written: “… but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” By saying “now… in the end of the world,” the proclamation of being in the last days at that moment is made unequivocal.

St. John also, when writing in his first epistle to his disciples, uses the singular form of the word “time.”

“Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that the anti-Christ shall come, even now are there many anti-Christs, whereby we know that it is the last time.”

John states clearly, “It is the last time,” signifying being in the final time, the last age of time. Thus, it is made clear: the New Testament authors believed the last time had already begun, they were living in it, and they spoke in terms of it culminating with the coming of Christ. What then? Were they mistaken, as some have claimed? No, or how could we rely on anything else they preached? They knew what they were saying and meant to say exactly what they said. It is a misunderstanding on our part to imagine otherwise.

Heretofore, the objective has been to establish the true meaning of the “last days,” the last age of mankind, a period of time beginning in the first part of the First Century AD and ongoing for what is now almost two thousand years.

Peter’s statement during Pentecost, citing the prophet Joel, made it clear that the last age had commenced. Therefore, the change of the ages would have occurred on Pentecost with the gift of the Holy Spirit or before. The Resurrection of Christ from the dead, fifty days before Pentecost, was most certainly the greatest event in bringing in the age of the Spirit when he rose from the dead on the third day.

And there is yet another event of interest recorded in the scriptures in reference to John the Baptist, which marks a changing of the ages. Matthew and Luke both make mention of this division of ages, referring to a statement made by Jesus recorded in Luke 16:16, where Jesus said: “The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached…” (KJV).

The statement, “the law and the prophets were until John,” implies the passing of something old; “since that time the kingdom of God is preached…” signifies the beginning of something new—although it was the resting of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus when he was baptized by John that marked the greater event.

Nevertheless, the exact beginning point notwithstanding, counting two thousand years from any of the aforementioned events has us approaching a two thousand-year anniversary.

If we are indeed in the end-time age, which is nearing two thousand years since Christ’s ministry on earth. So then, what ages were prior?

To address the prior 4000-year period until Christ, a continuation of this writing will be necessary. Therefore, in Part 2, additional evidence will be set forth establishing a six thousand-year time frame for God’s work on earth. The six thousand years consist of three ages, each consisting of two thousand years, and each 2000-year period consisting of two one-thousand-year periods. Each period of 1000 years, or 6,000 years in total, corresponds to the six days of creation in the Book of Genesis before God rested on the final seventh day.

God states that he tells the end from the beginning. In Genesis, he does just that in the very first chapter. All of God’s work was completed in six days. On the seventh day, God rested from all his work—not that he was worn out, but that he was finished. No work was done on the seventh day; God declared it the Sabbath. Understanding the scriptures from this perspective creates a picture of God’s plan for creation—not just the past from the beginning until now, but from beginning to end—the appointment of man’s rule on earth for six thousand years from start to finish, and at the end of the sixth day comes the Seventh Day and eternity.

Part 1 is concluded: Link Part 2