Are We Living in the Last Days?

There are some people who have an unhealthy preoccupation with prophetic things. That's all they're about.

That's all they study. They look for signs. They see signs in everything.

There's a flower by the road. That must be a sign of the end times. It can become an unhealthy preoccupation, but it can also become a healthy occupation. It can engender hope. The world is fascinated with the future and how the world might end one day. Today we continue our countdown of Skip's top 40 messages on the Connect with Skip Heitzig YouTube channel. In the number four spot is the message, Are We Living in the Last Days?, in which Skip gives you a startling glimpse from Scripture about what you can expect in the future. Now we want to tell you about a resource that will nourish your soul with God's amazing truths. There's a top 10 list for just about everything, but what about a top 10 list that can actually impact your faith?

Skip Heitzig's top 10 messages will really make a mark. Here's a sample from What Most People Don't Know About Heaven. Somebody once said there are going to be at least three surprises in heaven. First of all, who's there that you thought would never make it?

Second, who's not there that you were sure would make it? And then number three, the fact that you yourself are there by God's grace. Hear Skip teach on heaven, hell, and the end times, and topics like the Holy Spirit and true happiness, and when you give $35 or more today. We'll also send you Reload Love, Lenya Heitzig's book about the founding of a ministry that's been helping children victimized by terror for nearly two decades.

Visit connectwithskip.com to give today and get Skip's top 10 messages on CD, plus your copy of Reload Love by Lenya Heitzig or call 800-922-1888. Okay, we're in the book of 2 Peter as we join Skip Heitzig for today's study. A question that Christians have asked for every generation is, are we in the last days?

When will the world end? It's not a new question. It's not a new curiosity. Even the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ were curious about that. On the Mount of Olives they came to Him and said, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? So it preoccupied their own thoughts. Are we in the last days?

Is this it? And it seems that every generation has its authors, its prophets, its prognosticators, and they get us thinking about that. I remember in the 1970s a very popular book by Hal Lindsey was put out called The Late Great Planet Earth. It sold millions of copies. It got people thinking about Bible prophecy again. And then in the 1980s, I still have the booklet in my office called 88 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming Back in 1988.

Of course, 1988 came and went, followed by 1989. And Jesus hadn't showed up. So the author revised his dates. And Jesus didn't show up then. He revised it again and didn't show up then.

And finally he just sort of went away. In 1996, another popular set of books was called the Left Behind series. Not only was it a set of books, it became a set of films as well. And then, do you remember just before the year 2000, the fervor about Y2K? This is it.

All the chips are going to melt down. This is the Armageddon, right? So what we're dealing with is an area of study that is called in theological parlance, it's called eschatology. Eschatology is the study of last things.

It comes from the Latin word that means that last things or last events or end time events. Now we've been doing a series here on the weekends called 2020, Seeing Truth Clearly. And essentially it's been a course on theology. We've looked at theology, the study of God, the nature of God, the attributes of God. That was followed by Christology, the person, nature, and work of Jesus Christ. That was followed by a few weeks on pneumatology, the study of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. We did a few weeks on soteriology, the study of salvation. How is a person saved? What does salvation entail? We even did a week on angelology, the study of angels.

Way to go class. And then demonology, the study of Satan and demons. And then for three weeks we looked at ecclesiology, the church. We talked about how the church is essential. We looked at Jesus praying for, anticipating certain characteristics of his church out of John chapter 17. Now we turn to another section and that is eschatology, the study of end time events. What I want to do today is look at the last days generally. Next week I want to consider Jesus' promise to return for his church and then we're going to look in the third week at the second coming of Christ.

I'm going to try to piece together sort of a calendar of end time events the best that I can during that time. Now I think you'll agree that the study of prophecy can be good but can also get weird. That there are some people who have a unhealthy preoccupation with prophetic things. That's all they're about.

That's all they study. They look for signs. They see signs in everything.

There's a flower by the road. That must be a sign at the end times. I mean it can become an unhealthy preoccupation but it can also become a healthy occupation. It can engender hope and it's something that the church has had for 2,000 years. Ever since Jesus taught the church to pray, thy kingdom come. We have been looking for that kingdom.

We've been anticipating it. So what I'd like to do is look at five hallmarks of the last days. Five hallmarks of the last days and try to answer the question are we in the last days. Now I ask you to turn to second Peter for a very important reason. The theme or at least one of the themes or at least a sub-theme, a major sub-theme of the book of second Peter is our theme, the last days.

That's what Peter is talking about. Talking about features of the end times of the last days. So I'm going to begin with you in chapter three of second Peter and I'm going to give you these five hallmarks and the first is that the last days are foreseen by scripture. They're predicted. They're talked about.

They're written about. I want to take you to chapter three beginning in verse one and I'm going to read down a few verses because I want you to see the phrase that's in here. Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior knowing this first that scoffers will come in the last days. There's the phrase the last days walking according to their own lusts. Now I'm going to get back to the meaning of those verses in a minute but let's just think of that phrase for a moment.

The last days. It's a phrase that shows up five times in the New Testament. Five times. Once by Luke in the book of Acts. Once by Paul in second Timothy. Once by James in that little epistle he writes.

Once in Hebrews and then once here in second Peter chapter three. So five authors in the New Testament use the phrase the last days. Now the Old Testament speaks of the same period of time generally but under a different designation. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah use the term the latter days. Daniel calls it the end also Daniel calls it the appointed time. Also he calls it the time of the end and finally Daniel designates it the end of days. Back to the question are we in the last days?

Here's my answer. Yes we are but we've been in the last days for 2,000 years. Now I want you to get this because according to the scriptures we have been in the last days. If you look at all of world history from the beginning whenever that beginning was the beginning the time between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ falls under the designation the last days.

So let me show that to you. In Hebrews chapter one the author begins by saying God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to our fathers by the prophets, listen, has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he made heir of all things and through whom also he made the world. These last days.

These last days. Then you remember Peter on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost you know what happened. The church gets together and they are filled with the Holy Spirit. They begin to speak in tongues. The people in Jerusalem don't know what to make of this and so the best they can come up with is these Christians are drunk. Right?

Remember that? And so Peter gets up and it says you men of Jerusalem these are not drunk as you suppose since it's only the third hour of the day. Guys it's only nine in the morning.

They're not drunk. He says but this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel who said and he quotes the prophet Joel yeah I will pour out in it shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and daughters will prophesy. So he's saying this what you are saying is a fulfillment of what the prophet said that in the last days this is going to happen. So according to Peter he was living in the last days. So to answer your question are we in the last days?

Yes we are. But so was Christopher Columbus and so was Martin Luther and so was Ignatius and so was the apostle Paul and Peter. Now having said that obviously when you're dealing with a 2,000 year period some parts of that are much later than other parts. And so we are much further along 2,000 years than Paul or Peter. But you know Paul taught the church to anticipate the return of Christ to look for it. In Titus chapter 2 Paul writes looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Did you know that the early church had a greeting a one word greeting I wish we'd bring it back I love the greeting it's a word Maranatha a single word. It's an Aramaic term it shows up in the old King James translation but it was a word that even replaced the common greeting shalom peace. Christians would see each other and they would say Maranatha which means the Lord is coming. It's a great word it's a great reminder to say to one another Maranatha the Lord is coming. In C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia I know I've quoted that a few times the last few weeks but in one of the volumes called The Voyage of the Dawn Treader there's a conversation C.S. Lewis writes about Aslan this Christ-like figure lion who has a conversation with little little Lucy once again and Aslan says do not look so sad we shall meet soon again and she says please Aslan what do you call soon and Aslan says I call all times soon and then he vanished are we in the last days yes is Jesus coming soon yes so yeah that's sort of an easy way out no it's not it really is true we are in the last days and we were given signs about the very end of days and Jesus said when these days start to happen lift up your head for your redemption draws near there are indicators we'll look at those later on with this thought of mine go back to chapter one for just a moment we haven't started there so let's look at chapter one and I'll take you to a couple verses I'm going to begin with you in chapter one of verse 16 because what Peter is going to do here is talk about the coming of the Lord based upon an experience he has already had with the Lord verse 16 chapter 1 for we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty for he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory and here's the voice this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain and so we have the prophetic word confirmed or as the authorized version puts it we have a more sure word of prophecy and so we have the prophetic word confirmed which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart now Peter is telling your heart now Peter is telling them of the fact that Jesus is coming but the prediction is based upon an experience he has already had and you remember what that experience was it's called the begins with a t transfiguration the transfiguration it mentioned in three gospels when Jesus appeared or or was was changed in front of them transformed miraculously the bright light along with Moses and Elijah what Peter, James, and John saw at the transfiguration of Jesus is what they call in the movie industry a trailer a preview of coming attractions a clip if you will a highlight you know do you guys remember the days when there were movie theaters and people went there and saw films well at the beginning of those just to refresh your memory at the beginning of movies they would show previews of other films that would be released and what I have often discovered is that those trailers are actually better than most films in their entirety you're seeing the best parts put together what Peter saw was a clip a trailer a preview highlights of an event that is described in detail in Revelation chapter 19 the second coming of Jesus Christ Jesus coming in his glory what Peter is saying in these verses is I saw with my eyes what the scripture predicts will happen and is confirmed by the old testament writings and if what the prophets predicted of his first coming happened then what they predicted of his second coming is sure also to happen so are we in the last days yes we are but what is the focus of the last days is the focus of the last days mark of the beast it's the focus of the last days the European common market no nor is the focus of end time prophecy the anti-christ the focus of prophecy or the end days is Jesus Christ and that gives us the second hallmark as seen by Peter not only is is it are the last days foreseen by the scripture but they're focused on Christ now go back to chapter 1 verse 16 we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and the coming of our lord Jesus Christ but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty this is the transfiguration for he received from God the father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased now let me tell you about what happened you know it because you've read it but at the transfiguration we are told that Jesus took Peter James and John took them to a high mountain where he was transfigured before them and they saw him in glory and we are told that Peter James and John had fallen asleep and then they woke up and they see this glorious vision of the transfigured Christ and Peter starts talking and you remember what Peter says he says let's build three tabernacles here one for you Jesus one for Moses and one for Elijah and the bible says Peter said this not knowing what to say you know what it is you wake up and you just the words just come whatever words so these are Peter's words and what Peter records that God said was God interrupting Peter's interruption Peter said let's build three tabernacles essentially the idea is I'm placing Jesus Moses and Elijah all on the same level and so God spoke from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased listen to him it's a very important message in what Peter learned and he is recounting here God is saying I am I put Jesus my son on stage center when it comes to bible prophecy he is the star of the last days he is the star on center stage he is the focal point of bible prophecy he is the capstone of the last days in fact you could take and I'll make it even easy for you want to sum up the whole bible all 66 books written by 40 authors over 1500 years you could sum the entire bible up by saying it's about one person and two events it's about one person and two events Jesus Christ is one person and two events are his first coming and his second coming his first coming to deal with sin his second coming to rule and reign with people who have been forgiven of their sin that's the whole bible in a nutshell so he is the focal point of biblical prophecy that's why we talk about the scarlet thread of redemption you can follow it all throughout the scriptures when Jesus had died and risen from the dead we are told that he appeared with two unnamed disciples who were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus one day it's recorded in Luke chapter 24 these two guys are walking down the road and they're talking to each other about what happened they don't know Jesus has risen and they don't know that the stranger that comes walking up to them is Jesus so they start talking to this stranger and he goes what are you guys talking about as if he doesn't know all we're talking about this guy named Jesus now haven't you heard the things that have happened and the stranger Jesus says what things so they start telling him about the things that have happened and then at at at a certain point Jesus says this oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written ought not the Christ to have died and enter into his glory and listen to the next part and beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in the scriptures all the things concerning himself if there was ever a Bible study I wish was transcribed or we had on mp3 it's that one what did Jesus tell them he expounded to them and all the scriptures all the things concerning himself I imagine he began with Genesis chapter 3 the first prophecy the seed of the woman and the child is going to be born to crush the head of satan I imagine he he mentioned Genesis 22 Abraham almost sacrificed his son on a mountain called mount mariah which is the very same exact mountain Jesus died on years later and the angel said to Abraham in the mountain of the lord it shall be seen he made sense of that for them he probably stopped off at exodus chapter 12 the passover the blood on the lintels and the doorpost of the homes he no doubt brought up the levitical sacrifices the tabernacle and how that speaks of him he probably mentioned the scapegoat prophecy and in leviticus chapter 16 no doubt he would have said and what about psalm 22 and isaiah chapter 53 he may be even unlocked for them daniel 7 and daniel 9 for it says beginning in moses and all the prophets he expounded to them all the things concerning himself no wonder then does the angel say to john in the book of revelation for the testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy that's Skip heitzig's number four message on our top 40 messages countdown it's from the series 2020 find the full message and more of skip's teachings organized into playlists that take you through the entire sermon series at youtube.com slash calvary abq now here's Skip with an important message for you our god has unmatched wisdom and power that knowledge should give us great peace and comfort because we are in his care we want to help friends like you to connect even deeper with the lord that's why we share these bible teachings that you have come to love can you help these messages keep coming to you and many others through your support today here's how you can give a gift right now visit connectwithskip.com slash donate to give your gift today that's connectwithskip.com slash donate or call 800-922-1888 again that's 800-922-1888 tune in tomorrow as Skip heitzig shares another top 40 message and reveals to you what the bible has to say about hell connect with Skip heitzig is a presentation of connection communications connecting you to god's never changing truth in ever-changing times