Are you living in the last days? That's our subject for today. Michael Brown, welcome, welcome to the Line of Fire broadcast where this entire month as we're here to infuse you with faith and truth and courage, this entire month we're going to focus on Bible prophecy, what God is saying about Israel today, the second coming, what the Bible actually teaches us, and most importantly, how should we as followers of Jesus? Live. Don't want to miss a single broadcast.
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Take you 30 seconds or less. Okay. Are we living in the last days?
Absolutely. Without question, we are living in the last days. The question is, have we been in the last days for the last 2000 years? In other words, are we in the last days of the last days? Are we in the last second of the last days? What does the New Testament teach about the last days? Now, it's a common expression that we use. And when I got saved, we all knew we're living in the last days.
1971. It's clear. Prophecy is clear. We're living in the last days.
And can't you just feel it? Can't you just feel it that our generation could be the last generation? This is not that long after World War II. Not that long after the atomic bombs dropped on Japan.
Not that long after Jerusalem has now been back in Jewish hands and the Jewish state a few years before that reestablished. So this feeling of upheaval, the end of the world. There was a lot of talk then about all out nuclear warfare. There was the pessimistic Barry Maguire song that it's all over. It's all over. We live on the eve of destruction. But many today would say, yeah, but look at where we've come today.
It's clear. You can feel that we're in the final generation now. Okay, so let's unpack that scripturally together. And let's see what the Bible says about the last days, the end of days, the end times.
Alright? I'm just going to get into a lot of scripture with you. And we're going to start in Acts, the second chapter.
Acts chapter two. Now we know that the concept of the last days is something you read about in the Old Testament. For example, that the Hebrew phrase in the end of days, in the last days.
You find that in Isaiah 2. And it will come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be raised up above all other mountains. And the nations will come streaming to the God of Jacob saying come, let us go and learn the ways of the Lord.
And swords will be beaten into plowshares. That beautiful vision of what we expect when the Lord returns and sets up his kingdom here on the earth. So we have that expression, the end of days, the last days in the Hebrew Bible. But here's where it occurs for the first time in the book of Acts. In the book of Acts, the second chapter, Peter's explaining what happened to the disciples, to the 120 who are now speaking in new languages. And this crowd of devout Jews that's there for Shavuot, the feast of weeks, Pentecost, they're stunned. Some of them hear the praises of God in their own language and others think they're drunk, what's going on here? So a crowd gathers and Peter says this, Acts 2 beginning in verse 14. Peter standing with the 11 lifted up his voice and addressed them. Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give ear to my words.
For these people are not drunk as you suppose, since it's only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel. So now he's going to quote the Old Testament. Verse 17. And in the last days it shall be, Da declares, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men dream dreams. Whoa, hang on.
Here's something fascinating. If you go back and check this prophecy in the book of Joel, Joel chapter 2 beginning in verse 28, it says this, And after this I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Now here's what Peter says. In the last days it shall be, God declares.
Well, hang on. The Hebrew doesn't say in the last days. And then God declares, is explaining that it's him who's speaking. The Hebrew just says, and after this I'll pour out my spirit on all flesh. You say, well, what about the Greek translation? Because the New Testament authors would often quote from the Greek the Septuagint. Well, I would think Peter's preaching an Aramaic here.
All right, some would think Hebrew, some would think Greek. But let's just say that Lucas, he's writing this, is quoting from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Does the Greek translation say in the last days?
No. Peter adds in the words himself. Peter adds in the words in the last days.
Yes. So Peter is saying that which Joel spoke about is happening now, and the period we're living in now is called the last days. And when he finishes preaching, he gives his message of salvation. Then in chapter 2 verse 39, he finishes by saying this, he calls the people to repent. He gives further exhortations. And then it says this, for the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are afar off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. What promise?
The promise of forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, prophesied by Joel, is a prophecy for the last days. And Peter says we are living in these last days, and these last days will continue as long as the gospel is going forward. What? Are you telling me that we've been living in the last days for the last two thousand years?
That's interesting, isn't it? Well, let's keep looking at the New Testament witness. Let's take a look in Romans chapter 13.
What was the mentality then? Romans 13. Paul says this, verse 11. Romans 13 and 11.
Besides this, talking about the law of loving one another and thereby fulfilling the law. Besides this, you know the time that the hours come for you to wake up from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone.
The day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. So there's this mentality of the end is near. The end is near. Some say, well, he was referring to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Absolute nonsense. That did not mean that someone living in Rome was going to live differently because the temple was about to be destroyed.
Life in Rome continued the way it was before the temple was destroyed the year 70 and after. Paul is talking about this sense of the end of the age drawing near. And you have to understand this is a sense that we've had for 2,000 years. The sense generation after generation that the coming of the Lord is near.
The sense in generation after generation that he could break in at any moment. So we live in that sense always on the edge of eternity. The night is far gone.
The day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let's take a look and see what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10. 1 Corinthians 10. Paul is talking about God's judgments on Israel in the Old Testament times. And talking about how these are exhortations for us today. And he says this, 1 Corinthians 10. These things, verse 6, took place, the judgments on Israel and God's presence with Israel. These things took place as examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did. And he goes through teaching, do not be idolaters.
We must not engage in sexual immorality. We must not put Christ to the test nor grumble. Verse 11. Now these things happened to them as an example but they were written down for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come. The New Testament mentality is that with the death and resurrection of Jesus we've come into the final stages of world history.
And the end of the ages has come upon us. This final segment, the last days from the death and resurrection of Jesus until today. A time in which we live with a sense of urgency knowing that the second coming is near. Knowing that God is about to break into world history in a final way. Knowing that this is the final time of redemption.
But also knowing it is a time that is not just up in a minute or a second. Remember the parables that Jesus gave about the kingdom of God being like a king who went on a distant journey. And the people under his authority thought, he's not coming back. Or a landowner going on a distant journey, he's not coming back.
And they begin to live crazy lives. But there's a warning, there will be a time period. That's why 2 Peter talks about the scoffers that says, where's his return? Come on, it's been going on for a while now.
It's 20 years, it's 30 years, it's longer. Where's the promise of his return? So this was something that was even being felt and dealt with in New Testament times. Let's keep looking at Scripture. Let's look at James, or as I like to refer to it, Jacob.
In accordance with how it's written in the Greek and to remind us of the Jewish roots of the faith. With Jacob, James 5, beginning in verse 1. Come now you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded and their corrosion will be evident against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. So here, James, Jacob is telling us the same thing. This period of time in which we're living, beginning with the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have entered the period called the last days.
Just looking at Scripture. Alright, we'll be right back after this important announcement. Bypassing the digestive process, making it immediately available for use in the body. Alfred Livy's Slow Dissolve Super B12 is also formulated with other natural energy supporting ingredients, such as folate, ginseng root and other natural ingredients. You deserve to live with greater energy and mental clarity and now, like millions of others, you can with Alfred Livy's Slow Dissolve Super B12 sold only by your wellness partner, Trivita. To order Alfred Livy's B12 for yourself, call 1-800-771-5584 or online at trivita.com. Order today and use promo code BROWN25 to receive 25% off your order. As a new customer, 100% of your order proceeds from your first order will go to support the Line of Fire radio broadcast.
Call 1-800-771-5584, 1-800-771-5584 or online at trivita.com. Thanks for joining us, friends, on the Line of Fire. Michael Brown, my delight to equip and empower you to help you to engage on the front lines as all of us stand in the Line of Fire today. This entire month, our focus is on the question of the last days, the return of Jesus, Bible prophecy, where do we stand today, how should we live? Let's go back to Hebrews, asking the question, when did the last days begin? When did the last days begin? Hebrews 9, it says this, verse 26, that Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
So, He appears at the end of the ages. These are the final stages of human history in God's redemptive plan. Let's take a look in 1 Peter, 1 Peter 1, and let's see what Peter has to say about this as he's talking about the gospel that is being preached. Peter says this, Jesus, verse 20, was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for your sake. So, you have Peter saying it in Acts, that these are the last days, saying here, these are the last times, you have Hebrews saying it, you have James saying it, you have Paul saying it in 1 Corinthians 10, and alluding to the same concept in Romans, the 13th chapter, and now we go to 1 John, 1 John chapter 2. And here you have an even more extraordinary statement, 1 John chapter 2, verse 18.
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come, therefore we know it is the last hour. Now, there are scholars and Bible teachers who hold to a view called preterism or partial preterism. We're going to get into that later in the series this month, all this month as we focus on the end times, the return of Jesus, Bible prophecy.
So, we're going to unpack these concepts in ways that everybody can understand. You say, I don't like to get caught up in all kinds of theological terms, don't worry about it. We're going to open them up in biblical ways and then say, what does the word say?
What does the word say? Now, let's come with an attitude of humility, alright? If I've been studying Scripture over 50 years, and I have one set of conclusions, and maybe you've been studying Scripture over 60 years, and you have a different set of conclusions about the end times, and maybe your church is a fine church, God's really blessing, your pastor is a tremendous Bible teacher, and he has yet another view, and then here's a great Bible teacher from last century, and this one has a different view, then we want to come with some humility when it comes to the end times, and not divide over our differences, and not stone each other over our differences. For example, I love Jesus with all my heart, with all my soul, as much as I understood. As a young believer, praying 6 or 7 hours in the Word, 6 or 7 hours in prayer in the Word, every single day, memorizing 20 verses every single day, I passionately believed in a pre-trib rapture. At a certain point in time, I became convinced it wasn't taught in Scripture. Since that time, I've loved the Lord with my heart and my soul. He used me and loved me when I believed in a pre-trib rapture.
He loves me and works through me when I don't believe in a pre-trib rapture. So, we're not going to divide over that. What we want to say above all is, how should we live today? Based on what's happening in the world, based on what the Bible says, how should we live today? I bring up this view called partial preterism, and again, we'll get into that and explain exactly what it means, and why some people hold to it today, and why I very strongly do not.
But, these teachers would say, Dr. Brown, you've proven our point. You're giving verse after verse that the New Testament writers lived in the last days. And what does that mean? It means the last days of the Old Testament era. It means the last days of that dispensation. It means the end of the age of sacrifice and temple. And in the year 70, when that ended, God was finished with Israel as a nation. God was finished with the old system, and the last days were over. So, I have massive problems with that view scripturally, and you should as well. So, here I will take exception.
We won't divide over it, but as brothers and sisters, I have some very strong differences. Number one, it's an odd concept that the last days ended 1970 years ago, or 1950 years ago. What have we been in after the last days? What follows the end times? What follows the last days?
So, that's the first thing that makes no sense. Secondly, when you look at this concept of the last days, the end times in the Old Testament, many of the passages are clearly speaking of the climax of the ages, and God's kingdom coming to the earth in a physical, literal way. So, when the Old Testament describes the end times, the last days, then the New Testament takes on that language.
It has to be referring to that same period, which we have not yet seen. So, that's another strike against this argument that when it says the last days, it just meant before the destruction of the temple. The third thing is, you have to then date, say 1 John, and say that was written before the year 70. Most scholars say no, it was written after. You have to say the book of Revelation, everything it describes, written before the year 70. The overwhelming weight of biblical scholarship is against that view. So, you have to really have some kind of wonky dates of some of the biblical material.
And then contextually, it makes no sense. It makes no sense to say that the big focus was the destruction of the temple, because Gentile believers around the world, their life went on just the same. And even Jewish believers outside of Jerusalem and outside of the land of Israel, their life still went on the same. It was mainly those living in Jerusalem, living in Israel, that were most affected by the destruction of the temple. So, the idea of these are the last days, because this is the end, and live a certain way because the end is near, then the temple is destroyed, and life continued just the same.
That didn't change at all. No, the biblical truth and the clear biblical teaching is that we have been, in the last days, for the last 2,000 years. And when you go back and read what the church fathers, the church leaders, taught in the early centuries, they all taught there's still a future return of Jesus. They taught the things that Jesus prophesied were still to happen. They taught that there would be an actual anti-Christ and that all these things were still future. So, they did not agree with this idea that the last days were past. No, they understood we have been living in the last days.
They said, well then what does it mean? If it's not just like chronology, if you say in the first inning it's like we're in the ninth inning, well how can that be? If we've been in the last days for 2,000 years, how can it be? It's because it has to do with the quality and the reality of what's happening more than the chronology. In other words, this is the time after the cross and resurrection.
Everything before that, that was the preparation. Now, this is the culmination. These are the last days. This is the climax.
Alright, let's go a little further. It's the time when the kingdom of God has already broken in on the earth. And there is this all-out war between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. And we live in it. We live in the midst of it in this battle raging because we are in the last days. Eternity has intersected with this world. So we're in this world but we're not of it. We're in this world but we also have a foot in the world to come.
And then lastly, there is this sense where there could be acceleration. We're in a matter of years. What would normally take centuries to unfold can unfold. And before we know it, the Lord has returned. So we live in that reality. But friends, the fact that we only have one life and then we go into eternity, the fact that the eternal destiny of human beings is at stake, the fact that this is our one opportunity to run our race in this world and to make an impact for the Lord in this world and to push back against the kingdom of darkness in this world, that fills me with a sense of deep urgency. I don't need the sense of an any-minute rapture to get me to live with any more urgency. Plus, we don't know how many days we have to live. So we live with urgency and yet with peace because we know our God is King. Tomorrow's broadcast we're going to ask the question, is the world getting worse or better?
This is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks so much for tuning in. Just a reminder that we are listener-supported. If we have been a blessing to you, if you're being enriched in the Word and prayer and your own walk with God through this broadcast, then stand with us so that we can reach many, many more and bless many, many more. Together, friends, we're making a difference. So go to TheLineOfFire.org, TheLineOfFire.org and click donate.
