When Is The Last Day?

[James_Newman]

In the Gospel of John, the 'last day' is referenced frequently. We see that this day is when believers are promised to be raised up.

John 6
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Martha said she knew that Lazarus would be raised up on the last day.

John 11:24
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

We see that unbelievers will be judged in the last day.

John 12
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Does the last day point to the time of the great white throne in Revelation 20?

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Great question. WHEN is it? Been, is and continuing for a while!

DURING LIFE OF CHRIST (Heb 1:2 KJV) 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;

AT THE TIME OF THE EARLY CHURCH (Acts 2:17 KJV) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, 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, and your old men shall dream dreams:

DURING THE CHURCH AGE (2 Tim 3:1 KJV) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

TODAY (James 5:3 KJV) Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

PRIOR TO RAPTURE (2 Pet 3:3 KJV) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

AT THE FINAL JUDGMENT (John 12:48 KJV) He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

 

[AVL1984]

Wow, Dr. Bob, never had really done much thinking on that. Very interesting. Thanks.

 

[James_Newman]

Yes Bob, we are in the last days, so when is the last day?

 

[Dr. Bob]

Slowly read again. The "last days" and "last day" are generic idioms to refer to the time of the Messiah. It is not looking for one "24-hour period". Akin to "Day of the Lord". Nobody looks for a single day, but to a whole era of time (rapture/trib/revelation/kingdom/rebellion/final judgment)

This is how language works. The "last day" refers to the time of the Messiah - Jews looked for it as an enduring Kingdom (again, not one DAY) and believers looked for the return of Jesus.

 

[James_Newman]

Bob, the last days refers to the end times, but the last day, when the resurrection occurs did not start 2000 years ago. Believers should be looking for a kingdom as well, you see it 'revealed' in Revelation. You also see the resurrection revealed in Revelation. Unless you too are going to go preterist on me, it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Dr. Bob]

It's all part of the "last days" - time of the Messiah offering the kingdom (30 CE) until the final dissolution of planet earth (??CE).

In that "last day/days" will come various events. Obviously I am a Dispy, so no worry about me going preterist on you!!

I believe the resurrection to the GWT will be at the end, but again not on a "day" (24-hour).

 

[Pete Richert]

I agree with Dr. Bob that we have been in the last days for 2000 years, as this refers to the time after the coming of Christ. I wouldn't call it an idiom as much as a good theoligical understanding from NT writers of the progress of redemptive history. However, I disagree that the "last day" which is being refered to in John 11:24, John 12:48, and elsewhere is the same thing, but instead is refering to the LAST day, the day that Jesus Christ returns to earth with his angels and ends history as we know it. It doesn't nessisarily have to be 24 hours, as that is not the point at all. The point is that is the very end.

 

[James_Newman]

I tend to also agree with you Bob. I have no dispute with the last days being now. But I would argue that we are in the last of the last days. I am partial to the septamillenial theory that there are 7 days of a thousand years of history, with the millenial kingdom being the last 1000 year day, the day of rest. Would you agree with this?

 

[Dr. Bob]

Rough to get it to work into OUR timetable.

For example, Moses/Law in 1440 BCE to Crucifixion in 30/31 CE.

Church era following - 30/31 CE to ?? but at least 2004 CE

How does that work into your thinking?

 

[James_Newman]

It wouldn't surprise me to find that it was an exact 6000 years from Adam to the kingdom, but since we don't know the day or hour of Christ's return we can't work backwards, and we really don't even know for sure when Christ was born. But I do believe that we are told that a day is as a thousand years for a reason, and not just to show the bigness of the Lord. Since we are admonished not to be ignorant of this, I would tend to think of it as less a statement about God's relationship to our time, and more a statement of prophetic fact. But due to differences between our calendar and the Jewish calendar, and the uncertainty of our own, I don't have much of a timetable other than 'any day now'.

 

[timothy 1769]

[oops, I'm not Baptist (though I likely will be tomorrow, if I can make it to church on these rain-soaked dirt roads)]

[ November 20, 2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: timothy 1769 ]

 

[Dr. Bob]

We will accept your post ON FAITH that you will be a Baptist tomorrow!!

And it's raining in Kansas? We sent enough cold weather I thought it would be snow!

 

[timothy 1769]

Thanks Dr. Bob, It's good to be back

My comment was that many orthodox Jews hold to a 6000 year timetable for the coming of Messiah (worst case, he could come any time if Jews are "good enough"). Most Jews reckon we are 5765 years from the creation of man, but some do calculate the deadline to be sometime during the next few years.

There's been rain, and snow, and rain, and snow (but mostly rain.) It's 34 degrees right now.

 

[michelle]

I know that this post is about the last days. But it was mentioned against the day of the Lord. It is interesting when one studies the day of the Lord, that this is neither just one day, but rather a period of time, starting from the middle of the tribulation period (the great tribulation) until after the millenial reign. It is an interesting study. I highly recommend it, if you haven't already.


love in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour,
michelle

 

[James_Newman]

So anyway, the last day, the general resurrection at the great white throne... Isn't this the promise that we have through belief?

John 6
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Nope. Not a 24-hour period. Not GWT judgment (that is not for believers, because all who stand there go the lake of fire/eternal hell - Rev 20).

Last Day/Days is a long period of time that will include the events of a parallel term, "Day of the Lord" which is hundreds of years.

 

[James_Newman]

Originally posted by Dr. Bob:
Nope. Not a 24-hour period. Not GWT judgment (that is not for believers, because all who stand there go the lake of fire/eternal hell - Rev 20).

Last Day/Days is a long period of time that will include the events of a parallel term, "Day of the Lord" which is hundreds of years.

I never said it was a 24 hr period, but your statement that all at the GWT go to the lake of fire is an assumption of the highest order.

I don't see how you can even pretend that the last day resurrection promised to believers is the same as the last days where scoffers roam the earth. It's pretty clear that they are not talking about the same thing. What about the treasure in these two verses, are they the same thing too?

Matthew 6:20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

James 5:3
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Do you suppose that Martha was saying that she knew that Lazarus was going to be raised up to go through the tribulation?

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Dr. Bob:
Slowly read again. The "last days" and "last day" are generic idioms to refer to the time of the Messiah.

I took Dr Bob's advice, and lo, he's correct.

 

[Grasshopper]

Slowly read again. The "last days" and "last day" are generic idioms to refer to the time of the Messiah.

No, the last days refer to the last days of Old Covenant Israel. (Gen.49) Yes, the Messiah arrived during those last days. (Heb 1:1-2)

The last days get streched out in order to fit into ones eschatological view.