Are We Living in the Last Days?

One question that is on many people’s minds is: “Are we living in the last days?” Even those who are not believers are curious about the end of the world. For this reason, countless movies that focus on this subject have been produced in the last decade, and others wonder if there is anything truthfulness to the Mayan Calendar’s seeming prediction of a major upheaval in the year 2012. In order to answer this question, we must turn to Scripture, for it contains the answers we seek.

1. We are living in the “Last Days”

Almost 2,000 years ago, John wrote: Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour (1 John 2:18). In other words, John acknowledged that the “last days” already had begun during his lifetime. Since 2,000 years have passed since the “last days” began, what does this phrase mean?

The significance is that Jesus ushered in a new era when He arose from the dead. After 40 days, He returned to Heaven (Acts 1:9) and His angels promised that He would return again: They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). In other words, the expression “last days” indicates that Jesus could return at any moment.

2. No one knows when Jesus will return

Countless people have attempted to predict the timing of the return of Christ. In 1988, for example, Edgar Whisenant wrote a book entitled 88 Reasons Why Christ will Return in 1988. When Jesus did not appear, the following year He wrote another book: 89 Reasons Why Christ will Return in 1989. Whisenant is not the only person to make such predictions. In fact, another group has been announcing that Jesus with appear on May 14, 2011.

Be wary of anyone who gives a date for Jesus’ return, for He Himself declared: But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Matthew 24:36).

3. We must be prepared for Jesus’ return

Jesus explained to His disciples that His return will be like the coming of a thief (Matthew 24:43). No one knows when the thief will make an appearance. In fact, he thrives on the element of surprise. In the same manner, Jesus’ return will take people by surprise. For this reason, we must be prepared: Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming (Matthew 24:42). There are two things that we must do to be prepared.

First, we must reject our sin and ask Jesus to forgive us. He is the only begotten Son who died for our sins and arose from the dead. Anyone who trusts Him as the Lord (i.e., Boss) of his or her life with be forgiven and receive eternal life and a home in Heaven: that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Second, those who already have trusted in Jesus need to obey His commandments, because He said: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). John further explained, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). The only way that we will know Jesus’ commandments is to read His Word. In fact, a good rule of practice is to: 1) Read the Bible; 2) Study the Bible’s meaning, 3) Memorize the Bible; and 4) Obey the Bible.

Although we are living in the last days, no one knows when Jesus will return. We can, however, be ready for His return!