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What should our focus be concerning the last days, or what is often referred to as the ‘end times’. I have written on these things in my book, For His Glory – You Have Been Left Behind. For this blog, I am posting the summary of my findings concerning these terms in the synthesis of Scripture.
The term for “last days” in the Scripture is written in two ways. It is referred to as the “last days” or the “latter days”. These are particular days or periods of time. They are the “last” or “latter” days. The NKJV uses the term “last days” six times and the term “latter days” is used sixteen times. There are a total of twenty-two mentions in the NKJV. The Hebrew word for “last”, as it is used in the context of “days”, is “HSRN 319 – אַחֲרִית ’aḥărîyṯ; from HSRN 310; the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity.” This word for “last” or “latter” is found in its Aramaic form in the book of Daniel “HSRN 320 – אַחֲרִית ’aḥărîyṯ (Aramaic); from HSRN 311; the same as HSRN 319; later.” This word does not just imply an end to something, but rather an end that continues with an “afterwards”. Another Hebrew word that is akin to this word is “HSRN 310 – אַחַר ’aḥar; from HSRN 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses).” This word is used as the word “afterward” in the prophet Joel’s description of the “last days”.
In its first mention, the term “last days” is used by the patriarch Jacob to deliver a word to his twelve sons of their “last days” in the earth (Gen. 49:1). It was used to describe an end of the nation of Israel and the beginning of the increasing reign of Christ to the nations of the world (Num. 24:14-19). It was to be a time of judgment for apostasy (Jer. 23:20; 30:24; 48:47; 49:39; Ezek 38:16; Dan. 10:14). The false image of man would be dealt a crushing blow by the true image of Life (Dan. 2:28-45; 8:19, 21, 22). The “last days” or “latter days” was to be a time to turn to the Lord as a new beginning of increasing eternity (Deut. 31:29; 4:23-40). These would be the days to make way for the increasing Body of Christ in the earth (Isa. 2:1-3; Mic. 4:1-7). The “last days” would open the door for many to return to God in Christ (Hos. 3:4, 5). This term was used to reference a prophetic word by the prophet Joel that means “afterward” (Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28). This prophecy revealed an ‘after something happened’, not an informing of what was ‘yet going to happen.’ The Apostle Paul used this term as an exhortation to Timothy in a time when many people were abandoning the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1). It is used to describe a time in history for the Hebrew people (Heb. 1:2). The Apostle James used this term to refer to the persecutors of the Church in his day (Jam. 5:3). The final time it is used is in the context of scoffers of Peter’s day who were walking according to their own lusts (2 Pet. 3:3).
There is not one case where this term is used to imply a complete cessation with nothing to follow in the world. It was used as a term of conclusion for the government of the past in the earth, but it implied the entrance to the government of increasing grace and peace in Christ. This term was exegetically true in the first century. This term establishes a principle of conclusion to man’s way and an entrance to God’s way in the synthesis of Scripture. This term can also be applied in our own lives. My “last day” was May 12, 1973. The natural light of king Ted’s kingdom went dark on that day and the Light of Christ shown in my heart (2 Cor. 4:6)! The life of Ted’s kingdom was in the flesh. Jesus shed His blood so that through the pouring out of His blood (life), Ted could receive the life of the Holy Spirit. Ted’s moon (the reflection of his natural light) turned to blood. Ted’s time ended, but the eternal life of Christ began. Ted’s day ended, but he forever lives in the eternal day of the Lord!
My “last days” did not bring hopelessness and despair. They made way for hope and destiny! The “last days” of the nation of Israel as the way to God’s covenant did not bring hopelessness and despair. They brought hope and destiny to the Greek and the Jew! The book of Job gives us a syntactical principle for this truth. This word for “last” or “latter” is used in the book of Job to describe the latter days of his life, after God restored to him what the enemy had destroyed. Since Job is the oldest book of the Old Testament, we should perhaps extract a principle that the blessings of Job’s “afterwards” exceeded the glory of his former life. Isn’t it true that the glory of the latter house will exceed the glory of the former house (Hag. 2:9)?
Job 42:12 Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.
Solomon used this word to describe the aging years of a man. Hasn’t the wisdom of God come to the nations in Christ? As we grow into the latter days of our own lives, shouldn’t we grow in the wisdom of God? Shouldn’t our love for Him grow? Shouldn’t our lives exhibit obvious works that our faith toward God is exhibited in sacrifices of love?
Proverbs 19:20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.
Perhaps one of the most powerful principals of synthesis is found in the book of Deuteronomy. This Scripture refers to the entrance of the children of Israel into the Promised Land. This was a type and shadow for our entrance into the Body of Christ. The Old Covenant Law had given the earth the “early rain”, serving as a tutor to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:24), and the need for His GRACE. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) was a testimony to God’s giving of the “latter rain”. The earth is now destined to produce the testimony of “grain, new wine, and oil.” The bread of God’s living word, the life of His Spirit, and the power of His authority is now destined to fill the earth! God’s increasing specific graces will increase His common grace in the earth. There will be “grass in our fields,” There will be life in the earth because of the increasing influence of God’s kingdom grace in the Church!
Deuteronomy 11:13 “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.”
We can conclude the “last days” of Scripture are not a conclusion to the world, but an open door to the increasing influence of Christ’s Kingdom power upon the world! We should not fear an imminent judgment to come, but rather anticipate a testimony of increasing grace as God’s mercy triumphs over judgment (Jam. 2:13)!
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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