Are We Living in the Last Days?

By Ryan Habbena

“Are we living in the last days?” This is certainly a common question asked throughout the contemporary church. I believe we can confidently answer, by the authority of the word of God, “Yes!” Now before one decides to dump their insurance, stop putting money in their I.R.A.’s, or buy a secluded retreat, allow me to expound what the Scriptures declare to be the “last days,” and highlight our calling in light of this significant time.

“The Last Days” – The Pouring out of the Spirit

In Acts chapter 2, we read of a climactic event in salvation history. Jesus has been raised from the dead, appeared to His followers, and instructed them to wait in Jerusalem. The promise of power from on high was about to come. On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus was raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all who believed in Jesus of Nazareth. They began speaking in various tongues, pointing to the truth that this was the fulfillment of God’s promise proclaimed through the prophet Joel. The apostle Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, announced:

“Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:” ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy. ‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’ “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know – this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”

Acts 2:14-24

Peter proclaimed to his contemporaries that they were witnessing evidence that the “last days” (2:17) were upon them. Peter notes two “signs” of the “last days” drawn from the prophet Joel: 1) God pouring out His spirit on all flesh, and, 2) the darkening of the celestial bodies. It is my belief that these two events are “bookends” of the last days; the first signaling the inception of the last days (the pouring out of the Spirit), the last signaling their consummation (the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. See Matt. 24:29, Rev. 6:12). Also note the content of Peter’s proclamation: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through the proclamation of the Gospel that the Spirit is calling people to Christ and anointing them with His power.

“The Last Hour” – The Arrival of Antichrists

In the epistle of 1 John, the beloved apostle teaches, like Luke in Acts, that all believers are anointed with the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20). But while there are genuine anointed ones, those who believe in the person and work of Christ, there are also false anointed ones. John labels these people who deny Jesus’ uniqueness “antichrists”. And since there are “antichrists” among us, this is also a sign that we are living in “the last hour.”

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

John exhorts the children of God to know it is “the last hour.” Not only has the true Christ come and conquered through His death and resurrection, but false christs have arrived seeking to draw hearts and minds away from the only One who can truly bring peace between God and humans.

So the “last days” were inaugurated with the first coming of Christ. The “last days” will be consummated by His second coming. With these texts understood, we can confidently know that we are living in the “last days.” This time will consist of God pouring out His Spirit upon all nations through the preaching of the Gospel. It will also consist of false anointed ones arising, seeking to draw hearts away from the unique Anointed One – Jesus Christ. We currently stand in this significant era. What Peter and John spoke of, we continue to behold today. We see the Spirit gathering the King’s people from all tribes, nations, and tongues, through the preaching of the gospel. We experience the continual contention of “antichrists” who seek to usurp Jesus position as the only unique “anointed one.” And as John declared, the ultimate Antichrist will arise in the “last days of the last days.” So what are we called to do with the impending consummation of the “last days?”

Our Continual Calling: Watch!

The day and hour of the Lord’s return has not been revealed to us. Whether He delays or comes sooner than we think, our calling is clear. We are to “watch.” Our King Himself instructs us:

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.”

Luke 21:34-35

We are to watch ourselves, our lives, and our practice. We are to watch for the signs which our Lord has revealed (Matthew 24:32). We must avoid placing ourselves under the deceptively intoxicating pleasures of this world. If this happens, we will become deceived and that day “may come upon us suddenly like a trap.” Instead, we are called to continually engage in fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (Hebrews 12:3). Through devoting ourselves to His word, prayer, and fellowship, we will be well prepared as we “see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).