Are we in the last days? Some think the Apostle Paul thought he was in the last days. Notice what he said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” It does appear at first glance that he may have thought so, but I think he was leaving it open. I feel that he knew Jesus could return while he was alive, if He chose to, but I believe He knew that Jesus could also return much later.
Over 2,000 years have passed, so obviously he was not in the last days. Or was he? Where does that leave us? In my opinion, Paul was in the last days, and so are we. The Church has always been in the last days of the Church age, because the removal, or Rapture, has always been imminent. It could happen at any time. So why is God waiting so long, at least in our view? Peter says it well, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Jesus Himself also provides this information, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) “Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” fits perfectly with Peter’s statement in the previous verse (2 Peter 3:9). I say that because in my opinion, the “Ark” is almost full, except this time it won’t be a flood, but a Tribulation unlike anything this world has ever witnessed.
The Church Age could be compared to a yardstick. The Apostles were at the one inch mark. I think, from what I am witnessing, we are well toward the other end of the yardstick. Could we be at the 33” mark, 34” mark, 35” mark, or even very close to the 36” mark? I’ll leave that answer up to our Lord, but surely we are somewhere very close to the end. We are not to predict, but He has told us to watch for the signs He provides and be ready.
I strongly feel that we are now in the last days of the Church age, not the last days of the Tribulation of course. Think about this, if Jesus came today for His Church, there would still be at least seven more years to fulfill the Tribulation. Seven years is nothing, even ten years. Think back seven or ten years in your life. I don’t know about you, but to me, it seems like yesterday. So either way, when we mention “last days”, it can easily include the Tribulation and a short time prior to this horrible event. So this is where I am coming from in this article.
Some prophecies of the last days to consider in answering our question are weather patterns, the economy, society, placement of countries who will come against Israel, modern day technology that provides the means for fulfillment of end-time prophecies, but especially those concerning the State of Israel. In addition to all this though, the beginning Scripture passage of this article should answer this prevailing and burning question. Are we in the last days? If we are now seeing signs that are preparation indicators for the Tribulation, can the Tribulation be that far off? Since the Rapture precedes the Tribulation, then obviously it would be even closer.