The Last Days

[Justin108]

For those believing we live in "the Last Days", a few questions...

1. How do you define "the last days"?

2. When do you think "the last days" officially started?

3. How long a period do you expect "the last days" to last? Considering the name "the last days", should one not expect the last days to be... a few days? If you think the last days have been going on since 1914, shouldn't it then be called "the last decades" or at least "the last years"? Does the term "the last days" not strongly imply a period of just a few days?

4. How would you distinguish the last days from the not-so-last days? How would the world have to look like for us to not be living in the last days? For example, suppose you believe we live in the last days due to war and natural disasters. Would your idea of the not-so-last days be a world completely void of war and natural disasters? What was the tipping point for you? What exactly happened that made you think "ok it's officially the last days"? Was it a specific war? A specific disaster? A specific president?

5. How long do you estimate "the last days" to last? Will the end of the world be next year? Before 2020? Will it be this century? Will it be this millennium?

[2timothy316]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

2. When do you think "the last days" officially started?

It started when the 'appointed times of the nations' was completed. (Luke 21:24) Which then was immediately followed by a war in Heaven and Satan was cast out out of Heaven. (Rev 12:7,8,12.)

3. How long a period do you expect "the last days" to last?

No one knows dates or how many days. (Matthew 24:36)

What we do know is that when the world leaders are crying out that there is 'peace and security' that will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the end of the 'last days' period. (1 Thess 5:3) Very soon after that declaration there will begin an attack on religions of the world. World governments will start dismantling them. Not even the major ones of the world will survive as they will have lost all support from people. (Revelation 17:16, 17)

4. How would you distinguish the last days from the not-so-last days?

I don't understand the question.

5. How long do you estimate "the last days" to last? Will the end of the world be next year? Before 2020? Will it be this century? Will it be this millennium?

Refer to the answer given to question 3. I will add that we are to 'keep in expectation of it' even if seems like to us it is delaying. The day is set it hasn't changed and every second that goes by is one second closer to it. It will not be early and it will not be late. (Habakkuk 2:3)

[Justin108]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

2. When do you think "the last days" officially started?

It started when the 'appointed times of the nations' was completed. (Luke 21:24) Which then was immediately followed by a war in Heaven and Satan was cast out out of Heaven. (Rev 12:7,8,12.)

Okay... and when was that? What year?

3. How long a period do you expect "the last days" to last?

No one knows dates or how many days. (Matthew 24:36)

What we do know is that when the world leaders are crying out that there is 'peace and security' that will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the end of the 'last days' period. (1 Thess 5:3) Very soon after that declaration there will begin an attack on religions of the world. World governments will start dismantling them. Not even the major ones of the world will survive as they will have lost all support from people. (Revelation 17:16, 17)

I see you drastically rephrased my question. If you're unsure of how long exactly it will be, can you at least give me an estimation? Will it be a few days? A few years? A few centuries? Does "the last days" not imply that it will only last a few days rather than several decades?

4. How would you distinguish the last days from the not-so-last days?

I don't understand the question.

What exactly happened that made you think "ok it's officially the last days"? Please be specific. If you're going to reference scripture, please also explain how it was fulfilled exactly.

[2timothy316]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

That IS the definition of the last days. There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'. Jesus' disciples asked when the last days would be and he told them what to look for and didn't give them a calendar. Signs and the definition are one and the same.

[2timothy316]

I see you drastically rephrased my question. If you're unsure of how long exactly it will be, can you at least give me an estimation? Will it be a few days? A few years? A few centuries? Does "the last days" not imply that it will only last a few days rather than several decades?

The only estimation given is Matthew 24:29-34.

I didn't rephrase any question. I removed all but one, the one I wished to answer.

[Justin108]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

That IS the definition of the last days. There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'. Jesus' disciples asked when the last days would be and he told them what to look for and didn't give them a calendar. Signs and the definition are one and the same.

Do you understand what a definition is? Definitions do not normally begin with "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him..." If Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 contain the definition of what "the last days" mean, then please be so kind as to highlight it. But as it stands, Matthew 24:3-14 is not a definition. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is not a definition.

There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'.

Ok. Well my first question is not "when are the last days?". My first question is "define the last days". If I were to ask you to define Christmas, telling me "it's on the 25th of December" then you're not answering my question. I'm not asking when it is, I'm asking what it is.

[2timothy316]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

That IS the definition of the last days. There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'. Jesus' disciples asked when the last days would be and he told them what to look for and didn't give them a calendar. Signs and the definition are one and the same.

Do you understand what a definition is? Definitions do not normally begin with "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him..." If Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 contain the definition of what "the last days" mean, then please be so kind as to highlight it. But as it stands, Matthew 24:3-14 is not a definition. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is not a definition.

If what Jesus said is insufficient then perhaps you can wait for someone else to answer and you can speculate with them to your heart's desire.

[Justin108]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

That IS the definition of the last days. There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'. Jesus' disciples asked when the last days would be and he told them what to look for and didn't give them a calendar. Signs and the definition are one and the same.

Do you understand what a definition is? Definitions do not normally begin with "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him..." If Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 contain the definition of what "the last days" mean, then please be so kind as to highlight it. But as it stands, Matthew 24:3-14 is not a definition. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is not a definition.

If what Jesus said is insufficient then perhaps you can wait for someone else to answer and you can speculate with them to your heart's desire.

I didn't say that what Jesus said is insufficient. I said that what you're giving me is not a definition.

You also never answered my question on when exactly "the last days" started. I'm looking for a year. On what year did it start? If that's too precise, at least tell me what decade? Do you believe it started in 1914? You're a Jehovah's Witness if I recall? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[2timothy316]

1. How do you define "the last days"?

Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are a couple of the scriptures that tell us what to look for.

I didn't ask for signs of the last days, I asked for a definition of the last days.

That IS the definition of the last days. There is no calendar in the Bible that is marked with the 'last days'. Jesus' disciples asked when the last days would be and he told them what to look for and didn't give them a calendar. Signs and the definition are one and the same.

Do you understand what a definition is? Definitions do not normally begin with "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him..." If Matthew 24:3-14 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 contain the definition of what "the last days" mean, then please be so kind as to highlight it. But as it stands, Matthew 24:3-14 is not a definition. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is not a definition.

If what Jesus said is insufficient then perhaps you can wait for someone else to answer and you can speculate with them to your heart's desire.

I didn't say that what Jesus said is insufficient. I said that what you're giving me is not a definition.

It is not what I am giving you. It's what the Bible is giving you and you're not happy with it. Sorry. His disciples asked "“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?�" and you know the rest. You got the same answer his disciples got. The last days is a period of wars, natural disasters, civil unrest etc all happening that the same time after the end of the appointed time of the nations but before the Great Tribulation. I can't make it clearer.

[Justin108]

The last days is a period of wars, natural disasters, civil unrest etc all happening that the same time before the Great Tribulation.

There we go! Attaboy. That's a definition.

Now on to my other question. When exactly did "the last days" start? I'm looking for a year. On what year did it start? If that's too precise, at least tell me what decade? Do you believe it started in 1914? You're a Jehovah's Witness if I recall? Correct me if I'm wrong.