Bereansearching Bible Studies

Introduction

That phrase, “Last Days” or “Latter Days”, is frequently mentioned in our day by various Christian theologians of various religious sects, as well as laymen Bible students, and even by those in the secular realm. But what does the phrase, “last days”, or “latter days” as is used in the Bible, really mean? In order to determine the answer to that question, we need to look at both the original components of that phrase in both the Hebrew and Greek and the context in which they are found. The meaning can be derived through a synthesis of all of the times that the phrase is found.

The “Last Days“

The specific phrase, the “Last Days” is found eight times in the King James Version of the English Bible, three times the Old Testament, and five times in the New Testament.

In the Old Testament, the words that form the phrase interpreted as “last days” are אַחֲרִית (‘aḥărîṯ)^H319, meaning the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity:—(last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter)-most, which the KJV translates in the following manner: end (31x), latter (12x), last (7x), posterity (3x), reward (2x), hindermost (1x), miscellaneous (5x); and  יוֹם (yôm)^H3117, which is primarily translated as day(s) or time(s).

In the New Testament, the phrase translated as “last days” is from the original Greek words, ἔσχατος (eschatos)^G2078, meaning as a superlative; farthest, final (of place or time):—ends of, last, latter end, lowest, uttermost; and ἡμέρα (hēmera)^G2250, which overwhelmingly translated as “day(s).”

The King James Version translates ἔσχατος (eschatos)^G2078 in the following manner: last (46x), lowest (2x), uttermost (2x), last state (2x), ends (1x), latter end (1x). It is from this Greek word, that we derive the term “eschatology” or the “study of the last days”.

The Verses Where the Phrase “Last Days” or “Latter Days” Is Found in the Bible

In order to determine the meaning of the phrase “last days” in the Bible, we need to first see the context wherein the phrase is used. Here are those eight verses:

Genesis 49:1, “And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you [that] which shall befall you in the last days.” This is Jacob’s deathbed prophesy for the twelve tribes of Israel, and the one that tells us that Judah will be the means by which Jesus will come as the Sacrificial Lamb of God and eternally reign as the Messiah for His people, as well as The Judge of all the earth as we read in verses Genesis 49:8-12.

Isaiah 2:2, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” This verse, together with the context is telling us that in the New Testament era that there will be a great conversion to true Christianity involving the whole world and not just the Jews.

Micah 4:1, “But in the last days it shall come to pass, [that] the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.” This verse and its context are nearly identical to that above in Isaiah chapter 2.

Acts 2:17, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” This is the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture that also pointed to the New Testament era, which would officially begin at Pentecost 33 AD when the Holy Spirit was poured out. See: Isaiah 44:3, Ezekiel 11:19, Joel 2:28, and Zechariah 12:10,

2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” This is describing the New Testament era all the way to the end of time culminating with Judgment Day.

Hebrews 1:2, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” When the Book of Hebrews was penned the New Testament era had already begun with the death of John the Baptist (the last of the Old Testament prophets) and during Jesus’s earthly ministry which that culminated on Passover Followed by the Holy Spirit having been poured out (both occurring in 33 AD)

James 5:3, “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” This warning is for the rich in this world to forsake serving mammon, which profits nothing in the world to come, and the following verses of exhortation are for the believers to be patient because Jesus is coming back soon.

2 Peter 3:3, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,” These last days are now, and encompass the entire New Testament era that will remain only until Judgment Day.

The “Latter Days”

The specific phrase, “latter days”, is only found in the Old Testament, and it is taken from the same Hebrew words translated above as “last days”. The phrase “latter days” is found eleven times as follows:

Numbers 24:14, “And now, behold, I go unto my people: come [therefore, and] I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.” This is a prophesy of Balaam pointing to Jesus, “a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17) and the New Testament era that follows.

Deuteronomy 4:30&31, “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, [even] in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” God seems to be saying that even in the worst of times in the the New Testament era, a remnant will be saved if those of National Israel to turn to God (Jesus the Messiah).

Deuteronomy 31:29, “For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt [yourselves], and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. These are Moses’s last words and point to the falling away of National Israel and its effective end in the New Testament era (70 AD).

Jeremiah 23:20, “The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.” The LORD Jesus Christ will perform the building of His Church in the New Testament era and then Judgment Day will come.

Jeremiah 30:24, “The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.” The LORD Jesus Christ will perform the building of His Church in the New Testament era and then Judgment Day will come.

Jeremiah 48:47, “Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far [is] the judgment of Moab.” These are allegorical judgments for the enemies of God in the New Testament era.

Jeremiah 49:39, “But it shall come to pass in the latter days, [that] I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.” These are allegorical judgments for the enemies of God in the New Testament era.

Ezekiel 38:16, “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” The Heathen began to know God in masse only in the New Testament era.

Daniel 2:28, “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;” In this case, Daniel is explaining Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that goes forward in time all the way into the New Testament era and into eternity.

Daniel 10:14, “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision [is] for [many] days.” The New Testament era is in view.

Hosea 3:5, “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” The New Testament era is in view.

Conclusion

The “last days” or “latter days” are simply referring to the entire New Testament era that will culminate in Judgement Day very soon. Remember that the period from Abraham to Jesus was 2000 years, and that the period of the New Testament era, from the time of Christ until now is also 2000 years. While no man can now the day or the hour of Judgment Day (Matthew 24:36), it would seem reasonable to conclude that we must now be in the very, very, last of the “last days”.

This entry was posted on July 20, 2023 at 1:24 am and is filed under Bible Studies. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.