Thank you for the question on the “End Times”, “Are we in the end times, if so what in the Bible backs up you thinking this?”
The question of the “End Times” brings and evokes different thoughts and emotions for Christians and non-Christians. Fear or peace may propel, drive a person to certain actions or the lack of it. One’s view of the afterlife affects how one views the End Times.
Briefly there are three major views on the End Times:
- There is no End Times because there is no God. The laws of nature governs us and there is nothing after death so there is no “End Times.”
- Christians are not living in the “End Times” but the “End Times” can begin at any given moment in time. Christians are living in the “Church Age” and following that period will begin the “End Times.”
- Christians and non-Christians are living in the “End Times” after the Resurrection of Jesus or the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Depending on one’s belief and Biblical interpretation of the Biblical texts, one may arrive at different conclusions as to when the End Times will begin. The viewpoint that I express is my understanding of the Biblical text. I am not representing any other Christians or Churches.
The critical key text is Matthew 24 on the “End Times.” The text says this: “Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Bible citations are in the New International Version.
The disciples asked a three fold questions. The questions are as follows:
- When will this happen, referring to the destruction of the Temple?
- What will be the sign of your coming?
- (What will be the sign) of the end of the age?
Bible scholars differ on the answers by Jesus in their interpretation of his answers to the disciples. I am giving an opinion, a subjective interpretation for one’s consideration.
A. Jesus does not state when the Temple will be torn down, but the surroundings events that leads to it (Matt. 24:4–6).
Jesus says this in Matthew 24:4–6, “Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come” (NIV).
Jesus declares what will happen before the Temple will be torn down in verses 5–6. I interpret the phrase, “but the end is still to come” is his transition to the next question what is the sign of your coming. Jesus is declaring that there is more to come and that the destruction of the Temple is not the end.
B. Jesus implies an intervening time period of the preaching of the Gospel to the whole world (Matt. 24:7–14).
Following the destruction of the Temple, Jesus declares a time period of wars and persecution of his followers. The phrase, “All these are the beginning of birth pains”, signals the coming of the end times. Jesus states this period will continue until the Gospel is preached to ALL nations. This time period concludes when Jesus said this, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (NIV). This is being fulfilled in our generation as technology has allowed the Gospel to reach nearly every people group in the world. Once this is done, Jesus says that the end will come.
C. Jesus gives the sign of his coming of his coming with Daniel’s prophecy (Matt. 24:15–27)
Jesus refers to the Abomination of Desolation from Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:27) of the Temple. Jesus says this, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’[a] spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (NIV).
D. Jesus gives the sign for the end of the age (Matt. 24:28–31).
Jesus states the sign of the end of this age is what is called the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus says this, “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (NIV).
That event triggers the imminent coming of the Messiah, but in those days there will be false claims of Messiah, even the Antichrist. As one reads Revelations, this coincides with the above verses regarding the Antichrist and the judgments that falls on earth. Following the rise of the Antichrist, one knows that the return of the Messiah is imminent for all the earth will see him coming with the angels and the gathering of the elect.
Readers may wonder, how do I reconcile Jesus statement, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV).
Jesus states in 36–37 that only the Father knows the day or hour when all the above events will be fulfilled. As the Son of Man, Jesus declares that he does not know the exact day or hour when he will return on earth. The Gospel has yet to be preached to ALL the earth and then the end will come.
The imminent destruction of the Temple in 70 CE begins the “End Times”. They will have a foretaste of what is to come as they see Jerusalem Fall to the Romans. The Gospel will begin to be preached to all the world with his followers to be persecuted in the midst of world turmoil. They experienced the claim of people saying that the resurrection has occurred. It is my opinion, the events leading up to 70 CE is a FORESHADOWING of the future events to come as described by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation.
Am I right or wrong in my observation and interpretation of the text? One has to study the Scriptures for oneself to come to their personal conviction.
SUMMARY: The Fall of Jerusalem is a foreshadowing of the End Time events that is being unfolded in our life time. The Gospel is nearly reaching every people group with the establishment of the Jewish State. The reconstruction of the Temple will be The sign that the end is near.
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/Are-we-in-the-end-times-if-so-what-in-the-Bible-backs-up-you-thinking-this