Hope in Crisis: The Powerful Relevance of Bible Prophecy Today

Posted on Jan 11, 2024 Topic : Men's Christian Living, Prophecy, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Jack Hibbs

What Are the Last Days?

Over the years, I have been asked by many news outlets and genuinely concerned seekers alike, “What are the last days?” I think it is awesome that whenever there is a significant world crisis, the church’s phones ring nonstop because people want to know what is happening. The callers on the other end ask, “Could it be that the beginning of the end is near?” or, “Is Armageddon right around the corner?” The world wants answers when things begin to shake both literally and figuratively.

Let me share a scripture that applies to every Christ-follower in the last days: “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

Here, and in other verses, it is clearly stated that God’s people need to be ready and able to give the answers that nonbelievers are seeking. That means it is incumbent that Christians know and understand what they believe and how that knowledge plays out in everyday life.

When we talk about the last days, you need to know that throughout the Bible, the concept of last days appears in a variety of ways: the end of times, the end of days, the last day, the latter times, the end of the age, or as 1 John 2:18 puts it, the last hour. Not all those terms speak about the exact same thing, but all of them refer to the conclusion of things, which includes the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom here on Earth.

The events we collectively call the last days are all part of what is called Bible prophecy or biblical eschatology. Bible prophecy is God writing the future in advance so that we can know what lies ahead. Many churches shy away from teaching prophecy out of biblical ignorance or because of the denomination they affiliate with, or because they think it’s going to generate fear. Whatever the reason, the refusal to teach prophecy is a shame. The Bible reveals details about the last days to alleviate the stress of wondering what is coming and to prepare us so that we will be ready.