\u201cThe Last Days\u201d (And \u201cImminence\u201d)<\/a>,\u00a0he noted:<\/p>\nWe are noting week after week the effect of the characteristic idiom in which biblical predictions of the future are cast, especially what scholars call the prophetic perspective according to which the future is set before us in its wholeness, as if it were a single event, a single moment. In this way \u2013 a way of speaking about the past and future that we often employ ourselves \u2013 the emphasis falls on the meaning of that future, on the divine purpose, on the certainty of an outcome and not instead on a detailed sequence of the events that make up that future. The main thing is placed before us, not the details.<\/span><\/p>\nNow, however, there is a motif that we might well think would be unusual in just that way, in the way in which it focuses our attention on chronological order. I am speaking of the phrase often used in the Bible to predict the future, viz. \u201cthe last days.\u201d However, we are going to see that this nomenclature, this way of speaking has precisely the same characteristics as do the other motifs we have so far considered.<\/span><\/p>\nDr. Rayburn gives an OT example:<\/p>\n
The NASB renders Daniel 10:14:<\/span><\/p>\nNow I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nNow what is interesting is that the prophecy that follows concerns the kings of Persia, Alexander the Great and his successors, and continues up to what seems to be without question the day of resurrection and the last judgment in chapter 12. Therefore, \u201cthe last days\u201d in Daniel 10 encompasses a period that stretches from Daniel\u2019s own day to the end of the world. In chapter 2, the same phrase is used similarly to mean the future days, the days to follow. For example, in 2:28 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that in the dreams the Lord had given him, \u201cHe has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come . . .\u201d That \u201cin days to come\u201d is our \u201cend of days\u201d or \u201clast days.\u201d And the dream, if you remember, concerned the empires that would follow Babylon up to the empire of Rome and, during that time, the arrival of the King of Kings whose kingdom would be established, which would crush all those other kingdoms, and would itself endure forever. There \u201clast days\u201d again stretches from Daniel\u2019s time to the end of history and includes within itself the long unfolding of history.<\/span><\/span>
\n
\n<\/span>He notes that other passages indeed refer to a more compressed final period of history: \u201c\u2018The last days\u2019 can refer to the indeterminate future, or it can refer as a kind of technical term to \u2018the final period of history . . . the ideal or Messianic future.'\u201d<\/span> In other words, this phrase \u2013 as so often in Scripture \u2013 can mean several different things. Therefore, context must determine which meaning is meant. And one cannot simplistically, woodenly conclude \u2013 as Ed wishfully has \u2013 that one meaning is meant.<\/span><\/p>\nRayburn cites 2 Tim 3:1, Jude 18, and 1 Jn 2:18 as evidence that the \u201clast days\u201d or \u201clast times\u201d or \u201clast hour\u201d would last long enough to cause people to doubt that Jesus was coming again (2 Peter 3:3). Thus, it again doesn\u2019t necessarily refer to a swift end, or literally the final hour of the day (like 11 PM till midnight). It is more analogous to something like 4 or 6 PM till midnight (in eschatological terms). Rayburn concludes:<\/p>\n
Now, if you take all of this data together, it appears that \u201cthe last days,\u201d especially in its most technical, eschatological use, means the epoch of fulfillment which began with the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Once again, the OT prophecies of this time, the age is compressed in the vision of the future and we are given to see only the triumph of the Messiah, . . . In the prophetic perspective we are not given to see ahead of time either the number of years that \u201cthe last days\u201d would encompass or the complicated history of the development of the Messiah\u2019s kingdom as it made its way out into the Gentile world. We have seen part of \u201cthe last days,\u201d but not yet all of it, we have witnessed the beginnings of that fulfillment but not, by any means, the consummation of the vision of Isaiah or Micah. In all of this, of course, \u201cthe last days\u201d ends up being very like the other motifs employed in biblical prophecy to forecast the future of the kingdom of God.<\/span><\/p>\nDoes this sort of interpretation make reasonable sense of the passages that Ed has employed in his zeal to prove that the NT writers were \u201cfalse prophets?\u201d Let\u2019s look at them. Hebrews 1:2: \u201cin these last days\u201d: this can easily fit into the scheme I have just presented, since it gives no immediate indication of the imminence of Christ\u2019s return.<\/p>\n
Perhaps Ed suspected this (if he knew very much about biblical prophecy and eschatological terminology), since he has to jump around to different texts in Hebrews. So he takes us to 9:26: \u201cbut now once at the consummation He has been manifested to put away sin . . .\u201d (RSV: \u201cend of the age\u201d).<\/p>\n
Ed uses Matthew 13:40-41 to suggest that the \u201cend of the age\u201d is literally (and only) the very end of time, when God judges the world and individuals. Indeed, it can<\/span> mean that, as already freely conceded, but it can also have a broader meaning, encompassing more time.<\/p>\nThus, when Jesus gave a lengthy discourse on \u201cthe close of the age\u201d (Matt 24:3), the length of time involved is quite vague. Many indications suggest a long span: \u201cyou will hear of wars and rumors of wars . . . the end is not yet\u201d (24:6), \u201cthis gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world\u201d (24:14), etc.<\/p>\n
Now, obviously, if the gospel were to reach the whole world, it would take quite a bit of time. We Christians haven\u2019t even accomplished that yet<\/span>! Peter takes up a similar theme in Acts 2, in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, referring to the \u201clast days\u201d (2:17), yet being very vague about how long that would last. Great time, in terms of needing to reach the whole world, and distant descendants seems to be implied in his words, \u201cthe promise [of baptism and reception of the Holy Spirit] is to you and to your children and to all that are far off . . .\u201d (2:39).<\/p>\nThe same Peter writes about \u201cscoffers\u201d in the \u201clast days\u201d being cynical about the return of Christ (2 Peter 3:3-4). Does he then go on to reiterate that it is only a wee bit longer; just a few years? No; quite the contrary:<\/p>\n
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.<\/span>
\n
\n<\/span>(2 Peter 3:8-10; NIV)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nSo the evidence from both Jesus and Peter is quite consistent with the notion of an indeterminate future or vague concept of an \u201cage\u201d. It doesn\u2019t require a view that it is imminent, in just a few years, as Ed makes out. But what about Ed\u2019s texts?:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cas you see the day drawing near . . .\u201d . . . \u201c. . . for yet a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.\u201d<\/span> (Heb 10:25,37)<\/p>\nOnce again, we must consult context, for we have already seen that this eschatological language can mean several different things. Can we find indications of a specific time-frame in Hebrews 10? No. Rather, we see this<\/span>:<\/p>\nBut when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his feet.<\/p>\n
(Hebrews 10:12-13; RSV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ed would have it that the NT requires<\/i> that Jesus was going to return in His Second Coming literally very quickly, but in fact, it says here that He \u201cwait\u201d[ed] until certain things came to pass. No specific length of time is given, and, based on how prophecy works throughout the Old Testament, we know that this can indeed be a very long time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe author also cites (10:16-17) the very famous passage from Jeremiah, announcing the New Covenant (Jer 31:33-34). If one peruses the older passage, one finds no indication in context that this was to be a quick consummation of the world. Nope; it was simply a time of renewal for Israel. Christians simply apply this to the Church age, post-crucifixion and post-Pentecost. Jeremiah refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which began occurring after Pentecost, when the Spirit descended upon the believers.<\/p>\n
He writes, \u201cLet us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering\u201d (10:23), perhaps suggesting a long span of time, rather than a short one. \u201cYou have need of endurance\u201d (10:36). Then he spends an entire chapter recounting the extraordinary perseverance of OT saints (the implication being that Christians would have a long haul).<\/p>\n
For example: \u201cThese all died in faith, not having received what was promised\u201d (11:13); \u201c. . . all these, though well-attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised\u201d (11:39). He even keeps on in the chapter after that: \u201cIt is for discipline that you have to endure\u201d (12:7). None of this data suggests a swift end. And none of it is inconsistent with what actually happened: nearly 2000 years of additional time and running. Since \u201clast days\u201d has a latitude of meaning in biblical usage, there is no need or necessity to posit a \u201cfalse prophecy\u201d here. Every indication is that no such \u201cprophecy\u201d was intended in the first place.<\/p>\n
Ed cites Hebrews 10:37, which in turn cites Habakkuk 2:3-4. Now, does the old passage teach a swift end of time? Again, no (do we see a pattern by now??):<\/p>\n
For still the vision awaits its time; it hastens to the end \u2013 it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (RSV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Once again we see the simultaneously ambiguous and compressed time-frame which is altogether characteristic of Hebrew prophecy. The event will \u201cseem slow\u201d (human limited, fallible perspective) but will \u201csurely come\u201d (God\u2019s omniscient providence, out of time). The biblical text constantly moves back and forth from God\u2019s perspective to man\u2019s in this fashion.<\/span><\/p>\nThis adequately explains all of Ed\u2019s passages from Hebrews in a way that doesn\u2019t require his interpretation at all. All of it is entirely consistent with a \u201clast days\u201d that can encompass all of history since Christ died, and more.<\/p>\n
Ed writes:<\/p>\n
. . . the author [of Matthew] based his description of \u201cthe end of the age\u201d on Daniel 12, which was a description of the final judgment of mankind . . .<\/span><\/p>\nYes, but as Dr. Rayburn showed above, that original prophecy (Daniel 10-12) also encompassed many epochs of time<\/span> all the way up to the literal end<\/span> of time. So that is no proof for his position, but of mine. Thanks, Ed! You make apologetics so<\/span> easy.<\/p>\nYet Ed rushes to the fool\u2019s conclusion:<\/p>\n
So that is exactly what the author of Matthew and the author of Hebrews predicted would happen in their day, i.e., the final judgment of mankind.<\/span><\/p>\nPrecisely the opposite<\/span>, as all relevant cross-referencing indications suggest.<\/p>\nEd argues:<\/p>\n
Also note the logic behind the argument in Hebrews 9:26. The author argued that continuous sinning \u201csince the foundation of the world\u201d required blood sacrifices \u201coften.\u201d But God saw to it that Jesus\u2019s sacrifice occurred at a time when no further sacrifices would be required. That time could only be \u201cat the consummation\u201d or \u201cat the end of the age\u201d when the time of final judgment for all sinners had arrived.<\/span><\/p>\nThis is simply a logical fallacy, and as such , can be disposed of quickly. The cessation of the OT sacrificial system does not mean, automatically, that the absolute end of time must come. Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was the fulfillment of the OT law (Matt. 5:17-18) and the reality of which the OT sacrifices were types and shadows. The implication of a swift end is not required, as I have been showing in many different ways.<\/p>\n
It should appear even to the most dense that the prediction as stated in the Book of Hebrews has failed.<\/span><\/p>\nHardly. The only \u201cdense\u201d person here is Ed, who shows himself woefully, pathetically ignorant of reasonable Bible interpretation, while at the same time posing as superior to those of us who have made a love and study of the Bible our life\u2019s work.<\/p>\n
So, the author of Hebrews was a false prophet.<\/span><\/p>\nNot at all, as shown. Unless Ed can overcome the mountain of contrary exegetical evidence, he simply has no basis for making such a claim.<\/p>\n
For more examples from the New Testament of false prophecies see, \u201cThe Lowdown on God\u2019s Showdown.\u201d [link<\/a>]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHaving seen how Ed is capable of butchering biblical texts and making the most absurd mistakes of logic and application of sound hermeneutical principles (here and in an earlier exchange on the Psalms), I will not rush to this other paper with baited breath. But then again, it might provide a useful exercise in refutation, to once again illustrate the myth of the \u201cprofundity\u201d and \u201cunanswerability\u201d of atheist\/agnostic biblical interpretation.<\/p>\n
When will you guys ever learn to stop doing this and to simply admit that you don\u2019t have a clue as to how to interpret the Bible properly? I highly suggest that you just go on with your lives and leave this work to those who know how to do it.<\/p>\n
Yours, in It,<\/p>\n
Dave Armstrong<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Was the Author of Hebrews a False Prophet? The Great Day of His Wrath (c. 1853), by John Martin (1789-1854) [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons] *** (9-13-06) *** \u00a0 The following is a reply to agnostic Ed Babinski\u2019s article, \u201cGimme That Old False Prediction, It\u2019s Good Enough For Me.\u201d I\u2019ve cited most of it below, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":9116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[583],"tags":[3373,3375,3376,3374,3372,1345],"class_list":["post-1494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hell-satan-last-things","tag-apocalypse","tag-end-of-the-world","tag-end-times","tag-judgment-day","tag-last-days","tag-prophecy"],"yoast_head":"\n
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Christianity since 1981, and Catholicism in particular since 1991 (full-time since December 2001). Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1494\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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