Exactness.

Truly, exactness in the form of timely and precise fulfillment is the most Christ-honoring, Scripture-authenticating, and faith-validating of all the various end-time views in the historic Church. It is also, in our opinion, the ultimate apologetic supporting God’s demonstrated attribute of divine perfection.

Hence, this time-restricted period of “these last days” was to encompass the full redemptive work of the Messiah: his birth, anointing, teaching, ushering in of the everlasting kingdom of God, death, resurrection, sending of the Holy Spirit, ending of the Jewish age, and much more, as we shall see.

These biblical “last days” were never to be the last days of the world, planet Earth, human history, or the Church. They were the beginning days of the Church, as well as the last days of the biggest thing that was ending at the time or will ever end on Planet Earth¾the ending of biblical Judaism and its Old Covenant age. That’s why the Apostle Paul reminded his contemporaries that “. . . this world in its present form is [was] passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31) and that “the time is [was] short” (1 Cor. 7:29). For Paul the end was very close. Was he wrong? Or did he understand exactly what he was saying?

No doubt for most viewers of PRI’s website or readers of John Noe’s books, what we have been presenting is a completely different understanding of the “last days” and end-time prophecy and its fulfillment. But crucial to our understanding are the proper identification of this end-time period and its literal fulfillments. It’s a powerful vindication of the perfection of God’s prophetic word. Daniel had prophesied that its historical setting and defining characteristic would be “when the power of the holy people has been [was] finally broken” (Dan. 12:7). And this is exactly what happened circa A.D. 70. Jesus’ Olivet Discourse prophecy perfectly fits this scenario. Forty years —one biblical “this generation”—had been given to the Israelites to repent and accept their Messiah. Some did. Many didn’t. But when the time of God’s grace was over, “it is [was] time for judgment to begin with the family of God” or “at the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17 NIV-KJV). This age-ending judgment certainly came during the final portion of Israel’s “last days.” After A.D. 70 -73, the “last days” were over.

Consequently, a Jewish temple does not need to be rebuilt and destroyed again in our day and time. The perfect ending for the world had come, right on time! But what about Jesus’ “Second Coming?” Did that happen back then in A.D. 70 as well?

Sources:

1 The Perfect Ending for the World by John Noe

2 The Last Days According to Jesus by R.C. Sproul

3 Last Days Madness by Gary DeMar

4 The Works of Josephus translated by William Whiston

5 Josephus the Essential Writings by Paul L. Maier