I would go so far as to say we’ve been in the “end times” since the Ascension…
That is the Age of the Church - it starts with the event you mention - the Ascension (or at the first Pentecost, depending on who you talk to) and goes until the end. The Book of Revelation refers to this as the ‘thousand years’.
But Revelation also mentions a specific
Short Time of Satan that comes just before Jesus’ return. It is short relative to the figurative thousand years., but it is most likely decades or even a century long since it is also referenced by Jesus in Matthew 24 and all the things He mentioned - Apostasy, Great Tribulation, nation rising against nation, wars and rumors of wars for example - will more likely take many years for all of that to occur.
So a distinction needs to be made between the generic last days or end times - which corresponds to the ‘thousand years’ from the Ascension until the Return, and the ‘time of the end’ (from Daniel 12) which is the Short Time of Satan’s “hour” that comes just before the return.
I believe we are in that Short Time of Satan mentioned in the Book of Revealtion and called the “time of the end” in Daniel 12.
God bless you.
Daniel 12:1-10
1 'At that time Michael will arise – the great Prince, defender of your people. That will be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared – all those whose names are found written in the Book.
2 'Of those who are sleeping in the Land of Dust, many will awaken, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
3 Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the expanse of the heavens, and those who have instructed many in uprightness, as bright as stars for all eternity.
4 ‘But you, Daniel, must keep these words secret and keep the book sealed until** the time of the End**. Many will roam about, this way and that, and wickedness will continue to increase.’
5 I, Daniel, then looked and saw two other people standing, one on the near bank of the river, the other on the far.
6 One of them said to the man dressed in linen who was standing further up the stream, ‘How long until these wonders take place?’
7 I heard the man speak who was dressed in linen, standing further up the stream: he raised his right hand and his left to heaven and swore by him who lives for ever, ‘
A time and two times, and half a time; and all these things will come true, once the crushing of the holy people’s power is over.’
8 I listened but did not understand. I then said, ‘My lord, what is to be the outcome?’
9 ‘Go, Daniel,’ he said. 'These words are to remain secret and sealed until
the time of the End.
10 Many will be cleansed, made white and purged; the wicked will persist in doing wrong; the wicked will never understand; those who are wise will understand.
