The last days

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Evanescence

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**What events in our time were foretold in the Bible?

What does God’s Word say people would be like in “the last days?”

Regarding “the last days,” what good things does the Bible foretell?

These questions were given to me by a Jehovah’s Witness missionary at my door today. She wants me do answer these for “homework” -I thought this would be a good opportunity to witness to her Catholic beliefs 🙂

So anyone want to take a stab at these? I’ve got a ruff idea but I really want to have good thorough responces to these questions. 🙂

God bless
Evanescence**
 
Many events of our time were foretold by the Bible, but those same prophecies foretold the events of other times in history too. That’s because the Bible tells of the common lot of people at all times (which is why the Bible is still relavent to our times). The many signs that show the end is near; wars, catastrophies, moral break down, false Christs, and the like, have always been with us.

Anyway, the Bible isn’t a book that foretells the future. It wasn’t meant to be. You can not use the Bible like a pack of Tarot cards and anyone who does so is a soothsayer (and thus in league with the devil). Jesus himself said that you are not to know the times and dates that have been set by the Father. That should be enough for any true Christian.

Anyway, why are you allowing your caller to set your adenda, i.e. your homework? It sounds as though she’s priming you for conversion. It doesn’t matter what Biblical quotes you come up with, she’ll be able to refute them and batter you down with biblical quote after biblical quote until you have to acknowledge your Catholic beliefs untenable. She’ll have been trained to do that. Beware!
 
I would ask what is meant by “the last days”.

Refer to Matt 24:44, “On this account you too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that you do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.”

To whom did Jesus address this passage? If it was his followers, and if JW’s today are his followers, he has to be coming when they’re not expecting it. Then “the last days” can’t be our times.
 
Maybe I am off in left field by myself, but I will propose that the tribulations suggested will be for those that are battling to maintain the faith. The faith will be at great risk of being lost entirely as it has already occured in some places of the world. It may be possible that those who have lost it may hardly notice the tribulations as they aren’t even trying to hang onto it. I read Luke 18:8

When the son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

with the conclusion I draw is that is why he is coming back when he does. There is no more (or at least insufficient) faith left on earth for him to keep the world going.

I agree entirely with Cadellin, don’t use the bible as a set of Tarot cards trying to fit modern events into some of the more figurative literary devices used in the bible.
 
What does God’s Word say people would be like in “the last days?”
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Here are some passages they will probably bring up:
2 Timothy 3:1-8 (possibly 4:3-4 also, but that doesn’t specifically speak of the latter days)
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
2 Peter 3:3-6
Matthew chapter 24; Mark 13; Luke 21
They might pull a lot of things out of the Book of Revelation

The “end times” are not a major issue in our Church like they are in some of the Protestant denominations. There is not much official teaching except to state that their will be an end with the second coming of Jesus - after which will be the general judgement.

If you are going to continue meeting with them, you’d be wise to bone up on what they believe. They are not a Christian denomination. They do not accept the Trinity. They believe Jesus was the Archangel Michael.

Nita
 
Evanesence,

Just went to another thread and there was 1 Tim 4:1-5. This is a passage many denominations bring up to Catholics, so maybe you should be prepared. They use the portion that says “…in later times…who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods…”

“who forbid marriage” - they may say its a reference to our celibate priesthood; which of course is false. There were sects back in apostolic times that said all sexual union was evil, even between husband and wife, and therefore all marriage was forbidden. Paul was condemning those sects. As you know, far from condemning it, the Church proclaims it to be a Sacrament, and is fighting in our culture to uphold its value.

“abstain from foods” - may say this refers to our not eating meat on Friday (nowadays it’s only the Fridays of Lent). What Paul is actually referring to is the groups who said it was wrong to eat any living creatures. Guess there were vegetarians way back then too. 🙂

Nita
 
I wonder… Would it make sense to say that we’ve been living in the last days since Jesus’s Ascension?
 
Evanescence,
Regarding “what good things does the Bible foretell”, they are probably going to point out to you the following passages in Revelation:

Rev. 7:5-8 - speaks of the 144,000 that are saved. I believe they interpret this as applying to those who will spend eternity in the presence of God. They may or may not still hold to the literal number of 144,000.

Rev. 21:1 - speaks of a new heaven and new earth. This they interpret as an eternal earthly paradise that will come into existence for the rest of humanity that is not condemned.

Can’t remember if they believe in hell for the wicked - or total annihilation.

Nita
 
Wildgraywolf said:
I wonder… Would it make sense to say that we’ve been living in the last days since Jesus’s Ascension?
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Heb. 1:1-2 “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in theses last days he has spoken to us by a Son.”

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
585 On the threshold of his Passion Jesus announced the coming destruction of this splendid building, of which there would not remain “one stone upon another”. By doing so, he announced a sign of the last days, which were to begin with his own Passover. But this prophecy would be distorted in its telling by false witnesses during his interrogation at the high priest’s house, and would be thrown back at him as an insult when he was nailed to the cross.

732 … Since that day (Pentecost), the Kingdom announc3ed by Christ has been open to those who believe in Him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity. By His coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the “last days,” the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated.

Nita
 
Hi, evanessance,

I have an article which explains that the primary sense of apocalyptic questions has to do with a spiritually psychological analysis of the entirety of salvation history. Some of these yet unanswered questions include, what will, spiritually speaking, be the nature of the fullness of the Gentiles; what will happen to the gray area spiritual conditions? And these all lead to, how will the Church recognize when man has fallen away from the Gospel in an irredeemable and irrevocable manner?

Here is the link if you want it:

catholicmeditations.org/index.php?root=apocalypse&sub=why_fut_pret
 
I wonder… Would it make sense to say that we’ve been living in the last days since Jesus’s Ascension?
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Yes it would. Throughout history, God has changed the way in which he “dealt” with humans. Notably, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The last change God made with man was the covenant Jesus established. There will be no further changes until Jesus returns. Which, by the way, didn’t occur invisibly in 1914. So yes, we are living in the last days which began with Jesus’ ascension.
 
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