"These Last Days"

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Revelation says that Jesus’ Return is “very soon”, though it has been 2,000 years. Which got me thinking: could the “last days” mean from God’s perspective, rather than ours?

Ironically, I got this idea from reading the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, an atheist. Could the “last days” mean on the cosmic scale of things? I think it makes sense. If all of Earth’s history were analgous to the width of the US, humanity has only been around for 500 feet in California.

If I am wrong, please correct me.
 
It wouldnt make any sense for the bible to use ‘Gods version’ of time when time in general is mentioned in the bible, his version is something NONE of us can relate to or understand, since the bible was meant for human understanding, I tend to think all references to time, is referring to our understanding of time.
 
mikekle said:
It wouldnt make any sense for the bible to use ‘Gods version’ of time when time in general is mentioned in the bible, his version is something NONE of us can relate to or understand, since the bible was meant for human understanding, I tend to think all references to time, is referring to our understanding of time.
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Yet the Scriptures say: For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night… (Ps 90:4)
 
One day is like a thousand years to God…and a thousand years like a day…2 Peter 3:8

God is outside of time as we know it…God is also slow to anger…so we don’t know Gods timeline when he will bring the world to final judgement…maybe tomorrow…next week…next year…10 years…100 years 1000 years…10,000 years…the chances are that every person on the planet living today may be long dead before God calls the world to judgement…so it’s best be prepared for now…and not speculate on when.
 
We could take this several ways, or even all of them at once:
  1. On a scale of the universe, “last days” could be thousands of years. This wouldn’t have been commonly understood at the time, although naturalists in antiquity did speculate the world was very, very, very old.
  2. Jesus was speaking in his divinity and not in his humanity. “A thousand years are like a day, a day like a thousand years”.
  3. Jesus was speaking to the reader of their (and our) judgment, which is soon.“Men are grass”.
 
JackVk. You asked . . . .
Revelation says that Jesus’ Return is “very soon”, though it has been 2,000 years. Which got me thinking: could the “last days” mean from God’s perspective, rather than ours?
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I think the answer to this is found in the various layers of Sacred Scripture.**

*** Our perspective
**
*** God’s perspective
**

I think it is BOTH “very soon” from a personal human perspective, AND from God’s perspective.

Why?

In order to answer that you have to ask yourself what is meant by the “coming of the Lord.”
  • What does the “Coming of the Lord” mean?
In the Old Testament the “Coming of the Lord” was a synonym for “Covenant Judgment”.
  • "Coming of the Lord” = "Covenant Judgment”
WHEN did the people of that epoch receive “Covenant Judgment”?

In one sense the people of Jesus’ day received “Covenant Judgment” when the Temple was destroyed. (Some will object here and insist the book of Revelation was written AFTER the destruction of the Temple. Possibly. But possibly not too. That would be a topic for another thread.) This was “very soon” from a human perspective.

In another sense when we die we ALL receive personal Covenant Judgment. This is also “very soon” from a human perspective.

Then eschatologically speaking, at the end of time Covenant Judgment is carried out in its finality. (Is this consistent with what “very soon” means concerning what you are calling, “God’s perspective”?)

Hopefully this is helpful.

God bless.

Cathoholic

**If you want you can read about those “various layers” in the CCC 113-118.
 
Cathoholic said:
JackVk. You asked . . . .

I think the answer to this is found in the various layers of Sacred Scripture.**

*** Our perspective
**
*** God’s perspective
**

I think it is BOTH “very soon” from a personal human perspective, AND from God’s perspective.

Why?

In order to answer that you have to ask yourself what is meant by the “coming of the Lord.”
  • What does the “Coming of the Lord” mean?
In the Old Testament the “Coming of the Lord” was a synonym for “Covenant Judgment”.
  • "Coming of the Lord” = "Covenant Judgment”
WHEN did the people of that epoch receive “Covenant Judgment”?

In one sense the people of Jesus’ day received “Covenant Judgment” when the Temple was destroyed. (Some will object here and insist the book of Revelation was written AFTER the destruction of the Temple. Possibly. But possibly not too. That would be a topic for another thread.) This was “very soon” from a human perspective.

In another sense when we die we ALL receive personal Covenant Judgment. This is also “very soon” from a human perspective.

Then eschatologically speaking, at the end of time Covenant Judgment is carried out in its finality. (Is this consistent with what “very soon” means concerning what you are calling, “God’s perspective”?)

Hopefully this is helpful.

God bless.

Cathoholic

**If you want you can read about those “various layers” in the CCC 113-118.
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I think Cathoholic gives a very good example of the proper understanding of those verses. If you really want to study Catholic Eschatology, then I’d recommend a couple of books that really explained it well.

First, if you’re looking for an excellent commentary on the book of Revelation alone, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one than Michael Barber’s Coming Soon. One of the best, if not the best commentary on Revelation alone.

Second, I’d read Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn. It’s an easy read that shows how, the Eucharist, the Mass and the Coming of the Lord, all tie together.

Also, David B Currie has written two books that deal with the End Times. The shorter of the two is What Jesus Really Said About the End of the World and a the second is Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind Rapture, is a much more thorough and extensive work, which covers Eschatology and Prophecy, from the OT all the way to the New. Both of David Curries books are excellent in this field.

Also I’d suggest Carl Olson’s Will Catholics Be Left Behind? His book is another that covers the end times from the OT to the New, though not as thick as Currie’s.

Lastly, if you prefer to listen to talks rather then reading, Dr. Brant Pitre gives an excellent talk called Jesus and the End Times: A Catholic View of the Last Days His talk is probably the best I’ve heard and I believe his views are almost lock and step, in line with the other authors I’ve just mentioned. Definitely worth picking up for someone who’s just begging to study the end times and the Catholic understanding of it!

I’ve read all of these books cover to cover, some of them 2 or 3 times, because they are that good. Anyway, I hope this helps!
 
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