THE LAST HOUR OR WHAT?

[black-pawn]

1 Jn 2:18 states twice we are living in the last hour.

FIRST PREMISE: My understanding is that the last hour from the Hebrew perspective meant the soon-coming end of the old covenant (the last hour came upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70). This means the end of an era was at hand which would immediately open the floodgates of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God to the entire world. No more Israel, no more temples, no more "chosen people" (through the law of Moses).

Since Yeshua the Messiah shed His blood (Mat. 26:28, Lk 22:20), the people of "The Way" became the only chosen ones who walk forward into the realms of eternity.

SECOND PREMISE: In my view, the last hour also means that from the moment the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place, the "last days of history" began because death was defeated by a MAN who rose from the grave to ascend to the throne of glory and rule from heaven over all His creation.

The following verses can be understood from the perspective of the coming judgment of Israel, but also as the closure of the age of the law, (Heb 1:2, 1Pe 1:20, 1Cor. 10:11, James 5:8, 1 Pet 4:7, 2 Pet 3:9, 11; Rev 1:3, 22:10).

Do you agree? If not, why not?

 

[BobRyan]

1 Jn 2:18 states twice we are living in the last hour.

FIRST PREMISE: My understanding is that the last hour from the Hebrew perspective meant the soon-coming end of the old covenant (the last hour came upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70). This means the end of an era was at hand which would immediately open the floodgates of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God to the entire world. No more Israel, no more temples, no more "chosen people" (through the law of Moses).

Since Yeshua the Messiah shed His blood (Mat. 26:28, Lk 22:20), the people of "The Way" became the only chosen ones who walk forward into the realms of eternity.

SECOND PREMISE: In my view, the last hour also means that from the moment the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place, the "last days of history" began because death was defeated by a MAN who rose from the grave to ascend to the throne of glory and rule from heaven over all His creation.

The following verses can be understood from the perspective of the coming judgment of Israel, but also as the closure of the age of the law, (Heb 1:2, 1Pe 1:20, 1Cor. 10:11, James 5:8, 1 Pet 4:7, 2 Pet 3:9, 11; Rev 1:3, 22:10).

Do you agree? If not, why not?

1 John 2 is written after the destruction of Jerusalem. The NT authors never viewed the destruction of Jerusalem as the last hour for Christians.
Christians had already been chased out of Jerusalem by the time John write 1 John.

Introduction to 1 John

Learn about the authorship, date, and other background information that will help you better understand and apply the letter of 1 John.

www.pursuegod.org

Summary of the Book of 1 John - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Book of 1 John (1John)? Who wrote 1 John? What is the Book of 1 John all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Romans 11 points out that the Jewish nation-state dispensation had ended.
That is not what they called "last days".

1 Thess 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

The fallen state of that nation-church system seems to be "a given" in many of the NT letters rather than a coming doom.

 

[black-pawn]

1 John 2 is written after the destruction of Jerusalem. The NT authors never viewed the destruction of Jerusalem as the last hour for Christians.
Christians had already been chased out of Jerusalem by the time John write 1 John.

Introduction to 1 John

Learn about the authorship, date, and other background information that will help you better understand and apply the letter of 1 John.

www.pursuegod.org

Summary of the Book of 1 John - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Book of 1 John (1John)? Who wrote 1 John? What is the Book of 1 John all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Romans 11 points out that the Jewish nation-state dispensation had ended.
That is not what they called "last days".

1 Thess 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

The fallen state of that nation-church system seems to be "a given" in many of the NT letters rather than a coming doom.

1 John WAS NOT written after the destruction of Jerusalem. That at best is an assumption that cannot be proven. The events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem indicate that the entire NT was written before A.D. 70, otherwise one of the writers of the NT would have commented on it since that was the greatest event in the history of Israel after the cross.

I'm glad that you quoted 1 Thes. 2:14 because Paul mentions in verse 16 that wrath had come upon the Jews who both crucified the Lord and persecuted believers to death. When did that happen? The war of the Jews ended up with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem by the Romans. If you can find that in the scriptures as one of the writers looking back at his horrendous event, I will listen to what you say.

Until then...

 

[Jonaitis]

Do you agree? If not, why not?

Yes, the "last hour" was directed toward the Jewish audience. It did refer to the era of their Covenant. It all was coming to an end; their temple, practices, nation, etc. The "last hour" was about Israel, and as we find out, it came true.

Many Christians have taken the liberty of interpreting this for the nations. The Church is the eschatological future that was prophesied by the Hebrew prophets. We are the end spoken of by them.

 

[black-pawn]

Yes, the "last hour" was directed toward the Jewish audience. It did refer to the era of their Covenant. It all was coming to an end; their temple, practices, nation, etc. The "last hour" was about Israel, and as we find out, it came true.

Many Christians have taken the liberty of interpreting this for the nations. The Church is the eschatological future that was prophesied by the Hebrew prophets. We are the end spoken of by them.

Thank you, brother, for seeing things as they were, and not ignoring the context of the scriptures in order to apply it to our way of looking at the Bible from the perspective of our modern western culture.

God bless!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

third premise, the last hour of the year is coming up, so the flesh mind is trying to participate by reciting scriptures. The world is always ending for the flesh, because the flesh is always on it's way to die.

 

[black-pawn]

1 John 2 is written after the destruction of Jerusalem. The NT authors never viewed the destruction of Jerusalem as the last hour for Christians.
Christians had already been chased out of Jerusalem by the time John write 1 John.

Introduction to 1 John

Learn about the authorship, date, and other background information that will help you better understand and apply the letter of 1 John.

www.pursuegod.org

Summary of the Book of 1 John - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Book of 1 John (1John)? Who wrote 1 John? What is the Book of 1 John all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Romans 11 points out that the Jewish nation-state dispensation had ended.
That is not what they called "last days".

1 Thess 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

The fallen state of that nation-church system seems to be "a given" in many of the NT letters rather than a coming doom.

Try to look at the scriptures without the dispensational jargon. You might find that you have a brand-new bible in your hands. God ended His covenant relationship with Israel when the temple was destroyed, and the old covenant was officially closed. He had something better and more enduring for them with the incarnation of God, which promised eternal salvation of their souls, but they wanted a physical kingdom. Remember what Yeshua said in John 18:36.

 

[Blade]

It could be said " last hour". How it was originally written not the last hour. He talked to them as "little children". Then John using the word Antichrist vs the spirit of the antichrist. Forget it.. well when this is said.

"dispensational jargon" special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.

Now me I will always say "don't believe me you study this you find it out for you self".

1st John written. From what I read search study 85+ Ad. Some will give a reason why others say it was after 70Ad as in....."The date has been placed at the end of the first century because of the type of heresy John’s epistles condemn and the information Polycarp and Irenaeus supplied." Same will also say "There is not enough internal or external evidence to fix an exact date."

Oh I could write a book on how confusing this gets "Estimates range from 60 A.D. to 100 A.D. Most modern scholarship places it around 95 A.D., but there are also good reasons for believing it was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D" This one its the "good reason". Not many at all say this.

So truth is no one really knows for sure. It tends to lean more after 85+ad but since one can not prove it. Some will deny and it will be after or before to fit a personal doctrine from everything I read OUT side of here.