Acts 2 (written AD 60s)
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Acts 3:24 (AD 60s)
24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.
I Corinthians 10 (written mid AD 50s)
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Hebrews 1:1-2 (written late AD 60s)
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
In perfect harmony with the statement are Jesus and other New Testament writers:
Revelation (written in AD 60s according to its text):
- Things that will “soon take place”
- John calls himself their “partner in the tribulation”
- “Even those who pierced him will see him” (they are still alive)
- “Time is near/at hand”
- The churches are “About to suffer”
Similar to Olivet Discourse:
- “This generation will not pass away” (generation was 40 years)
- “Some of you standing here will not taste death before” (some did, some didn’t)
- “You will not have made it through all the towns of Israel”
- Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly”
Additional urgency from other New Testament Writers:
Paul:
- This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short
- For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”
- And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep
James
- Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
Peter
- For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
- But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Don’t forget. Daniel was told to “seal up” his prophecy for the time was “NOT at hand.” 500-600 years later, John was told “DON’T seal it up, for the time IS at hand.”
I assure you, by God’s own definition of “at hand,” the end cannot be “at hand” 2,000+ years later if 600 years was too long to be defined as “at hand.”
Jesus called off evangelism in Revelation 22:11 because the judgment was so near, and reminded us that He was coming quickly, in perfect agreement with what He told his followers:
Matthew 16:
27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”