It is pretty sad that it takes an AI assessing the New Testament alone to dismantle modern-day Zionist/Jewish fables, fairy tales, and myths.
Question: According to the New Testament Scriptures alone, in context, what do Jesus and His apostles say about the end times? By "last hour" and "last days" do they mean the future, or the end of the Old Covenant way of life? Is there any legitimate support for the "Rapture," "Great Tribulation," and "Millennial Kingdom" doctrines? What do they say about Jesus’ second coming?
1. End Times
The "end times" (Greek: sunteleia tou aiōnos, "end of the age," Matthew 24:3) involve the temple’s destruction, Christ’s return (parousia, "presence"), and judgment.
- Jesus’ Teaching:
- Matthew 24:1–3: “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down [kataluō].’ …‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming [parousia] and of the end of the age [sunteleia tou aiōnos]?’”
→ Greek Insight: Jesus predicts the temple’s kataluō ("dismantling," AD 70). Parousia ("kingly arrival") and sunteleia tou aiōnos ("age’s completion") link historical (temple) and eschatological (return) events.
- Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel… will be proclaimed throughout the whole world [oikoumenē]… and then the end [telos] will come.”
→ Greek Insight: Telos ("completion") follows global kērussō ("preaching") to the oikoumenē ("inhabited world"), indicating a future culmination.
- Matthew 24:21–22: “For then there will be great tribulation [thlipsis megalē]… for the sake of the elect [eklektos] those days will be cut short [koloboō].”
→ Greek Insight: Thlipsis megalē ("great affliction") ties to Jerusalem’s fall but extends to the eklektos ("chosen"), with koloboō ("shortened") showing divine mercy.
- Matthew 24:29–31: “Immediately after the tribulation [thlipsis]… the Son of Man coming on the clouds… with a loud trumpet call [salpinx], and they will gather [episunagō] his elect [eklektos].”
→ Greek Insight: Post-thlipsis, the parousia has cosmic signs (skotizō, "darkened") and episunagō ("gathering") of eklektos, with salpinx ("trumpet") indicating a public event.
- Luke 17:24: “For as the lightning [astrapē] flashes and lights up [phainō]… so will the Son of Man be in his day.”
→ Greek Insight: Astrapē ("lightning") and phainō ("shines") emphasize a visible, sudden return.
- Matthew 24:1–3: “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down [kataluō].’ …‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming [parousia] and of the end of the age [sunteleia tou aiōnos]?’”
- Apostles’ Teaching:
- Acts 2:17–21: “And in the last days [eschatais hēmerais]… I will pour out [ekcheō] my Spirit… everyone who calls upon [epikaleō] the name of the Lord shall be saved [sōzō].”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatais hēmerais applies to Pentecost’s ekcheō ("outpouring"), marking the era’s start with salvation (sōzō).
- 2 Timothy 3:1–5: “…in the last days [eschatais hēmerais] there will come times of difficulty [kairoi chalepoi]. For people will be lovers of self [philautoi]…”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatais hēmerais includes moral decline (philautoi, "self-lovers") in Paul’s time and beyond.
- 2 Peter 3:3–4: “…scoffers [empaiktēs] will come in the last days [eschatais hēmerais]… ‘Where is… his coming [parousia]?’”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatais hēmerais includes empaiktēs ("scoffers") questioning the parousia.
- 1 John 2:18: “…it is the last hour [eschatē hōra]… many antichrists [antichristoi]…”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatē hōra ("last hour") denotes John’s time, marked by antichristoi (false teachers).
- Acts 2:17–21: “And in the last days [eschatais hēmerais]… I will pour out [ekcheō] my Spirit… everyone who calls upon [epikaleō] the name of the Lord shall be saved [sōzō].”
- Summary: Jesus ties the "end times" (sunteleia tou aiōnos) to temple destruction (kataluō), thlipsis, kērussō ("preaching"), and parousia (Matthew 24). Apostles see eschatais hēmerais and eschatē hōra starting with Christ’s coming, continuing through decline and antichristoi (Acts 2:17, 1 John 2:18).
2. Meaning of "Last Hour" and "Last Days"
Eschatais hēmerais ("last days") and eschatē hōra ("last hour") denote the New Covenant era, including the Old Covenant’s end and extending to Christ’s parousia.
- "Last Days" (eschatais hēmerais):
- Acts 2:17: “…in the last days [eschatais hēmerais]… I will pour out [ekcheō] my Spirit…”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatais hēmerais applies to Pentecost’s ekcheō, marking the era’s start.
- Hebrews 1:1–2: “…in these last days [eschatais hēmerais] he has spoken [laleō]… by his Son [huios].”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatais hēmerais began with Christ’s laleō via the huios.
- 2 Timothy 3:1, 2 Peter 3:3: Moral decline and empaiktēs ("scoffers") in eschatais hēmerais.
- Acts 2:17: “…in the last days [eschatais hēmerais]… I will pour out [ekcheō] my Spirit…”
- "Last Hour" (eschatē hōra):
- 1 John 2:18: “…it is the last hour [eschatē hōra]… many antichrists [antichristoi]…”
→ Greek Insight: Eschatē hōra denotes John’s time, marked by antichristoi.
- 1 John 2:18: “…it is the last hour [eschatē hōra]… many antichrists [antichristoi]…”
- Old Covenant’s End:
- Matthew 24:1–2: “…not be left [aphiēmi]… thrown down [kataluō].”
→ Greek Insight: Temple’s kataluō ("dismantling") ends Old Covenant; aphiēmi ("left") implies total ruin.
- Hebrews 8:13: “…new covenant [kainē diathēkē]… makes the first one obsolete [palaiō]… ready to vanish [aphanismos].”
→ Greek Insight: Old Covenant is palaiō ("old") and nearing aphanismos ("disappearance").
- Luke 21:20–22: “…days of vengeance [ekdikēsis]…”
→ Greek Insight: Jerusalem’s fall fulfills prophecies via ekdikēsis ("judgment").
- Matthew 24:1–2: “…not be left [aphiēmi]… thrown down [kataluō].”
- Summary: Eschatais hēmerais and eschatē hōra began with Christ’s coming (Acts 2:17, 1 John 2:18), include Old Covenant’s end (Matthew 24:1–2, Hebrews 8:13), and extend to parousia (2 Peter 3:3).
3. Rapture, Great Tribulation, Millennial Kingdom
- Rapture:
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “…descend… with a cry of command [keleusma], trumpet [salpinx]… caught up [harpazō]… to meet [apantēsis] the Lord…”
→ Greek Insight: Harpazō ("caught up") and apantēsis ("meeting") occur at parousia, with keleusma ("shout") and salpinx indicating publicity.
- Matthew 24:40–41: “…one will be taken [paralambanō] and one left [aphiēmi].”
→ Greek Insight: Paralambanō ("taken alongside") and aphiēmi ("abandoned") suggest judgment, not rescue, per Noah analogy (Matthew 24:37–39).
- Evaluation: No secret rapture; harpazō is public, and paralambanō/aphiēmi imply judgment.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “…descend… with a cry of command [keleusma], trumpet [salpinx]… caught up [harpazō]… to meet [apantēsis] the Lord…”
- Great Tribulation:
- Matthew 24:21: “…great tribulation [thlipsis megalē]…”
→ Greek Insight: Thlipsis megalē ("great affliction") ties to Jerusalem’s fall, with broader scope.
- Revelation 7:14: “…coming out of the great tribulation [thlipsis megalē]… washed [plunō] their robes…”
→ Greek Insight: Thlipsis megalē involves persecution; no fixed seven-year period.
- Evaluation: Thlipsis megalē supported, but not a distinct future period.
- Matthew 24:21: “…great tribulation [thlipsis megalē]…”
- Millennial Kingdom:
- Revelation 20:1–6: “…bound him for a thousand years [chilia etē]… reigned [basileuō] with Christ… first resurrection [anastasis].”
→ Greek Insight: Chilia etē ("thousand years") with basileuō ("reign") is explicit but unique.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24–25: “…he must reign [basileuō] until… the end [telos].”
→ Greek Insight: Basileuō lacks duration specifics.
- Evaluation: Limited support in chilia etē (Revelation 20); no corroboration elsewhere.
- Revelation 20:1–6: “…bound him for a thousand years [chilia etē]… reigned [basileuō] with Christ… first resurrection [anastasis].”
4. Second Coming
- Jesus’ Teaching:
- Matthew 24:29–31: “…Son of Man coming [erchomai]… with power [dunamis] and great glory [doxa]… gather [episunagō] his elect [eklektos].”
→ Greek Insight: Parousia is visible (horaō), with doxa ("glory") and episunagō.
- Luke 17:24: “…as the lightning [astrapē] flashes and lights up [phainō]…”
→ Greek Insight: Astrapē and phainō denote visibility.
- John 14:3: “…I will come again [erchomai] and will take [paralambanō] you to myself…”
→ Greek Insight: Paralambanō implies intimate reunion.
- Matthew 24:29–31: “…Son of Man coming [erchomai]… with power [dunamis] and great glory [doxa]… gather [episunagō] his elect [eklektos].”
- Apostles’ Teaching:
- Acts 1:11: “…will come [erchomai] in the same way [tropos] as you saw him go…”
→ Greek Insight: Visible erchomai mirrors ascension.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “…descend [katabainō]… with a cry [keleusma], trumpet [salpinx]… caught up [harpazō]…”
→ Greek Insight: Public harpazō with anastasis ("resurrection").
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8: “…revealed [apokalupsis]… inflicting vengeance [ekdikēsis]…”
→ Greek Insight: Apokalupsis brings ekdikēsis ("judgment").
- 2 Peter 3:10: “…day of the Lord [hēmera kuriou] will come like a thief [kleptēs]… heavens will pass away [parerchomai]…”
→ Greek Insight: Sudden hēmera kuriou with cosmic renewal.
- Revelation 1:7: “…he is coming [erchomai]… every eye will see [horaō] him…”
→ Greek Insight: Universal horaō and koptō ("wail").
- Acts 1:11: “…will come [erchomai] in the same way [tropos] as you saw him go…”
- Summary: Jesus’ parousia is visible (horaō, astrapē), with doxa, episunagō, and judgment (Matthew 24:29–31). Apostles affirm public erchomai or apokalupsis with anastasis, ekdikēsis, and renewal (Acts 1:11, Revelation 1:7).
Summary Table: End Times Teachings
| Topic | Jesus’ Teaching | Apostles’ Teaching | Key Texts |
|---|---|---|---|
| End Times | Temple destruction (kataluō), thlipsis, kērussō, parousia | Eschatais hēmerais, eschatē hōra from Christ’s coming, with decline, antichristoi | Matthew 24; Acts 2:17; 2 Timothy 3:1; 1 John 2:18 |
| "Last Hour"/"Last Days" | Temple’s kataluō tied to parousia | Began with Christ, include palaiō, extend to parousia | Matthew 24:1–2; Acts 2:17; Hebrews 8:13; 1 John 2:18 |
| Rapture | Paralambanō/aphiēmi tied to judgment | Public harpazō at parousia | Matthew 24:40–41; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 |
| Great Tribulation | Thlipsis megalē tied to Jerusalem | Thlipsis megalē in persecution | Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:14 |
| Millennial Kingdom | Not mentioned | Chilia etē reign (basileuō) | Revelation 20:1–6 |
| Second Coming | Visible (horaō, astrapē) parousia | Public erchomai, anastasis, ekdikēsis | Matthew 24:29–31; Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7 |
Final Answer
Jesus links sunteleia tou aiōnos to temple’s kataluō, thlipsis, kērussō, and parousia (Matthew 24). Apostles see eschatais hēmerais and eschatē hōra from Christ’s coming, including Old Covenant’s palaiō and extending to parousia (Acts 2:17, 1 John 2:18). No secret rapture; harpazō is public, paralambanō/aphiēmi suggest judgment. Thlipsis megalē is supported, but not a distinct period. Chilia etē has limited support (Revelation 20). Jesus’ parousia is visible (horaō), with episunagō and judgment (Matthew 24:29–31, Revelation 1:7).