Are We Near The End?

Peter wrote the following words in 1 Peter 4:7:

The end of all things is near.

Are the words of Peter being fulfilled today?

We are seeing more and more information leading us to believe the end is drawing near.

There are wars and rumors of wars.

There is a new Pope.

There is great unrest in the Middle East.

There is conflict and chaos all over the world.

So is the end of all things near?

Let’s examine this.

Peter was Jewish and a disciple of Jesus.

As a result, he was very familiar with Daniel 9:20-27 and Daniel 12 concerning the end of the old-covenant people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus spoke about the destruction of the land of Israel, people of Israel, cities of Israel, the temple, and Jerusalem (Matthew 23:36-38; Luke 19:41-44; 21:5-28; 23:28-30).

When Jesus spoke about the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, his disciples asked him:

“Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

Notice the disciples, which would have included Peter, asked about when the temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed, speaking about the end of the age of old-covenant Israel, the land, cities, people, Jerusalem, and the temple.

This is the same end as prophesied in Daniel 9, as spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24:15-16:

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

This is also the same end of all things that Peter wrote about in 1 Peter 4:7.

Peter wrote his letter in 64 AD.

He wrote to the Jewish believers who were being persecuted in Israel and the Roman Empire.

The end of the persecution was nearing its end.

The end of old covenant Israel was nearing its end.

The end of Jerusalem and the temple were nearing their end.

The words of Peter about the end of all things were about to be fulfilled when Peter wrote in AD 64.

In AD 66, Israel revolted against Rome and the Roman-Jewish War began.

The Roman armies methodically marched through Israel, destroying the land, cities, and people.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they surrounded the city and cut off all supplies for five months.

In August of AD 70, the armies set fire to the city and the temple, bringing an end to old covenant Israel.

Daniel foretold of this end.

Jesus foretold of this end.

Peter wrote about this end.

To Peter and his original readers in AD 64, the end of all things was near.

In August of AD 70, the end occurred.

So are we living in the end times?

No.

The end times in the Bible refer to the end of old-covenant Israel, the land, people, Jerusalem, and the temple.

This was fulfilled in AD 70.

The end times have passed and are not waiting a future fulfillment.

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