Peter's Definition of
"The Last Days"

There is one single Scripture that tells us very literally the time when God would pour out His Holy Spirit, and the time when signs and wonders will all culminate.

I am referring to that glorious and historic day of Pentecost when Peter preached his classic sermon recorded in Acts 2:17-21. Early that morning in Jerusalem, 120 Spirit-filled believers came pouring out of the upper room and into the street —seemingly drunk. Peter proclaimed: “This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel” (from Joel 2:28-32):

17. “And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “that I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

18. “Even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy.

19. “And I will grant wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

20. “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

21. “And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”¹ (Acts 2)

We Evangelicals believe that we are living in the last days! But do we know when the last days started, and when they will end? Peter told us precisely when in his Pentecost sermon.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE LAST DAYS

Peter said: on the first day they would receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of spiritual gifts such as the visions and prophesy that Joel mentioned.

That first day, Peter said, was the day of Pentecost! As the Amplified Bible says, that was “[the beginning of] what was spoken by the prophet Joel.” Then, in verse 19 and 20 Peter told us when the last day of the last days would be. That last day, Peter said, will be the day of the Second Coming of Christ. Otherwise, why didn’t Peter just quote verses 17 and 18² and stop? To reiterate . . .

Peter said that the first day of “the last days” started on the day of Pentecost, and the last day of “the last days” will take place on the day of the Second Advent of Christ. And on every day between the first and last day of “the last days,” anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And — lest we forget — prophetic messages, visions, and dreams could potentially be poured out by God’s Spirit during this whole 2,000-year period!

Again, Peter said: “The gifts of the Holy Spirit (outlined in 1 Corinthians 12) are to be poured out in the last days, and the last days started on the day of Pentecost, and will end on the day of the Second Coming. The Bible clearly says that the fulfillment of this prophecy of Joel’s started, even as Peter was speaking it, on the day of Pentecost. Peter based his whole argument on that premise.³

We need to understand that Peter wasn’t just preaching to those present on that day 2,000 years ago, but to us as well — according to Acts 2:38-39. He was an anointed oracle of God, a prophet, speaking the fulfillment and the revelation of a prophecy made by Joel 835 years earlier.

And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.” (Acts 2:38-39)

 Was that interesting? There is so much more in this chapter that you will want to read.  Is this a good time to order the book?  

To Order This Book Click on:

     
         Webmaster: Kenneth Uptegrove

Do You Want
  To Help In This Ministry?

Click on button to send us an e-mail to tell us how you wish to give  in some way.