Living in the Last Days

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” Hebrews 1:1-2a ESV

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law” Galatians 4:4 ESV

            Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas season is officially upon us. You have the green light to start decorating, shopping, listening to Christmas music, and turning off the annoying Christmas music. Preparing for Christmas has been rushed over the years mainly by retailers seeking an early advantage over the competition. These early displays of gift ideas, Black Friday deals, and lawn decorations are succeeding as more people are buying into rushing into the season. On a road trip last weekend, I was amazed of how many homes are fully decorated for Christmas including a tree prominently displayed in the front window. We have all been doing our share in pushing forward the season.

            That first Christmas 2,000 years ago in the city of Bethlehem was anything but rushed. God the Father had planned it out perfectly when He would send His Son Jesus to be born. Paul writes in the book of Galatians, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.” (4:4a ESV) But in a way, we could say Biblically, the season was rushed or pushed forward. The author of the book of Hebrews writes, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.” (1:1 ESV) The Lord spoke His Word through the prophets during the Old Testament days previewing of the coming of Christ, the Messiah. The Jewish people knew the term ‘last days’ indicated the coming of the Messiah. Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, had come and we have been in the ‘last days’ since His birth.

            The prophets of the Old Testament paved the way for our understanding the birth of Jesus as the Messiah who was to come. The Old Testament indeed speaks of God’s redemptive plan of salvation through the Messiah. God’s spoken revelation in the Old Testament was through the prophets, but now Jesus the Messiah, God the Son, has come speaking of God’s plan of redemption in these last days. (Heb. 1:2a)

            Jesus told His disciples the night before His crucifixion God’s plan of salvation, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6 ESV) Just before these words to them, He said, “…I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (Jn. 14:3 ESV) Jesus has declared He is coming back again as the prophets of the Old Testament spoke of His first coming. We do not know the date so we better prepare for His coming as we prepare for each Christmas season ahead of time for we are ‘living in the last days.’