Human finger-prints and Biblical prophesy (part 2)

The idea that the apostles believed that “End Times” would be within their lifetime is confirmed in numerous other passages. Let’s examine a couple.

Acts 2

The Holy Spirit came upon the people at Pentecost. Bystanders accused them of being drunk, so Peter, quoting Joel 2, states, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

Note, Peter used the phrase “last days.” In common parlance, “last” means final. It suggests that there is (or was) an end coming.

But that was 2,000 years ago. Right?

A common pushback from inerrantists is to redefine the phrase.

For example, I’ve heard it explained as such, “when the Bible uses the phrase ‘last days’, it refers to a final era. This ‘final era’ was implemented at the resurrection.”

A similar perspective is echoed in the following sentiment. “From God‘a perspective, where a ‘single day is but a thousand years,’ the last 2000 years were but a handful of days.”

There are three things wrong with this.

First, Peter does not give any of these explanations in his monologue in his explanation that it was a fulfillment of Joel. So, why read that in?

The question is rhetorical. It’s necessary to save the doctrine of inerrancy. 

Second, Peter’s quote of Joel also includes Jesus coming in on a cloud. This would only make sense if Peter believed the pouring of the Holy Spirit was linked to the second event. Not just any link, but an expectation. For the people at the Acts 2 Pentecost, they should expect to see Jesus on a cloud.

After all, Jesus told them that it would happen in “this generation.”

Third, and this will require more explanation, but these is other evidence that the apostles believed that all things would pass in the timespan of “this generation.”