14. In those days, at that time.

Anyone who has read through the prophets would have come across this phrase and might have wondered where it fits in the time-line of endtime events. But the context of those passages seem to suggest that it refers to the time of Christ’s second coming and the beginning of his millennial rule. So the phrase ‘In those days ( or the last days), at that time ( or in the fullness of time) ‘, probably means ‘The day of the Lord’.

Let us consider some of those passages to substantiate the above interpretation:- ‘IN THOSE DAYS, AT THAT TIME, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.’ ( Joel 3:1-2) “IN THOSE DAYS when your numbers have increased greatly in the land … AT THAT TIME they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the Lord’ and all the nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord …” (Jeremiah 3:16-17) “The days are coming”, declares the Lord, “when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. IN THOSE DAYS, AT THAT TIME, I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line and he will do what is just and right in the land. IN THOSE DAYS Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called. ‘The Lord Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:14-16) “IN THOSE DAYS, AT THAT TIME,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.” (Jeremiah 50:4-5) “IN THOSE DAYS, AT THAT TIME”, declares the Lord, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.” (Jeremiah 50:20)

All the above references speak about the restoration that would happen to the nation of Israel and the Apostles who knew these prophecies, asked Jesus, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” But he replied, “It is not for you to know the time or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” ( Acts 1: 6-7) In saying so, Jesus emphasized the urgency in establishing the Kingdom of God prior to the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, which he said would happen at the appointed time. ‘Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children…’ (Isaiah 66:8 ) That moment came about once again since the Exodus, when on the 14th of May 1948, the nation of Israel was reborn. However, this seems like a partial restoration because a full restoration would happen only after their spiritual restoration ‘IN THOSE DAYS, AT THAT TIME’. ‘Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel would be saved.’ (Romans 11:25-26)

‘Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know summer is near. Even so when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door … no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven but only the Father … Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.’ ( Matthew 24:36-42) Amen.