By Dan Maines

At Hand Scriptures
Matthew 26:45-46 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the HOUR IS AT HAND, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is AT HAND." Matthew 26:45 HAS DRAWN NEAR.

Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread DREW NEAR, which is called Passover.

The word "eggizo" or AT HAND used in a same way to show the nearness of the person or object. This alone, tells us AT HAND does not mean 2,000 years.

Luke 22:47; Luke 24:15; Acts 22:6 and Acts 23:15 all show and support the term AT HAND or DRAWING NEAR. If one takes at AT HAND or DRAWING NEAR to mean something else like 2,000 years this is the true meaning called twisting Scripture.

The phrase AT HAND (eggizo) concerning the Day of the Lord should stand very clear in terms of intention and meaning as we see in these next passages.

Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (eggizo).

Romans 13:11-12 11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is AT HAND. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

James 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is AT HAND. HAS DRAWN NEAR.

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is AT HAND; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

The apostles wrote to their audience the imminence of these time statements. It's Now! Futurists always have to use some excuse because they can't re-used the time statements to defend themselves so they say something like, "Well Paul really didn't mean that or 'AT HAND.' does not really mean 'AT HAND.'. The apostles were just trying to show imminence for every generation to come. This is a lie! This is lying against God and the apostles! This is rejecting the truth of Scripture! There are only three possibilities to the imminence of these time statements. One, Either Paul was mislead by the Holy Spirit and lied and did not lead him and the rest of the apostles in all truth. Two, the apostles were incorrect and deceived thousands of church members. Three, they were telling the truth and Christ Jesus did return when He and the apostles said He would.

Using the thousand-years-as-a-day argument to interpret time statements in Scripture makes God out to be incorrect. And I don't believe God is wrong, I think man is the one wrong! I believe Man knew the truth and chose to teach the opposite to fill the church. This makes many Christians beliefs system hearsay because most just take the pastor at his word. They follow the guidelines of the church which is for some, is wrong to begin with. They never see the truth of the bible because its been ingrained in them not to figure it out for themselves. We have been bamboozled long enough can't you see that? There is better news I assure you.

If you really want to see the truth, trust the apostles, they were promised of God that He would lead them into all truth. Do you know that most Christians believe that the apostles really thought Christ Jesus was going to return in their generation? But most say the apostles were mistaken. Are you saying Jesus lied to them? Scripture tells us in many places that Jesus would return in their generation and some of them would not die until He returned. Without knowing this, one would never see or even know about the rewards by knowing truth.

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Whatever the apostles wrote proves it is true and comes from God. Was Paul wrong saying the Day of the Lord was AT HAND. or DRAWING NEAR? If Paul was led in all truth, why would he write a letter to Christians building their hopes only to realize, "Oh, you mean 'AT HAND.' really meant two thousand years?" Paul and the rest of the apostles were not mistaken in their writings.

I was bamboozled too, I wish I knew this years ago. The apostles were certain that the Lord was returning in their generation, they obeyed the strict command of Christ.

Matthew 10:7 And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is AT HAND.' HAS DRAWN NEAR

Christ Jesus Himself in His first gospel message said the same thing. Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is AT HAND." HAS DRAWN NEAR.

The first century believers knew that the Lord's coming was DRAWING NEAR. Jesus and His disciples knew that the Day of the Lord was approaching and would come upon their generation. And the bible confirms this in over one hundred places.