Did the Last Days End When Saul of Tarsus Appeared?

The question concerns whether the “last days” or “end times” came to an end, or were paused, when Saul of Tarsus entered the picture, particularly in connection with Stephen’s vision in Acts 7:56 and the prophecy of Isaiah 2:19.

subsection*Isaiah 2:19 and the Rising of the Lord

Isaiah 2:19 states:

"And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.’’

Israel expected a time when the Lord would arise to judge the earth. That rising is associated with terror, people hiding in caves and rocks, and the shaking of the earth. It is a picture of eschatological judgment.

subsection*Acts 7:56 and the Standing Son of Man

In Acts 7:56, Stephen, being stoned, declares:

"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.’’

This statement provokes a violent reaction. The hearers cry out, stop their ears, and rush upon him to kill him. The question is: why did that particular statement infuriate them so much?

If we connect Isaiah’s picture of the Lord arising to shake the earth with Stephen’s testimony that he sees the Son of Man standing, we can infer that Stephen is effectively saying: “The One you rejected is now risen from His seated position and is ready to act in judgment.” To his audience, this implied that their treatment of Christ had triggered the moment of judgment they feared.

subsection*Were They in the Last Days Already?

At Pentecost, Peter quotes Joel (Joel 2:28ff.), pointing to phenomena that “shall come to pass afterward” and tying them to “the last days.” Once the Spirit is poured out and the signs begin, the prophetic clock of the last days is set in motion. The early chapters of Acts show Israel in that last-days context:

The Spirit is poured out. Signs and wonders accompany the apostolic ministry. The nation is being urgently called to repentance and acceptance of its Messiah.

The expectation is that this progression will lead into the full unfolding of the day of the Lord, including judgment and kingdom establishment.

subsection*Stephen’s Prayer and the Prophetic Pivot

As Stephen is being stoned, he prays in Acts 7:60 :

"Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’’

There is a linguistic nuance here. The verb involved is related to histēmi , the word for “stand.” Acts 7:56 uses the verb for “standing” (Son of Man standing), whereas Stephen’s plea carries the opposite idea: do not let this stand; do not hold this against them. In effect, he is asking God not to proceed with the immediate judgment that His standing might imply.

Put simply, Stephen is asking God, in effect, “Do not rise up now in final judgment on this nation for this sin. Do not let this be the end.”

God answers that prayer in a remarkable way. Instead of immediately bringing the prophesied judgment, He sits back down, so to speak, and introduces a new phase of His plan—one that was hidden in previous ages.

subsection*Saul of Tarsus and the New Dispensation

Immediately following Stephen’s martyrdom, Saul of Tarsus becomes prominent in the narrative. God chooses Saul, the persecutor, and reveals through him a mystery not made known in former times: the dispensation of the grace of God and the formation of the body of Christ apart from Israel’s kingdom program.

From a Mid-Acts perspective, this marks a pivotal shift:

The last days that began with Pentecost are effectively put on hold. The kingdom offer to Israel, though not formally rescinded at a single moment, enters a period of decline and rejection culminating in this new revelation. The prophetic clock stops, and a non-prophesied, mystery dispensation begins.

So when I say the “end times ended” when Saul was introduced, it would be more precise to say: the last-days program was paused, and a previously unrevealed dispensation was inaugurated through Paul’s apostleship.

subsection*Two Phases of the Last Days

It is helpful to think in terms of:

Last Days Past: Beginning with the events around Pentecost and extending through the early chapters of Acts up to Stephen’s martyrdom and the rise of Saul. In this phase, Israel is being offered the kingdom, and prophetic fulfillment is in motion. Last Days Future: After the rapture of the body of Christ, God resumes His dealings with Israel. The last days continue where they left off, leading into the tribulation and the day of the Lord judgments prophesied in the Old Testament.

Our current dispensation of grace sits between these two phases. It is:

Not prophesied in the Old Testament. Not governed by Israel’s covenants. Not on a revealed prophetic timetable.

We do not know when this dispensation will end; its duration is not specified. In many ways, its length may be connected to the attitudes and responses of Gentile nations, but Scripture does not provide a clear countdown.

subsection*How Sharp Is the Transition?

Some Mid-Acts interpreters draw a very sharp line at Acts 7 , saying that at Stephen’s death and Saul’s rise, the kingdom offer ends absolutely and the last days cease. Others see a bit more overlap, with remnants of the kingdom offer and Israel’s opportunity continuing for a time as the new dispensation is phased in.

In any case, Acts 7 marks a critical turning point:

The Son of Man is seen standing, indicating readiness to judge. Stephen prays that God not lay this sin to Israel’s charge. God, so to speak, sits down again, postpones the judgment, and reveals a new plan through Saul/Paul.

Thus, while the phrase “end times ending when Saul was introduced” should be nuanced, it captures the essential idea that the prophetic last-days sequence is interrupted at that juncture, and a new, non-prophetic dispensation is begun through the apostle Paul.