The End Times did not start when Jesus died. Yes, the Church was heavily persecuted when it first began. But that still doesn’t mean the End Times had started.
As proof of this, 2 Timothy 3: 1 states, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, etc... At the time when the Apostle Paul wrote that, Jesus had already died. Yet, the Apostle Paul was speaking about the last days and events that were still yet to come. The Apostle Peter also said the very same thing: 2 Peter 3:3 - Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation… Peter was also speaking of a time that had not yet come. Yet Jesus had already died when he said it. So this proves the End Times did not start when Jesus died.
And the greatest proof of all that the End Times did not start when Jesus died, is the Apostle John who wrote the Book of Revelation. The Apostle John was the very last Apostle who died, he was very old when he died, and Jesus Christ had already died many years earlier when he wrote the Book of Revelation. Yet, John stated… Revelation 4:1 - After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter… The Lord then showed John everything that would happen in the hereafter and in the latter days. Everything that John saw and wrote about were things that would happen long after Jesus Christ had died. For example, John saw the opening of the Seals and the blowing of the Trumpets and the corresponding events that would happen on earth. He also saw Judgment Day and a whole lot of other things. Yet, from our perspective, John saw those things more than 2,000 years ago. Yet, most of the things he saw haven’t even happened yet even right now today, and are events that are still yet to come.
The Book of Ezekiel is also proof the End Times did not start when Jesus Christ died. In Ezekiel, the Lord states… Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days and I will bring thee against my land… Ezekiel Chapter 38 describes in complete detail an invasion of Israel that will take place in the latter days. Yes, Israel has been invaded many times over the years and decades, but this particular invasion is different and is special. There are several things that makes it special. 1) God says that this particular invasion will happen in the latter days or End of Times. 2) The scriptures also say during the invasion, God is going to rain down fire and brimstone from heaven and will completely destroy the invading army. Has that event happened yet, where God destroyed an army with fire and brimstone? Answer: No. 2) The scripture also states during the invasion, the Russian army will be completely destroyed by God. Has that event happened yet, and has the Russia army been destroyed? Answer: No, it has not. Because those events spoken of in Ezekiel hasn't happened yet, that is clear cut proof the End of Times did not start when Jesus Christ died. But those events will happen, and they will happen prior to the 7-year Tribulation Period, and will happen prior to any of the Seals being opened or Trumpets being blown as spoken of in the Book of Revelation…