What Time is It?

     Men have devised all kinds of methods to determine the date of Jesus’ return and/or the end of the world.  Schemes involving the dimensions of Noah’s ark to the anniversary of the Six Day War have been developed.  Most dates have come and gone with nothing changed. (A few theories/dates are yet un-refuted; their time has yet arrived.)

The Most Probable System

     The Persians, the Egyptians, rabbis, mathematicians, Christian church fathers have all put forward the notion that this earth will run a course of 6,000 years with a final 1,000 years of unprecedented peace and renewal.  That would be 7,000 years of world history before it all ends.

     Here is a key to understanding higher spiritual concepts.  Hosea 12:10 says that God reveals these deeper teachings to us by use of similitudes.   For example, “If you can’t understand the relationship of Jesus to His church, it is like (similitude) the relationship between a husband and wife.”

     One of the first principles we see in scripture is God created the universe in six days, and He rested on the seventh.  From there on out, you would have to be blind not to see the repetitive appearance of seven in the Bible.  Here are just a few sevens relating to time:

• seven days (Exod. 12:15, 19; 13:6,7; 29:30,35)
• seven weeks (Dan. 9:25)
• seven years (Lev. 25:8, Deut. 15:1)

     Now here is where we see a similitude. Psalms 90:4 and II Peter 3:8 both tell us that 1,000 years is as a day whith God.  Well, we know without any doubt that the last “day” of this earth is 1,000- years (Rev. 20–specifically says “1,000 years” six times).   We also know that this is  a day of rest and renewal–a sabbath. 

     Ok, with all of these principles in mind, an educated deduction brings us to this conclusion:  The life span of this earth will run six days (corresponding with the days of its creation) of 1,000 years each, culminating with the Second Coming of Jesus to reign here for a final 1,000 years with the earth being restored to its original Edenic state.

Two More Interesting Thoughts

     The Transfiguration, which pre-figures the Second Coming (compare the language to Matt. 24:30) is recorded to have taken place “after 6 days” (Matt. 17:1-3) and “about 8 days” (Luk. 9:28).  Ok, when is the Second Coming?  After 6 days (6,000 yrs.) and around 8 days–sounds like 7 to me (the eighth day of earth would be a new beginning–eternity).

     Here’s another point to ponder.  On the fourth day of creation the sun appears (Gen. 1:14).  4,000 years into world history the Son of God appears (or a.k.a. the “Sun of righteousness” Mal. 4:2, Psa. 19:4,5).  The first time the word “life” appears in scripture is immediatly after the sun is created.  The first time life really appears on earth is after the Son comes here.

Problems with This System

     Ok, this system is not without its faults.   Here are a few points to keep in mind.

1. According to our calendar, we have already passed the 6,000 year mark.  However, we  don’t know what year it really is.  (ie. 46 B.C. was 445 days long, until A.D. 1582 the year was only 360 days long, there is no year 0, the Jewish calendar says its only the year 5768.)
2. We don’t know if God stopped the “prophetic clock” at some point or made some adjustments to it.  The whole Church Age was a hidden mystery to the Old Testament prophets.  So far that parenthetical Gentile period has lasted 2,000 years.
3. Remember, this is just an educated deduction based on biblical principles.  There is no diffinitive scripture stating that the earth will exist for 7,000 years.  By the same token, there is no diffinitive scripture prohibiting gambling.  That too is based on deduction of biblical principles.

Conclusion

     Although this is an interesting study, getting pre-occupied with dates is detrimental.  We are to walk by faith, we are to be busy calling out a people for His name, and we are to be looking for a Person not a date (I Cor. 1&, Phil 3:20).