A DAY IS 'AS A THOUSAND YEARS'
“ABOUT”
Posted by Rick | Sundry Thoughts
used by permission of newtestamnetpattern.net
In this short article I will be citing just a few Scriptures, which I believe indicate that the length of time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming would be “about” two thousand years.
The teaching of the Rapture as a comfort to the Church is under attack.
A DAY IS AS A THOUSAND YEARS
In line with many other students of Bible prophecy it is my personal belief that Scripture reveals, hints at, could be interpreted to mean, that The Lord Jesus Christ would return to this world after “about” two thousand years.
That He is coming a second time there is no doubt. That no man knows the precise “day or the hour” is also true but we must combine the latter statement, made by Jesus, when He walked the earth the first time, with that of the Apostle Paul, who had received direct revelation about many things.
He said, “that Day will not overtake us (the believers) like a thief in the night” but rather, that would be the experience of the unbelievers and the unwatchful (1Thes 5).
In this short article I will be citing just a few Scriptures, which I believe indicate that the length of time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming would be “about” two thousand years.
Having recently written a short gospel tract (pitched primarily at the unconverted) wherein I mention this time period I feel it would be useful to clarify and give some reasoning for those with minds to enquire further about this.
This is not a debate or defence of anything but rather just a few salient points to encourage and provide some food for thought.
So here are two key texts, which lead us, at least me, into a certain thought pattern concerning the ‘days’ and ‘years’ of the Messiah.
Attacks aside, the important thing is to look at the Scriptures.
SIX DAYS OF CREATION
In the Psalms Moses says,
“For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.”
(Psalm 90:4 NKJV)
In the New Testament Peter takes up this thought and says,
“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day..”
(2Pet 3:8 NKJV)
Scripture very clearly, at times, uses a ‘day for a year’ principle in many prophetic passages and on some occasions it is plainly stated so. In the above quoted Scriptures I cannot prove definitively that this means that we should also on occasions employ a ‘day for a thousand years’ in the same way but I am personally quite convinced that this is the case. Therefore, the first and perhaps most outstanding example of this ‘timescale message’ is to be found in the first chapter of Genesis – in six days God fashioned the earth and then there followed a seventh, ‘special day’, a day of rest.
Following the long-attested calculations of Ussher’s chronology (you can make your own research here if you are not familiar with this) the date of Adam’s creation (when using today’s dominant/Gregorian calendar) is calculated to be 4004BC.
Being, as we are, in the early part of the 21st century (AD) now, that makes the total age of mankind just a fraction over 6000 years – but for the sake of non-dogmatism and acknowledging that such calculations are at times complex and with some difficulties let’s just call it “about” six thousand years to where we are now. And so, if we believe that the creation week itself was a kind of foundational prophecy in this matter (and I personally do) then we have: Two ‘days’ from Adam to Abraham, two ‘days’ from Abraham to Christ and we are currently “about” two ‘days’ from Christ’s first coming until now.
If we calculate from His birth, we are a little over, if we count from his death, resurrection and ascension then we are, at this juncture (approaching the year 2023) just a little under. Put simply, we live at a time that is “about” two thousand years since Christ was on earth at His first coming.
And so, using the creation week as a pattern for God’s timetable for mankind on earth we are at the end of the sixth ‘day’ and poised any moment to commence the seventh ‘day’ – the seventh millennium – the ‘day’ of rest. This will be a time when swords are beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks and The Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, in person, will rule the nations in righteousness.
I must absolutely stop myself here, as this thought so enthrals me I will never be able to stay on track with this simple ‘timescale message’, but Oh what joy!
AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US
Next we’ll take a long leap forward from Genesis and into a time, still before Christ’s first coming, when God is speaking through various prophets to His special chosen nation of Israel. In prophecy the nation is sometimes addressed as: Israel, Jacob, Judah, Ephraim, the nation and other titles besides.
The choice of title is never arbitrary and reveals on each occasion some deeper meaning and fine-tuning in the prophetic message but for the sake of our simple timeline message we will just consider the following passage from Hosea in a general way as addressing the nation as a whole.
The context here is that the nation has gone astray and God is speaking to them in both judgement and mercy. Yes, the prophet Hosea, is addressing some of the extant issues but he also speaks this word, which I interpret to have far future (at that time) implications…
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offence. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me. Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.
(Hos 5:14 – 6:2 NKJV)
What could it mean in their day and age and situation, “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up”?
I personally think that, as is the nature of prophecy, this little word has jumped a chasm of time and the prophet (whether he knows it or not) is speaking of the ‘two days’ – i.e. two thousand years, when God would reject that nation, just as they were then rejecting Him and were indeed going to reject His Son.
God was going to allow them to become hunted and ravaged “until they acknowledge their offence.” Like Joseph in Egypt, the one they rejected and sold as a slave, His identity will be hidden from them until they are brought through all chastenings and calamities and God has readied them to have their eyes opened to see who their Messiah really is. The next time you read about Joseph in Egypt look for the prophecy in the story!
ON THE THIRD DAY ~ MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Now let’s take another leap forward in Bible time to the days of Jesus Himself and something He said. The passage is in Luke 13 and the context is referring to a time when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and many others from the four corners of the earth are gathered unto Him in the Kingdom of God (vs. 28,29).
Next we read, in response to a warning given to Him about Herod seeking His life…
And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’
(vs. 32)
Regarding the latter part of that verse, other translations say, “reach my goal” / “accomplish my work”. Although His answer moves on to talking about His journey to Jerusalem the timescale here does not fit any literal interpretation.
Is this another ‘day for a thousand years’ timescale utterance? I think so. In fact the next portion of this speech moves on to His pronouncement upon Jerusalem and, figuratively, the soon coming outcast status of the whole nation.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!”
(vs. 34,35)
The word “house” here is in reference to the temple, which was afterwards destroyed in AD70. The mission of The Lord Jesus Christ has continued on these past two millennia and shortly He will reach His goal. He taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come,” and so we do, and so it will in its fuller sense – after ‘about’ 2000 years.
TWO THOUSAND CUBITS
For my last example I would like us to consider a slightly different time measurement metaphor. As with the former interpretations you are free to accept it, reject it, or just ponder it for now (always a good idea!). Previously we have seen how that a ‘day for a thousand years’ can be applied. How many more of these are there contained in the Bible? I wouldn’t like to venture a guess but the recurrent phrase of things happening, “on the third day” is a plenteous one (as is “after three days” which could be another coded message about other matters).
Perhaps there are other instances of “on the third day”/”after two days” that could be alluding to a bigger timescale message but for now I’d like to turn our attention to a measurement in space as opposed to time.
This revolves around a crescendo moment in the story of the exodus and the entry into the Promised Land. The date is very approximately around 1500BC. The place is the east side of the River Jordan. The occasion is that of the pivotal moment when the nation of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua (a type of Christ), is being instructed in the manner in which they must cross over the river.
Yes, you could quite aptly draw various types/imagery of spiritual things from this occasion but I am soundly convinced that much of the history of The Book of Joshua is also prophetic and reflective of an even greater pivotal moment in human history still yet to come – a time when Jesus, as Mighty Captain of His hosts, will commence a worldwide conquest of all territories of the kingdoms of men and will rule supreme for a thousand years – or should I say, ‘about’ a thousand years – but that topic is most definitely for another time!
Anyhow, this is what we read,
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
(Jos 3:3-4 NKJV)
Scripture is so often so very precise. Just look at all of the instructions, measurements and precise processes that Moses was given by God concerning the construction of the tabernacle, the ark and all other accompanying articles relating thereto. Yet here we read, you should stand “about” two thousand cubits away. Personally, I don’t think for one moment that this is just an inconsequential ‘rough’ figure that will suffice. Oh no, on the contrary, this, as with other ‘about’ statements in the Bible is absolutely precise in its imprecision! First the Ark (another type of Christ), then the rest of the people, that’s the order. And the distance in-between? “About two thousand cubits.”
I do believe we have here an instance of the ‘year for a cubit’ principle!
IN CONCLUSION
Let the usual disclaimer be given… I do not know the day or the hour but as one who watches and eagerly awaits, I do see, as it were, a cloud as a man’s hand.
As I heard someone recently say, “Jesus is not coming soon – He’s already on the way!” How soon is soon? When does the two thousand year count begin? When will we be too far past for it to no longer be “about” two thousand years?
I do not know. I am not going to be dogmatic about anything, although there is much more flesh that could be put on the bones when considering this prophetic timeline, but this is not the purpose or within the extent of this little article right now. There is, however, one lead-on from here. I recently wrote a little tract – entitled, ‘Joy To The World’ – it is eminently suitable to be handed to the unconverted. You can download and read it here: Joy To The World – Free Gospel Tract.
You’ll clearly see the connection with this article.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and I hope you will enjoy reading the tract and, if you will, print it off and hand a few out.
God bless us all in our Gospel ventures for His Kingdom and may we all be renewed in our anticipation of the soon coming time when the glory and the knowledge of The Lord will be known fully throughout the whole earth!
Related Reading ~ FREE Gospel Tract: Joy To The World!
It should be stressed that most Christians believe in a return of Christ. It is the timing of it that is most disputed. Many Christians believe in a single return of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom and/or to introduce the new heavens and the new earth. Can that be what Jesus is referring to in John 14? If so, we might expect Him to say, “I will come again, and you will take me to yourself that where you are, there I may be also.” But what He says is just the opposite: “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:3).
Christ is coming to take us from here (earth) to be with Him there (in the air), and it is a promise! God always comes through on His promises.
Jesus said He would come again and receive us to Himself (John 14:3). We have argued that He will ultimately take us to the Father’s house. But Paul tells us something additional. He says that the dead in Christ will rise first and be joined together with the living to be “caught up together … in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1Th 4:17 KJV).
Why “in the air”? Why not just take us all straight to heaven?
First, this is consistent with what the groom would do when he returned to take his bride back to the Father’s house.[1] Upon returning, the groom would stand outside of her home. The bride would then go out to meet him. So too will the Lord Jesus leave the Father’s house and return just outside of our house, this earth. He will come to the “air” and we will meet Him there. Then the processional from the air to the Father’s house will take place.
But there might be further significance to the fact that we meet specifically in the “air.” Satan is called the prince of the power of the “air” in Ephesians 2:2. We are going to meet in the territory of our enemy’s headquarters without any need to fear, as he will be proven powerless over us. He will be unable to touch any of us there. Thank God! The one who harassed and tempted us here will be incapable of harming us any longer.
Purpose of the Rapture (Why?)
What is the purpose of this great event? Jesus stated two things about the purpose of the Rapture. One is “to receive you unto myself” (this happens in the air) and the other, tied closely to the first, is “that where I am there you may be also” (this happens by taking us to the Father’s house). Paul writes that the purpose is “to meet the Lord in the air.” And as a result, we will forever be with the Lord (1Th 4:17).
What needs to happen, then, for this purpose to be realized? Christ’s Bride is composed of those in heaven without bodies, yet Christ Himself is in a body of glory. They need to be reunited with bodies, but bodies of glory. Another part of the Bride is upon earth, in bodies of corruption. They must be changed, which is exactly what we find in 1 Corinthians 15:51: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (KJV). Thus, believers who have died are raised and changed, and believers who are living are changed. Lord Jesus “will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body” (Php 3:21 NET). Immediately afterwards, we will be “caught up together … to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Th 4:17 KJV). So the purpose of the Rapture is for Christ to unite His Bride, the Church, to receive us to Himself forever, and to take us home to be with Him. Perhaps His anticipation of this event is even greater than ours!
Pre-tribulation Rapture (When?)
A number of Scriptures point to a pre-tribulation Rapture. First, consider texts teaching that Christ’s return is imminent. If He were not going to return until after the seven-year tribulation period begins or concludes, the texts emphasizing His return “at any moment” (i.e., imminent) appear senseless. Some argue the tribulation period has either passed or we’re living it now. Jesus described the tribulation as follows: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Mat 24:21 ESV). This language strongly implies the tribulation has not yet occurred.
Consider some of the imminence texts. In Titus 2:13 Paul says we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (ESV). Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, “… so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end” (KJV). Also, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 instructs us to “wait for His Son from heaven.” The teaching of these and additional texts (Php 3:20; Heb 9:28) is that we await the “any-moment” appearing of our Savior to take us to be with Him. The imminence texts are consistent with a pre-tribulation Rapture position.
Second, there are texts teaching exemption from wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 says that we are to wait for His Son from heaven, even Jesus, who “delivered us from the wrath to come” or, literally, “the coming wrath” (JND, ISV). The coming wrath appears to be a reference to the tribulation period. The nature of the tribulation itself is God’s wrath (Rev 6:17). Paul writes, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Th 5:9 ESV). If some contend that part of the tribulation is not God’s wrath but Satan’s, the argument doesn’t hold, for we are saved from wrath – period.
Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation [judgment] for those who are in Christ Jesus” (ESV). Revelation 3:10 is also helpful here, where Jesus promises, “I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (ESV). He does not say, “I will keep you in” but “I will keep you from.” The next verse (v11) tells us exactly how Christ will accomplish this – “I am coming soon.” We are saved from the coming wrath (i.e., the seven-year tribulation period) because the Rapture will remove us from the place where that wrath will be poured out.
Third, a pre-tribulation Rapture is consistent with the removal of the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. Paul is writing to address the faulty belief among the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had already arrived (v2). They had received a letter, claiming to be written by Paul, which led them to embrace this false view. Because of this, they were “shaken in mind” and “alarmed” (v2). They believed they had missed the Rapture and were going to endure the horrors of the tribulation period (which is included in the Day of the Lord).
But Paul tells them that the Day of the Lord cannot begin until a number of things happen first. A “falling away” and the revelation of the “man of lawlessness” must first occur (v3). But this “man of lawlessness” won’t be revealed until the “restrainer” is removed (vv6-8). Therefore, the Day of the Lord (including the tribulation period) cannot begin until this restrainer is removed. Who or what is this restrainer?
- First, note that the word for restrain (v6) is katecho and means “to hold something back.”
- Second, both neuter and masculine nouns are used to refer to this restrainer (v6 “what” and v7 “he”).
- Third, consider that this restrainer must be removable.
- Fourth, the restrainer must be powerful enough to hold back the outbreak of evil under “the man of lawlessness.” Only God can hold back the outbreak of evil. I believe this refers to the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in Scripture as restraining sin and evil in the world (Gen 6:3) and is our restraint as believers. He convicts us of sin and wars against the flesh, thus restraining the full outbreak of evil in our lives.
But how can God be removed, for God is omnipresent? I believe the restrainer is the Holy Spirit at work in and through the Church. This is the only view that adequately explains the use of both neuter and masculine genders. In Greek the word pneuma (Spirit) is neuter. But the Holy Spirit is also referred to consistently in Scripture by the masculine pronoun “he” (esp. in John 14-16). Mark Hitchcock wrote, “The church and its mission of proclaiming and portraying the gospel is the primary instrument the Holy Spirit uses in this age to restrain evil. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mat 5:13-16). We are the temple of the Holy Spirit both individually and corporately.”[2]
But how can the Holy Spirit of God be removed? Is He not omnipresent? This is why I say the restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the Church.
The event in 2 Thessalonians 2 seems to be a reversal of the Day of Pentecost.
What began the Church Age? The coming of the Holy Spirit. What will end the Church Age? The removal of the Holy Spirit. How can He be removed? By removing from the earth all those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (i.e., all that are part of the Church) at a pre-tribulation Rapture. This must happen before the Day of the Lord begins.
[1] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come (Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995), 164-169.
[2] Mark Hitchcock, An Overview of Pretribulational Arguments. Retrieved from https://www.pre-trib.org
The Rapture:
Getting Rapture Ready
So far we have examined the promise, previews, participants, place, purpose and pre-tribulational timing of the Rapture.
Consider next our preparation for the Rapture.
Preparation for the Rapture
Knowing that Christ’s return is imminent, what should we be doing? Should we sell our belongings and wait on a mountaintop somewhere? Hardly. The same texts telling us about Christ’s “any moment” return also instruct us as to what we should be doing.
First, we are to watch. Often in the Lord’s teaching on end-time events, He inserted this advice: “Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord will come.” What is meant by watching? We are to keep awake and stay alert. We should be aware of spiritual realities. Focus on what is really important and don’t get dragged into the mire of a meaningless fleshly existence. Watch, be on guard. There are many things to distract us from living the way we should. Titus 2:12-13 instructs us to “renounce ungodly living and worldly passions so that we might live sensible, honest, and godly lives in the present age as we wait for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus” (ISV).
Second, we are to witness. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mar 16:15 ESV). Knowing that Christ could come at any moment should encourage us to reach people now while we can, for we know not what hour our Lord might come.
Third, we are to work. After Paul speaks about the changed bodies we’ll receive at the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15, and the glorious fact that our blessed Savior has defeated death, he concludes with this exhortation: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (v58 ESV). Therefore, we work, and work enthusiastically, knowing our labor is worthwhile.
Finally, we are to wait. Paul says we “wait for his Son from heaven” (1Th 1:10). We don’t know the day nor do we know the hour when He will come. No one does. Date-setting is futile at best, incredibly dangerous at the worst. The Lord Jesus said He did not even know the timing of His return (Mar 13:32). We patiently wait for that glorious moment when He will take us home.
Prospect of the Rapture
While we wait, the prospect of the Rapture fills us with hope.
The hope of the Rapture is an encouraging hope. Jesus said to His discouraged disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled,” for His promise to come is sure.
Let that promise encourage you today.
But it is also a comforting hope. Paul spoke about the Rapture to those who thought their loved ones were gone and had no hope. He wrote, “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1Th 4:18). I hope these words bring comfort to someone just now. We’re going to see our loved ones again, and perhaps very soon!
The Rapture is also a motivating hope. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” The Rapture is not an excuse to be lazy, but a motivation to be active. May we all be motivated to get to work for our Lord.
Finally, the Rapture is a purifying hope. 1 John 3:2,3 says, “We know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (ESV). Because Christ could come at any moment, let us live godly, pure, holy lives, well-pleasing to the Lord.
J. Dwight Pentecost told this story in one of his messages. He was teaching his students at Dallas Theological Seminary back in the 1950s. They all knew about his “22 Reasons Why the Church Will Not Go Through the Tribulation.” A young man who was not enrolled in the class dropped in one day to attend this very lecture. Pentecost said he could stay and listen. Apparently, the students knew who this young man was and his differences of opinion with Dr. Pentecost. After the lecture, the young man made a beeline for Professor Pentecost. “I have a question for you,” he said. Pentecost replied, “I have just one for you first. What is your blessed hope? My blessed hope is that Christ will come for me, change this vile body into a body like unto his body of glory and take me to be with himself forever. What is your blessed hope?” The young man responded, “My blessed hope is to be martyred for my faith.”
That day came. He was martyred. He was one of the five young missionaries who entered the jungles of Ecuador seeking to reach the Waodani with the gospel and was speared to death in 1956. From my research, I could not determine which of the five he was. But what struck me was this: Here was a young man whose beliefs about the Rapture were different than many of ours, yet that did not paralyze him from reaching the lost with the gospel. He believed the Church would have to go through the tribulation period, yet rather than holing up in the woods somewhere seeking to preserve his own life, he went out boldly for Christ with the message of the gospel upon his heart and lips. Because we believe in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus, how much more motivated ought we to be to reach perishing souls with the gospel. Let us spread the message of God’s grace freely while we can, for very soon “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,” we’re going “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1Thes 4:16-18 KJV).
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This page created by Peter Brenner on Friday, November 3, 2023
Some content is borrowed by permission from www.newtestamentpattern.net
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