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WHY JESUS IS COMING SOON The Great Week of Time Part 1 In referencing the Great Week of Time (GWT) concept, it is clear that even among scholars a great deal of emotionalism gets in the way of rational analysis. There is ample evidence to state firmly that the GWT draws on sacred typological “rest” illustrations emanating from the Old Testament. The “seventh millennium” is a valid Biblical construct and points to (1) earth’s final millennial rest of land and (2) when the saints are enjoying The Feast of Tabernacles experience with God in heaven. The Old and New Testaments repeatedly draw on the cycle of seven. Within that sacred set there are various divisions that develop specific restoration themes. Thus, one finds 7, 6-1; 2,2,2-1; 4,2-1 and 1,1,1,1,1,1-1; each conveying a special theme of understanding. This is not human numerology nor some mystic game God plays with man’s understanding. They all define some appointment of time within redemptive history. A day can represent a year and can represent a millennium. When six is noted, it is always in the context of preparation or anti-preparation. In the GWT it is exactly the same. Interest in the GWT lies not in setting a date for the end of time or Jesus’ return. In the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-33) and the “this generation” message (Matthew 24:34), the collective signs Jesus gave to the disciples (Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) were to show it was “even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33) – the final portrayal of time. Paul said His coming should not be as a thief in the night (I Thessalonians 5:3-6) to those who understand the signs and expectantly wait. The GWT is one of those incredible messages that draws our thoughts to the final appointed time (mowed) that immediately precedes Christ’s coming and the “rest” which follows. That appointed time is the final preparation when a “seven” will be completed. We are going to approach this issue systematically. Concern for what the GWT means is not isolated to any single denomination. It is not dependant on whether Ussher’s chronology is precise nor does it rely on ongoing jubilee cycle calculations, which many have tried. There are typological clues that simply say – the seventh millennium is about to begin, the millennium of Revelation 20. There is also an Old Testament message that clearly shows Jesus’ second coming could not have occurred anywhere soon after His first coming. This makes it all the more urgent to fully understand John’s apocalypse in light of eschatological concerns. First, we’re going to look at historical data – some extra-Biblical. Many of these are from “church fathers.” Though their dates of composition are not all clear, they come from hundreds of years ago (at least) as references to past Christian thinking. In that context, they are valuable.
Historical References To The Great Week Of Time Jewish history suggests that at the time of Christ prophetic schools existed which believed in the six thousand years of earth’s history. They divided that period into three parts – the primitive, the Torah period (from the calling of Abraham to the Messiah) and the third, two thousand years – the days of the Messiah. Dr. Albert Edersheim notes this: “‘And with a view to this new Law, which God would give to his world through the Messiah, the Rabbis divided all time into three periods: the primitive, that under the Law, and that of the Messiah.’ (Footnote: Yalkut on Is. xxvi.; Sanh. 97 a; AB. Z. 9a)1
Epistle of Barnabas (A.D. 150): “15:3 He speaketh, too, of the sabbath in the beginning of the creation: And God made in six days the works of his hands, and finished them on the seventh day, and rested in it and sanctified it. 15:4 Consider, my children, what signify the words, He finished them in six days. They mean this: that in six thousand years the Lord will make an end of all things, for a day is with him as a thousand years. And he himself beareth witness unto me, saying: Behold this day a day shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, my children, in six days, that is in six thousand years, shall all things be brought to an end. 15:5 And the words He rested on the seventh day, signify this: After that his Son hath come, and hath caused to cease the time of the wicked one, and hath judged the ungodly, and changed the sun and the moon and the stars, then shall he rest well on the seventh day. (Barnabas 15:35) This millennium allusion comes from Peter’s thoughts: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. II Peter 3:8 (KJV). Commodianus (AD. 240): “This has pleased Christ, that the dead should rise again, yea, with their bodies; and those, too, whom in this world the fire has burned [martyrs], when six thousand years are completed,...” [Instructions of Commodianus, LXXIX]
Irenaeus (AD. 120-202): “For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: “Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works.” This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year.” [Against Heresies V. XXVIII, 3]
Cyprian (A.D. 200-258): “You have desired, beloved Fortunatus that, since the burden of persecutions and afflictions is lying heavy upon us, and in the ending and completion of the world the hateful time of Antichrist is already beginning to draw near, I would collect from the sacred Scriptures some exhortations for preparing and strengthening the minds of the brethren, whereby I might animate the soldiers of Christ for the heavenly and spiritual contest.... For he cannot be a soldier fitted for the war who has not first been exercised in the field; nor will he who seeks to gain the crown of contest be rewarded on the race course, unless he first considers the use and skillfulness of his powers. It is an ancient adversary and an old enemy with whom we wage our battle: six thousand years are now nearly completed since the devil first attacked man. All kinds of temptation, and arts, and snares for his overthrow, he has learned by the very practice of long years. If he finds Christ’s soldier unprepared, if unskilled, if not careful and watching with his whole heart; he circumvents him if ignorant, he deceives him incautious, he cheats him inexperienced. But if a man, keeping the Lord’s precepts, and bravely adhering to Christ, stands against him, he must needs be conquered, because Christ, whom that man confesses, is unconquered.” [Treatise XI, 2].
Methodius (AD. 260-312): “For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday: seeing that is past as a watch in the night.” For when a thousand years are reckoned as one day in the sight of God, and from the creation of the world to His rest is six days, so also to our time, six days are defined, as those say who are clever arithmeticians. Therefore, they say that an age of six thousand years extends from Adam to our time. For they say that the judgment will come on the seventh day, that is in the seventh thousand years.” [Extracts From The Work on Things Created. IX] Lactantius (AD. 260-330): “But we, whom the Holy Scriptures instruct to the knowledge of the truth, know the beginning and the end of the world, respecting which we will now speak in the end of our work, since we have explained respecting the beginning in the second book. Therefore let the philosophers, who enumerate thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, know that the six thousandth year is not yet completed, and that when this number is completed the consummation must take place, and the condition of human affairs be remodeled for the better, the proof of which must first be related, that the matter itself may be plain. God completed the world and this admirable work of nature in the space of six days, as is contained in the secrets of Holy Scripture, and consecrated the seventh day, on which He had rested from His works. But this is the Sabbath-day, which in the language of the Hebrews received its name from the number, whence the seventh is the legitimate and complete number. For there are seven days, by the revolutions of which in order the circles of years are made up; and there are seven stars which do not set, and seven luminaries which are called planets, whose differing and unequal movements are believed to cause the varieties of circumstances and times. Therefore, since all the works of God were completed in six days, the world must continue in its present state through six ages, that is, six thousand years. For the great day of God is limited by a circle of a thousand years, as the prophet shows, who says “In Thy sight, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day.” And as God labored during those six days in creating such great works, so His religion and truth must labor during these six thousand years, while wickedness prevails and bears rule. And again, since God, having finished His works, rested the seventh day and blessed it, at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years; and there must be tranquillity and rest from the labors which the world now has long endured.... Perhaps someone may now ask when these things of which we have spoken are about to come to pass? I have already shown above, that when six thousand years shall be completed this change must take place, and that the last day of the extreme conclusion is now drawing near. It is permitted us to know respecting the signs, which are spoken by the prophets, for they foretold signs by which the consummation of the times is to be expected by us from day to day, and to be feared. When, however, this amount will be completed, those teach, who have written respecting the times, collecting them from the sacred writings and from various histories, how great is the number of years from the beginning of the world. And although they vary, and the amount of the number as reckoned by them differs considerably, yet all expectation does not exceed the limit of two hundred years. The subject itself declares that the fall and ruin of the world will shortly take place; except that while the city of Rome remains it appears that nothing of this kind is to be feared. But when that capital of the world shall have fallen, and shall have begun to be a street, which the Sibyls say shall come to pass, who can doubt that the end has now arrived to the affairs of men and the whole world? It is that city, that only, which still sustains all things; and the God of heaven is to be entreated by us and implored – if, indeed, His arrangements and decrees can be delayed – lest, sooner than we think for, that detestable tyrant should come who will trader-take so great a deed, and dig out that eye, by the destruction of which the world itself is about to fall. Now let us return, to set forth the other things which are then about to follow.” [The Divine Institutes, Book 7, Chapter XIV, XXV] “For six thousand years have not yet been completed, and when this number shall be made up, then at length all evil will be taken away, that justice alone may reign.” [The Epitome of the Divine Institutes, Chapter 70]. References of Commodianus through Lactantius:2
Didn’t The Apostles Believe Jesus’ Coming Was Imminent? If the disciples knew or were convicted that the second coming would occur shortly after the first, the GWT would be an invalid Biblical concept. Let’s analyze several apostolic thoughts.
James: He pled for patience “unto the coming (parousia) of the Lord” (5:7). Then he said “for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (eggizo)” (5:8). In present tense he is saying the parousia is spatially getting close. Jesus had said, “the
John: Little children, it is the last (eschatos) time (hora)” (I John Here in I John 2, this “last time” thought is in context also with the “world passeth away” (vs 17) and Jesus’ “coming” (vs 28). Hora – In many Jewish writings this word took on gradually a strong eschatological and apochalyptic meaning. This relates to the events of the last days when God will come with cosmic signs.3 Once again, like James, one could see an appeal related to the fall of Jerusalem, the kingdom of grace in us or even the second coming. The message is one of preparation and remaining in the faith: “continue in the Son, and in the Father” (vs 24), “abide in him” (vs 28), don’t be deceived (vss 18, 22, 26). A future eschatologic emphasis, however, is clearly in evidence.
Paul: He teaches the doctrine of an apocalyptic day still to come (Romans 2:5; II Corinthians In Hebrews he notes, “God ... hath in these last [eschatos] days spoken unto us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2), placing the eschatos in the setting of the first advent. Yet later he notes, “yet a little while, [then he draws on Habakkuk 2:3-4] “he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews What is happening here? The same as the writings of James and John. There is an intertwining of ages. The great concern is readiness. There is another message that comes through all of these. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, the end of all wrong is assured. The future is present. This is seen, as an example, in John There is another more specific allusion to the GWT from Peter with ties to Paul’s writings. In that context a very precise timing message is presented.
Peter: Peter’s first reference to the parousia noted in II Peter Peter begins that by creating a segue’ message: “Knowing this first” (II Peter 3:3). Then he develops a fascinating outline: 1. In the last days (eschatos) – the end of a series of events (vs 3). 2. Scoffers questioning, “Where is the promise of his coming? Nothing has changed since creation (vs 4).” 3. Peter calls that ignorance because (vvs 5-7) of God’s sovereign control in: a. Creation b. Flood (where scoffers/world perished) c. Current heaven and earth waiting – the sovereign Lord is still in control. In these few verses the concept of a “delay” is introduced along with “waiting” – “the heavens and earth, which are now, ... are kept in store, reserved for fire. (vs 7).” Then eschatos is contextually explained. It is at: The day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (vs 7) The Day of the Lord is when the heavens pass away, elements melt, earth and works are burned up (vs 10) Peter pleads, “be not ignorant” in between these two items. “Don’t miss the point” – and then he introduces a timing concept. These two items are clarified as “the last days” (eschatos), end of millennium events (Revelation There is a delay. Everything is in waiting – for the cleansing of the earth of wicked people and its very elements. Why? He says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (vs 9). The centerpiece of this restoration–covenant theme is the thought that God’s people shouldn’t be ignorant of “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (vs 8). This could simply mean time is not an issue with God as His sovereign will is being worked out, and that can be accepted as true. However, in the context of delay, waiting for the completion of righteousness and the end of the millennium events noted, another message comes. There is a prophetic concept where a day represents a millennium and a millennium is expressed as a day. Verse 9 introduced a covenant atonement theme, and in verse 13 this is expanded: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise [epaggalema – a legal notice announced beforehand], look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Paul refers to the “Day of the Lord” (I Thessalonians 5:2; cf. II Thessalonians 2:1-2) as the time of the resurrection ( Peter is making a significant statement regarding the completion of the covenant. In God’s sovereign timing, in His mercy for all those who would repent, within the framework of delay and waiting, think in the context of a millennium. The contextual evidence suggests the first phrase, “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years” is addressing the broad end-time theme in chapter 3. The second phrase notes God’s special reference to time in comparison to the first. He is out of the sphere of time. We will discover shortly that this is a significant echo to the Great Week of Time messages in the Old Testament – within a covenant context. [This article continues in the next issue.] References 1Albert Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, Vol. 5, Chap 6. 2www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/6day1.html 3Brown, Colin; Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, MI)
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