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The Millennium Chronology
In
the book I argue that a pattern exists in biblical chronology. Every event the New Testament writers identified as promised
by God under the Old Testament covenants adheres to a scheme. A proper construction of the chronology reveals such events
occur a perfect millennial-multiple (i.e., 1000-year multiple) from either an identifiable creation date or from some other
prior Old Testament event "related" to the promised event.
In 2 Peter 3:1-8, Peter states that God promised
Christ's return at the end of the world. This implies the world will end at the close of a millennium dated from the creation
of Adam in 3852 BC. However the Bible does not identify the multiple. So the event could occur 6,000, 7,000, 8,000...years,
etc. from creation (i.e., common era years that end in "149"). The scheme suggests that the Second Coming of Christ
must be non-imminent for many generations.
The next possible year when the world could end is 2149. Obviously
none of us will be alive then. However, at any time scientists could discover a near Earth object that could potentially
collide with the Earth in the year 2149. The Palermo Scale is designed to assess the risk of a comet or asteroid strike
decades or centuries in advance of the collision. If such an object were discovered we would have to decide whether and
how to prevent such a collision. The costs of preventing such a strike could be enormous. Should we pay billions or trillions of
dollars to prevent a world-ending strike that cannot happen in our lifetimes?
Matthew
24:43 reads:
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Here is a plausible interpretation of this parable. The “watch” is a millennium. The “goodman
of the house” is a modern day astronomer. The “house” is the world. The “thief”
is an asteroid or a comet. In other words, astronomers watch for asteroids or comets that might collide with Earth at
the end of a millennium (i.e., in the years 2149, 3149, etc.). Since they know in advance when the thief will come they can
prevent the thief from destroying the house. Scientists can then take action to prevent the world from being destroyed.
Here is another curious fact. Many believe a so-called Planet X exists. According to numerous theories, Planet X possesses a highly elliptical orbit in the solar system. Its period of revolution about the Sun is roughly 3,600 years. Based on ancient writings many claim it last approached Earth at the time of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt which can be dated at 1447 BC according to the Bible. If you add 3,600 years to 1447 BC you approximately arrive at the year 2149. Will astronomers some day announce that such a planet might pass close to Earth in 2149?
Revelation
9:1-2 indicates that a star will fall upon the Earth and it will open the bottomless pit. Revelation 20:3 indicates
that the beast will be shut up in the bottomless pit until 1,000 years are fulfilled. Then he will be released. This
implies the star will fall to the Earth at the end of the millennium and within months before the world ends. Therefore
this star is likely the primary cause of the Earth's destruction. The star could be an asteroid, a comet or perhaps Planet
X-- if it indeed exists.
The early church believed the world might end in AD 149. New Testament writers did not believe Christ could return at any moment. In 2 Thessalonians 2:2, Paul eased the fears of his readers when he stated that the day of Christ was not impending at that time:
Be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Paul confidently believed that the end of the world was not imminent. At that time the New Testament writers believed the world might end in AD 149-- but not any sooner.
This generation shall not pass…
A much debated passage is found in the Olivet discourse:
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till
all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only. But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming
of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:34-37)
When Jesus spoke these words it was three days prior to his crucifixion in AD 30. The debate has focused on the meaning to the term “this generation.” Some have argued that this term meant a period of about forty years. Others have argued that the phrase references some future generation. Both positions are wrong. The term clearly is used to describe the generation existing at that time. But it denotes a period of time (see Genesis 15:13-16, Ephesians 3:5, 21 where it denotes a period of time). If Jesus had been referencing a future generation that would witness all of these events he would have stated it this way:
Some generation shall see all these things be fulfilled.
But this is not what he said. Instead "this
generation" denotes a presumed time span during which everyone alive at the time will have died. The passage suggests
a direct connection between Jesus’ discussion of “this generation” and the days of Noah. What is the connection
between the days of Noah and the term “this generation?”
In Genesis 7:1 the Lord commanded Noah to enter the ark:
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark: for thee have I seen
righteous in this generation.
The
use of the term “this generation” in this passage implies a period of time. How long was a generation in the days
of Noah? According to Genesis 6:3, God warned men 120 years prior to the flood (“his days shall be an hundred and
twenty years”). That generation suggested a period of 120 years. Using accession dating (counting
the number of New Year’s Days that elapse in the sequence—the same counting system employed in Genesis) precisely
120 years elapsed from Tishri 1, AD 30 to Tishri 1, AD
149, inclusive. Therefore the "generation" Jesus was referencing would expire in AD
149—120 years after he spoke those words and the precise time when Jesus might return.
The statement "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" implies that that generation would indeed pass away. It is equivalent to making this statement,"This generation shall pass away, but not before all these things have been fulfilled." However, since Jesus also spoke of the passing away of heaven and earth, this implies the world might end at the close of that generation. If it occurred any earlier, that generation would not, in fact, pass away. Later Jesus stated that he didn't know the day or hour when heaven and earth would pass away. Jesus was stating that the events described in the Olivet Discourse would be fulfilled within that generation except he didn't know when the world would end. However, it could only end at the close of that generation.
Two cryptic passages
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened,
there should be no flesh saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:20-22)
For in those days shall be affliction,
such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the
Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen,
he hath shortened the days. (Mark 13:19-20)
These two cryptic passages appear in the Olivet discourse and concern Jesus’ prediction about the future. These
statements also confirm some aspect of the chronological pattern. What did Jesus mean when he stated that God had “shortened”
the days? Most claim that the days which are in boldface refer to the days of the future tribulation or affliction.
However, this view is incorrect for a simple reason. The term "saved" found in both passages ("no flesh should be saved") was likely referencing the salvation of mankind through the crucifixion. Only moments earlier Jesus spoke of salvation using the same Greek term:
But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13)
Clearly in this context he was discussing salvation.
The clause concerning the “shortened” days is
not discussing the days of the tribulation. Rather, the appearance of the term “days” in boldface is a reference
to the principle enunciated in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 (a day in God’s sight is equal to a thousand years). The primary
reason is because the passages suggest these are days as God views them. Moreover, the “days” are counted from
“the beginning of the creation.” In other words, the passage could be paraphrased as follows:
“And except that the Lord has shortened the days, from the time of
creation until now, no flesh should be saved. But for the elect’s sake, he has shortened those days.”
The passages are discussing days of creation, plus the millennia
of human history from Adam, until the time when Jesus spoke these words (“unto this time”— i.e., the
present time). Jesus spoke these words only two days before the crucifixion. The time from the creation of Adam until
that particular time is computed to be 4,000 simple lunar years as I explain in The Millennium Chronology. Lunar
years are shorter than solar years. This explains the term "shortened." Therefore 4,000 lunar years is a shortened
"day" in God's sight. Jesus was probably also counting the days of creation before Adam in his reference to
"those days."
I believe Jesus was providing a subtle
hint in the statement, “and except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved.” When Jesus
spoke of no flesh being saved he was referencing the salvation of humanity through his crucifixion. In other words, it
was only because the crucifixion happened at the close of a millennium from the creation date that salvation was obtained
at that time. The next statement in Matthew’s Gospel, “but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened,” simply
means that at the time of the crucifixion the elect would obtain salvation. The "elect" included his disciples.
Second Peter 3:10 indicates that Christ
will return again when the world ends. The biblical evidence clearly suggests
that Christ will return at the end of the millennium mentioned in Revelation 20 and his return will coincide with
the end of the world. The millennium in Revelation 20 is dated from the creation of Adam in 3852 BC.
Revelation 20 was written from the perspective that the world would end at the conclusion of any millennium subsequent to AD 149. Revelation 20 did not envision the world ending in AD 149 since Christians would not have been witnessing for 1,000 years at that time. Revelation 11 was written from the perspective that the world might end in AD 149 since no millennium is described in that chapter. Both chapters describe the final judgment (Revelation 11:18, 20:13).
Several passages indicate that when Christ returns He will judge both the living and the dead. John 5:28-29
and Matthew 25:31-36 clearly suggest He will judge the believers and the non-believers at the same time upon His return.
Since we are told that the final judgment will occur at the
end of the millennium (Revelation 20: 7-15) we therefore conclude that Christ’s return will occur at the end of the
millennium. The world didn’t end in AD 149, so we should interpret the millennium to be some
unknown millennium dated from the creation of Adam. At the end of that millennium Christ will return.
Any Millennium
How do we know that Jesus believed He could return
at the end of any millennium dated from the creation of Adam? In Old Testament times the night was divided into three watches.
In the Old Testament an entire 24-hour day was comprised of the three watches and the 12
hours of daylight.
Of course, this cycle repeats itself every 24 hours. Judges 7:19 speaks of a “middle watch” which in this case would be the middle watch of the night. First Samuel 11:11 speaks of a “morning watch” presumably referencing the third watch of the night.
The relevant text is Psalm 90:4:
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)
The text states that each watch in the night is a thousand years and so is the day. A 24-hour day in God’s sight equals 4,000 years— three 1,000-year watches, and a 12-hour day that also equals 1,000 years.
In reference to the Second Coming, Jesus clearly taught that this event might occur in any watch of the night or even during the day. In short, it could occur in any millennium. The Gospels concur on this point. Luke 12:36-45 states:
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately…And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and finds them so, blessed are those servants….But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken: The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him…
In this passage, the phrase “when he will return from the wedding,” presumably references the first watch of the night. Then Jesus states that the servants should also watch for Him during the second and third watches. Finally, He states that in addition to the three watches (i. e., 3,000 years) Jesus might return during the day. This is the 12-hour day also equated with 1,000 years. This completes the entire 24-hour cycle.
Clearly, by understanding that Jesus was discussing the repetitive cycle of the three watches of the night followed by the day, we know that the world could end at the expiration of any millennium dated from the creation of Adam.