SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE ENOUGH!

I believe that from the creation of our present world (Gen. 1), to the arrival of the new heaven and new earth (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1), will be approximately 7000 years.  Based upon Bishop Ussher's chronology of Bible events, Creation occurred in 4004 B.C.  Historians believe Herod the Great died in 4 B.C., making the Incarnation, that is, the birth of Jesus, 4000 years after Creation.  The Lord's earthly life, coupled with the approximately 2000 years known as the Church Age (so far), makes the earth about 6016 years old.  We do not know how long it will be until the end of the Church Age with the event known as the Rapture (1 Thes. 4:13-18), but based upon Israel being in control of Jerusalem, the ineffectiveness of the Church, and the condition of the world today, it will not be long; it could happen today! 

Neither does the Bible tell us the amount of time between the Rapture and the seven year Tribulation (Dan. 9:27).  In actuality, there does not need to be any time at all between the two.  What we do know is that the event following the Tribulation, the Millennium, will last for 1000 years, and then, time as we know it, will cease (Rev. 20:1-7).  The seven thousand years will have come to an end, and eternity will have begun.  My belief that the history of the world will be 7000 years is seen in two factors: 

1) God created the world in six days, and He rested on the seventh.  The Bible says that, to God, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years but as a day (Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8).  Many believe the 6000 years our world has existed represent six of God's "days" in which man has had the opportunity to work at bringing it back to God.  Dispensationalists would say we have had six dispensations to do so. 

2) God rested on the seventh day, and according to the theory, the seventh dispensation, the 1000 year reign of Christ, will be a "day of rest" for God's people (Isa. 11:10; Heb. 4:10).  The writer of Hebrews wrote, "For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His" (Heb. 4:8-10).

Just a side note:  the time after the seventh dispensation is known as the "unending day" (Rev. 21:25).  That would make it sort of like the "eighth dispensation," right?  What is the symbol for eternity?  It is a figure eight on its side, sort of like it is resting!         

Very little is known of God's existence prior to the creation, and precious little is known of what will occur after time, as we know it, comes to an end.  Jesus, the Creator (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2), referred to Himself as the "the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending" (Rev. 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13).  It is obvious that Jesus, the Son of God, being God, is eternal (Deut 33:27; Jn. 10:30).  It should also be obvious that One cannot give to others, that which He, Himself, does not possess (Jn. 10:28; 1 Jn. 5:20).  If you want to live eternally, you need to trust in Jesus (Jn. 6:29)!

Just as Jesus could not give eternal life without possessing it Himself,
Christians can not lead the lost to salvation without having a personal faith in Him!