upgraded July 25, 2008
There are exactly and only Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time in God's eternity. Before the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time there was timeless infinity. After the end of the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time there will again be timeless infinity. Right now, we are living in the only period of measured time that will ever occur within God's eternity.
In Genesis, the chapter one account gives six days for God to create this world and man. The Six Days of Creation are a paradigm of the "Six Days" of man. God rested on the seventh day, the final day of the week. The Seventh Day of Creation is a paradigm of the "Day of the Lord", and designated by God as "a Sabbath of rest to the LORD" (Exodus 35:2 printed below).
Genesis 1:27 (NIV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them....Genesis 1:31 (NIV) God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1-3 (NIV) Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Exodus 20:8-10 (NIV) "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
Exodus 23:12 (NIV) "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.
Exodus 24:15-16 (NIV) When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.
Exodus 35:1-3 (NIV) Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do: 2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. 3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."
Leviticus 23:3 (NIV) "'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.
Biblical historians have correctly stated that mankind has been on this earth for 6,000 years. In the book of Genesis, chapters 5 and 11 plot on a time line that will bring you to a point where secular recorded history begins. Accurate recorded history is in agreement with the chronological order of the Bible. Thus the Bible proves to be historically correct.
There are 6,000 years of time allocated by God for man to rule this earth. These are the "Six Days" of man. There are 1,000 years of time allocated by God for Jesus to rule this earth. This is "God's Day," or the "Sabbath Day" of rest given to the earth. We are given glimpses of this truth and principle throughout the Word of God.
2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
Psalm 90:4 (NIV) For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
We are now at that point in history where man has had Six Thousand Years of Measured Time in order to rule himself. God has given mankind six thousand years in order to prove to man that he cannot rule himself. After the six thousand years of man's misrule, which are the "Six Days" of man; there will be the One Thousand Year (millennial) Reign of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem, which is the "Sabbath Day's" rest of God.
Revelation 20:1-6 (NIV) And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The six thousand years of man's misrule, and the One Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ will total the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time. Following the One Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ on the earth, all of creation will return to timeless infinity.
Measured time is so fleeting as to almost be a surreal figment of our imagination. Before you can consider time, it is gone.
James 4:14b,c (KJV) For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Our complete life from birth to natural death is but a quick moment. In another quick moment, you and I will both be in eternity, looking back on the brief moment of our lives in measured time. We will then be unable to change anything. Our spiritual destiny will be determined eternally by our spiritual condition at our last moment in measured time. Whatever place you are in at the end of the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time, will be where you will stay forever, and ever, and ever.
Man's mind cannot grasp infinity, but consider this time-worn illustration. If a bird in America were to pick up a single grain of dirt in his beak, and then fly to Asia, deposit that single grain, and then return to America to begin the cycle again; when the bird had transported the entire American continent, one grain at a time, and placed it in Asia, the time that was required to accomplish this feat would not have consumed a single moment in eternity.
The number principle of six and seven applies to days, months, years, and centuries throughout time, and throughout the Holy Word of God.
The seventh day of the week was a Sabbath day, as referenced above.
Every seventh month was a Sabbath month. Ancient Israel marked time with two calendars, the sacred calendar, and the civil calendar. The seventh month was a Sabbath month for either the sacred calendar, or the civil calendar. The first day, of the month of Nisan/Abib (usually April), was the first day of the new sacred year; that same day was also the first day, of the seventh month, of the civil year. The first day, of the month of Tishri/Ethanim (usually October), was the first day of the new civil year, but also marked the first day of the seventh month of the sacred year. Consequently, every seventh month marked the beginning of either a new sacred year, and the seventh month of the civil year; or the beginning of a new civil year, and the seventh month of the sacred year.
The seventh year was a Sabbath year.
Exodus 21:2 (NIV) "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.
Exodus 23:10-11 (NIV) "For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
Leviticus 25:1-4 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.
Seven Sabbaths of seven years began the Year of Jubilee.
Leviticus 25:8-55 (NIV) "'Count off seven sabbaths of years--seven times seven years--so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. 13 "'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.
The seven days of the week, are a paradigm of the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time, as referenced above.
That seven is God's number is shown throughout the Word of God, where it denotes completion and perfection.
Jacob bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached Esau, denoting complete and perfect submission to Esau.
Genesis 33:1-3 (NIV) Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants. 2 He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
The blood of the bulls that were slaughtered for the sin offering for unintentional sins was to be sprinkled seven times before the Lord.
Leviticus 4:1-6 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands--3 " 'If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the Lord. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull's blood and carry it into the Tent of Meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.
The ordination of Aaron and his sons lasted seven days.
Leviticus 8:30-36 (NIV) Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments. 31 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, "Cook the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.' 32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33 Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. 34 What has been done today was commanded by the Lord to make atonement for you. 35 You must stay at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded." 36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.
The cleansing of an infectious skin disease, the guilt offering, and the inspection and cleansing of an unclean house all revolved around the number seven.
Leviticus 14:1-57 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, 2 "These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields. 8 "The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean. 10 "On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil. 11 The priest who pronounces him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 12 "Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering, along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand, 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the Lord seven times. 17 The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. 18 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed and make atonement for him before the Lord. 19 "Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 20 and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for him, and he will be clean. 21 "If, however, he is poor and cannot afford these, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, together with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two doves or two young pigeons, which he can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 23 "On the eighth day he must bring them for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, before the Lord. 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering, together with the log of oil, and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. 25 He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand, 27 and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. 28 Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering--on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 29 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord. 30 Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, which the person can afford, 31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed." 32 These are the regulations for anyone who has an infectious skin disease and who cannot afford the regular offerings for his cleansing. 33 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 34 "When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land, 35 the owner of the house must go and tell the priest, 'I have seen something that looks like mildew in my house.' 36 The priest is to order the house to be emptied before he goes in to examine the mildew, so that nothing in the house will be pronounced unclean. After this the priest is to go in and inspect the house. 37 He is to examine the mildew on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 38 the priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days. 39 On the seventh day the priest shall return to inspect the house. If the mildew has spread on the walls, 40 he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town. 41 He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. 42 Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house. 43 "If the mildew reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, 44 the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean. 45 It must be torn down--its stones, timbers and all the plaster--and taken out of the town to an unclean place. 46 "Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening. 47 Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash his clothes. 48 "But if the priest comes to examine it and the mildew has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the mildew is gone. 49 To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. 50 He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 He shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. 53 Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean." 54 These are the regulations for any infectious skin disease, for an itch, 55 for mildew in clothing or in a house, 56 and for a swelling, a rash or a bright spot, 57 to determine when something is clean or unclean. These are the regulations for infectious skin diseases and mildew.
God told the children of Israel that if they did not listen to God, were hostile to Him, or did not accept His correction, that He would punish them, and multiply their afflictions seven times over.
Leviticus 26:18-28 (NIV) " 'If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit. 21 " 'If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. 22 I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted. 23 " 'If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, 24 I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. 25 And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. 26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied. 27 " 'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.
In Joshua, chapter six, seven priests with seven trumpets and the people marched one time around the walls of Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the people marched seven times around the walls, and after a long trumpet blast, the walls fell.
Joshua 6:12-16 (NIV) Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!
In order to effect his cleansing, Naaman immersed himself seven times in the Jordan river.
2 Kings 5:9-14 (NIV) So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." 11 But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage. 13 Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
Elijah prayed seven times before the rain fell.
1 Kings 18:41-45 (NIV) And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 "Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back." 44 The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.' " 45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.
When the ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem, seven priests with seven trumpets sounded their trumpets before the ark, and seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed to the Lord.
1 Chronicles 15:24-28 (NIV) Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark. 25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. 27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
Nebuchadnezzar heated his furnace seven times hotter in order to kill Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Daniel chapter 3 is a fore-glimpse of the Tribulation period. Nebuchadnezzar is a fore-glimpse of the False Prophet in setting up an image and requiring worship by all men. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego are a fore-glimpse of the members of the Body of Christ in refusing to worship the image. The fire that is "seven times hotter" is symbolic of the Seven Year Tribulation period. The members of the Body of Christ will go through the fire, but the Spirit of God will be with them.
Daniel 3:13-27 (NIV) Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." 25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
There will be a Seven Year Tribulation Period prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Antichrist will be revealed to the discerning Judeo-Christians by a seven year peace agreement (covenant, contract) that allows the re-establishment of daily (blood) sacrifice by the Jews in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Daily sacrifice by the Jews must be reestablished in order for the Antichrist to "put an end to sacrifice and offering." Whoever is able to make the peace agreement (covenant, contract) that allows re-establishment of daily sacrifice by the Jews in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is the Antichrist. At the precise moment in time when that peace agreement (covenant, contract) is signed, we will be in the Tribulation. The seven year clock of the Tribulation will have started.
Daniel 9:27 (NIV) He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven’ but in the middle of that ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
Jesus stated that we are to forgive, not seven times, but seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV) Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
There are seven seals, seven thunders, seven bowls, and seven trumpets referenced in the book of Revelation. Jesus Christ will return to begin His Millennial Reign at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and at the pouring of the seventh bowl of wrath.
Revelation 11:15 (NIV) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: " The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
Revelation 16:17 (NIV) The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
There are Six World Empires within the Seven Thousand Years of Measured Time.
That man's number is six is again stated in Revelation 13:18:
Revelation 13:18 (NIV) This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.
Man's 6,000 years is additionally broken into three divisions:
2,000 years from Adam to Abraham - First Covenant (Genesis chapter 17)
2,000 years from Abraham to Christ - Second "New" Covenant (Hebrews chapter 8)
2,000 years from Christ till now
(Pope Gregory altered the calendar of his day such that the calendar we now use is called the "Gregorian Calendar". Scholars debate the degree of inaccuracy in the Gregorian Calendar, and consequently the actual birth year of Christ. We do not actually know exactly how many years have transpired since the birth of Jesus Christ, and consequently we do not actually know exactly what year we are living in. Generally, most scholars position themselves in the range of from a +3 to a -11 year error in the Gregorian Calendar.)
The Passover lamb was set aside for four days, from the 10th day until the 14th day of Abib.
Exodus 12:3-6 (NIV) Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
Jesus the Passover Lamb was set aside for Crucifixion prior to the Creation of the World, and was Crucified four thousand years later, or four of the Lord's "days".
2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
Psalm 90:4 (NIV) For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
1 Peter 1:18-20 (NIV) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Revelation 13:8 (NIV) All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
From one Biblical perspective, there are only two classifications of people in the world, Jews and Gentiles. If you are not a Jew, then you are a Gentile. The Lord God spent 2,000 years working primarily with Jews after the Abraham Covenant, referenced in Genesis chapter 17.
That approximate 2,000 year period was from the time of the Covenant of Abraham until the time of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Following the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Jewish people have been estranged from God. The Jews have been "without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol," for about two thousand years, which is almost the exact amount of time that has elapsed since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Hosea 3:4-5 (NIV) For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. 5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.
God will restore the Jews after their two thousand year separation, and the Jews will live in the presence of God for the One Thousand Year Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem.
Psalms 79:8 (NIV) Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.
Jeremiah 50:4-5 (NIV) "In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.
Joel 3:20-21 (NIV) Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21 Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon." The Lord dwells in Zion!
Deuteronomy 4:27-31 (NIV) The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Luke 13:34-35 (NIV) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
Hosea 6:1-7 (NIV) "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." 4 "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. 5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. 6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant--they were unfaithful to me there.
Hosea 6:2 printed above again reveals the concept whereby "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."
2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
Psalm 90:4 (NIV) For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
The "two days" of Hosea 6:2 referenced above represent the Two Thousand Years of Jewish Estrangement From God that have elapsed since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The "third day" represents the restoration of the Jewish People to God's presence immediately prior to the One Thousand Year Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem, after they "acknowledge the Lord" as their God.
The Lord God spent 2,000 years working primarily with Jews after the Abraham Covenant; the Lord God has now spent 2,000 years working primarily with Gentiles after the Jesus Christ Covenant, referenced in Jeremiah chapter 31:31-34, and Hebrews chapter 8:4-13. Jews and Gentiles have proven to be very similar in their response to God. The Gentiles have had the advantage of the history of the Jewish successes and failures to study and learn from. The Gentiles have generally failed to avail themselves and benefit from that advantage. In view of the abundant light that the Gentiles have had in the last 2,000 years, and increasingly have, the responsibility they bear is awesome:
Luke 12:47-48 (NIV) "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
the Seven Thousand
Years of Measured Time