1. 7,000 years of man
2. The end can be found in the beginning
3. The Creation Week and the “Olam Ha Zeh” – The Present Age
4. Day 7 – The “Day of the Lord”
5. Biblical Patterns that confirm the 7,000 year week of man
6. Where are we now?

7,000 years of man

According to a tradition allegedly originating with the prophet Elijah, the world in its state of imperfection is allowed to endure 6,000 years:

“The school of Elijah teaches: The world is to exist for six thousand years.” – Sanhedrin 96a-97b

Upon the conclusion of the six thousand years, the world will transition to the 7th “world day” – a thousand year period characterised by the idyllic conditions foretold in Messianic prophecy:

“As there were 6 days of creation, the world would last for 6000 years. The 7th “world day” would be the 1000 years of Messiah’s rule.” – Avodah Zarah 9a

Jewish tradition refers to this 7,000 year designation for man as “Olam HaZeh”, meaning “the present age.” The 8 thousandth year will usher in another cycle distinct from the first. This is known as the “Olam HaBah”, the “world to come.”

The end can be found in the beginning

According to the prophet Isaiah, God works in the peculiar manner of declaring the “end from the beginning”:

“Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure…” – Isaiah 46:10

Ecclesiastes makes great emphasis on this point: 

“The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9

“That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.” – Ecclesiastes 3:15

Considering this principle, isn’t it amazingly fitting that the entire history of man would constitute 7,000 years so as to resemble the seven days of the creation week? It is even more fitting to find scripture linking the span of a day to the a thousand years:

“A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night..” – Psalm 90:4

The Apostle Peter makes the same affirmation:

“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.” – 2 Peter 3:8

If the end is found in the beginning, and if the beginning consisted of seven days – it isn’t terribly untenable to assume that the end would also consist of seven “world” days, each day representing a thousand years.

The Creation Week and the “Olam Ha Zeh” – The Present Age

Keeping with the principle of the “end found in the beginning” great similarities can be found between the creation events associated with each respective day of the creation week, and the Historic events unique to the thousand years associated with that day. For example:

Day 1

On day one of creation, God separates light from Darkness:

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.” – Genesis 1:3

On day one of the “Olam Ha Zeh” (the first thousand years of humanity) Adam and Eve are able to differentiate between “good and evil”: 

“And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.” – Genesis 3:22

Day 2

On day two of creation, God separates between the waters with a “vault” or “sky”:

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” – Genesis 1:6

On day two of “Olam Ha Zeh” (the second thousand years of humanity) God opens the floodgates of the sky to allow for a deluge great enough to cover the earth:

“The floodgates of the sky were opened. The rain (water) fell upon the earth. – Genesis 7:11

Tradition regards the first two days of “Olam Ha Zeh” as the two thousand years of “Chaos” prior to the giving of the Torah:

“The school of Elijah teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand years was chaos…” – Sanhedrin 96a-97b

Day 3

On day three of creation, God gathers the waters to allow for dry ground to appear:

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:9-10

Day three of “Olam Ha Zeh” (three thousand years of humanity) marks the event of the Exodus and Israel’s conquest of land. A parallel can be found between the parting of the red sea with the gathering of the waters on day two:

“Let the waters be gathered together, and let the dry land appear.” (Genesis 1:9)

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” – Exodus 14:21-22

“And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.” – Exodus 15:8

The emergence of “land” is symbolic of the land of Israel, and the conquests chronicled in the book of Joshua. The book of revelation links “Waters” to the gentile nations. Therefore, the emergence of the distinction between water and land, could signify the distinction between Jew and gentile.

Day three and day four of “Olam Ha Zeh” would mark the flourishing of the Torah:

“The school of Elijah teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand years was chaos; two thousand years the Torah flourished…” – Sanhedrin 96a – 97b

Day 4

On day four of creation, God creates the stars and the “two great lights”:

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. – Genesis 1:14-16

The two great lights signify the arrival of Messiah (the great light) and the coming of Elijah to prepare the way (the lesser light).

 Christ is called the “sun of righteousness” – Malachi 4:2

“He [John the Baptist] came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. The true Light [Jesus] who gives light to every man was coming into the world“ – John 1:7-9

“He must become greater [Jesus]; I must become less [John].” – John 3:30“John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. I have testimony weightier than that of John.” – John 5:35-36 

God promises Abraham his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in heaven (Genesis 26:4). The stars represent all those who are made Sons of Abraham through faith in Jesus.

Day four of “Olam Ha Zeh” would initiate the following two thousand years “of the Messiah.” However, since the Jews did not believe the Messiah arrived as expected, they attributed the delay to their sin:

The school of Elijah teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand years was chaos; two thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two thousand years are the days of the Messiah, but through our many iniquities all these years have been lost. – Talmud San. 96a-97b

The Delay of the Messianic Kingdom

The Talmud preserves an account of the ancient Rabbi’s attempting to make sense of what they called “a contradiction” in Isaiah 60:22 which states “I will hasten it, in its time” (referring to the Messianic age). A solution was proposed:

Alexandri said: R. Joshua b. Levi pointed out a contradiction. It is written, “In its time [will the Messianic Kingdom come], whilst it is also written, “I [the L-RD] will hasten it!”– If they are worthy, I will hasten it; if not, [it will come] at the due time. – Talmud b.San. 98a

They believed that God would “hasten” the arrival of the Messiah only if they were found worthy. However if the community of Israel were not worthy, then the Messianic age would come at its “due time.” The “due time” would be no later than the beginning of the seventh thousandth year of man.

The Rabbi’s recognized their failure to “hasten” the coming. They resolved to coax the arrival of the Messiah through repentance and good deeds:

…and the next two thousand years are the days of the Messiah, but through our many iniquities all these years have been lost. Rab said: All the predetermined dates [for the Messianic Kingdom] have passed, and the matter [now] depends only on repentance and good deeds. – Talmud San. 97b

John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, in order to fulfil Prophecy (Isaiah 40:3). He declared: “Repent, for the Kingdom is near.” The declaration was implying: return to the law of the kingdom and embrace the one whom he will send, for God was willing to “hasten” the arrival of the kingdom. Israel would soon encounter the opportunity to welcome its Messiah. Had they welcomed Jesus, the Messianic era would have begun. Unfortunately, they would demonstrate their unworthiness. They rejected their Messiah, delaying the arrival of the Kingdom an additional 2 thousand years.

Day 5

On day five, life is allowed to flourish. For the first time, the oceans are populated with all forms of aquatic life, and birds take flight in the sky:

“And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” – Genesis 1:20-21

In comparison to days one through four, days 5 through 6 are the only days that directly address the emergence of life. Days one through four of the creation week are primarily foundational, setting the conditions necessary for life. Likewise, according to scripture, God had permitted history, mankind, and Israel to advance to one specific end, and in order to fulfil one ultimate purpose: to allow for the Messiah to come, to teach, and to die for the sins of the world. 

The Messiah would provide the means through which Jew and gentile would receive eternal life and liberation from spiritual bondage. The gospel, standing as a promise of eternal life and adoption, would spread outwards from Jerusalem to the whole world. 

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

It’s no coincidence that the symbol of the fish would be a prominent symbol of the church, or that the Holy Spirit would be likened to a dove (fish in the sea, birds in the heavens). In Mark 16:15- the author would phrase a common sentiment in an unusual way:

“Preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15

Why “creature?” Isn’t it an odd word to use? This is reminiscent of the fifth day of creation:

“Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures…” – Genesis 1:20-21

Day 6

On day six, God commands the emergence of livestock, and creatures of the land:

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:24-25

On the same day, God created man:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground…God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” – Genesis 1:26

God’s intention was that man would rule over all inferior forms of life. In addition, man would populate to fill the earth, and ultimately subdue it. 

We are currently living in a time when God has blessed humanity with the science and technology necessary to allow for long life, high birth rates, and population density. For the first time, the fate of nations geographically separated are tied in more ways than one; for example, an event in one country can affect the economy in another, a thousand miles away. Every major landmass has been explored, occupied and exploited. At this time, we can consider ourselves within a hair’s breadth of subduing the earth to completion.

When man reaches the summit of power; when mankind has but little to advance lest we destroy the world and ourselves, prophecy reveals that a “Beast System” will form, built under the authority of an “Anti-Christ” – a figure who will willingly submit to the control of Satan.

Just as God created man to subdue the earth, so too will Satan cause the Beast to subdue “every tribe, people, language, and nation”: 

“It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” – Revelation 13:7

Day 7 – The “Day of the Lord”

Following the pattern of the creation narrative, a “Biblical day” does not start at dawn, but at sundown. An evening, and the following morning, therefore constitute a day:

“And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” – Genesis 1:5

In the exact manner of a Biblical day, the Seventh day of “Olam Ha Zeh” (the seventh thousandth year of man) will begin in darkness:

“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” – Joel 2:30-31

Several more passages confirm the darkness, gloom, and destruction that will herald the transition into the final day:

“Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light…Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?”- Amos 5:18,20

“Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.” – Isaiah 13:6

“The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness…” – Zephaniah 1:14-16, KJV

As already shown, prophecy refers to this last day (the last 1000 years) as the “Day of the Lord.” According to the prophet Isaiah, God regards the seventh day weekly Sabbath as “my Holy day”:

“If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, then the holy of the Lord honorable…” – Isaiah 58:13

Just as the Sabbath is the Lord’s Holy day, so too, will the final day of man belong to the Lord. It is his day. A day of reckoning and recompense. On this day, God will end the evil devices of man. He will destroy fortified walls, and the high towers built as monuments to man’s pride. He will humble, terrify, and lay low mighty Kings, and all who exalt themselves:

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted on that day [The day of the Lord]. The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled), for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and all the oaks of Bashan, for all the towering mountains and all the high hills, for every lofty tower and every fortified wall, for every trading ship and every stately vessel. The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. – Isaiah 2:11-19

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. – Isaiah 24:21

For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgement on all people, and many will be those slain by the LORD. – Isaiah 66:16

Genesis 2:1 states that before the seventh day rest, the heavens and the earth were “completed”:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed [Kalah] in all their vast array.”

The Hebrew word “Kalah” in many instances, conveys the following negative connotations: “destroy”, “annihilate”, “vanquish”, “consume”, etc. 

The Day of the Lord will bring about renewal by wiping the slate clean. Not only will God eradicate evidence of man’s presence in the world, but the earth itself is to be refined by fire and destruction:

“Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof…The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word…The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left…The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.” – Isaiah 24:1,3-6,19-20

This is why the Apostle Peter writes:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” – 2 Peter 3:10-12

The book of Revelation is a devastating play by play of every blow to earth’s ecology, and every natural disaster allowed for the purpose of bringing about renewal through destruction:

• Fourth seal: death by famine, plague and wild beasts.
• Sixth seal: great earthquake, sun turned black and the moon red.
• first trumpet: hail and fire mixed with blood. A third of the earth burned up, a third of the trees burned up, and all green grass was burned.
• Second trumpet: a huge mountain (Meteor) thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a  third of living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships destroyed.
• The third trumpet: a great star fell from the sky on a third of the rivers. A third of the waters turned bitter. Many people die.
• the fourth trumpet: a third of the day was without light.
• The fifth trumpet: An Abyss is opened and the sun and sky were darkened by the smote of the Abyss.
• Second Bowl of wrath: sea turned into blood. Every living thing in the sea died.
• Third Bowl of wrath: rivers and springs of water turned to blood.
• Fourth Bowl of wrath: sun scorched people with fire.
• Fifth Bowl: The Beast kingdom plunged into darkness.
• The sixth Bowl: Euphrates dried up.
• The seventh bowl: a severe earthquake.

All this is a prelude, setting the stage for God’s final act. God arranges a final showdown by gathering the wicked into one place. Hatred for Jerusalem will incite the Beast and his allies to galvanise their armies against it:

“A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it…” – Zechariah 14:1-2

“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.” – Zechariah 12:2-3

This is known as the “Day of vengeance”:

“For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.” – Isaiah 34:8

For that day [The day of the Lord] belongs to the Lord God of hosts, A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes; And the sword will devour and be satiated And drink its fill of their blood; For there will be a slaughter for the Lord God of hosts, In the land of the north by the river Euphrates. – Jeremiah 46:10

In a vision, Isaiah catches a glimpse of a man approaching from afar. The man is coming from Edom, with his garments stained crimson red. Isaiah is curious as to why the man appears as if he had been stomping grapes in a winepress. The man responds that he trod them (the Edomites) in his anger:

Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.” (Isaiah 63:1–4)

The book of Revelation reveals that this man is Jesus:

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev 11–16)

It would be pertinent to ask, why Edom is the target of God’s wrath. What wrong have they committed for God to desire vengeance?

Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. – Obadiah 1:8-9

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them.” – Ezekiel 25:12

The gathering of the Nations is also executed in vindictive wrath, because they dared to attack the Lord’s heritage Israel, and take their land:

For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. – Joel 3:1-3

When the Jewish people are mistreated, or when the seed of the serpent dares to divide his land, scripture reveals that God takes personal offense. Yet, he holds back his seething anger for the right time; he waits for the “day of his vengeance”. 

In Joel 3, the nations are said to be gathered to the valley of “Jehoshaphat”:

“In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.” – Joel 3:1-2

“Jeshoshaphat” in Hebrew means “the Lord judges” – intimating that God plans to confront the nations as a righteous judge to mete out justice. By doings so, he will reveal his majesty and prove himself “holy through you, before their eyes [the nations of the world as they watch]” (Ezekiel 38:16):

“You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.” – Ezekiel 38:15-16.

How will he prove himself holy? It says “through you” [the armies of the Anti-Christ]. God will bring the antichrist and his army to a devastating and horrifying end. It will be an absolute slaughter, a spectacle for the whole world: 

“In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare [that] on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse and every wall will fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains,  declares the Lord GOD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him [The Anti-Christ]; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone.  I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD.” – Ezekiel 38:19-23

The resurrection

The parable of the wheat and the tares is an allegory of a dual ingathering to take place during the day of the Lord: the gathering of the wicked, and the gathering of the righteous. While God’s enemies will be drawn for destruction, God’s people are also gathered to receive their reward. In the parable, Jesus likens the elect to good seed sown in a field. During the night, an enemy attempts to sabotage the endeavor by sowing weeds among the wheat. When the wheat began to grow, the weeds emerged as well. The owner resolved to wait until harvest to remove the tares:

“At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” – Matthew 13:30

Jesus reveals the meaning:

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age [the end of the six thousand years of man]. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil [by gathering them together for the slaughter]. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 13:40-43

The angels are also sent to gather the elect:

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” – Matthew 24:30-31

The loud trumpet call will signal the resurrection. Therefore the angels will be gathering the elect, by lifting them into the air to join Christ:

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

In the gospel of John, Jesus made frequent references to the “last day.” Jesus assigns two main events to take place on this day: the resurrection, and the judgement.

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. – John 6:39

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:40

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:44

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:54

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. – John 12:48

In John 11:24 Martha mourns Lazarus’ death, yet concedes that some measure of comfort can be felt knowing that Lazarus is destined to rise on the “last day”:

“Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

The thousand year Millennial Reign

The book of Revelation concludes the drama of the 7 year tribulation with the event of the resurrection of the Saints. Those privileged to take part in the “first resurrection” are said to rule with Christ for 1000 years: 

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share 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. – Revelation 20:4-6

In light of this understanding it is abundantly clear that this thousand year period is not symbolic, but referring to a literal period of a thousand years when Christ will reign on earth, and in Jerusalem.

Prophecy throughout the Old Testament is peppered with references to conditions that will exist “on/in that day” – the last day, the day of the Lord, the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ:

• The Lord will defend Jerusalem:

“On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” – Zechariah 12:9

• The Lord will save his people:

“The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock.” Zechariah 9:16

• There will be a National recognition of Christ:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.” – Zechariah 12:10-11

• The fruit of the land will be the glory of the survivors of Israel. Those in Jerusalem will be called Holy:

“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.” – Isaiah 4:2

• Jerusalem will be Holy, and foreigners will never invade her. Judah/Jerusalem inhabited forever/through all generations:

“Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations.” – Joel 3:17-21

• Israel will serve the Lord their God, and David [Jesus] their king:

“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them. Instead, they will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” – Jeremiah 30:8-9

• Sacrifice will take place:

“On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them.” – Zechariah 14:20-21

• The Lord will reach out his hand to reclaim the remnants of Judah in other lands. The Messiah will also raise a banner to gather the exiles from the House of Israel:

“In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” – Isaiah 11:11-12

• They [Israel] will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid:

On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from you your arrogant boasters. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.” – Zephaniah 3:11-13

• The Nations will rally to Jesus:

“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place [Jerusalem] will be glorious.” – Isaiah 11:10

• The Lord will be king over the earth:

“The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.” – Zechariah 14:9

• The prophet Isaiah delivers a song that will be sung over Judah:

“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah…” – Isaiah 26

The notion that all said events would occur on a singular day is a later development. Rather, scripture makes prophetic mention of the “the last/latter days” (plural) as early as the book of Genesis:

“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.” – Genesis 49:1

“And now, behold, I go unto my people: come [therefore, and] I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remained of the city. And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever. – Numbers 24:14-17

“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 listen to His voice. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers, which He swore to them by oath.” – Deuteronomy 4:30-31

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” – Isaiah 2:2-5

“For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol. Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.” – Hosea 3:4

The specification of world conditions “on that day” declared by the Prophets, or the “last day” referenced by Jesus, may be a matter of “progressive revelation.”

The World to Come will arrive on the eighth day. The eighth day is perpetual, for it represents the transition into the New Earth and Heavens – of which there will be no end, or last day. Perhaps then, the designation “last days” is an appropriate designation for the 7th and 8th days; as in days and days, into perpetuity.

Biblical Patterns that confirm the 7,000 year week of man

The arrival of the Messiah is such a landmark event in the week of man, the contrast between the conditions before and after seem to force a differentiation:

• the first 4 days [3 days prior to Christ + the day Jesus died]
• and the last 3 days “of the Messiah.”

This is the pattern demonstrated in the 7 Feast days. The Feast days are separated by the Spring and Fall Seasons. Four Holy Feast days occur in the Spring: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost. This is followed by a three month gap. On the arrival of the seventh month (during the Fall) three Feast days will occur: The Feast of Trumpets, The day of atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

The first four Spring Feasts deal with the death of Jesus – his first coming:

• Passover lamb: Jesus was slain as our Passover Lamb
• Unleavened Bread: Removal of Sin
• First Fruits: Jesus resurrects as the first fruits of the dead
• Pentecost: The inauguration of the New Covenant, the bestowal of the Holy Spirit.

The last three Fall feasts deal with the second coming:

• The Feast of Trumpets: This day announces the arrival of the Lord, in darkness and obscurity.
• The Day of Atonement: Deals with the atonement of National Israel.
• The Feast of Tabernacles: Represents the Lord dwelling with us.

The three Fall feasts land on the seventh Jewish month, indicating that they will take place on the 7th day of man, the 1,000 year Millennial reign.

4 associated with Bondage and 3 associated with restoration and resurrection

Man, prior to the Messiah, worked, suffered and perished as slaves to sin. The Exodus can therefore be seen as an allegory of all men escaping slavery to sin and subjugation to Satan, through faith in Jesus; our Passover Lamb. Just as Israel endured 400 years of hardship in Egypt, mankind would suffer under the cruel master of Satan for 4,000 years. Perhaps this is why throughout scripture, the number 4 has been associated with death and oppression:

• Moses killed the Egyptian taskmaster – Moses 40 years old. 
• The Passover lamb was inspected for three days and killed on the fourth day.
• The Exodus happened after 400 years of slavery.
• Samson emerged after 40 years of Bondage.
• Dimensions of the Temple Altar (4,000 cubits). 

The number 3/third day is associated with restoration, perfection, and resurrection:

• “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.” – Hosea 6:2
• “The third day I will be perfected” – Luke 13:32
• The Lord descends on Mount Sinai on the third day – Exodus 19:10-11
• Jesus rises on the third day.

Completion on the seventh day

Scripture also emphasizes in many ways the distinction between 6, and a type of completion or rest that follows on the seventh:

• Six days of work, and a rest on the Sabbath
• Six years of working the land, and a rest for the land on the seventh year “Shmitah”
• A “Jubilee” that follows seven Shmitah’s
• Rain appeared on the 7th prayer of Elijah – 1 kings 18:38-46
• 6 steps to Solomon’s throne before appearing before the Throne on the 7th- 2 Chronicles 9:17,18
• Leprosy is cleansed after 7 days – Leviticus 14:8-9
• Slaves worked for six years and freed on the seventh year – Exodus 21:2
• On the seventh day the transfiguration takes place. – Mark 9:2-4
• Cloud covered mountain for six days, on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses – Exodus 24:16
• Enoch 7th from Adam, is translated to heaven.
• “From six troubles he will deliver you, even in seven evil will not touch you” – Job 5:17-19

Jesus “stays” with the gentile world for two thousand years and returns to Israel on the third

Through the work of a “mystery”, blindness has temporarily descended on the Jewish people for the sake of offering salvation to the gentile world (Romans 11:25). For two thousand years (days 5 and 6) the gentile world is to benefit from the gospel, while the Jewish people for the most part remain defiant against it. The veil covering their hearts (maintaining their rebellion against Jesus) won’t be removed until the Day of the Lord, when National Israel is revived and brought back into prominence.

John 4 verses 40 through 45 are symbolic of this pattern. 

Jesus “stays” with the Samaritans for two days (representing the gospel going to the gentile world for two thousand years):

“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.” – John 4:40-41

After two days (on the third day) he leaves for Galilee to return to Israel:

“After the two days he left for Galilee…When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.” – John 4:42-45

After two thousand years, on the Day of the Lord, Jesus returns to the Jewish people and National Israel. 

The Jews are blind for two days, their eyes opened on the third

Prior to Paul’s conversion, Paul was a prominent Pharisee (trained by Gamliel) and with great zeal he persecuted the Jewish Christians. This made Paul a prime candidate to endure a condition, prophetic of the blindness of his kin. After Jesus appeared to Paul, his vision was obscured for two days. On the third day, a man named “Ananias” – a gentile convert to Judaism, was sent to pray over Paul. Immediately, something like scales fell from Paul’s eyes.

Support in early Christian Writings

“And even in the beginning of the creation, He makes mention of the Sabbath. And God made in six days the works of his hands; and He finished them on the seventh day and He rested the seventh day and sanctified it. Consider, my children, what that signifies, He finished them in six days. The meaning of it is this; that in six thousand years the Lord God will bring all things to an end. For with Him, one day is a thousand years as himself testifies saying, Behold this day shall be a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days that is six thousand years shall all things be accomplished. And what is it that he says, And he rested on the seventh day: he means this; that when his Son shall come and abolish the season of the wicked one and judge the ungodly and shall change the sun and moon and the stars then he shall gloriously rest on that seventh day.” – Barnabus 13:3-6

“For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded…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 six thousand year.” – Iranaeous (trained by Polycarp who was trained by John) – against heresies book 5:28:3

Where are we now?

If all of this is true, then the most pressing concern is: how close are we to the conclusion of the sixth day? According to the Jewish Calendar we are in year 5,782. This places the death of Jesus around 3,762 giving us 218 years until the Day of the Lord. However, many Christians have treated the Jewish Calendar with suspicion. This has led to a number of different counts. They all seem to similarly place the death of Jesus a little closer to the end of the fourth day. By moving the date of the death of Jesus forward, this gives us even less time. Some have even concluded that we only have until 2028! This can’t be so, otherwise this would imply that we are already in the second year of the 7 year tribulation.

We can be sure of one thing, the “time is near” – it is “at hand.” We are very close, possibly within two or three generations.