An epilogue in my book “End Time Events-Sequence and Synchrony” details four separate constructs that taken together present a strong case for predicting the season of Jesus’s return. It’s essential that we determine the time of His coming as closely as possible so we are wisely prepared with our lamps lit and are not surprised as will be the rest of the world when He comes as a “thief in the night.” (Matthew 24:43, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, Revelation 3:3). Over the next several posts, I’ll reproduce these four prophetic scenarios. All these are in addition to the “signs” Jesus gave us to watch for. The first scenario is commonly referred to as the “millennial sabbath theory”.
The first eschatological framework concerning the timing of Jesus’ 2nd advent I’m going to briefly discuss is called the “Millennial Sabbath”. Simply stated it is the idea that the period from creation to the eternal state is a span of seven thousand years, with the last one thousand years constituting Christ’s Kingdom here on the earth. The most reliable Bible chronologists (IMO) agree, noting creation to Abraham as 2000 years, Abraham to Christ’s crucifixion as 2000 years, the crucifixion to Christ’s return another 2000 years, followed by a Kingdom reign of 1000 years, a seventh or sabbath millennium. This millennial sabbath is based on the statements in Psalms and Peter that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years. This is confirmed in Genesis where Adam was warned that he would die in the “day” he ate of the forbidden fruit. Obviously, he didn’t die in that 24 -hour day but returned to dust just prior to 1000 years of life. It’s also based on Paul’s writing in Hebrews chapter 4 about entering God’s rest which is compared to God’s seventh day of creation where He rested. Paul states that there remains a sabbatical (rest) for God’s people where they will cease from their works. This rest is equated to Christ’s coming Kingdom in 2 Thess. 1:5. Revelation states clearly that His Kingdom is for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:2,3,4,5,6). If the seventh “day” rest is 1000 years in length, it follows that the first six were also 1000 years in duration. Early church Fathers had a near consensus on this issue. Here’s a quote from Hippolytus:
“And six thousand years must needs be accomplished in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day on which God rested from all His works. For the sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they shall reign with Christ, when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse. ‘For a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.’ Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that six thousand years must be fulfilled.”
Based on the above, we can simply add 2000 years to the year of Jesus’ crucifixion to find the year of Jesus’ coming. It’s commonly believed that Jesus died between AD 27 and AD 33 with a probable date of AD 30. This would mean Jesus is returning in 2030. However, while the AD 30 date is reasonable, it is not certain, though it is likely plus or minus 3 years. There is also the caveat that Daniel’s 70th week might be an add-on, which would make it seven years later. Nonetheless, it should be sobering to note that 2030 is less than five years from this writing.
I’ll present the next three scenarios in subsequent posts. I think you’ll find these helpful in determining the season of our Lord’s return.
Maranatha, Jim