Sermon - The 7000 Year Theory Part 1: When the Clock Started

Sermon on

The 7000 Year Theory Series:

Part 1: When the Clock Started

By C. B. Pepper

This is the first of a series of 5 sermons which examine the 7000 Year Theory. In sermon Part 1 we look at the introduction of sin into this world and God revealing His Plan of Redemption.

Today we will be looking at an interesting theory which has been proposed by some Christians, known as the 7000 year plan of God. What we will do is examine this theory, consider the weight of Biblical and other evidence for it, and assess whether it may be more than a theory.

What is the 7000 Year Theory?

The theory goes something like this. God created the the world in six days and rested on the seventh. However the creation week was also a blueprint of God's redemptive plan for earth. Symbolically each creation day represents 1000 years of earth's history so that the first six days represent the time of suffering under the works of Satan and the seventh day represents a 1000 years of rest. The 7000 year theory is based on the idea that to God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. From God's perspective the plan will only take a week.

Challenging Questions

During the course of our discussion we will examine the following challenging questions:

1. Does God have a plan for planet Earth? If so, what are the objectives, the timeframe, what has occurred already and what is yet to occur?
2. Was the Earth created in 7 literal days? Does it really matter?
3. Can we determine how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden?
4. What is the significance of Jesus the Passover lamb?
5. Can we determine when Christ was crucified?
6. Can we predict the Second Coming of Christ?
7. What will occur after Jesus returns?

Sin Problem Prior to Creation

It is important to note from the outset that prior to the creation of planet Earth there was a sin problem in the universe. Revelation 12:7-9 says, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

So we see that Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven to the Earth. In Genesis chapter 3 we find Satan in the Garden of Eden speaking through a serpent at the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Now from the very beginning of Earth's history we see that God was still in control of the devil. Satan was not permitted to freely wander about and tempt Adam and Even in the garden of Eden. He was only allowed access to one location, ie the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God also demonstrated His special interest in the future of mankind by warning Adam and Eve that if they ate of the fruit of that tree they would die.

Did Adam and Eve Die when they Sinned?

When God created Adam and Eve He warned them against eating the forbidden fruit. God told Adam, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die", (Gen. 2:17 yet Adam lived to 930 years old. (Gen. 5:1-5) Is this a contradiction? No, because Adam did die 'spiritually' that day, (Gen. 3:1-24). If we take a 'day of the Lord' as equivalent to 1000 years (2 Peter 3:8), we see that Adam died physically within the limits of the first day.

Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is the separation of the soul from God.

Nakedness of Adam and Eve

When Adam and Eve were first created, they were both naked and yet they had no shame (Gen. 2:25). However after they sinned Genesis 3:7 says, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked". This resulted in them trying to hide from the presence of the Lord, and they covered their nakedness with fig-leaf aprons. Some Bible students think that the time of their hiding from God’s presence was three hours, corresponding to the three hours when the sun was darkened at our Lord’s crucifixion (see Matt. 27:45).^1,2

The part about Adam and Eve only discovering their nakedness after sin sounds a bit odd, as though there is something missing in the story. Because, when God created Adam and Eve, He didn’t make their human bodies something to be ashamed of. It was only after sin that Adam and Eve first saw their nakedness. Now isn't this a bit peculiar, because no other creature on the whole planet knows that it is naked, not wearing clothes – only mankind?

The nakedness of Adam and Eve was a direct result of sin. It is thought that as sinless beings they had an inherent glory and wore a clothing of light, which disappeared after their sin. Sinless beings such as angels and the Deity have varying degrees of glory or brightness about them. When Christ was transfigured He shone with the brightness of His glory. When God created the earth, it was the glory of God which illuminated the Earth for the first three days of creation. What happened when Adam and Even sinned was that their glory or clothing of light disappeared. This was occasioned with their spiritual death and physical nakedness.

Temptation of Adam

Eve may have been deceived by the serpent however Adam appears to have eaten of the fruit knowing exactly what he was doing. So why would Adam yield to temptation so easily knowing what God had told him? There seems to be more to the story, and there quite possibly was. Imagine Adam seeing Eve standing before him, arguably the most beautiful woman in earth's history, in her newfound nakedness, using her powers of persuasion and sexuality to tempt him while she was eating the forbidden fruit and obviously very much alive. Adam loved Eve and didn't want to be separated from her, as probably would have happened had he decided not to sin. Now what chance did Adam have? Satan himself probably couldn't have done a better job. Eve's punishment fits her crime. Pain in childbirth.

God's Plan Revealed in the Garden

When God created Adam and Eve He gave them freedom of choice and knew that there was a possibility that they might rebel as had Satan and his fallen angels. So this eventuality was considered by God when He created the Earth.

God had a plan from the foundation of the Earth and this He revealed to Adam, Eve and the serpent (Satan) after the fall. God said to the serpent that the "seed of the woman" would crush the serpent's head. (Gen. 3:15) The plan was immediately implemented with the slaying of two innocent animals to clothe the nakedness of Adam and Eve. This was also the first substitutionary sacrifice for the atonement of sins, representing Christ who would one day pay the ultimate ransom for the penalty of sin.

The consequence of Adam's sin is that he forfeited rulership of the Earth to Satan. He had chosen to disobey God, and Satan as prince of the Earth, was allowed to freely roam the earth as he pleased to tempt and deceive mankind. Notwithstanding this, God had a plan to pay the penalty for sin and defeat the devil. His redemptive plan was to annul death in two distinct stages, corresponding to His two advents. The 7000 year theory predicts that the first advent of Christ in 4000 years will take care of spiritual death. The second advent 2000 years later would take care of physical death.

7000 Year Theory

The 7000 year theory is a belief that the seven day week reveals a 7000 year divine plan for mankind, with 6000 years for mankind to 'labour' under the rule of Satan and sin's penalties and a 1000 year period of 'rest' under the rule of Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:1-5 prophesies that there will be a 1000 year (millennial) period in which Jesus and the saints will reign. That is basically the theory.

The Epistle of Barnabas, written about 200 AD, actually expounded on the concept of the 7000 year plan of God, stating that the 'end' would occur at the point of 6000 years from the creation of mankind. This ancient document of the early church period stated:
“of the Sabbath He speaketh in the beginning of the creation; `And God made the works of his hands in six days and He ended on the seventh day, and rested on it, and He hallowed it. Give heed, children, what this meaneth, `He ended in six days` He meaneth this, that IN SIX THOUSAND YEARS THE LORD SHALL BRING ALL THINGS TO AND END, for the day with Him signifieth a thousand years; and this He himself beareth me witness, saying, `behold, the day of the Lord shall be as a THOUSAND YEARS.` Therefore, children, in six days, that is IN SIX THOUSAND YEARS, EVERYTHING SHALL COME TO AN END`. And He rested on the seventh day`. This he meaneth; when His Son shall come, and shall abolish the time of the Lawless One, and shall judge the ungodly, and shall change the sun and the moon and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day”. (Epistles of Barnabus, chap.15 The Apostolic Fathers, pp.151-152)³

1 Day is 1000 Years in the Sight of God

The 7000 year theory is based on an assumption that one day is like 1000 years in the sight of God. The following texts lend support for that assumption:

Psalms 90:4 "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

2 Peter 3:8 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with YHWH as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of the Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

In Gen. 2:17, it says: "In the day you eat of the fruit of this tree you shall surely die." It is no coincidence that those who lived before the Flood died just short of a 1000 years of age. Thus figuratively speaking, Adam, and all his offspring before the flood, died within a "day"---that is, within a thousand years.

Bible Analogies cited in Support 7000 Year Theory

LAZARUS
John 11 outlines the events over six days
1. Lazarus is sick for 2 days (John 11:1,5-6)
2. Lazarus is dead for 4 days (John 11:39).
Lazarus is resurrected on the seventh day. (John 11:40-44)

SLAVES
Slaves worked for six years, the 7th year is freedom (Exodus 21:2) (Deut 15:1)

KING JOASH
King Joash was the rightful king of Israel but who was hidden in the temple of God for six years while an impostor reigned (Queen Athaliah). Athaliah is a picture of Satan the devil, the great usurper. After six years, which represent 6000 years, the king was brought forth to sit on his rightful throne, and the usurper was put to death (2 Kings 11:16).

KING SOLOMON
King Solomon (a type of Jesus) had six steps to this throne and the 7th step was his throne (II Chronicles 9:18).

ISAAC
Jacob is Israel (Genesis 32:27-28)
1. Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20).
2. Rebekah was barren for 20 years before Jacob (Israel) was born (Genesis 25:21,26).
Isaac was 40 years old (4000) when He married, just as Jesus comes forth and pays for a bride (us) at 4000 years. Isaac was 60 years old when he has Jacob (Israel) just like Israel will be when it assumes its God ordained place after 6000 years during the millennium.

ARK
Gen 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month

NOAH
Noah was 600 years of age when God destroyed the world with the Deluge (Gen.7:6). Even so, when the world is 6000 years of age, God will once again intervene to destroy the wicked and usher in the Kingdom of God.

LAND TO REST
Exodus 23:11 But the seventh [year] thou shalt let it rest and lie still.
Lev 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land (Israel was sent into exile to Babylon for 70 years for violating God’s Sabbaths)

PROMISED LAND
Israel's first full year in the promised land was a Sabbatical year (Joshua 5:11)
(Adam and Eve’s full first day in Eden was the Sabbath)
The Saints will enter the new heaven and new earth in the Sabbatical millennium.

GOOD SAMARITAN PARABLE
(Luke 10:25-35) A "certain man" fell among thieves who stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, is a picture of humanity today! The "priest and the Levite" refer of the "children of the flesh of Abraham," Israel, the Jews today that should have been true to their responsibility before God and ministered unto this man. Instead they "passed by on the other side." Jesus is the "certain Samaritan" because, He was rejected by Jews; He came where the certain man was...saw him...had compassion on him."; He provided for the man and promised to return. The provision was two pence. A penny is equal to a day's wages. (Matt.20:1-16). Jesus (the certain Samaritan) gave Himself and provided for us, and will return after two days (the 5th. and 6th. day).

TRANSFIGURATION
"And AFTER SIX DAYS Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Matt.17:1-2). Here again, six days equals 6,000 years, in typology. At the end of 6,000 years, Jesus Christ will appear IN HIS GLORY (Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Rev.1:13-16; 11:15-17; 19:11-16).

JUDAH
Genesis 29: Children of Leah (seven children are prophecies of the 7000 year period). Leah was not loved. She asks God for a son. With the 4th son Judah we see an allusion to the appearance of Jesus the Messiah. Judah means "Praise". Jesus was born at the end of the fourth day (after 4,000 years) into the tribe of Judah. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.^4,5

Why do we have a Seven Day Week?

No more logic supports seven days than, say eight or five, yet the seven-day week has resisted any and all attempts at change.

Unlike the year and the month, which correspond to the movements of the earth around the sun and the moon around the earth, the week has no astronomical analogue. Seven days is roughly the same length of a phase of the moon (seven days, nine hours) but any system of timekeeping quickly falls apart due to the extra hours piling up.

Atheistic revolutionaries tried, unsuccessfully, to get rid of the seven-day week. In 1793 the leaders of the French Revolution produced a new calendar divided into three ten-day "decades." It never caught on, and Napoleon abandoned it in 1805.

In 1929 the Soviet Union tried a five-day week, with one day of rest.

Instead of the traditional day names, the days were given colors: yellow, orange, red, purple, and green.
In order to keep mass production going, each Soviet citizen was assigned a different day of rest, so that a husband might have a yellow day off, while his wife took her leisure on green.
Due to mass confusion, the plan was revised in 1932 to a six-day week, with numbers replacing the colors.
By 1940, the Russians were back on the familiar seven-day cycle!⁶

Just why did God choose to create the Earth in six days? Could God have created everything in six seconds? Of course the answer is yes. Could God have created everything in six minutes? The answer again is yes. Could God have created everything in one second? The answer is of course that an infinite Creator God could create in any time He wanted to. In fact, an omnipotent Creator could actually create everything in no time at all. Thus we need to be asking ourselves why God took so long. In other words, six ordinary days is a long time for an infinite Creator God to create the universe. He actually made His creative acts a process over six days to set a pattern for man-the basis of the seven-day week. This is why our Creator took so long-He did it for us. He set the pattern for our work week.

An interesting research project would be to get people to investigate nations that have tried to change the seven-day week. Such experiments have always failed, because biologically man is set up for six days of work, one day of rest.

Creation in Seven Days

Now let's take a look at creation week. According to the Genesis account the Earth was created in six literal days. This is clear because at the end of each creation day it says, "And the evening and the morning were the first (second etc) day. (Genesis 1:5)

Day 1	LIGHT appears
Day 2	WATERS are divided
Day 3	LAND appears with vegetation
Day 4	SUN, MOON AND STARS created
Day 5	WATERS bring forth living creatures
Day 6	LAND is populated
Day 7	REST

Genesis 2:1-2 says, '"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them, and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."

The Creator is a planner. As such, he has a plan which is on a schedule. This should not be so difficult for us to imagine. But what is his time schedule?

Back at creation, the Creator gave us a blueprint. He created the world in six days and rested or rather "ceased" on the seventh. However, in his ceasing from his work on the seventh day, he still created something: the pattern for seven day weekly cycle ending in a day later named the Sabbath. When he finally gave the Torah to Israel, He included a commandment about the seventh day.⁷

Exodus 20:8-11 says, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

So we have six days of work and then the seventh day brings REST! Some people wonder whether is makes any difference about which day the Sabbath is observed or how it is kept. Well, unlike the other commandments there is no logical justification for it apart from it being a memorial of creation and a specific command of God. However the Sabbath command stands out in the Decalogue because in it is found the seal of God, ie His name - God, His authority - Creator; and his Dominion - Heaven and Earth. Isaiah 58:13,14 points out that the Sabbath day is not a day to do your own pleasure or seek your own will, but is a day set aside for all of mankind to rest and worship the Creator.

Where did Light come from on the First Day?

How could there be light, mornings and evenings on the first, second, and third days if the sun, moon, and stars were not created until the fourth day?

This is only a problem if we fail to take into account an infinite and omnipotent God. God does not need the sun, moon, and stars to provide light. God is light! First John 1:5 declares, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." God Himself was the light for the first three days of Creation, just as He will be in the new heavens and new earth, “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). Until He created the sun, moon, and stars, God miraculously provided light during the “day” and may have done so during the “night” as well (Genesis 1:14).⁸

The Wonder of the Solar Eclipses

In the July-August 2009 issue of Discover Magazine there was a short feature on eclipses. It included these statements: “The beautiful symmetry of a total solar eclipse happens because–by pure coincidence–the sun is 400 times larger than the moon but is also 400 times farther from earth, making the two bodies appear the exact same size in the sky,” and “Earth is the only place in the solar system where that happens.” Well, is it possible to see “beautiful symmetry” in the heavens and dismiss it as pure chance?

Genesis 1:14 records that God designed the capacity for lunar and solar eclipses into our solar system. It states that God arranged the positioning of the heavenly bodies for “signs, seasons, and for days and years.” Human calendars have always been synchronized to either lunar or solar cycles, and many civilizations of mankind have calculated “seasons” (i.e. such as when to plant crops) via the various equinoxes and solstices.⁹

Does it Matter if Creation is Literal or Figurative?

Throughout history and particularly in the last 200 years there has been concerted opposition to the creation account of Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2. Even a lot of Christians now doubt the literal interpretation and are of the view that God may have used evolution over millions or billions of years to evolve the animal kingdom to where it is now. So does it matter what you believe about the origins of the Earth? The answer if most definitely yes. There are huge implications with regard to the rest of Scripture.

If the long geological ages really took place, that means there were at least a billion years of suffering and death in the animal kingdom before the arrival of men and women in the world. This fact leads to the following very disturbing chain of conclusions, as follows:

1) The Bible is not really an authoritative guide, for if it is wrong in these important matters of science and history, which we supposedly can check for ourselves, using scientific and historical investigation, then how can we trust it in matters of salvation, heaven, and everlasting life, which we have no means of verifying scientifically? In fact Jesus said in John 3:12, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?".

2) Death is not really the wages of sin, as the Bible says, for violence, pain, and death reigned in the world long before sin came in. God is directly responsible for this cruel regime, not Adam.

3) Still more significantly, if physical human death was not really an important part of the penalty for sin, then the agonizingly cruel physical death of Christ on the cross was not necessary to pay that penalty.

4) If God's Word was wrong about creation and about the meaning of Christ's death, it becomes obvious that its prophecies and promises concerning the future are of no value either.

5) Finally, there remains no reason to believe in God at all—at least not in the personal, loving, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, righteous God that the Bible makes Him out to be. If that kind of God really existed, He would never have created the groaning, suffering, dying world implied by the long ages required for evolution.¹⁰

Next Part of 7000 Year Theory

In the second part of our series on the 7000 year theory, we will look further into God's redemption plan and His active involvement in earth's history. Called the Days of Noah the next part looks at the significance of events in Noah's day and the parallels between that time and ours.

References and notes
1. What is spiritual death? - http://www.gotquestions.org/spiritual-death.html
2. What Death Did Adam Die? - http://antipreterist.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/what-death-did-adam-die/
3. THE 6000 YEARS - http://www.cephasministry.com/water/bible_believers_6000_years.html
4. God's Redemptive Week - http://bibleteachingonline101.net/God_s_Redemptive_Week.html
5. Spiritual Pictures of 6000 and 7000 Years in the Bible - Part I - http://www.hebroots.com/lul11.html
6. Why the Week Has Seven Days - http://www.almanac.com/content/why-week-has-seven-days
7. The 6000 Year Timeline Dilemma -
http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/6000-year-timeline.htm
8. How could there be light on the first day of Creation if the sun was not created until the fourth day? - http://www.gotquestions.org/light-first-sun-fourth.html
9. ECLIPSES A MIRACLE OF GOD’S DESIGN (WITH FUTURE SIGNIFICANCE?) - http://stevenmcollins.com/WordPress/?p=594
10. THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF BELIEVING IN RECENT CREATION - http://www.icr.org/i/pdf/btg/btg-138.pdf
11. What does Genesis 1 really teach? - http://www.wcg.org/lit/bible/OT/tripp.htm
12. Globalization and the Tower of Babel - http://shepherdtheflock.com/2009/01/26/globalization-and-the-tower-of-babel/
13. Sermon: The Days of Noah - http://cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Audio.details/ID/2201/Days-Noah.htm
14. 6,000 years for mankind as understood by Churches of God still valid - http://www.thejournal.org/issues/issue121/six-thousand-years-for-man-still-valid.html
15. Globalization and the Tower of Babel - http://shepherdtheflock.com/2009/01/26/globalization-and-the-tower-of-babel/
16. Online Text Sermon - The Days of Noah, Matthew ch.24 v.37 - http://www.bible-sermons.org.uk/text-sermon/421-the-days-of-noah/
17. Revealing That The Days of Noah and The Flood Are Here! - http://www3.telus.net/thegoodnews/noah.htm
18. Jesus in the Life of… Isaac – The Sacrificed Son - http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/downloads/jcisaac.doc
19. First Adam - Last Adam - http://www.hebrew4christians.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=122&t=504
20. Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man - http://ldolphin.org/accomplish.html
21. Why did Jesus preach for such a short period of time? - http://andrewconard.com/2009/09/01/why-did-jesus-preach-for-such-a-short-period-of-time/
22. Old Testament Pictures of Jesus - http://www.onlinethoughts.com/onlinethoughts/old_testament_pictures_of_Jesus.htm
23. Hebraic Spring Festivals/Holy Days - http://www.tedmontgomery.com/bblovrvw/c_4a.html
24. THE FEAST OF PASSOVER - http://brenda.ratcliffs.net/03Passover.pdf
25. The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-23) - http://bible.org/seriespage/last-supper-luke-227-23
26. THE PASSOVER - http://www.bibleprophesy.org/feasts2.htm
27. The Feast of Passover Exodus 12 - http://www.bibleinsong.com/Music/Images1/Jesus%20the%20Passover%20Lamb.pdf
28. It is Finished Six Hours One Friday… - http://www.onlinethoughts.com/onlinethoughts/it_is_finished.htm
29. Jesus Died a Startling Death - http://www.christianinconnect.com/jstardea.htm
30. Christ Our Passover is Slain for Us - http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/ex12v1.html
31. Was Jesus crucified on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday? - http://biblelight.net/pasover.htm
32. The date of Armageddon without using the code - http://www.biblecodeintro.com/intro44.html
33. A CHRONOLOGY OF THE BIBLE - http://www.cocoris.com/BBC%20pages/Microsoft%20Word%20-%201.%20Bible%20Chronolgy.doc.pdf
34. ON WHAT DAY DID JESUS DIE? - http://www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/date-crucified.html
35. Notes on The Sabbath - http://ldolphin.org/sabbath.html
36. Jesus born 5 B.C. #1 - http://www.keithhunt.com/Wheborn1.html
37. Daniel's Prophecy - Foretells date of crucifixion - http://www.ldsmag.com/sci_rel/040915prophecy.html
38. Year of Jesus' Death - http://www.rusearching.com/nostradamus/nostradamusyearofdeath.htm
39. When Was the Crucifixion? - http://www.hissheep.org/messages/when_was_the_crucifixion.html
40. A Prophecy Explained - http://www.mundall.com/erik/ezekiel4.htm
41. THE TEMPLE DESTROYED, 70 A.D. - http://www.bibleresearch.org/articles/a11pws.htm
42. THE MYSTERIOUS EVENTS OF THE YEAR 30 A.D.! - http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/mysteriousevents.html
43. IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT - http://www.electalert.org/content/b7c62.html
44. Futurism's Countdown: Fact or Fantasy? - http://biblicalresearch.gc.adventist.org/documents/Futurism's%20Countdown.htm