It seems clear from the Scriptures that there is a plan for the cosmos. All about us in science and the workings of the greatness of creation can be seen an overlaying sense of order and reason. Some relationships do appear to be existent between time, energy and matter and so far as mankind is concerned we are bounded by such concepts and relationships until God in His wisdom opens to us the greater things of His infinite purpose.

In the things that have been revealed we see as in a glass darkly and hold to the hope that our experience of the Eternal will in time, be face to face.

God has foreknowledge of all His plans and there is in His foreknowledge a time for all things. A ll things worked out and they are marked off by the Word of God.

(Acts 15:18 KJV)

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

(Eccl 3:1-17 NIV) There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: {2} a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, {3} a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, {4} a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, {5} a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, {6} a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, {7} a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, {8} a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. {9} What does the worker gain from his toil? {10} I have seen the burden God has laid on men. {11} He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. {12} I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. {13} That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil–this is the gift of God. {14} I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. {15} Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account[1]. {16} And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment–wickedness was there, in the place of justice–wickedness was there. {17} I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.”

(Heb 11:3 NIV) By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

THE AGES OF GOD.

The ages of time for mankind have been purposed by God and are to encompass the plan from the time of earth’s creation to the new heavens and the new earth. Man has been shown some of His workings and the Creator has revealed himself in His Word as :-

i. Creator of the Ages.

(Heb 1:2 NIV) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

ii. King of the Ages.

(1 Tim 1:17 NIV) Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

(Rev 15:3 NIV) and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.”

iii Foundation of the Ages.

(Isa 26:4 NIV) Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

iv. Purpose of the Ages.

(Eph 3:11 NIV) according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

TIME AND THE AGES OF THE LORD .

In a sense time stretches from eternity to eternity. It is a period during which God will work out His purposes for human kind. The beings of this earth need to be regenerated for they are far fromperceiving the righteousness and purity that the Father has purposed for His creation.

(John 9:4 NIV) As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me . Night is coming, when no one can work.

(John 17:4 NIV) I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

(John 5:17 NIV) Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

The seven day week given to Moses as a period of time to observe has a larger outworking in the weeks of the ages of time. These ages may be seen as the Weeks of the Lord.

(Exo 20:8-11 NIV)

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. {9} Six days you shall Labour 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. {11} For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

(Exo 31:12-18 NIV) Then the LORD said to Moses, {13} “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. {14} “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. {15} For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. {16} The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. {17} It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'” {18} When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”

(Col 2:16-17 NIV) Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. {17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come ; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

A SHADOW OR TYPE

The story of Jacob who worked two weeks of seven years for Leah and Rachael has a prophetic shadow of the two weeks during which God works out His purpose with mankind.

(Gen 29:15-30 NIV)

Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” {16} Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. {17} Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. {18} Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” {19} Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” {20} So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. {21} Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.” {22} So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. {23} But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. {24} And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant. {25} When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” {26} Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. {27} Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” {28} And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. {29} Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. {30} Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

THE TWO WEEKS OF THE LORD .

There are two weeks involved (periods of seven.)….one called the week of creation the other the week of regeneration

The creative week has within it a portrayal of the later redemptive week.

THE WEEK OF CREATION	THE WEEK OF REDEMPTION
1. DAY ONE: Gen 1:1-5 Darkness & Light Night & Day	1. DAY ONE: From Adam to Enoch’s translation The kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light Cain…the ungodly line Seth .. the Godly line. Gen 3:15
2 DAY TWO: Gen 1:6-8 Heaven & the firmament The division of the waters above and below.	2. DAY TWO. From Enoch’s translation to Abram. The separation of Abram from Babel. Gen 12.
3. DAY THREE. Gen 1:9-13. Earth appears- produces fruit, herbs, seeds Separation of earth from sea.	3. DAY THREE. From Abram’s call to Elijah’s translation. 2 Kings2. Fruit of the Hebrew nation produced. Exod 1 onwards. The chosen people Israel separated from the Gentiles.
4. DAY FOUR. Gen 1:14-19. Sun, moon and stars. Natural light ordained for signs, days and years.	4. DAY FOUR. From Elijah’s translation to the first coming of Jesus. Signs Matt24:29 The light of the world is revealed..
DAY FIVE. Gen 1:20-23. Creatures of the sea. Fowls of heaven. They multiply exceedingly. Gen 6-8	5. DAY FIVE. From Jesus to the middle ages The human nations and peoples multiply Acts 10-11.
DAY SIX. Gen 1:24-31. Animals Man….The first Adam and Eve given dominion.	6. DAY SIX. From the middle ages to the second coming. The rise of the nations who will act as animals and follow after the beast. Dan 7 Rev. 13. The second Adam and the church the bride given dominion. Eph5:23-32. Rev 12:1.
DAY SEVEN. Gen 2:1-3;4 God rested and sanctified the Sabbath era . Completeness, perfection. It was very good.	7. DAY SEVEN. From the second coming to the new heavens and new earth. Rev20:1-6; Rev21-22. The rest of the Lord. Rev11:15 No sickness, no sin, death or devil.

THE THOUSAND YEARS

(Gen 2:17 NIV) “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

(Gen 5:5 NIV) Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.

Adam died before a day of a thousand years had passed by.

(2 Pet 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.

(Psa 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.

(Rev 10:5-6 NIV) Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. {6} And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay!”

(Rev 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.

 

Portrays the day of the rest of the Lord when peace and righteousness will reign upon the earth

Explanatory Note:- This little exercise was to explore a popular teaching from about fifty years ago. It looks very plausible but note that a day of the Lord is “like” a thousand years. This leaves the clear possibility that the usage is only to underline how very long a day is in the Lord’s terms. As with many other teachings based on the thousand year dispensation idea, it should be read with care and reservation and the thought of “well maybe” needs to be kept in the foreground.