Watching, Counting and Waiting

A few days before His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples about His return...

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,  but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “THEREFORE KEEP WATCH, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (Matthew 24:32-44)

For those of us who watch for signs of the return of Jesus, there has been a thought that the Bible implies that God will tolerate humanity trying to govern themselves for six thousand years, a thousand years for each day of creation.

"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)

"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." (2 Peter 3:8)

“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. AFTER TWO DAYS He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 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.” (Hosea 6:1-3)

In my retirement years I have had time to meditate on the above Scriptures, and others, watching for His return. I no longer attend church services or bible studies but occasionally I feel that sharing my thoughts may be beneficial to others who are "watching" for His return.

I began to think that if God is in fact going to allow humanity 6,000 years (a thousand years for each day of creation) there should be some evidence of such in the Bible.  Below is my thoughts after searching the Scripture for that evidence. The Bible has some interesting chronological passages that I found...

Creation of Adam to the world wide flood:                    1656.00 years  (Genesis 5:3-32; 7:6, 11; 11:10)

Flood to birth of Arphaxad:                                                  2.00 years   (Genesis 11:10)

Arphaxad to birth of Abraham                                          350.00 years  (Genesis 11:12-32; Acts 7:4) 

Abraham's age when he entered Canaan                             75.00 years  (Genesis 12:4)

Length of time in Canaan and Egypt                                 430.00 years  (Exodus 12:40-41; Galatians 3:17)

Exodus from Egypt to start of Temple                               480.00 years  (1 Kings 6:1)

Reign of kings of Judah to Babylonian captivity               419.25 years  (1 Kings 6:1through 2 Kings 24:8) 

Years in captivity                                                                  70.00 years  (Jeremiah 25:11)

End of captivity to birth of Messiah Jesus                          483.00 years  (Daniel 9:24-25)

TOTAL years from creation of Adam to birth of Jesus:   3,965.25 years

Years remaining to add up to 6,000 years                         2,034.75 years

                                                                                           6,000.00 years

Today we are in year 2021 AD (AD refers to the year of the birth of Christ). So, we are 14 years from 6,000.  That would be in the year 2035AD.

Another interesting thought I had was about why God instituted the 50th Year Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-12) celebrated on the day of Atonement. That Jubilee came in 50 year cycles at the end of which all land returned to the original owners, all debts were cancelled, and all slaves were set free. 120 Jubilees would be exactly 6,000 years (120 X 50=6000).

Passover in 2035 AD would be almost if not exactly 2,000 years from the crucifixion of Jesus! See Hosea 6:1-3 above. If Jesus returns around that time it would fit nicely into my thoughts!

I was going to keep this to myself since most people think such meditations to be foolish - but in case you don't, Jesus also said...

"At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near...Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:27-28; 36)