Look Up!

"Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the LORD says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me. Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.” Oh, what a sinful nation they are—loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him." (Isaiah 1:2-4)

The "LORD" is Yahweh who became flesh and dwelt among us, He is Jesus, "the Holy One of Israel" that Israel turned their back on and had crucified when He came the first time. They are no longer the people of God but are termed "not my people".

"And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (Hosea 1:9)

But there will come a day when Israel will again become His people.

"...and I will sow her for myself in the land. And will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’” (Hosea 2:1)

Two days (two thousand years) after they rejected Jesus, He will return and heal them. Listen to Hosea, Peter and Paul.

"Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence. So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3)

"I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created...But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day...This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters." (2 Peter 3:3-4, 8, 15-16)

"I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,“The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israeli away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.” Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn." (Romans 11:25-29)

As best as I can tell, Jesus was crucified on either Wednesday April 28, 28 AD or Wednesday April 25, 31 AD. We are nearing 2,000 years from that  day - watch the events taking place in the world, then look up, for our redemption is drawing nigh!

"For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 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.” (Luke 21:22-28)

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)