THE TIME FACTOR IN THE BIBLE
Let’s not think that events of history are random! The Bible gives clear indication of design and structure in nature and history which is evidence of a Creator. Time is relevant only because it is a measure instituted by God on day four of creation. The sun, moon and stars created that day, were for signs and seasons, days and years. Time was established to determine the progression of God’s divine plan. The unfolding of history is according to the plainly laid out timetable of God.
In this lesson, we will explore three aspects of Bible Chronology:
- The importance of Time from God’s perspective.
- We will examine a pictorial chronology to visualize the unfolding plan
- We will consider some events that have yet to take place in God’s schedule.
We saw in our last lesson that it is important to understand the actual ‘theme’ or plan of God, but now we see that it can be measured and has a “last days” end date. The statement: ‘fill the earth with the glory of the LORD’ refers to a time when it is all completed! Prophecy or predictions of future events are provided as evidence of God’s direct control as we saw in our last lesson. They furnish proof that they are not disorganized incidents of history but rather are, in fact, in accord with what God has established. So many of the scripture events confirm God’s foreknowledge.
Isaiah 46:9,10 “… I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”. This is God’s confirming that from the beginning he has spoken of things that will happen! IE things that are not yet done.
Let’s continue, and look at a few verses that verify the foreknowledge of God when he reveals history in advance according to his Timeline!
Acts 2:23 “…(Jesus) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it….32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” This was foreknowledge because the suffering and death of the Messiah was recorded at least 1000 years earlier by David in Psalm 22, and by Isaiah in Isaiah 53. Jesus himself knew he would suffer at the hands of men.
Acts 17:26 “And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” This passage also emphasizes God’s foreknowledge (knowledge in advance) and his control over the affairs of history. God had predetermined his framework from the beginning, and throughout history has continued to reveal things in accordance with His time frame.
Acts 17:30,31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” This passage is more emphatic, specifying a ‘day’! God will ‘judge the world’ on an appointed day and by a man he has ordained (chosen). Proof or assurance or proof was given when this man was ‘resurrected’ from the dead. Jesus is the man! He is living proof to anyone who will hear.
The attached chart of Biblical history below will provide a sense of the full scope of God’s plan. (Please review all the information on the chart)Note: This chart is offered as a depiction of Bible history and a summary of the prophecies regarding the Messiah! It is clearly demonstrated in the Scripture that events according to God’s plan would take place at predetermined times. The Creator has also revealed a series of progressive steps leading toward the fulfillment of His will. The Bible use of the terms like “the last days,” “the latter days,” and “time of the end,” indicate a predetermined period when the political and religious systems will be terminated. The divine remedy, according to the Bible, is the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God upon the earth. This is the basic theme of the chart, and of the Bible.
It is recognized that other theories of time exist among Bible Chronologists regarding historical dates. The evidence of God’s unfolding plan is solid, but it cannot be claimed with absolute accuracy that all the ancient dates on the chart are completely precise. We offer the chart as a Biblical perspective to provide a view of the chronology of the events in the Bible. Use this tool as you explore your Bible. It will demonstrate that one’s hope in the coming of Jesus is not based upon random expectation, but according to the plan of God.
The opening chapters of the New Testament confirm there was an expectation surrounding the prophecies of the Old Testament that foretold the coming of the Messiah, (the promised seed (or child)). An obvious example is the word that the LORD spoke to Isaiah 7:14; Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel”. Also the vision given to Daniel while he was in Babylon, predicting the 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9:21-29. This is determined to reference the time from the command to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, to the crucifixion of the Messiah 490 years later. Based on this prediction, many were anticipating the appearance of the ‘Messiah’ at the time of Jesus birth. Also at this time…there were in the temple in Jerusalem, two faithful elders, (Anna and Simeon) who received instruction from God to watch for the promised one, Luke 2:25-38. This again demonstrated their expectation was by the foreknowledge of God.
Galatians 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” The “fullness of time” refers to ‘the right time’ in God’s plan! Jesus’ birth was a fulfillment of many Old Testament prophetic predictions. The chart includes a summary of the “promises” at the bottom. It also notes some of the indicators of the coming of Messiah. Please take time to read these passages to see how the “fullness of time” is an accurate statement.
Luke 21:24 This references a time period to which Jesus prophesied: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” History reveals that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army in AD70 and the persecutions forced the Jews away from the city. The word ‘until’ indicates there would be an end to their diaspora. 1948 witnessed the establishment of a national homeland for the Jews, and this prophecy was completed in 1967 when after 1900 years, the Jews (during the “6-day war”) recaptured the city of Jerusalem! Jerusalem had been subjected to Gentile occupation until the predetermined ‘times of the Gentiles’ was fulfilled. This passage turns our minds toward the present day and toward the end of Gods plan as outlined on the chart which is divided into seven sections, with each section representing one thousand years.
Please note: some would question the sensibility of claiming there are only 6000 years of history! We will provide comment on this later in the series. Yes, science has some remarkable support for claiming much longer periods of time. However, this should not sway us from the truth of God’s words. 1Corinthians 1:27 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty”. Not all that we see in science is as men claim it to be. Faith in the science of men, or faith in the word of God? Let us remember that God is the creator! Apparent age of things may be relative. (IE how old did Adam appear to bewhen he was created? And how many rings did a tree have?)
The next few references will help us understand why the chart depicts the 1000-year periods.
Hebrews 4:4 “And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.” This is a reference to the days of creation in Genesis 1&2. The chart correlates to the six days of creation followed by the day that God ‘rested.’
v.3 …the works were finished from the foundation of the world, i.e., the pattern of history was established at creation.
v.4 “God rested the seventh day.”
v.8 Reference to a rest comes later in the scriptures. (Clarification: Jesus is the Greek name for he Hebrew name Joshua. The day of ‘rest’ was not fulfilled when Joshua brought the children of Israel into the promised land after the Exodus.
vv.9-11 So, there remains a rest… It is still to come. The pattern seen in the days of creation provide a ‘type’ of the ‘rest’ that is yet to come.
As we mentioned at the outset, the plan of God was determined from the beginning. Every aspect of the plan is linked to the thread of the theme that ‘all the earth shall be filled with the glory of God’. There is evidence that the final thousand-year period of the chart will begin at the return of Jesus to the earth.
Revelation 20:4-6 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his]mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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 Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Here then is the premise for dividing the chart into one-thousand-year periods. Scripture is guiding us to determine that our generation is prophetically and chronologically close to the ‘kingdom period.’ which is part of the gospel message: (clue: the ‘kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ’ – Acts 8:12)
This reference to the thousand years is a revelation (v4) to those who endure and overcome and are true to the creator. The promise is that if we die, we will be resurrected to ‘live and reign with Christ a thousand years.’ This is clearly the “rest” to which the writer of Hebrews refers. This is pointing to the beginning of the kingdom of God which will be established. This period starts after the return of Jesus to the earth and is the referred to again in the next passage.
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 The death and resurrection of Jesus was merely another step in the purpose of God. It did not conclude the Plan of God. These verses explain how Jesus participates in the work of God. v20 …” he is risen from the dead and has become the first fruit,” ie the first one… then v23 “afterwards they that are Christ’s at his coming!” We are provided with an outline of the future work that Jesus is to accomplish during the millennium. It will be at this time the full plan of redemption will be complete. V24 At the end (of the 1000 years) “when he has delivered the kingdom to God after putting down all opposition” … v26 “the last enemy to be destroyed is ‘death’”. (Cp also Revelation 20:14: death and hell are cast into the lake of fire). This will be at the end of the 1000-year reign of Jesus and the saints. During the millennial period, Jesus will continue to bring the nations into subjection to the will of God. Then,
1Corinthians 15:28 …”when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”
This study should have provided you with some insight to the importance of Time from God’s perspective.
The chart should give you a pictorial overview of Biblical chronology to help visualize the unfolding plan of God and, give some indication of the events that have yet to take place according to the design of God’s schedule.
Please, print the chart and refer to it often during your reading of the scriptures. It will be very helpful in relating Biblical events to history. The references on the chart also provide a great overview of history as it develops throughout the narrative and demonstrates that the whole plan of God is by design!