EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITERS AND THE 7,000 YEAR PROPHETIC PLAN
James L. Melton
Before Rome took over and plunged the world into the Dark Ages, it wasn't unusual to find believers preaching pre-millennial doctrine, and some of them even believed in writing. In fact, some even believed that God has a 7,000 year plan with the millennial kingdom of Christ being a Sabbath rest for the earth and the righteous. Here are a few quotes from the first four centuries of church history:
Barnabas - The Epistle of Barnabas – first century: "And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it." Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, "He finished in six days." This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth, saying, "Behold, to-day will be as a thousand years." Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. "And He rested on the seventh day." This meaneth: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the-sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day." (Epistle of Barnabas, XV verses 4-6)
Irenaeus - Bishop or leader of the Church of Lyons - second century: "For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: "Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works." This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year." (Against Heresies V. XXVIII, 3)
Commodianus - a Christian poet – third century - "This has pleased Christ, that the dead should rise again, yea, with their bodies; and those, too, whom in this world the fire has burned [martyrs], when six thousand years are completed..." [Instructions of Commodianus, LXXIX]
Methodius - Bishop and author who died a martyr - "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday: seeing that is past as a watch in the night." For when a thousand years are reckoned as one day in the sight of God, and from the creation of the world to His rest is six days, so also to our time, six days are defined, as those say who are clever arithmeticians. Therefore, they say that an age of six thousand years extends from Adam to our time. For they say that the judgment will come on the seventh day, that is in the seventh thousand years." [Extracts From The Work on Things Created. IX]
Lactantius - Christian apologist of the fourth century - "Therefore let the philosophers, who enumerate thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, know that the six thousandth year is not yet completed, and that when this number is completed the consummation must take place, and the condition of human affairs be remodeled for the better, the proof of which must first be related, that the matter itself may be plain. God completed the world and this admirable work of nature in the space of six days, as is contained in the secrets of Holy Scripture, and consecrated the seventh day, on which He had rested from His works. But this is the Sabbath-day, which in the language of the Hebrews received its name from the number, whence the seventh is the legitimate and complete number. ….Therefore, since all the works of God were completed in six days, the world must continue in its present state through six ages, that is, six thousand years. For the great day of God is limited by a circle of a thousand years, as the prophet shows, who says "In Thy sight, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day." And as God labored during those six days in creating such great works, so His religion and truth must labor during these six thousand years, while wickedness prevails and bears rule. And again, since God, having finished His works, rested the seventh day and blessed it, at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years…” [The Epitome of the Divine Institutes, Chapter 70]
My note: Six days man is to work and receives his rest (sabbath) on the seventh “day”—the Thousand Year Reign of Christ.
Seven is the number of completeness. Eight is the number for a new beginning. When the seven days are finished, the eighth day begins and the last chapter of Revelation confirms it.
James L. Melton
Before Rome took over and plunged the world into the Dark Ages, it wasn't unusual to find believers preaching pre-millennial doctrine, and some of them even believed in writing. In fact, some even believed that God has a 7,000 year plan with the millennial kingdom of Christ being a Sabbath rest for the earth and the righteous. Here are a few quotes from the first four centuries of church history:
Barnabas - The Epistle of Barnabas – first century: "And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it." Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, "He finished in six days." This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth, saying, "Behold, to-day will be as a thousand years." Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. "And He rested on the seventh day." This meaneth: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the-sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day." (Epistle of Barnabas, XV verses 4-6)
Irenaeus - Bishop or leader of the Church of Lyons - second century: "For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: "Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works." This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year." (Against Heresies V. XXVIII, 3)
Commodianus - a Christian poet – third century - "This has pleased Christ, that the dead should rise again, yea, with their bodies; and those, too, whom in this world the fire has burned [martyrs], when six thousand years are completed..." [Instructions of Commodianus, LXXIX]
Methodius - Bishop and author who died a martyr - "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday: seeing that is past as a watch in the night." For when a thousand years are reckoned as one day in the sight of God, and from the creation of the world to His rest is six days, so also to our time, six days are defined, as those say who are clever arithmeticians. Therefore, they say that an age of six thousand years extends from Adam to our time. For they say that the judgment will come on the seventh day, that is in the seventh thousand years." [Extracts From The Work on Things Created. IX]
Lactantius - Christian apologist of the fourth century - "Therefore let the philosophers, who enumerate thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, know that the six thousandth year is not yet completed, and that when this number is completed the consummation must take place, and the condition of human affairs be remodeled for the better, the proof of which must first be related, that the matter itself may be plain. God completed the world and this admirable work of nature in the space of six days, as is contained in the secrets of Holy Scripture, and consecrated the seventh day, on which He had rested from His works. But this is the Sabbath-day, which in the language of the Hebrews received its name from the number, whence the seventh is the legitimate and complete number. ….Therefore, since all the works of God were completed in six days, the world must continue in its present state through six ages, that is, six thousand years. For the great day of God is limited by a circle of a thousand years, as the prophet shows, who says "In Thy sight, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day." And as God labored during those six days in creating such great works, so His religion and truth must labor during these six thousand years, while wickedness prevails and bears rule. And again, since God, having finished His works, rested the seventh day and blessed it, at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years…” [The Epitome of the Divine Institutes, Chapter 70]
My note: Six days man is to work and receives his rest (sabbath) on the seventh “day”—the Thousand Year Reign of Christ.
Seven is the number of completeness. Eight is the number for a new beginning. When the seven days are finished, the eighth day begins and the last chapter of Revelation confirms it.
