I don't intend to give you any real deep theological discourse on the importance of the number 7... I am sure there are lots more knowledgeable people who have lots of information out on the net for you to find.  But I do want to challenge you to think about our history here on earth.

Biblical scholars (for the most part) agree that from the time of Adam to the birth of Christ is approximately 4000 years of Biblical history.  And we know that there have been approximately 2000 years from the birth of Christ.  We also know that God has prophecied a period of 1000 years of rest on the earth, a time when Jesus will physically, and literally reign as King here on the earth (most commonly known as the  Millenium)  which begins with the  Second Coming of Christ).


God also gives us a significant clue regarding the way we count years... II Peter 3:8 says "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."  It is one of the big clues he gives us as we search the Scriptures.  Now, if we put a few of these clues together, we can see how God has given mankind SIX thousand year days and soon we will be entering the SEVENTH thousand year day, the day of rest, the Millenium.

Realistically, I doubt that it will be exactly on January 1, 2000... that would be too obvious, wouldn't it?   But don't you think it could be pretty soon?  Listen to the description of how the world will be in these "last days"..

Matthew 24:37-39  "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away;  so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

I Timothy 4:1 gives us another clue about how things will be in the last days... "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."  When have you ever seen a greater mish-mash of beliefs, people into all kinds of spiritual journeys, cults, and "anything goes" religions?

II Timothy 3:1-7 gives an even more detailed description of the last days.... "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"  (Isn't that a good description of today?)  ..."Without natural affection,"  (Have you noticed the strength of the homosexual/lesbian agenda?  When has this ever been so true?) ..."trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,"  (What things are glorified on our TV shows today?)  ..."Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;"  (Where do most people spend their Sundays??  How much do we spend on entertainment?  pleasure?)   ..."Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:  from such turn away.  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Ever learning??  We are definitely living in the information age, aren't we?  But how many really come to the knowledge of the truth?

Of couse, a lot of times, people will laugh and scoff when confronted with this idea, but I wonder if they realize that they are actually fulfilling Scripture that is prophecied regarding the Last Days? 

II Peter 3:3-4 says "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walkmg after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?  for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

So, see, just because it HASN'T happened yet, doesn't mean it won't happen.  Even the disciples were curious about this event... In Matthew 24:3 while Jesus was sitting at the Mount of Olives (the exact place of his coming return to earth!), the disciples asked him privately..."Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

Jesus answers with quite a long discourse on this subject, including several parables, his favorite method of teaching.  And in one of these parables, he gives us another big clue which concerns the nation of Israel.  If you remember, for centuries, the nation of Israel was totally scattered.  Who would have ever thought they could be gathered together and become a nation again? ...yet this very thing, a modern day miracle, actually happened during MY lifetime!  In May of 1948 the nation of Israel began to be recognized and Jews from all over the world have been regathering since then.  Of course, it has not been without conflict, but that is another whole story, isn't it?  Anyway, God often refered to the nation of Israel figuratively as the "fig tree" in the Old Testament.

And Jesus, in the context of the Second Coming discourse gives us this clue about the nation of Israel... In Matthew 24:32-35 Jesus says "Now learn a parable of the fig tree:  When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."  Anyone who has studied the parables of Christ will recognize the seriousness of what He is saying here. Many Bible scholars believe that this prophecy is one that applies to US, this generation living right now.  After all, when the fig tree (Israel) began to put forth leaves, it started showing life...  and this generation could very well be the last generation that shall not pass, "till all these things" (the things that Jesus was talking about in all the previous verses) "be fulfilled."

Now if you are a doubter, I suppose there is nothing new to you in anything I have mentioned that will convince you completely.  I do hope it has given you food for thought, though.  As we do enter this new millenium, I challenge you to search out the Scriptures and see what God really has to say about the end of the world.  Let me caution you, though, there is a great counterfeiter out there too, ...the enemy mentioned above who will be cast away for 1000 years.  So be careful... remember, the best counterfeiter is the one closest to the real thing!  If God really does have a 7000 year plan for mankind, I think we are right at the edge of one of the most exciting times in the history of mankind as we begin to see the details foretold in the Scriptures begin to unfold.  What an exciting time to be alive!!

Just think... if the world would give as much energy and excitement to the Y6K issue as it has to the Y2K issue, can you imagine how everything would change?? ...Just a thought...  :-)