Church Age: 2,000 Years?by Jim BramlettAugust 15, 2002 Dear Friends: The idea that the church age would last for 2,000 years has always intrigued me. In regard to David Gant's testimony, I recently wrote, "I also remembered that 6,000 years of Bible history ends about the same time as 2,000 years since Christ. And early Christian writers held that at the end of 6,000 years of history, Christ would return and reign for 1,000 years. These included Barnabas (c. A.D. 100), Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (c. A.D. 150), Lactantius (c. A.D. 325), and Methodius, Bishop of Tyre (c. A.D. 300). For example, Barnabas wrote: 'As there had been 2,000 years from Adam to Abraham, and 2,000 from Abraham to Christ; so there will be 2,000 years for the Christian era and then would come the Millennium.'" Did these early Christian pioneers have revelation from God? I suspect they did. If so, could the 2,000 years be Jewish 360-day years (some call "God years"), and if so, when did the count begin? If a biblical generation is 40 years, that means a 2,000-year church age would consist of 50 generations. David Parker (aka CAPS), a diligent seeker, recently posted some totally fascinating information which is worth repeating, and I do so for those who may not have seen it, and others who need a reminder. See below: ---------------------------------------- From CAPS: Below is an excerpt from the link I previously sent in, from James Welch's site. I have had to ponder the profundity of this for it to sink in. I have NEVER seen these calculations before. The information that is pasted below is incredible. It considers the phrase that Jesus said: "this generation" would not pass till all these things happen. The typical fulfillment was of course the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D. NOTE carefully that one of the calculations has the first generation of 40 years ending in the late summer of 70 A.D. The date of the Fall of 70 A.D. is well established in secular history for the fall of the Temple. Here is the excerpt: ---------------------------------------- It should be noted that 40 "prophetic year's" (40 year's X 360 day's) = 14,400 day's. Time calculation from http://www.timeanddate.com From: Sunday April 22, 31 A.D. (CAPS' note, this was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem and first allowed Himself to be REVEALED AS THE MESSIAH.) to: Sunday September 23, 70 A.D. It is 14,400 days between those dates. Titus of Rome captured Jerusalem during the late summer of 70 A.D. (CAPS' note, this completes the first generation. I had NEVER thought of checking the 2000 year Church era using 70 A.D. as the BENCHMARK for the END OF THE FIRST GENERATION !!!! The next 49 generations are FROM THAT TIME!!) Here we are 49 generations later in the late summer of 2002. We are clearly at a turning point. 360.01657 day's X 40 year's = 14,400.662 day's X 49 generation's (of 40 year's of 360.01657 day's each) = 705,632.43 day's. Time calculation from http://www.timeanddate.com From: Monday September 24, 70 A.D. to: Friday September 6, 2002 (Bramlett note: This day begins the Feast of Trumpets. It is 705,632.43 days between those two date's. ---end of excerpt--- Please note that this is absolutely incredible information. WE KNOW from history that the Temple was sacked in the late summer of 70 A.D. If we 'back-track' one generation from that time of 40 prophetic years we arrive at 31 A.D. at the time of Passover !!! When we go forward the remaining 49 generations of 40 years each-- FROM THE FALL OF 70 A.D WE ARRIVE AT THIS FALL 2002. The exact time would be September 6, 2002. We should keep in mind the possibility of Atonement and Tabernacles as well. I hope I have made this clear! The first generation of the Church ended at the Fall of the Temple in 70 A.D.!!! The remaining 49 generations of 40 years each ends this SEPTEMBER. 70 A.D acts as the 'fulcrum' on each side of which the generation are measured!! My PUMP IS PRIMED !! ---------------------------------------- CAPS added later: It is a little too coincidental to note that the end of the month of Elul is on a Friday, September 6, 2002. Friday is the 6th day of the week and pictures the completion of 6000 years. Tishri 1 is on Saturday, September 7, 2002 and is the 7th day of the week. Saturday pictures the millennium. Interesting line up of days this year, indeed. ---------------------------------------- Bramlett comments: The concept of 2,000 God-years (360-day years) for the church age seems to be a reasonable and sound position. Although it may be debatable as to where the count would actually begin, CAPS makes a good point that the first of the 50 generations would end with the destruction of Jerusalem, and counting back would take you to the Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem in 31 A.D. I know many believe Jesus was crucified in other years, from 30 to 33 A.D., but this calculation makes a very strong argument for those who have held to 31 A.D. as the correct year. It is especially intriguing that counting forward for the remaining 49 generations from the destruction of Jerusalem takes you exactly to the eve of Feast of Trumpets, September 6, 2002. The Feast extends through Sunday, September 8, 2002. I can't help but think of the story I recently reported from a mother named Cyndee: "My daughter, Kyla, who was 11 last year, at the time she was carried into the Spirit by the Lord. It was 3 in the morning and she was up and weeping and told me she had been with Jesus and he had told her some things. A lot was personal for the family but there was something Jesus told her that was amazing. She, to this day, still says Jesus told her, 'I am coming some September.' Now I received this! What it means I don't know for sure, but I will say this, SOMETHING very spectacular is fixing to happen and I am excited and Jesus is in IT!! God also told her that her family, meaning her siblings, and me, her Mother and her Dad, would not die until they all see the coming of the Lord." If this little girl, whom Jesus deeply loves, really did hear from Him, will it be this September? Or the next, or the next? I don't know, but there is new and ample reason to intensify our watchfulness and readiness. God bless you, Jim |