Issued: 7/3/21 Revised: 11/29/23

PLEASE NOTE:  Because Bible versions sometimes differ from each other in crucial ways, the version quoted here will be the one that best clarifies the point being made.  For a quick comparison between versions, please go to: http://www.biblehub.com.

   All bracketed material may be authorial comments, attempts at proper syntax, or minimal rewordings of Scripture for the sake of clarity and continuity.  These emendations will not be italicized.

   The “/” will be used to signify “and/or.”  The symbol “↔” is used to connect verses corroborating each other and so establishing doctrinal truths (Matthew 18:16↔2Corinthians 13:1).

   In differentiating between Yahweh Son [Jesus] and Yahweh Father [the Most High God], lower case letters have been used when discussing the former; upper case letters are reserved for the Only and Most High God.  Since Jesus was at pains to differentiate himself from Father, we have followed his lead here.

   The term neo-Christians will be used to differentiate between false Christians and Jesus’ true followers.

SHORT REVIEW

   Jesus’ Second Coming has taken place, followed by the two resurrections—of righteous and unrighteous people (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15)—and the Last Judgment.  The righteous have been gathered by Jesus’ angels (1Thessalonians 4:17) and taken to Heaven to reign with him (Revelation 20:4).  The unrighteous worldwide are left to rot in the open air (Isaiah 34:3) until being revived to face execution—the second death (Revelation 20:5-6).  Satan himself is “chained” over this realm of death for one thousand years, “maggots” crawling under and over him (Isaiah 14:11). His angels, having done their work during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 9:1-11), presumably are returned to their dark pit (2Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6). After the 1,000 years elapse, Satan will be unchained to set in motion events leading to Armageddon. It is there that fire from Heaven will consume him and his host of human and angelic minions (Revelation 20:7-10).

In this section, we will discuss those one thousand years, the Millennium of rest corresponding with Genesis 2:2-3’s Seventh Day.

SEVENTH DAY

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Genesis 2:2-3

   Unlike the preceding Six Days, Genesis’ Seventh Day lacks the specific “evening to morning” time span; yet the Millennium of Revelation 20:5 clearly lasts 1,000 years. If there is indeed a time correspondence between Genesis’ Seventh Day Sabbath and Revelation’s Millennium of rest, both must be equivalent in terms of duration, an assertion confirmed by Psalms 90:4 and 2Peter 3:8. While these are interpreted to mean that for Father time is meaningless, one interpretation does not preclude the other, especially since He has set out to “trap the wise in their craftiness” (Job 5:13↔1Corinthians 3:19); and this objective is stock and parcel of symbolic Scripture (Isaiah 28:13; Mark 4:11-12; 1Corinthians 2:14).

We know Yahweh Father empowered Yahweh Son proxy Creator to continue with and finalize the whole of Creation; and in this sense both Father and Son are co-Creators. So when we are told “God rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:2), two levels of meaning are implied. On the shadow side, Father called “Light”/Son into being (John 1:9; Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14), and Son was tasked with setting earthly matters in order (John 1:3; Romans 11:36; 1Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2-3); and from these things they did “rest.” But not, as Genesis 2:2 states, from all their work. As John 5:17 attests, Father and Son would continue working throughout men’s history; Father vanquishing Son‘s enemies (Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 2:8) and Son gathering the worldwide remnant chosen by grace (Romans 11:5↔Acts 10:34-35) before the expiration of times allotted to Gentiles (Luke 21:24↔Isaiah 49:8, 55:6; Zephaniah 2:2-3; 2Corinthians 6:2). Add to these Son‘s judging duties (Matthew 25:31-46) and Father‘s incineration of evildoers at Armageddon (Revelation 20:9).

On the substance aspect of Genesis 2:2, Father and Son factually rest from all their labors once evildoers are vanquished and Satan is neutralized. Paul laid the groundwork for the dual interpretation of Genesis 2:2 in Hebrews 4:3, where he wrote that Father‘s “actions had been finished since the creation of the world.” Obviously, Father foreknew human history from beginning to end; so He ‘encrypted’ the ins and outs of His redemptive plan into prophecy, not only to forewarn men what His actions would be (Amos 3:7, 4:13) but what they could ultimately expect if complying or not with His will (Jeremiah 29:11; Hebrews 10:26-30↔John 15:22). And since there still remained a remnant to be gathered until end times, it was obvious to Paul there had to be another “rest” for the faithful as well upon completion of their earthly labors—even if dead (Revelation 14:13).

THE JESUS CONNECTION

   Familiarity breeds inattention.  How many of us have been puzzled by Genesis’ statement “there was evening and there was morning?”  “Evening and morning” in relation to what?  The Sun, which circumscribes our days and nights, was not created until Fourth Day; calendars and time-keeping lay in the future; thus in Genesis “evenings and mornings” are nothing more than literary conventions signifying the passing of time. Therefore the “today” when Father “begat” Son/“Light” (Psalm 2:7) technically started on an “evening”;¹ and following Father’s lead, proxy Creator Son continued the trend throughout the Genesis “Week.” 

We do know, however, that Seventh Day Sabbath was created with men in mind (Mark 2:27). It was a day strictly for worship, in which personal agendas were not permitted; but most importantly, it was the specific sign Father chose to memorialize His bond with His people (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:20)—not the Sunday when pagan, solar gods were worshipped. Thus Son established the Seventh Day Sabbath for worshippers to commune with him and with Father; calling himself  “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8) in anticipation of his role as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17).

Jesus continued Sabbath observance amongst the Apostles; at no time undermining the sacredness the Fourth Commandment had in perpetuity placed upon it (Exodus 20:8-11, 31:16-17), but allowing humanitarian deeds (Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 14:15).  After his ascension into Heaven, the Apostles continued the practice (Acts 1:12); as did Paul (Acts 16:13, 17:2), who being mindful of preserving the Sabbath’s sanctity instructed charitable offerings be collected on the first day of the week (1Corinthians 16:1-3).  Even John received Revelation on the “Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10), which in his time was Jesus’ Sabbath, not the Sunday instituted centuries later by Roman Catholism.²

Thus we see that “evening” is a marker for larger truths.  Sabbaths were to be observed from sunset to sunset (Leviticus 23:32), while offerings to Father were to be presented on the following day [the eighth or first day of the ensuing week (Leviticus 23:11,36)]—which Paul imitated (1Corinthians 16:1-2).  Jesus died just before the Sabbath was to begin, the reason why he was hastily put into cave; and it can be said he “rested” on the seventh day and resurrected on the first day of a new ‘week’ (Mark 15:42-46; John 20:1,19).  In our previous discussion on Sixth Day, we saw how the creation of Man and Woman preceded the day of rest, which following Genesis 1’s pattern took place ‘late Friday afternoon.’  Correspondingly, Jesus’ body, the Church, which prior to the First Resurrection had been mortal, would share his immortal flesh prior to the Millennium of rest (1Corinthians 15:52-53), fulfilling the substance of Genesis 2:23.

   Jesus, the Sabbath’s Lord, has never been worshipped on the day he established commemorating his and Father‘s Creation.  To this day Judaism rejects the notion the pre-existent Jesus was the Yahweh Son proxy God interacting with Patriarchs, Prophets, and the Israelites in the Old Testament.  Christianity presumes to worship him on a day that has historical roots in pagan cults; a day chosen by men to exert authority and influence, a nefarious legacy still in vogue today.³  No wonder Son‘s lament:  “Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me” (Hosea 7:13). And Father‘s accusation: “My people are determined to turn away from Me; though they call Me the Most High, no one wants to exalt Me” (Hosea 11:7).

MILLENNIUM EVENTS

   Information regarding the period is truly skimpy.  The redeemed in Heaven “will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).  Other than telling us for the umpteenth time that the unchanging Father and His proxy God Son-made mortal man-made immortal flesh’ (Philippians 2:6-8; Revelation 1:18) are two different persons, nothing is said about what “reigning” with Jesus will entail. We do know, however, that Son will return all sovereignty to Father (1Corinthians 15:24-28), and that he will assume his eternal roles as King and High Priest over Father‘s nation—with Father as his own God (Revelation 3:12).

   The Bible is ripe with prophecies about what will take place in God’s earthly Kingdom, but these reach fulfillment after Armageddon is fought, and after Creation is made anew.  The entry into the Heavenly Jerusalem (Isaiah 49:22; Micah 2:13); the Wedding of the Lamb (Isaiah 25:6↔Matthew 26:29; Luke 12:37; Revelation 19:9); the allocation of rewards (Matthew 25:23); whatever roles are to be entrusted (Mark 10:40); however tears are to be wiped off (Revelation 21:4); whatever unimagined things God has in store for His people (1Corinthians 2:9)—all these remain unanswered.

   The one activity that Scripture does confirm is that of the redeemed looking down into the “abyss” separating Heaven and earth and upon Satan chained on a dead world (Isaiah 14:15-17).  Throughout that long Millennium, earth will be such a horrible place that even Satan’s burning sounds merciful.  We are told that “the slain of Yahweh shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground” (Jeremiah 25:33).  And speaking to Satan himself: “I’ll cast you forth into the wilderness (↔ Leviticus 16:22), you and all the fish [men] of your rivers [nations]. You’ll fall on the open field. You won’t be brought together, nor gathered” (Ezekiel 29:5).  But in the midst of that vast graveyard, only Satan remains alive:  “But you are cast away from your grave, like a repulsive branch, your clothing is the slain [maggots from putrefying flesh crawling over him (Isaiah 14:11)], those pierced by the sword [of God’s word (Ephesians 6:17)]; those who go down to the pit [where Satan’s minions await destruction (2Peter 2:4; Revelation 9:1-11)].  Like a dead body trampled underfoot, you will not be united with them in burial” (Isaiah 14:19-20).

   But whereas we know all evildoers fall dead after the Last Judgment, what of animals?  Who feeds off Father‘s “great supper”?  “I have given you for food to the animals of the earth and to the birds of the sky… Speak to the birds of every sort, and to every animal of the field, assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.  You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.  You shall eat fat until you be full, and drink blood until you are drunk, of My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.  You shall be filled at My table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, says the Lord Yahweh.  I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid on them” (Ezekiel 39:17-21).  “I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, ‘Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, and small and great’…and the rest were killed with the sword of him who is sitting on the horse [Jesus], which is proceeding out of his mouth, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:17-18,21).

   Is some of this real and part symbolic?  Surely Jesus’ battles do not involve bloodshed, no matter how ghastly Revelation 19 may sound to our ears; for the only ‘sword’ Father gave him was His Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; Ephesians 6:17). Neo-Christians go into paroxysms of delight whenever punishment befalls Father‘s true [a no-no according to Proverbs 24:17-18] or presumed enemies—Jesus being an example of the latter (Psalms 22:16-18↔Matthew 27:35, 109:25↔Mark 15:29; Matthew 27:43). Christian history is chock full of cases whereby killing saints, evildoers thought they were serving Father (↔John 16:2). As Jesus’ bewailed from the cross, evil is a mindset blinding the spiritual discernment of its possessors (Luke 23:24↔Matthew 7:22-23).

It is one thing to rejoice when justice has been done, but horrifying to witness the actual display of Father’s wrath (Hebrews 10:31).  As much as we may love Him, considerable fear must temper our relationship with Him, balancing His mercy with His severity (Romans 11:22). Proverbs 9:10 states that fear of Father is the beginning of wisdom; and this is particularly true in the sense that once He has determined a course of action, He will not back walk it (Numbers 23:19). The preeminent example was Esau, who for a plate of food belittled Father‘s gifts and was cast out (Genesis 25:29-34; Romans 9:13; Hebrews 12:16-17). Even Jesus, loving Son that he was, balanced a message of loving Father above all things (Mark 12:30) with a warning to fear Him above everything else (Matthew 10:28).

And so we come to the end of our discussion.  It is our hope that, if nothing else, a new appreciation for the Bible grows out of this series; and not only for it, but for Him Who shaped it the way it is.  While the Bible was set down by men, they did so guided by the Holy Spirit, Who Himself relayed what Father instructed Him to reveal (John 16:13; 2Timothy 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21). Thus Christian preaching is not so much about matters convenient to us, like raising families and tips on human relationships, but about uncovering, as Paul did, the “hidden wisdom” Father encrypted to enlighten us (1Corinthians 2:7,10-13); excite our imagination (Isaiah 29:14); and reassure us that even if the “natural man” cannot discern spiritual meanings, the very fact that we can is proof that His Spirit dwells in us (1John 3:24).

¹ Here we part company with Ussher’s creation date, which began on the previous evening of October 23, 4004 BCE.  Such exactness in matters of time is not the Scriptural norm—i.e., Jesus being dead for ‘three’ days [Friday late afternoon to early Sunday morning (Matthew 12:40↔Jonah 1:17; Luke 23:44-56; John 20:1]; the beast’s 1,260 years of persecutions (Revelation 13:5) beginning when?; the exact hour and day of Jesus’ return with its ‘factored in,’ shortened days (Matthew 24:22). Oftentimes prophecies are ballpark estimates rather than atomic-clock measurements. Moreover Luke 9:22 is more in keeping with Jesus’ prophecy than Matthew 12:40; for Luke suggests parts of three days rather than 24-hour chunks like Matthew.

Contradiction? Not if we equate Jesus’ days with Genesis’ Days; so that from his crucifixion “in the midst of the years” (Habakkuk 3:2)—i.e, the “Wednesday” of the Genesis “Week,” Jesus remained—and to this day does—in the hearts of his followers from “Thursday” evening to “Saturday” evening: The two thousand years from his birth plus the Millennium in Heaven.

² Daniel had prophesied that such changes would be instigated by one of the horns of the beast of Revelation 13:1-7, who would speak arrogant things, cause terrible destruction, be victorious, and destroy both mighty nations and the saints (↔Daniel 7:8,21,25, 8:24).  That “horn’s” lack of personal armies to further its agenda is its identifying characteristic (Daniel 8:24-25↔Revelation 17:12-18).  You connect the dots.

³ Sunday is the first day of the week, when the Romans worshipped the pagan sun-deity, Sol Invictus, ‘the unconquerable sun,’ whose cult was born—wouldn’t you know it?—on 25 December AD 274, which then became his ‘birthday.’  When Roman Catholicism became the empire’s religion, the Jewish Sabbath of the Commandment was replaced by the more popular Sunday [on AD 336? or 364?], on grounds of being “more authoritative and more highly regarded and first in rank, and more honorable than the Jewish Sabbath.”  Besides the temerity of amending the Fourth Commandment, such arrogance ignored the fact that one of the contributing factors to the fall of Jerusalem was the violation of this “less honorable” Jewish Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15-18; Ezekiel 22:26).

   And pushing the envelope of abominations further, December 25 became Jesus’ birthday [unspecified in Scripture] because he had been transmogrified from opposing the worship of false gods into one himself:  Christos Helios [“the true Apollo”], Christ the True Sun, Christ the Eternal Sun.  Since the instigator of these notions must be Satan, Christians should do well to consider that Jesus being the excuse for the ruse, ‘solar’ Satan is celebrated on December 25 and worshipped on first day Sundays.