From: Eddie Chumney
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Chapter 5: The 7,000 Year Plan of God (Part 1 of 3)
CHAPTER
5
THE
7,000-YEAR PLAN OF G-D
from
the book by Eddie Chumney
"RESTORING
THE TWO HOUSES OF ISRAEL"
Copies can be purchased for individual or
group study by
writing to me (Eddie Chumney) at: (chumney@hebroots.org)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CHAPTER
5
THE
7,000-YEAR PLAN OF G-D
(Part
1 of 3)
In order for full restoration to come to both the house of Israel
(Christianity) and the house of Judah (Judaism), both houses of
Israel need to understand and embrace the 7,000-year redemptive plan
of the G-d of Israel. The house of Israel (Christianity) needs to
embrace the 7,000-year redemptive plan of the G-d of Israel rather
than dispensational theology. The house of Judah (Judaism) needs to
understand that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus came to
the earth as the suffering Messiah known as Messiah be Yosef (Joseph)
after 4,000 years since the creation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden (Gan Eden) exactly as expected by the ancient rabbi's (Sanhedrin
97/98).
It was explained to the house of Israel (Christianity) in chapter
3 that before the death of the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus
was NOT the "age of law" because the Torah and the Word of G-d are
synonymous terms and the Torah/Word of G-d lives and abides forever
(Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 40:8, I Peter [Kefa] 1:25). Furthermore, it was
explained that the G-d of Israel has ALWAYS redeemed/saved His people
by His grace/mercy.
In the last chapter, we learned that the "day of the
Lord" is the
Sabbath (Shabbat) and the Sabbath is a foreshadowing of the
1,000-year Messianic Age (Athid Lavo). The 1,000-year Messianic Age
(Athid Lavo) is the last 1,000 years of the 7,000-year redemptive
plan of the G-d of Israel.
Each day in the Bible begins in the "evening" and ends
in the
"morning" (Genesis [Bereishit] 1). The "evening" part of the
"day of
the L-rd" (the Messianic Age/Athid Lavo) is the tribulation/birth
pangs of the Messiah (Chevlai shel Mashiach). The Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus will return to the earth at His second coming
as the Kingly Messiah known as Messiah ben David at the "break of the
morning." He is the "star that comes out of Jacob" (Numbers
[Bamidbar] 24:17) and the "bright and morning star" (Revelation
22:16). In the "morning" part of the "day of the Lord" (Messianic
Age/Athid Lavo), the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) will teach the Torah
to the nations from the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Isaiah
[Yeshayahu] 2:2-3).
THE
AGES OF THE 7,000-YEAR
PLAN
OF G-D
When the G-d of Israel created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
(Gan Eden), He ordained that from the creation of Adam and Eve to the
end of the Messianic Age (Athid Lavo) would be 7,000 years of time.
Before the creation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gan Eden)
was eternity past. After the Messianic Age (Athid Lavo) is eternity
future. Future eternity (Olam Haba) will be a return to the paradise
of eternity past (represented by the Garden of Eden [Gan Eden] before
the sin of Adam). Time is going forward to the past. That which was
(Garden of Eden before the sin of Adam) is that which shall be (eternity
future/Olam Habah/Heaven). In Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) 1:9 it is
written:
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be;
and that
which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no
new
thing under the sun."
Traditional Judaism (house of Judah) understands that the first
6,000 years is known as the present age/world (Olam Hazeh). These
first 6,000 years are divided into three 2,000-year periods of time
or ages. The first 2,000 years from the creation of Adam to the time
of Abraham (Avraham) is known as the period/age of desolation (Tohu).
The next two thousand years from the time of Abraham to the expected
arrival of the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) is known as the period/age
of Torah. The final 2,000 years of time within the 6,000 years of the
present/age world (Olam Hazeh) is known as the days of the Messiah
(Yemot Mashiach). The last 1,000 years is known as the Messianic era
or the future age/coming (Athid Lavo). The 7,000-year redemptive plan
of the G-d of Israel can be seen in the following chart.
1
2,000
4,000 6,000
7,000
Olam Haba !------------!------------!--------------!---------------! Olam Haba
Tohu
Torah Days of
Athid
Messiah
Lavo
THE
SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION
IS A BLUEPRINT FOR THE 7,000 YEARS
OF TIME
The 7,000-year plan of the G-d of Israel is a major concept and
foundational truth in understanding Bible prophecy and eschatology
(study of the last things). The rabbis of traditional Judaism (house
of Judah) understand that the G-d of Israel gave the seven days of
creation in the book of Genesis as Torah/instruction to teach His
people that there are 7,000 years of time from the creation of Adam
and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gan Eden) to the end of the Messianic
Age (Athid Lavo). Each day in creation represents 1,000 years in
time. This is based upon connecting Psalm (Tehillim) 90:4 to the
seven days of creation. In Psalm (Tehillim) 90:4 it is written:
"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as
yesterday when it
is past, and as a watch in the night."
In rabbinic literature, it is also taught that each day in
creation
represents 1,000 years of time. In the Talmud in Sanhedrin 97 it is
written:
"It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina:
Just as the
seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the
world:
one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is
written. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day;
[Isaiah 2:11] and it is further said, A Psalm and song for
the
sabbath day; [Psalm 92] meaning the day that is altogether
Sabbath [i.e. the period of complete desolation] and it is
also
said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as
yesterday
when it is past. [Psalm 90:4: thus `day' in the preceding
verses
means a thousand years]."
In an article entitled, "The Coming of Messiah" written
in The
Jewish Press newspaper (Brooklyn, New York) by Rabbi Sholom Klass, he
explains the traditional Jewish view (house of Judah) of each day in
creation representing 1,000 years of time based upon Psalm (Tehillim)
90:4 as explained by the respected Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Moses Ben
Nachman (1194-1270). He is known in Jewish tradition by the acronym
RaMBaN. The articles reads:
"The Ramban explains that in the creation of the world
which is
itemized in Genesis, G-d left a blue print for the future.
Each
day of creation represents 1,000 years of the total
existence of
the world - 6,000 years. The first day was null and void,
no one
knew the Torah. G-d created light, Adam, whose light shone
from
one end of the earth to the other. In this thousand years
no one
worshipped idols. In the second day, G-d created the heaven
which divided the waters, representing Noah who was divided
from
the evil people who perished in the waters. In the third
day
(third millennium) came the grass and fruit representing
Abraham, as the Psalm says, `A Tzadik [righteous] grows as
the
grass,' and out of him came the fruit of Torah and mitzvohs
[commandments] when his children accepted the Torah on
Mount
Sinai. On the fourth day (fourth millennium) came the
planets
and the stars representing the two Botei Hamikdosh (Holy
Temples) whence came forth the light to protect the world.
On
the fifth day came the animals, fish and fowl, signifying
that
after the destruction of the Temples, man would spread over
the
earth and a new sect would multiply as the fish of the sea,
but
they would be as cruel as the animals and the people would
not
seek to embrace G-d as the Torah commands. On the sixth day
G-d
created man, symbolizing the present era when man would
reach
his highest peak in knowledge and Messiah ben David [the
Kingly
Messiah] will come. The seventh day, Shabbos [Sabbath]
represents the `Olam Habah,' the future world which will
follow
the Messianic era. May G-d protect us and hasten these
glorious
days for all of us (Rambam, Bereishes Genesis 2)."
The traditional Jewish view (house of Judah) of linking each of
the seven days of creation to 1,000 years of time based upon Psalm
(Tehillim) 90:4 is restated in the extra-biblical book of Barnabas
Chapter 13, verses 3-6 as it is written:
"And even in the beginning of the creation he makes
mention of
the sabbath. And God made in six days the works of his
hands;
and he finished them on the seventh day, and he rested the
seventh day, and sanctified it. Consider, my children, what
that
signifies, he finished them in six days. The meaning of it
is
this; that in six thousand years the Lord God will bring
all
things to an end. For with him one day is a thousand years;
as
himself testifieth, saying, Behold this day shall be as a
thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is,
in
six thousand years, shall all things be accomplished. And
what
is it that he saith, And he rested the seventh day: he
meaneth
this; that when his Son shall come, and abolish the season
of
the Wicked One, and judge the ungodly; and shall change the
sun
and the moon, and the stars; then he shall gloriously rest
in
that seventh day."
The traditional Jewish view (house of Judah) of each day of
creation representing 1,000 years of time is expressed in the New
Testament (Brit Hadashah) in II Peter (Kefa) 3:8-10 as it is written:
"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. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a
great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the
earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned
up."
WHAT
IS THE CURRENT JEWISH YEAR?
The current year in the Jewish calendar is 57xx. In the book,
Gates of the Seasons by the Central Conference of American Rabbis in
an article written by Alexander Guttmann on pages 7-10, he explains
the origin and understanding of the present Jewish calendar.
"The main purpose of the Jewish calendar is, and
always has
been, to set the dates of the festivals. Our present
calendar
has its roots in the Torah, but it has been modified by
Jewish
religious authorities through the ages. The principal rules
were
established by the Sages and Rabbis of antiquity and were
supplemented by medieval scholars. In Talmudic times the
regulation of the calendar was the exclusive right of the
Jewish
leadership in the Land of Israel, particularly that of the
Nasi
(Patriach). Since that time, such regulation has been
regarded
as a task of crucial importance for the observance of
Judaism.
In the Bible, the Hebrew months are lunar (i.e. each month
begins with the "birth" of the new moon).
However, since
festivals such as Passover and Sukkot had to occur in the
proper
agricultural season (i.e. according to the solar year), it
is
obvious that the Jewish calendar must be lunar-solar. This
means
that the lunar year (approximately 354 days) and the solar
year
(approximately 365 days) had to be harmonized and adjusted
to
each other, a complex process that was meticulously refined
by
the ancient and medieval Rabbis.
The Jewish day has twenty-four hours and starts in the
evening.
The length of the lunar month is traditionally calculated
as 29
days, 12 hours, and 793 parts of an hour (divided into 1080
parts). This is the time span between one new moon and the
next.
Since it is impractical to start a new month at varying
hours of
the day, the Sages of antiquity ordained that the length of
the
month should alternate between 29 and 30 days. Since the
lunar
month is somewhat longer than 29 days and 12 hours, the
remainder is taken care of by making the months of Cheshvan
and
Kislev flexible, i.e. they can both have either 29 or 30
days.
The introduction of a permanent Jewish calendar became
increasingly urgent after Jews began to spread throughout
the
world. As Jewry dispersed, regular contacts with the Jewish
leadership in the Land of Israel, which had the sole
privilege
of regulating the calendar, became more and more difficult.
The
most important step in this process of permanent calendar
reform
was the adoption in the eighth century CE of a
nineteen-year
cycle of "intercalation" (i.e. harmonization of
the solar and
lunar calendars). The adoption of this cycle made the
actual
physical observation of the new moon and the signs of
approaching spring unnecessary. This cycle of nineteen
years
adjusts the lunar year to the solar year by inserting into
it
seven leap years (i.e. the additional 30-day month of Adar)
in
the following order: every third, sixth, eighth, eleventh,
fourteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth year.
In the Bible the months are most frequently designated by
ordinal numbers. However, there are references both to such
ancient names as Ziv, Ethanim, and Aviv and to some of the
now
customary names of Kislev, Tevet, Adar, Nisan, Sivan, and
Elul,
which are of Babylonian origin. But, it is only since the
first
century that the Hebrew calendar has employed the now
traditional names of Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av, Elul,
Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, and Adar.
The Jewish tradition of counting years since the creation
of the
world has it roots in early Talmudic times, but it was not
adopted authoritatively until several centuries later. In
Biblical times, dates were referred to as being "two
years
before the earthquake," the year of the death of King
Uzziah,"
etc. In Talmudic times, we find instances of dating from
the
creation of the world, but this was adopted as the Jewish
method
only much later as a response to Christian dating.
It was in the eighth century that Christians began to date
their
documents generally as AD (Anno Domini, the year of the
Lord),
and so it is hardly a coincidence that in the eighth and
ninth
centuries we find more and more Jewish documents dated
"since
the creation of the world" (sometimes referred to as
AM, Anno
Mundi, the year of the world). Obviously, calculating dates
based on the Christian theological principles were not
acceptable to Jews; nevertheless, it was not until the
twelfth
century that dating "since the creation" was
accepted by Jews
universally.
Only a minority of Jews today would take the traditional
Jewish
date as being literally "since the creation of the
world" .
Jewish texts will often use such designations as BCE
(Before the
Common, or Christian Era) or CE in order to avoid any
dating
related to Christianity. In order to determine the Jewish
year
for a given civil year, the number 3760 is added;
conversely, in
order to find the civil year for a given Jewish year, 3760
is
subtracted. Of course, since the Jewish year changes with
Rosh
HaShanah, the number to work with from Rosh HaShanah to
December
31 is 3761.
The greatest change which the Rabbis made in the festival
calendar was the addition of a day to each of the holidays
ordained in the Torah, except Yom Kippur. This was done in
the
early Talmudic period (i.e. first century). Compelling
circumstances at that time forced the Rabbis to make this
change.
Not only was the confirmation and sanctification of the new
moon
- and therefore the new month - the duty of the Palestinian
authorities, but theirs was also the task of communicating
the
dates of the new moon to every Jewish community. This was a
task
of vital importance, as the new moon determines the dates
of the
festivals. At an earlier time, the new moon (i.e. the first
of
the month) was communicated to all the Jews in Palestine
and the
Diaspora by kindling flares on hilltops. However, after the
Samaritans kindled flares at the wrong time to confuse the
Jews,
the news about the New Moon had to be communicated by
messengers. The change was introduced by Judah Hanasi (c.
135-200 CE).
Since it often happened that the messengers did not arrive
in
time at the places of their destination outside of
Palestine
because of road hazards, wars, or political upheavals, a
second
day was added to the holidays for the Jews in the Diaspora.
This
assured that one of the two days on which they celebrated
the
festival was indeed the proper holy day. In Palestine the
addition of these "second days" to the festivals
was not
necessary because the news about the sighting of the new
moon,
proclaimed in Palestine, reached every part of that land in
due
time, i.e. prior to the dates of the festivals. The
exception
was Rosh HaShanah, which falls on the first day of the
month of
Tishri, making timely communication about this New Moon,
even in
Palestine, impossible.
During the Talmudic period a stable, scientifically
determined
calendar was adopted, and so the pragmatic need for
"second
days" disappeared. But the Palestinian authorities did
not
abolish these extra days of observance for Diaspora Jews
(nor
the second day of Rosh HaShanah for Palestinian Jews)
because of
the Rabbinic principle that we "may not change the
custom of
[our] forefathers."
Because it was mostly in response to more and more Christians
(house of Israel) beginning to date their documents around the eighth
century as AD (Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord) and because it
was not until the twelfth century that the present way of Jewish
dating of time was accepted by Jews (house of Judah) universally, it
can be concluded that the modern Jewish calendar is not literally
"since the creation of the world." When the Jewish people (house of
Judah), recalculated time "since the beginning of the world", they
did not recalculate all of the years when they were taken captive in
Babylon (Judaism in the 1st Century Christian Era) Volume I, Chapter
1 by George Foote Moore. However, Biblically, the G-d of Israel did
ordain that there would be 6,000 years of time from the creation of
Adam to the beginning of the Messianic Age (Athid Lavo). Therefore,
only the G-d of Israel knows for sure how close we are to the
conclusion of 6,000 years of time and the beginning of the Messianic
Age (Athid Lavo).
THE 6,000-YEAR PRESENT
ERA IN GENESIS 1:1
In the audio tape series, America's Biblical Blueprint by
Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Daniel Lapin, Volume 1, he explains the
allusion to the first 6,000 years of the 7,000-year plan of the G-d
of Israel in Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1 by examining the text of the
verse in Hebrew. In English, Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1 reads:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth"
In Hebrew, Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1 reads:
"Bereishit b'rah elohim et hashamayim v'et
ha'eretz."
As Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Daniel Lapin explains in the tape
series, in Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1, the first letter of the Hebrew
alphabet, Alef, appears 6 times in a very improbable sequence. The
Hebrew letter, Alef, is the third letter of the first two Hebrew
words, Bereishit and B'rah. The Hebrew letter, Alef, is the first
letter in the next two Hebrew words, elohim and et. The Hebrew
letter, Alef, is the second letter in the last two Hebrew words, v'et
and ha'eretz.
THE
WISDOM OF KEEPING THE TORAH
AND
THE HEBREW ALEF
In traditional Jewish (house of Judah) thought, the Hebrew
letter, Alef, represents wisdom. In the Bible, wisdom is associated
and linked with keeping the Torah of the G-d of Israel. In
Deuteronomy (Devarim) 4:1, 5-8 it is written:
"Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes
and unto the
judgments, which I teach you, for to do them . Behold, I
have
taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God
commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye
go to
possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your
wisdom
and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which
shall
hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation
is a
wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so
great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God
is in
all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is
there
so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as
all
this law [TORAH], which I set before you this day?"
So, in this Scripture, keeping the Torah of the G-d of
Israel is
associated with wisdom and understanding. In traditional Jewish
thought, the Hebrew letter, Alef, is also associated with wisdom.
Therefore, it is logical to conclude that the G-d of Israel would
choose the Hebrew letter, Alef, in Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1, to
represent the wisdom of keeping His Torah during the first 6,000
years of time known as the Olam Hazeh (the present world/age).
How is the Alef (which represents wisdom) and the wisdom of
keeping the Torah of the G-d of Israel linked to an allusion of 6,000
years of time in Genesis 1:1? As Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Daniel Lapin
explains in his tape series, in Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1, the Hebrew
letter, Alef, appears 6 times in a very improbable sequence. The
Hebrew letter, Alef, is the third letter in the first two Hebrew
words, Bereishit, and B'rah. These first two occurrences of the
Hebrew letter, Alef, as the third letter in each of the first two
Hebrew words, Bereishit and B'rah represents the first 2,000 years of
time known as Tohu when there was the least amount of knowledge of
the Torah/Word of the G-d of Israel among the earth's people.
The Hebrew letter, Alef, is the first letter in the next two
Hebrew words, elohim and et. These next two occurrences of the Hebrew
letter, Alef, as the first letter in each of the next two Hebrew
words, elohim and et represents the next 2,000 years of time known as
Torah when the knowledge and understanding of the Torah/Word of the
G-d of Israel and following it would be at its greatest within the
first 6,000 years of time.
The Hebrew letter, Alef, is the second letter in the last two
Hebrew words in Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1, v'et and ha'eretz. These
last two occurrences of the Hebrew letter, Alef, as the second letter
in each of the next two Hebrew words, v'et and ha'eretz represents
the last 2,000 years of time known as the days of the Messiah (Yemot
Mashiach) of the first 6,000 years. This signifies that during this
time there would be a great religious/secular debate among the people
of the earth regarding whether or not they should follow the
Torah/Word of the G-d of Israel.
WHEN
IS THE END OF
THE
6,000-YEAR PRESENT ERA?
The greatest 1,000-year period of the 7,000 years of time will be
during the days of the Messianic Age (Athid Lavo). This period of
time follows the first 6,000 years of time known as the Olam Hazeh
(the present world/age). As we have just studied, the last 2,000
years of the Olam Hazeh (the present world/age) known as the days of
the Messiah (Yemot Mashiach) would be a period of time when there
would be an ideological struggle among the people of the world
whether they should follow the Torah/Word of the G-d of Israel or
live according to the values of a secular society.
Being Jewish, the disciples (talmidim) of the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus had an understanding of the 7,000-year
redemptive plan of the G-d of Israel and knew that they were living
in the Olam Hazeh (the present world/age). By knowing that the Olam
Hazeh (the present world/age) is followed by the Messianic Age (Athid
Lavo) and by knowing that they were speaking to the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus Himself, they decided to ask Him what signs
that His people should expect to see so that they would know when the
present world/age (Olam Hazeh) was concluding and the Messianic Age
(Athid Lavo) was about to arrive. In Matthew (Mattityahu) 24:3 it is written:
"When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the
talmidim
[disciples] came to him privately. `Tell us,' they said,
`when
will these things happen? And what will be the sign that
you are
coming and that the `olam hazeh' is ending?' " (The
Complete
Jewish Bible version by David Stern)
The Jewish (house of Judah) disciples of the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus had no concept, no knowledge and no
understanding of the 7,000-year redemptive plan of the G-d of Israel
through the eyes of modern traditional Christian (house of Israel)
dispensational theology (the age of law and the age of grace).
Furthermore, we should notice that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach)
Yeshua/Jesus did not rebuke His disciples (talmidim) for
understanding that the first 6,000 years of time were known as the
Olam Hazeh (the present world/age). However, the Jewish Messiah
(Mashiach) Yeshua/Jesus did acknowledge the premise of their question
and gave a detailed answer in the rest of Matthew (Mattityahu) 24
known within Christianity (house of Israel) as the Olivet discourse.
THE
JEWISH MESSIAH WILL COME
AFTER
4,000 YEARS OF TIME
It is traditional Jewish (house of Judah) understanding that the
Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) would come 4,000 years after the creation
of Adam and Eve. In the Talmud in Sanhedrin 97 it is written:
"The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to
exist six
thousand years. In the first two thousand there was
desolation;
[i.e. no Torah. It is a tradition that Abraham was
fifty-two
years old when he began to convert men to the worship of
the
true God; from Adam until then, two thousand years elapsed]
two
thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two
thousand
years is the Messianic era, [i.e. Messiah will come within
that
period] but through our many iniquities all these years
have
been lost. [He should have come at the beginning of the
last two
thousand years; the delay is due to our sins.]"
Therefore, as recorded in the Talmud in Sanhedrin 97, there was
an expectation that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) would come after
4,000 years of time. In an article in the Jewish Press newspaper
(Brooklyn, New York) by Rabbi Sholom Klass entitled, The Coming of
the Messiah, he explains that there was a high expectation among the
Jewish people for a Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) during the first
century. In his article, Rabbi Sholom Klass writes:
"The belief in a personal Messiah reached its highest
tension
during that period of the first century when Rome sent her
despotic procurators to rule over Judea. The yoke was most
oppressive and the Jews awaited a leader whom G-d would
send to
articulate their latent spirit of rebellion and free them
from
the Roman tyranny."
(End
Part 1 of 3)
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