Bible Study Seattle

J. R. Church has an interesting analogy. An average 70 year lifespan is prophetic of man’s 7,000 year Day. Babies start out very innocent as did Adam & Eve in the garden. Then, at about two years, kids enter a period of rebelliousness, as did Adam & Eve in the fall. Things are fairly carefree during the first ten years of life. Then things get more iffy at thirteen to sixteen. 1600 years after Adam is about when God had to wipe out mankind and start over with Noah’s flood.

At 20, people start to feel the need to move out of the house and onto the next thing. Abraham moved away from home 2000 years after Adam. At 25, insurance rates come down as a person becomes more responsible and law-abiding. 2500 years after Adam, Moses was given the Law. At 30 years, a person develops some wisdom. 3000 years after Adam, Solomon was endowed with magnificent wisdom. At 40 years a person has glimmers of hope as they are fully mature. 4000 years after Adam, Jesus came, giving hope to many. Shortly thereafter, in their 40s, a person goes into a bleak period. 4300+ years after Adam, the world fell into the dark ages. About 55 or so and a person starts to look forward to retirement. 5500 years after Adam was the Reformation and Renaissance, fueled by the printing press and other technologies. From 60-70, a person retires, resting and enjoying the fruits of their labor. 6000-7000 years after Adam is the Millennium, when Jesus reigns. It starts subtly, and gains momentum into the height of retirement about 65-66 years of age. At 70 years, a person again has trouble briefly as they are soon at death’s door. At 7000 years after Adam, the world world will experience a short period of trouble, when the world is last tested for allegiance to Jesus.

“When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10

The last verse is a mistranslation. It should say, ‘and they were tormented for a time (age).’ They were tormented only during Jesus’ thousand year reign. They are then permanently destroyed (annihilated).