Church of God News

COGwriter

Is the end of the 6000 years coming in 2017? Can the world end in 2017?

At least one seems to think so:

Reverend Donna Larson – who runs the blog Rapture and End Times – has a new forecast and she is not alone in believing that 2017 could be the end.Many apocalypse truth seekers believe recent earthquakes could mark the beginning of the end.

According to Larson’s theory, the Bible says man will rule the earth for 6,000 years before facing God’s wrath.

By creating a timeline of the Bible – calculating Adam had been created in 3,983 BC – she believes 6,000 years will be up next year.

She believes 2017 is the most significant year to mark the end as it will be the 70th anniversary of the UN’s decision to establish Israel and 50 years after the unification of Jerusalem.

Larson added: “All these numbers have Biblical significance – 50 is the number of unification between Passover and Pentecost and 70 is the number of fulfilment according to the book of Daniel, Chapter 9.

“So 50 and 70 represent the beginning and the end.”

Robert Binnion who runs the “end of time prophecy website” Nice Timing has used different calculations from the Bible to reach his forecast of 2017.

According to his theory, the year 2017 becomes significant because all seven possibilities of a “Biblical generation” point to that year. 09/21/16 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/545975/end-of-the-world-Gods-vengeance-apocalypse-last-judgement-day-Bible-prophecy

While it is 70 years from 1947, Jesus will not return and ‘rapture’ believers in 2017 nor will the great tribulation begin then.

It is not possible.

I have addressed the position in the past that the last generation began when Israel was formed, which was 1948, not 1947 (watch also Israel, 1948, and Prophecy).

Those who understand Bible prophecy realize that there is NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THE GREAT TRIBULATION CAN BEGIN PRIOR TO 2020 NOR JESUS RETURN PRIOR TO 2023. And until certain events occur, even those dates would seem early–2021 seems to be the earliest possible date now.

There is no possibility that the Great Tribulation can happen in 2017 and those who rely on the Bible have realized this for at least the past three years. It is only those who overlook scripture and rely on their own views who make the mistake of thinking that the Great Tribulation can, or could, happen in 2017.

Why do I state this?

One reason that the Great Tribulation will not begin yet is that one known as the final King of the North needs to rise up.

The Bible shows that the coming “King of the North” will make a deal of some sort with one called the King of the South just before the appointed time of the end:

27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time (Daniel 11:27).

Daniel chapter 11 tells much about the end times and it involves both a King of the South and a King of the North. And while there was a president of the South and a president of the North in the Union for the Mediterranean (see Deal Leading to Psalm 83?), these individuals have not held the type of power (nor prerogatives) of the prophesied King of the North and the King of the South. Nor will the current head of the post-Lisbon European Union, likely be the final King of the North as he does not seem to fit that description.

Since the Great Tribulation will not start before there is an actual King of the South and an actual final King of the North)–and while the “prince” will apparently confirm a peace deal with Israel (probably somewhat including the United States and some Arab lands as part of the “many” in Daniel 9:27), Daniel 11:27 requires two kings, which suggests that the future “prince” will gain more and more importance after the deal in Daniel 9:27 (for more information on the sequence of Daniel 11, please see the article the King of the North). It may take a regional or other war in the Middle East to trigger a peace deal. And if Isaiah 17:1 concerning the destruction of Damascus is to be fulfilled prior to the start of the Great Tribulation, the destruction of Damascus in Syria should be a clear sign to those who discount biblical prophecy that Bible prophecy will come to pass. Damascus has claimed to be the longest continuously inhabited city on the earth and its destruction would be unprecedented.

As far as the King of the South goes, there simply is not a confederation of Islamic nations that work close enough together yet in order to be led by the King of the South. While it is true that there are two groups that ultimately may allow this (see Iraq & the King of the South and Mediterranean Union Makes Deal With Israel and Arab States), the Islamic Mahdi/Caliph has not yet been recognized. And while this is possible to occur in 2016, the King of the South also will not be ready militarily to fulfill prophecies such as those in Daniel 11:40.

This portion of scripture in Daniel seems to be discussing some type of peace deal that the Europeans will either propose or at least one from Europe will endorse. Such a deal did not exist as of late 2016, or at least was not publicly confirmed by the “prince” by then. The deal will be broken 3 1/2 years later (Daniel 9:27; 11:31).

Therefore, while the Great Tribulation is coming, it will not begin in 2017. Here is a link to the video: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?

Consider also what Jesus taught:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:4-6)

Many think it is the end when it is not.

Jesus also taught:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)

Matthew 24:14 has not yet been fulfilled. When God decides it has, then the end will come.

Then notice that Jesus ties the time to flee before the Great Tribulation with what Daniel wrote:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)

Christians, Philadelphian ones, are to understand this ties in with Daniel. Yet, most who profess Christ do not fully get it. Anyway, after Daniel 11:31 and the fleeing, the Great Tribulation begins:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

This cannot possibly happen before 2020 and I do not believe the Great Tribulation can start before 2021.

While there are events to watch for in 2017 (for example, watch Twelve ‘grey swan’ events to watch for in 2017?) it simply is not possible for Jesus to return then or the great tribulation to start then.

As far as the end of the 6000 years goes, while that is close, it will not be until sometime in the next decade at the earliest.

There are at least six factors that affect the calculation:

1. Does the six thousand year period begin when Adam was made or when he and Eve first sinned or when they were put out of the Garden of Eden? If one of the latter, the Bible does not state how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, so estimating this is problematic.
2. Does the six thousand years end when the Day of the Lord begins or when Jesus returns?
3. The dates of Solomon’s reign have been debated.
4. While the Bible tells the ages of fathers when they begot sons, it seems illogical to conclude that the fathers and sons were all born on the same calendar date–people were not all born on the same ‘birthday’ calendar date. Hence, although the straight calculations based upon the ages listed in Genesis is correct assuming what is called a ‘normal distribution’ of data, the data pool is small enough that the results could be statistically expected to be other than ‘normal.’
5. It is not certain that a rounding for ‘normal distribution’ was used. Instead, the ages of the ancients when they begat sons could instead be based upon their calculated ages based upon a Spring or Fall date. The Jewish Encyclopedia points out “The Rabbis recognize four beginnings of the year from different standpoints: (1) the 1st of Nisan for regnal dating; it was based on the Exodus (comp. 1 Kings vi. 1); (2) the 1st of Tishri, as, agricultural New-Year the beginning of the harvest (Ex. xxiii. 16, xxxiv. 22); (3) the 1st of Elul for reckoning tithes of cattle (R. Eleazer, however, would reckon these from the 1st of Tishri); and (4) the 1st, or, according to Bet Hillel, the 15th of Shebaṭ, the New-Year for Trees.” (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11499-new-year#anchor3). What does that mean, it means that the first year in the calculation of the ancients may have been counted from their first approximate month of Abib or Tishri, hence leading to a significant overcounting of their ages based upon how we now calculate age. The Bible is not clear which method was used.
6. It is believed that there have been co-regencies of some of the kings and their sons. Hence, adding up the listed reigns of the various kings would be expected to result in overcounting–though that is not much of a factor if the correct date of Solomon’s temple is known (but even that is estimated).

And then there is controversy involving the matter of Abrams father Terah. Thus, there are complications and controversies involved with the calculations. Furthermore, I suspect God has allowed at least some of this so humans would not be certain of the precise year (cf. Matthew 24:36), but provided what He did so that humans could have a good idea of the approximate time (cf. Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:34; Matthew 24:3-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:4).

So, recognizing that there is some controversy about the calculations, let’s look at the 3983 date (while understanding it is off a bit.

It is now 2016 A.D., so adding that + 3983 adds up to 5999–but because there was no year zero (for the transition between B.C. and A.D.), this make it 5998, with the 6000 years ending in 2018.

So while 2018 is one calculation of the end of the 6000 years (because of the year long, “day of the Lord” mentioned in Isaiah 34:8 & 61:2, that 3983 B.C. date may lead to 2019), it is premature. It must be at least several years later.

The Great Tribulation would begin 3 1/2 years before then–thus the Great Tribulation may begin around 2020-2025–though I do not believe that it biblically can be before 2021 (for a more detailed explanation, please see When Can the Great Tribulation Begin? and the sermon video Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020?). Because of the five factors mentioned that affect the calculations, the 6000 years perhaps ends up to a decade or so later, like 202x or 203x. Some suspect that a Jubilee year could begin when it is over, and some have suggested dates such as 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2038, 2050, and 2051 (see Jubilee section in The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance).

Some, like Yves Péloquin, calculate that the end is 2038 (http://nebula.wsimg.com/7feaf64877b2bd48b88be799d5ed766a?AccessKeyId=50D481C8FA4C356C8EFE&disposition=0&alloworigin=1).

Yet, despite the factors that affect the calculation, it should be clear that, according to a variety of sources, but mainly the Bible, the 6000 years will be up in the 21st century.

We are not quite there yet.

Anyway, despite numerous attempts at calculations, if you are willing to believe the Bible, you can understand that the Great Tribulation cannot start in 2017.

Tweet

This entry was posted on Monday, December 26th, 2016 at 8:00 am and is filed under Prophecy.

• World to End in Two Years, But French Village Spared?
• World did not end in a catastrophic flood nor did society end by solar flares
• ‘End of the world: Will the Rapture come in 2019?’
• BibleNewsProphecy: The Red Heifer and the End of the World
• Does God have a 6,000 plan? When might the 6,000 years for humanity’s self-rule end?
• ABC “Will the World End in 2012?”
• World did not end & Christians were not raptured, but might the world be different in October?
• BIS: 20% Of The World Could Have Digital Cash In Three Years; COGwriter: 666 will shoot for 100%
• NASA: World Will Not End in 2012
• World to end and Jesus to return in 2016?