January 19: THE MILLENNIAL "WEEK"

For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past. Psalm 90:4

Our perspective can easily become distorted in the face of weariness, sadness and discouragement that accompanies the chaos of our fallen world. The weekly cycle gives shape and form within our earthly lives. It establishes a healthy rhythm to the pattern of activity in life.

By the sun, we count days and years. By the moon, we count months. But neither of these affect the seven-day cycle that God established at Creation. There is no heavenly body that figures into the week’s pattern. Six days of work was crowned with the seventh day of glorious rest for the express purpose of restoration and time with the Lord.

In comparing a day to a thousand years in the sight of the Lord, we gain a heavenly perspective regarding the timing of the return of Jesus for His bride. We are nearing the end of six thousand years since the creation of our world. Although we do not know the day or hour (Matthew 25:13) of His return, we should well understand that the time is near (Revelation 1:3). When probation closes (either at the return of Christ or at one’s death, whichever comes first), there are no second chances (Revelation 22:11). Those who wait until Christ’s return to accept Him will have waited too long.

The thousand-year span of time in the Heavenly Jerusalem will be the crown set atop the six thousand years of woe and death upon the earth. In the line-up of feasts listed for the Jews, the seventh feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, represents a joyful time with the Lord in His tabernacle.

When Jesus was here nearly two thousand years ago, He told the parable of the good Samaritan. The amount of money given to the innkeeper was two days’ wages for a working man. Don’t miss this: On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ (Luke 10:35) Beloved, there is no amount that we can spend in caring for the hurting in our world and sharing the Good News that would be too much. The Savior has promised to come again, and when He does, we can be certain that He will lavishly, abundantly repay each of His followers who labored to expand His eternal kingdom.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8