What Time Is It?
“What time is it?” is
a phrase asked frequently by men. Today I am
asking this question in a different sense than
the norm. The question today is “What Time is It on God’s Clock?”
We must go to the Scriptures for the answer.
First, we must
understand that time with God is not the same as
time with us. The Scriptures provide us an
understanding of what a day is like with the
Lord.
(2 Pet 3:8 KJV) 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.
God has ordained that
mankind shall work six days, which will be
followed by a day of rest. Since a day is as
1000 years with the Lord, then mankind has been
ordained to work six thousand years before we
enter into the millennial rest.
(Heb 4:1 KJV) Let us
therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest,
any of you should seem to come short of it.
(Heb 4:2 KJV) For
unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto
them: but the word preached did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it.
(Heb 4:3 KJV) For we
which have believed do enter into rest, as he
said, As I have
sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.
(Heb 4:4 KJV) For he spake in a certain
place of the
seventh day on this wise, And God did
rest the seventh day from all his works.
(Heb 4:5 KJV) And in
this place again, If
they shall enter into
my rest.
(Heb 4:6 KJV) Seeing
therefore it remaineth
that some must enter therein, and they to whom
it was first preached entered not in because of
unbelief:
(Heb 4:7 KJV) Again,
he limiteth a
certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a
time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his
voice, harden not your hearts.
(Heb 4:8 KJV) For if
Jesus had given them rest,
then would he not
afterward have spoken of another day.
(Heb 4:9 KJV) There
remaineth therefore
a rest to the people of God.
(Heb 4:10 KJV) For he
that is entered into his rest, he also hath
ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(Heb 4:11 KJV) Let us
labour therefore to
enter into that rest, lest any man fall after
the same example of unbelief.
We see from the above
that there is coming a rest from God for the
faithful ones to enter. Please note in verse 4
above that the rest is compared to the seventh
day that God rested when He created the earth.
We see from the following passages of Scripture
that “the rest” is a thousand years long:
(Rev 20:2 KJV) And he
laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which
is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him
a thousand years,
(Rev 20:3 KJV) And
cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him
up, and set a seal upon him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the
thousand years should be fulfilled: and
after that he must be loosed a little season.
(Rev 20:4 KJV) And I
saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and
judgment was given unto them: and I saw the
souls of them that were beheaded for the witness
of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had
not worshipped the beast, neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived
and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
(Rev 20:5 KJV) But
the rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the
first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6 KJV) Blessed
and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with
him a thousand years.
(Rev 20:7 KJV) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his
prison,
Bible scholars have
calculated that creation took place
approximately 4000BC based on the chronologies
in the Bible, but the most famous was James
Ussher who calculated that creation took place
in 4004BC. He is listed in the American Heritage
Dictionary as follows:
Ussher, James,
1581-1656. Irish prelate and scholar who devised
a scheme of biblical chronology that placed the
Creation in the year 4004 B.C.
We know from Bible
chronologies that Jacob was born around 2000BC.
God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, and Israel
was the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Therefore, Israel has been in existence for 4000
years. Israel has also been shown to be an
unfaithful, unfruitful or barren nation since
its beginning. This is seen in numerous types,
such as barren Rachael, barren Hannah, and the
barren fig tree. Therefore, Israel has been
spiritually dead for 4000 years. We see this in
type in the story of Lazarus who was resurrected
to life after four days or four thousand years.
(John 11:17 KJV) Then when Jesus
came, he found that he (i.e., Lazarus) had
lain in the grave four days already.
When Jesus comes to
resurrect Israel, she will have been spiritually
dead or barren for four thousand years. Surely
the hour is late and it is close to the time of
resurrection for the nation of Israel.
In the parable of the
Good Samaritan we see that a certain man fell
among thieves after he descended from Jerusalem
down to Jericho and he was left nearly dead and
completely exhausted. Jerusalem is on the top of
mountains, and Jericho is located on the level
of the Dead Sea. Thus, Israel is the man left
for dead after descending to the Dead Sea. Of
course, the Good Samaritan is Jesus Christ in
accordance with the following Scripture passage:
(John 8:48 KJV) Then
answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not
well that thou art a
Samaritan, and hast a devil?
(John 8:49 KJV) Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
The following is the
story of the Good Samaritan:
(Luke 10:29 KJV) But
he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus,
And who is my neighbour?
(Luke 10:30 KJV) And
Jesus answering said, A certain
man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and fell among thieves, which stripped him of
his raiment, and wounded him, and departed,
leaving him half dead.
(Luke 10:31 KJV) And by
chance there came down a certain priest that
way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the
other side.
(Luke 10:32 KJV) And
likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,
came and looked on him, and passed by on the
other side.
(Luke 10:33 KJV) But a
certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where
he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion
on him,
(Luke 10:34 KJV) And
went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in
oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
(Luke
10:35 KJV) And
on the morrow when he departed, he
took out two pence,
and gave them to the host,
and said unto him, Take
care of him; and
whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again, I
will repay thee.
(Luke 10:36 KJV) Which
now of these three, thinkest
thou, was neighbour
unto him that fell among the thieves?
(Luke 10:37 KJV) And he said, He
that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto
him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Since the half dead
man is Israel and the Good Samaritan is Jesus
Christ, it is highly significant that Jesus
provided oil (i.e., the Holy Spirit) and wine
(His shed blood on Calvary) for the man and He
left two pence (i.e., two
denarius) to the innkeeper to take care
of him until HE RETURNS. A denarius is
sustenance for one day, so
two denarius would be enough for two
days. This parable is telling us that Jesus
Christ will return to earth two thousand years
after he first came to bind up the wounds of
Israel with the Holy Spirit and His shed blood.
The hour is late and
it is time for the Good Samaritan to return to
complete the healing of Israel. We also see this
in the following passage of Scripture:
(Hosea 6:1 KJV) Come,
and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath
torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and
he will bind us up.
(Hosea 6:2 KJV) After two days
will he revive us: in the third day he will
raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
The book of Hosea is
a book about the nation of Israel. The above two
verses make it clear that the Messiah of Israel
will return after two days or two thousand years
to revive or resurrect Israel from the dead.
In the story of the
Samaritan woman at the well who encounters
Jesus, we see the picture of the Church
believing in Messiah Jesus.
(John 4:39 KJV) And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
(John 4:40 KJV) So when
the Samaritans were come unto him, they
besought him that he would tarry with them:
and he abode there two days.
(John 4:41 KJV) And many more
believed because of his own word;
The teaching of this
parable is that Jesus will abide with the Church
for two days or two thousand years. During this
time many come to believe in Jesus Christ. The
hour is late and the two thousand years of the
Church Age are at an end. It is time for the end
of the Church Age and for Israel to be
resurrected and restored to life.
In answer to the question, “What Time is It?” it is time for Jesus Christ to return to earth and remove His bride. It is time for the restoration of Israel, but first Israel must go through unspeakable hardship called the time of Jacob’s trouble. Also, it is time for the main body of the Church to go through severe persecution for a time, a times and the dividing of a time. This is seen in the following passage of Scripture:
(Dan 7:25 KJV) And he (i.e., the Antichrist) shall speak great words against the
most High, and shall wear out the saints (i.e., the Church) of the most High, and think to change
times and laws: and they (i.e., the Church) shall be given into his hand until a
time and times and the dividing of time (i.e., 3-1/2 years).