The End From the Beginning

While contemplating breakfast and thinking about everything I would like to get done today, I could not help but consider our snowfall we got yesterday, and how in Florida it is well into Springtime with everything blooming. I really wish we could have beautiful weather too! Not that the snow isn't beautiful - but it is so nice when we can open the windows, and go out without bulky coats, and see green grass and colorful flowers! Then I thought of Scripture and how after the flood (in Genesis) God made a new covenant with Noah. In that covenant God promised not to curse the ground or smite every living thing again, and He lays out the priniciple that, "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." (Genesis 8:21, 22) Well, we just get more of the cold and winter part of that verse. A little more of the heat and summer part would be okay with me! lol

All of this caused me to think about the fact that Genesis is the book of Beginnings, and God has said that He has told the end from the beginning. Everything concerning the history of humankind is found in Genesis.

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." (Isaiah 46:9, 10)

Many Bible teachers and even Jewish Rabbis believe that the six days of creation in Genesis refer to six thousand years of human history. This concept is also found in the New Testament where Peter is writing to the Church to remind them to be faithful and patient in waiting for the second coming of Jesus:

"But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (II Peter 3:8)

It is also interesting to recognize a pattern in Scripture along these lines. Author and teacher Charles Cappps points out in his book that, "The city of Jericho is a type of the wicked world. After Joshua crossed over the Jordan, he marched around the city for six days with seven priests out front blowing seven trumpets. I believe the trumpets represent a prophetic warning God has issued to the wicked world for six thousand years. Just as Jericho was warned six days by seven priests sounding their trumpets, the earth has also been warned by God's prophetic word for nearly six thousand years of His coming wrath. Joshua marched around Jericho seven times on the seventh day. This represents God's number of completion."

( In the Old Testament, the blowing of trumpets was a call to repentance, or a call to gather
God's people.)

On the 4th day of creation, God created the lights (Sun and Moon). There was about 4 thousand years of human history from Adam to the coming of Jesus (the Light of the world) and the establishing of the Church (the moon which reflects the light of the sun and restrains darkness).

Charles Capps also writes about a comparison of Jesus is Psalm 19:1-5:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
(The gospel will be preached in all the world unto all nations; and then the end shall come. Matthew 24:14)
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of His chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race."

Jesus called Himself the bridegroom, and Scripture tells us, "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

I love the picture this Plsam gives us of Jesus. A bridegroom coming out of His chamber, rejoicing as a strong man to run a race. Jesus is my hero.