Two thousand
years have very little significance in God’s plan. Humans think in terms of thousands
because we use a decimal system. However, in the Bible ten is a number of evil. Joseph was
sold by his ten brothers. There were ten tribes in the northern kingdom which first
rebelled against God. There are ten kings who give their power to the beast of Revelation.
Satan is bound for a thousand years. This is ten to the power of three (103).
Three symbolises God, so 1000 symbolises the power of evil under the power of God.
God orders things in terms of the number seven. There are seven days of creation; seven
days in a week; debts are cancelled after seven years (Deut 15:1); the year of jubilee
comes at the end of seven sabbaths of years (Lev 25:8); seventy sevens were decreed for
Israel (Dan 9:24): a seven year cycle for agriculture (Lev 25:4); seven angels, seven
churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls in the book of Revelation. To
understand where we are in the New Testament history, we must understand the patterns of
sevens.
An interesting pattern of sevens can be seen in the times and seasons of the New
Testament age. The period up to the fullness of the Jews lasts for a time, times and half
a time (Dan 7:25; 12:2; Rev 12:14). Looking at the seasons there is a time (of the new
order), times (of the gentiles) and half a time (of distress). Looking at the second half
of New Testament history there is also a time (for receiving the kingdom), times (of
fulfilment) and half a time (short).
A time, times and half a time represent 3½ times. This means that there are two lots
of a time, times and half a time, representing 7 times (3½ +3½). Seven represents the
full New Testament age. The time, times and half a time are also represented as 42 months
(Rev 11:2; 13:5) and 1260 days (Rev 11:3). Both numbers are the equivalent of 3½ years,
which is half of seven years.