WHEN COMES THE KINGDOM? – By Bro. David Rice
[“Your kingdom come” – Matt. 6:10a]
The Nearness of our Hopes
It is coming soon. About 38 [now in 2025, it is about 18] years from now. Do you remember Israel’s Six-Day War [in June 1967]? It was 38 [now in 2025, it is about 58] years ago. It hardly seems so long ago. We marvelled at the victory against so many Arab nations, all united to destroy one tiny little country. All in vain, for this is the time for Israel’s regathering. Setbacks may come, but nothing will thwart the movement of God’s Plan when it is time. As recent as that seems, it is the same [now in 2025, about 3.2 times the] length of time backward from now, as the Millennial Kingdom of Christ is forward from now. The Kingdom should come, at the end of 6000 years of human history, within the year 2043, just 38 [now in 2025, it is 18] years ahead.
WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?
The evidence for this projection is the longstanding view, traceable in early Christian writings and even before that in Jewish thought, that following 6000 years of human history the Seventh Millennium would bring a relief from sin and death, emancipating [or freeing] the creation during a Thousand Year Sabbath of rest and restoration.
With this expectation in mind, Christians for centuries have studied and searched when the end of 6000 years of human history may come. In the early 1800s the Adventist Movement swept through Christian Churches, across denominational lines, anticipating the end of the age and the return of Christ. Among their prophetic calculations was the opinion that 6000 years from Adam would close with the year 1843.
As the year arrived, expectations mounted. This was not among a few here and there, but among millions [or lakhs] of Christians in America and Europe who recognized that some of the time prophecies of Daniel had already closed, and others were near closure. The last of these, it was thought, (the 2300 years of Daniel chapter 8 [Dan. 8:14]), would close with the year 1843, synchronous with the end of 6000 years. The date passed, some fine tuning ensued, and the expectations were reset to the following year, 1844. Even a specific day was anticipated, October 22, computed as the Day of Atonement for 1844. Still, their hopes did not materialize. The disappointment was keen.
DATES COME, DATES GO
The passing of this date, so widely anticipated, brought the ill repute of failed expectations. Naturally this dimmed the enthusiasm of many. But others continued to examine the divine word, rightly supposing that the error was not in the Scriptures, but in our imprecise understanding of them. These prophecies had been closed up and sealed till the time of the end (Daniel 12:9). It would not be surprising if the keys to understanding would not all come at once. They would study still, seeking more precise information.
They rightly understood that the prophecy of 1260 years, mentioned twice in Daniel [Dan. 7:25; 12:7] and five times in Revelation [Rev. 11:2; 11:3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5], had closed just before the opening of the 19th century [1799 AD]. [A]But there are five time prophecies in Daniel about the end times 1260 years [Dan. 7:25; 12:7], 1290 years [Dan. 12:11], 1335 years [Dan. 12:12], 2300 years [Dan. 8:14], 2520 years [Implied from Leviticus 26; Daniel 4, 9] and how all of them related to each other was uncertain.
Since then, these prophecies have all come into sharper focus. Bible Students for five generations have understood that the 1260 years closed in 1799, the 1290 years closed in 1829, the 1335 years in 1874, and the 2520 years in 1914. *{*These are discussed in Studies in the Scriptures, Volumes 2 and 3, The Time is at Hand, and The Kingdom of God. The evidence has clarified, and some imprecisions have been corrected, since those volumes were published. For example, it is now apparent that the beginning of the 2520 years, sometimes called the Times of the Gentiles, began in the year 607 BC [previously fixed at 606 BC by CTR], the year Babylon began the conquest of the holy land, bringing it and the nation of Israel into bondage. 2520 years later, in 1914, began the war which freed the holy land from the oppression of the Ottoman Turks, and breathed life into Israel’s national hopes.}
At one time the last of these dates, 1914, was also anticipated as the time when the saints would be delivered and the Kingdom of Christ established. The date was indeed a milestone in prophecy, introducing the time of trouble of Daniel 12:1. But it did not bring the climax.
THE KINGDOM STILL AWAITS
The establishment of the Millennial Kingdom is still pending. For us this is a great benefit, as it allows time for us to enter the fold of Christ, receive the Heavenly Call, become part of the Bride of Christ, and reign with Christ during the Millennium.
But the time draws near. The favour of this period will soon close. The Kingdom is already being established in Heaven, as one by one the saints are raised to be with Christ as they complete their earthly lives, since the return of Christ at the close of the 1335 years.
Already Revelation 11:15 has commenced: The Kingdom of this world has become the Kingdom of our Lord (God) and his anointed (Christ), and the present time of trouble is a consequence (verses 15-18) [Rev. 11:15-18]. In a few years hence the present Harvest, which is the closing period of this age, will end (Matthew 13:30, 39). Then the Kingdom of Christ will be established, at Israel, through the resurrected Ancient Worthies.
SIX THOUSAND YEARS
The key to the question – When do 6000 years from Adam close? is in resolving the history of Old Testament times back to the reign of Solomon. [B]It is now generally agreed, by scholars who appreciate the integrity of the books of Kings and Chronicles, that their united testimony, supported by the history of contemporary nations, show year one of Solomon’s reign commenced in Tishri of 970 BC.
The spring of that year would be in the year we number 969 BC. Three years later take us to the spring of his fourth year in 966 BC. According to 1 Kings 6:1, Solomon then commenced building the Temple at Jerusalem. The same text says that was the beginning of year 480 from the Exodus. In other words, the Exodus occurred 479 years earlier, namely 1445 BC.
[C]Galatians 3:16 [or rather Gal. 3:17] says the Covenant with Abraham, as he entered the promised land, was 430 years earlier, namely 1875 BC. Now we are close to finding the date of Adam.
Genesis chapter 5 gives the generations from Adam to Noah. Each time span from generation to generation is listed. The flood ended after 600 years of Noah’s life (Genesis 8:13). The total, from Adam, is 1656 years.
Genesis chapter 11 brings us from the Flood to the Covenant with Abraham 427 years later. Add the numbers 1875 BC + 427 + 1656 and the result is 3958 BC for the beginning of Adam’s life.
Counting 6000 years forward from there concludes with the year 2043 AD. (6000 – 3958, plus 1 to account for the absence of a year zero between BC and AD, results in 2043 BC).
IS THIS CREDIBLE?
As in all things of the future, we wait patiently, but expectantly, until circumstances put to rest any uncertainties. But it is highly credible. The deductions are grounded in the scriptural record, which, remarkably, takes care to give an explicit count of years, evidently for just such a purpose.
Additionally, the testimony of time prophecy intertwines with this in remarkable ways. Here is a single example. The 490-year prophecy of Daniel chapter 9, which takes us to the cross of Christ in 33 AD, commenced with the decree of the Persian Emperor, Artaxerxes, in 458 AD.** {** This decree is referred to in Daniel 9:25, quoted at length in Ezra 7:11-26, and clearly dated in history, 458 BC.} From this prophecy count the years to the redemption provided by Christ at Calvary.
The date commencing this count of years the touchstone of time prophecy is precisely midway through the 7000 years of God’s plan, from Adam through the Millennium of Restoration (compare Habakkuk 3:2.)
The greatest event in human history may be said to be the death of Jesus at Calvary, and his resurrection on the third day following. Very soon, another 38 [now 18] years as we understand, evidently the time will arrive for the next major milestone in God’s Plan. The Millennium so long anticipated will break upon the world, to their surprise, and then to their delight.
Troubles will still intervene. The world advances to the brink of the seventh plague of Revelation (chapter 16:16-21) [Rev. 16:16-21]. But that final birth pang will introduce a golden age for the world. All creation is yearning, longing to see the manifestation of the sons of God (and when that blessed time comes) … at last the Creation itself (will) be set free from the thraldom of decay to enjoy the liberty … of the children of God (Romans 8:18-21).
WHAT DO YOU WISH?
Do you wish to be part of Christ, to reign with him in glory, in heaven, during that Millennium? Or will you be among the teeming billions of mankind who awake to the Golden Age of redemption, and grow to everlasting human life, perfected, cleansed, in a perfected society?
The years ahead are still replete with opportunity to consecrate your life to Christ, to follow the Master, become part of his elect [if called], and receive a change of nature from human to spiritual in the resurrection.
In this case, you will have the honour and pleasure of assisting Christ uplift and nurture the entire world during the Millennium, from your heavenly station. All the dead of past ages will be raised, to learn from the lessons of sin of past times. Those who reform may live forever, as our first parents were offered in Eden. The test at the end of the Millennium will determine. Certainly the vast majority will accept the goodness of life with rejoicing.
– By Br. David Rice – From Faithbuilders Fellowship, October 2005.
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Good subject.
- But there are five time prophecies in Daniel about the end times 1260 years [Dan. 7:25; 12:7], 1290 years [Dan. 12:11], 1335 years [Dan. 12:12], 2300 years [Dan. 8:14], 2520 years [Implied from Leviticus 26; Daniel 4, 9] and how all of them related to each other was uncertain. – Six time prophecies including 70 weeks prophecy.
- It is now generally agreed, by scholars who appreciate the integrity of the books of Kings and Chronicles, that their united testimony, supported by the history of contemporary nations, show year one of Solomon’s reign commenced in Tishri of 970 BC – Refer sources as Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon.
- Galatians 3:16 says the Covenant with Abraham, as he entered the promised land, was 430 years earlier, namely 1875 BC. – The correct verse reference would be Galatians 3:17.
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