The Seventh Day or Epoch
In this presentation, we are following a line of thought which seems to
be growing in acceptance among Bible students. We are living in the
Seventh Creative
Epoch, or Day-- that began where the Sixth Day closed, after God had
created Adam in His own image and likeness.--Genesis 1:26,27.
God there rested from His work--from creating. He foreknew the
permission of Sin and its dire effects upon humanity. He foreknew the
steps He would take in providing ultimately a Redeemer for the race, and
that the Redeemer would select a little company of believers, figuratively
styled the Bride of Christ. To this Redeemer and His Bride, God intended
to give the dominion, control of Earth. God purposed that Messiah's
Kingdom of Righteousness should eventually uplift the willing and obedient
from Sin and Death conditions.
God rested from His work of creating in that He did not actively
employ His Power to overthrow Sin and uplift mankind. God rested the
matter in the hands of the Redeemer, Jesus, to be accomplished through His
sacrifice for sins and His glorious Reign for the release of mankind from
Sin and Death. The Church, God's new creation of this rest
period, is Heavenly, not earthly.--2 Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 3:1; 4:1-4.
It is claimed that, according to the Bible chronology, six thousand
years from Adam have already passed. If so, the thousand years of
Messiah's Reign, which is to close the great Seventh Epoch-Day, is near at
hand.
According to this beautiful theory, the work of Messiah in His
thousand-year Reign soon to begin will complete the Creation. Not only
will the race be brought to human perfection, but incidentally man will
have obtained the needed experience in respect to good and evil. Meantime,
also, the Earth will be gradually coming to a state of
perfection--Paradise restored world-wide. Both human perfection and the
perfection of the Earth were fittingly represented in Eden, when Adam was
in his Maker's image--a King.