Years ago, I ran across a 1965 copy of Halley’s Bible Handbook, which was originally published in 1927. Substantially, the Millennium-Sabbath Theory was a belief held in the beginning of the Christian Era, where the non-canonical Epistle of Barnabas mentioned the belief that, even as there had been 2,000 years from Adam to Abraham, and another 2,000 years from Abraham to Christ, then there would be another 2,000 years for the Christian Era, which would be followed by the Millennium (1,000 years). The reasoning was six days of creation would be followed by the Day of Rest. Dr. Henry Halley reasoned, “Inasmuch as we are now drawing toward the close of 2,000 years of the Christian Era, it will be soon be known for sure what there is to this belief. There are many things on the horizon that seem to be saying that the Great Day may be nearer than we think.” 

A Warning and Two Observations

First, Jesus warned us about setting dates about His return. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV). 

Second, understanding and sensing about how far along we are to His return is not forbidden. “We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long” (Psalm 74:9). 

Third, evidently there were those in the Early Church, who did not pursue useful employment, because they were supposedly waiting for the return of Christ. (Evidently, they hadn’t read the non-canonical Epistle of Barnabas.) “5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies” (2Thessalonians 3:5, 11).

Ussher’s Chronology 

James Ussher (1581-1656) was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland (Anglican), who interpreted the Scriptures literally, and arrived at a date for Creation as “‘the entrance of the night preceding the 23rd day of October… the year before Christ 4004’; that is, around 6 pm on 22 October 4004 BC” (from Wikipedia on James Ussher). By the way, astronomer Johannes Kepler calculated the Creation at 3992 BC and physicist Isaac Newton at 4000 BC. The evolutionary biologist, Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002), disagreed with Ussher’s Chronology, but graciously defended Ussher, who “represented the best scholarship of his time.” With the evolutionary model being understood by mainstream science as the plausible explanation On the Origin of Species (1859, Charles Darwin), it is comprehensible that secular science rejects the miraculousness of young earth creationism, the geological explanation of the Flood, or the anthropological model of the Tower of Babel, as illustrated by the Scopes Monkey Trial (1925).

Calculations From Creation to the Millennium 

Archaeological discoveries in the 19th century at the  Library of Ashurbanipal (Nineveh, Assyria) set the stage for breakthroughs in determining Gregorian calendar date equivalents to ancient and Biblical records. 

George Smith (1840-1876) was the Assyriologist, who translated the Epic of Gilgamesh. He was hired by Sir Henry Rawlinson of the British Museum. The breakthrough came when an entry in the Assyrian records referenced an eclipse of the sun at Nineveh. Science can determine by location the time of that eclipse. That was their Rosetta Stone moment. Those archaeological records and Biblical records now have Gregorian calendar dates, which is the dating system presently used by most of the world. 

6,000 years + 1,000 years = 7,000 years 

Ussher: Creation 4004 BC

Ussher: Exodus 1491 BC 

George Smith (1867): Exodus 1446 BC 

George Smith (1867): Creation 3959 BC 

Ussher’s dates were 45 years too long. You must subtract 45 years to adjust to astronomical time, e.g., Creation 4004 – 45 = 3959 BC.

Updating Ussher’s Chronology with the scientific accuracy of the dating equivalents, we can further apply the Millennium-Sabbath Theory and proceed 6,000 years from Adam to the Beginning of the Millennium. 

Creation to Beginning of Millennium: 

6000 – 3959 = 2041 AD

Conclusion 

I will let Brother Paul make the concluding exhortation. 

“But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away” (1Corinthians 7:29-31). May the Spirit of Christ impress our hearts to promote the return of Christ. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen and amen. 

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