A COMMENTARY OF MATTHEW CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Scripture can be properly divided into seven parts, each forming a complete section of Scripture: (1) Gen. 1:1-2a, (2) Gen. 1:2b-2:3, (3) Gen. 2:4-11:26, (4) the remainder of the Old Testament, (5) the New Testament through Revelation chapter nineteen, (6) Revelation 20:1-15, and (7) Rev. 21:1-22:21.
The first and second divisions, as has been demonstrated, covers the skeletal framework upon which the remainder rests.
The third division covers the first 2000 years of human history extending from Adam to Abraham.
The forth division begins with Abraham and covers the next 2000 years of human history, wherein God called one man out of Ur of the Chaldees to be the channel through whom He, from that point forward, would deal with mankind at large.
The fifth division begins with the first advent of Messiah and covers the next 2000 years of human history, wherein the Lamb of God dies (followed by burial, resurrection, and ascension), Israel is set aside, the Church is called into existence, and Messiah returns.
The sixth division covers the next 1000 years of human history, the long awaited Messianic Era, along with immediately following events.
The seventh division has to do with the eternal ages which follow the Messianic Era.
Now to illustrate how later revelation is inseparably connected with earlier revelation and how any revelation subsequent to Genesis 1:1-2:3 must be inseparably connected with these opening verses of Genesis, note the thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7. This is not the first time that the thousand years in mentioned in Scripture. Quite the contrary. Instead, it is the last time. The first mention of the thousand years in Scripture is within the skeletal framework at the beginning, in Gen. 2:1-3.
TWENTY-FOUR
Scripture can be properly divided into seven parts, each forming a complete section of Scripture: (1) Gen. 1:1-2a, (2) Gen. 1:2b-2:3, (3) Gen. 2:4-11:26, (4) the remainder of the Old Testament, (5) the New Testament through Revelation chapter nineteen, (6) Revelation 20:1-15, and (7) Rev. 21:1-22:21.
The first and second divisions, as has been demonstrated, covers the skeletal framework upon which the remainder rests.
The third division covers the first 2000 years of human history extending from Adam to Abraham.
The forth division begins with Abraham and covers the next 2000 years of human history, wherein God called one man out of Ur of the Chaldees to be the channel through whom He, from that point forward, would deal with mankind at large.
The fifth division begins with the first advent of Messiah and covers the next 2000 years of human history, wherein the Lamb of God dies (followed by burial, resurrection, and ascension), Israel is set aside, the Church is called into existence, and Messiah returns.
The sixth division covers the next 1000 years of human history, the long awaited Messianic Era, along with immediately following events.
The seventh division has to do with the eternal ages which follow the Messianic Era.
Now to illustrate how later revelation is inseparably connected with earlier revelation and how any revelation subsequent to Genesis 1:1-2:3 must be inseparably connected with these opening verses of Genesis, note the thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7. This is not the first time that the thousand years in mentioned in Scripture. Quite the contrary. Instead, it is the last time. The first mention of the thousand years in Scripture is within the skeletal framework at the beginning, in Gen. 2:1-3.
These years comprise the seventh millennium, foreshadowed by the seventh day in Genesis.
Not only that, but the thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7 are mentioned numerous places throughout Scripture, covering the six thousand years of time preceding the Messianic Era. These thousand years are the point in time toward which everything moves, with their repeated mention being a very natural and necessary part of Scripture.
The Sabbath given to Israel was a “sign” concerning this coming day (Exo. 31:13-17). Everytime Israel kept the Sabbath, at the end of six days of work, they were acknowledging what God had set forth in the foundational framework at the very beginning (vs. 15-17). They were acknowledging that God was going to work six days in the latter restoration (as He did in the former) and rest on the seventh day (as He did in the former).
(The pattern was set perfect in the beginning. And the latter restoration and rest must follow the former restoration and rest in exact detail, in every respect. The thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7 [which follows six thousand years of work] carries exactly the same relationship to Gen. 2:1-3 as the Sabbath given to Israel [which followed six days of work] carried to these verses. “There remaineth therefore a rest [lit. ‘Sabbath rest’] to the people of God” [Heb. 4:9; cf. v.4].)
Then reference is made to part or all of the six and seven days different places in Scripture, referring to 6000 and 7000 years, drawing from Gen. 1:2b-2:3 (cf. Num. 19:11-19; 11 Sam. 1:1, 2; Hos. 5:15-6:2; Jonah 1:17; Matt. 16:28-17:5; John 1:29, 35, 43, 2:1; 11:6, 7).
Then, beyond that, events surrounding the coming Messianic Era – events occurring during the seventh day, the seventh 1000 year period – are mentioned time after time throughout Scripture (e.g. Isa. 2:1-5; 4:1-6; 14:1-8; Jer. 30:1-9; 31:31-33; Ezek. 36:24-28; 37:1ff; Matt. 24:30, 31; Acts 15:14-18; Rom. 11:25, 26).
It will be in that day that the blessings of Gen. 12:2, 3 will be realized in their fullness by both Israel and the nations; it will be in that day that Christ will exercise the Melchizedek priesthood, blessing the descendants of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly (Gen. 14:18, 19); it will be in that day that the seed of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly will “possess the gate of [i.e. rule over]” the enemy (Gen. 22:17, 18); it will be in that day that God will restore Israel to her rightful place (Gen. 25:1ff). And on and on one could go with what God has revealed in His Word about that coming seventh day.
It is as Nathaniel West said one hundred years ago in his book, THE THOUSAND YEARS IN BOTH TESTAMENTS:
“What we find in the New Testament as its outcome in respect to the ages and the kingdom, has already lain in the bosom of the Old Testament from the beginning…. Nothing appears in the latter revelation that was not hid in the earlier, nothing in John that was not in Moses…. If we study the eschatology of the Old Testament, we will find the Echata there identical with the Echeta of the New Testament, and the eschatology of both Testaments the same… if ‘the thousand years are not in Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets, they have no right to be in John.”
Accordingly, any study of the thousand years cannot possibly begin with what God has revealed in Rev. 20:1-7. Rather, it must, of necessity, begin with what God revealed in Gen. 2:1-3. Rev. 20:1-7 forms the capstone to the matter. This section of Scripture covers in very brief form that which the prophets have previously covered in great detail. And only the simple statement need be made, for all the details has already been given.
The whole matter is really that simple if one remains within the manner in which God has structured His revelation to man.
Not only that, but the thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7 are mentioned numerous places throughout Scripture, covering the six thousand years of time preceding the Messianic Era. These thousand years are the point in time toward which everything moves, with their repeated mention being a very natural and necessary part of Scripture.
The Sabbath given to Israel was a “sign” concerning this coming day (Exo. 31:13-17). Everytime Israel kept the Sabbath, at the end of six days of work, they were acknowledging what God had set forth in the foundational framework at the very beginning (vs. 15-17). They were acknowledging that God was going to work six days in the latter restoration (as He did in the former) and rest on the seventh day (as He did in the former).
(The pattern was set perfect in the beginning. And the latter restoration and rest must follow the former restoration and rest in exact detail, in every respect. The thousand years in Rev. 20:1-7 [which follows six thousand years of work] carries exactly the same relationship to Gen. 2:1-3 as the Sabbath given to Israel [which followed six days of work] carried to these verses. “There remaineth therefore a rest [lit. ‘Sabbath rest’] to the people of God” [Heb. 4:9; cf. v.4].)
Then reference is made to part or all of the six and seven days different places in Scripture, referring to 6000 and 7000 years, drawing from Gen. 1:2b-2:3 (cf. Num. 19:11-19; 11 Sam. 1:1, 2; Hos. 5:15-6:2; Jonah 1:17; Matt. 16:28-17:5; John 1:29, 35, 43, 2:1; 11:6, 7).
Then, beyond that, events surrounding the coming Messianic Era – events occurring during the seventh day, the seventh 1000 year period – are mentioned time after time throughout Scripture (e.g. Isa. 2:1-5; 4:1-6; 14:1-8; Jer. 30:1-9; 31:31-33; Ezek. 36:24-28; 37:1ff; Matt. 24:30, 31; Acts 15:14-18; Rom. 11:25, 26).
It will be in that day that the blessings of Gen. 12:2, 3 will be realized in their fullness by both Israel and the nations; it will be in that day that Christ will exercise the Melchizedek priesthood, blessing the descendants of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly (Gen. 14:18, 19); it will be in that day that the seed of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly will “possess the gate of [i.e. rule over]” the enemy (Gen. 22:17, 18); it will be in that day that God will restore Israel to her rightful place (Gen. 25:1ff). And on and on one could go with what God has revealed in His Word about that coming seventh day.
It is as Nathaniel West said one hundred years ago in his book, THE THOUSAND YEARS IN BOTH TESTAMENTS:
“What we find in the New Testament as its outcome in respect to the ages and the kingdom, has already lain in the bosom of the Old Testament from the beginning…. Nothing appears in the latter revelation that was not hid in the earlier, nothing in John that was not in Moses…. If we study the eschatology of the Old Testament, we will find the Echata there identical with the Echeta of the New Testament, and the eschatology of both Testaments the same… if ‘the thousand years are not in Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets, they have no right to be in John.”
Accordingly, any study of the thousand years cannot possibly begin with what God has revealed in Rev. 20:1-7. Rather, it must, of necessity, begin with what God revealed in Gen. 2:1-3. Rev. 20:1-7 forms the capstone to the matter. This section of Scripture covers in very brief form that which the prophets have previously covered in great detail. And only the simple statement need be made, for all the details has already been given.
The whole matter is really that simple if one remains within the manner in which God has structured His revelation to man.
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