Happy 6,000!
Today marks 6,000 days in a row that I have posted a Daily Meditation. When I researched 6,000 in church history, I discovered something very interesting. Read on.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8
“For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: “Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works.” This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year.”
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (c. 180 AD), wrote the five-book treatise Against Heresies 5.28.3.
I did not know that the early church fathers, building on the words of the apostle Peter, taught widely that human history would last 6,000 years and culminate human history with the seventh 1,000 years, known as the millennium.
It makes sense. Those who hold to a six-day creation (myself included as each day is separated by an evening and a morning), would place human history at almost 6,000 years old. So what does this have to do with generosity?
Our generous God is working out His perfect plan. And even as God made Adam and Eve in His image at creation, He made each of us in His image to play a part in reflecting His generosity to the world (for as long as it lasts).
And as long as He gives me life, I will continue to encourage Christian generosity (and do these daily posts) to inspire God’s people to play their part in His unfolding plan.