What were the teachings of the ancient church fathers who spoke about “six thousand years?” Although their teachings were not authoritative as the Holy Scriptures, initially they all taught the same doctrine having been taught directly by the apostles and their disciples. In that regard, then we can presume their apostolic teaching is correct.
In the chart below you can see that Polycarp and Ignatius were students of the apostle John after he vacated Patmos to live his final years in Ephesus. In fact, it is documented that Polycarp assisted John in the planting of churches there for 20 years. Irenaeus was born in Smyrna and became Polycarp’s disciple but attests to having met and spoken with John (“an old man”) on several occasions. Justin Martyr, born in Nablus in 100AD, was also a disciple of Polycarp and Hippolytus was born in 170AD and was a student of Irenaeus. His Against Heresies is a key writing for the early church.
| The Apostles and their Disciples | |||||
| Apostles | 100AD | 200AD | 250AD | ||
| Peter, Paul & | Clement of Rome | ||||
| John | |||||
| John | Polycarp | Justin Martyr | Titian | ||
| Irenaeus | Hippolytus | ||||
| Ignatius | Caius | ||||
| Mark | ? | Pantaenus | Clement of Alexandria | Origen | Gregory |
| Paul | ? | Mathetes | |||
Coupled with the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls, today we also benefit greatly from discovery and translation of many ancient writings of the early church. With the expertise of archaeologists and scholars trained to identify false or corrupt writings hijacked by early Gnostics we have the luxury of seeing the Bible validated in so many of these recent discoveries.
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” (Genesis 2:2)
Dr. Ken Johnson is an author, scholar and ancient writings expert who performed research for Dead Seas Scrolls project and analysis on early Church documents.
“The idea that Jesus will return to set up His millennial kingdom in the Jewish year 6,000 is taught by several ancient church fathers. The first coming of Jesus Christ was about 4,000 years after Creation. These ancient church fathers taught the Second Coming would be about AD2000. The most descriptive is the Epistle of Barnabas which devotes an entire chapter on this issue. Remember, this does not mean they were correct; but if they believed and were taught this, it proves the ancient Christians were premillennial……With the calendars (primarily Hebrew calendar) being confused and inaccurate, we can’t say for certain when the year 6,000 will occur.” Dr. Ken Johnson, 2016
Here is a compilation of quotes:
Barnabas, AD First Century
“Therefore, children, in six days, or in six thousand years, all the prophecies will be fulfilled. Then it says, ‘He rested on the seventh day.’ This signifies at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus, He will destroy the Antichrist, judge the ungodly, and change the sun, moon, and stars. Then He will truly rest during the Millennial reign, which is the seventh day.” Epistle of Barnabas 15;7-9
Papias, AD First Century
“I was taught by the Apostle John, himself, that after the resurrection of the dead, Jesus will personally reign for one thousand years.” Papias, Fragment 6
Irenaeus, AD 180
“The day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed. It is evident, therefore, they will come to an end in the six thousandth year.” Against Heresies 5.28
Justin Martyr, AD Second Century
“There will be a literal one-thousand-year reign of Christ.” Justin Martyr, Dialogue 81
Hippolytus, AD 205
“The Sabbath is a type of the future kingdom…For “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” Since, then, in six days the Lord created all things, it follows that in six thousand years all will be fulfilled.” Fragment 2; Commentary on Daniel 2.4
Commodianus, AD 240
“We will be immortal when the six thousand years are completed.” Against the Gods of the Heathens 35
“Resurrection of the body will be when six thousand years are completed, and after one thousand years (millennial reign), the world will come to an end.” Against the God of the Heathens 80
Victorinus, AD 240
“Satan will be bound until the thousand years are finished; that is, after the sixth day.” Commentary on Revelation 20.1-3
Methodius, AD 290
“In the seventh millennium we will be immortal and truly celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” Ten Virgins 9.1
Lactantius, AD 304
“The sixth thousandth year is not yet complete. When this number is complete, the consummation must take place.” Divine Institutes 7.14
Elijah Prophecies: we have the Jewish perspective
The ancient Jewish historian, Josephus, stated that Elijah ran the school of the prophets and that Elijah’s outline of prophecy was written in what was called the “Epistle of Elijah” which still existed in his day (70 AD). In the Talmud and the commentary, Tanna Debe Eliyyahu, it says that Elijah taught that there would be six thousand years of human history and then the establishment of a one-thousand-year Messianic Kingdom. The six-thousand years would be divided into three ages of two thousand years each. The first age is the “Age of Chaos,” the second is the “Age of Torah,” and the third is the “Messianic Age.” This temporary Messianic age must be the Church Age because what follows is a one-thousand-year Messianic Kingdom.
It is traditional Jewish understanding that the Jewish Messiah would come 4,000 years after the creation of Adam and Eve. Here is such an interesting quote:
“‘The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation; [i.e. no Torah. It is a tradition that Abraham was fifty-two years old when he began to convert men to the worship of the true God; from Adam until then, two thousand years elapsed] two thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era, [i.e. Messiah will come within that period] but through our many iniquities all these years have been lost. [He should have come at the beginning of the last two thousand years; the delay is due to our sins.]'” Talmud in Sanhedrin 97
“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” (Hosea 6:2)
Ancient Book of Enoch
The Holy Spirit inspired Jude to quote Enoch for a reason. It is an ancient book that is believed to have been written approximately 3000 B.C. and kept by Noah. Is not and never was intended as canon, but today many in the church discard the book as a historical reference due to its details on the interactions of the fallen angels with human women resulting in the Nephilim (Genesis 6). The Book of Enoch opens by addressing those in the Tribulation period. It contains numerous prophecies about the flood and fire judgments, and the two comings of the Messiah. It teaches that the Messiah is the Son of God and that He will shed His blood to redeem us, even the exact generation it would occur!
For example, the book prophesies that the Messiah would be in the seventieth generation from Enoch:
“The one who fixes everything will be the seventieth generation not that everything will be accomplished in the seventieth generation.” Enoch 10
And, if you review the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Luke 3:23-38 and count the generations from Enoch forward you will see that He was the 70th generation counted.
Enoch wrote 48 prophecies that were completely fulfilled in both the Old and New Testaments and you can find these easily online. But, in addition he also prophesied in Enoch 91-93 that there would be a total of 7,000 years of history before the earth would end (prior to a “new heaven and a new earth” found in Revelation 21).
“For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” (Psalm 90:4)
“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2nd Peter 3:8)
SO, SINCE CREATION WHERE ARE WE TODAY ON THE CALENDAR?
On September 30 Rosh Hashana celebrated the beginning of the new year of 5780 AM on the Jewish calendar. The many adherents to this calendar may not realize that this year stems from Seder Olam Rabbah, a late Tannaitic work written in 169 A.D. Concurring with rabbinic instruction it is speculated by some that the dates were changed to obfuscate the interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27 which perfectly translates to the date and year of Christ’s crucifixion in 32 A.D. To this day, Jewish rabbis will not share these verses of Daniel or discuss its interpretation.
“AM” means Anno Mundi, or from the first day of Creation. That would mean that Creation began on Saturday evening, October 7, 3761 B.C. and which does not correlate with academic historical dating. There is wide consensus and acceptance that there is a discrepancy based on rabbinic dating of time between the destruction of the First Temple and Second Temple as well dating of certain Persian kings after Cyrus. On average the discrepancy is believed by scholars and academicians to be in the range of 160-240 years.
When will the “sixth day” begin? Twenty- five years ago Christian archaeologist and pastor Dr. Grant Jeffrey, like others at that time, estimated it was calculated to end between 1975 A.D. and 2075 A.D.
However, given the more recent discoveries, the range has now narrowed.
“With the calendars being confused and inaccurate, we can’t say for certain when the year 6,000 will occur. An approximate range would be between the years AD 2030 and 2067, although it could occur even earlier.” Dr. Ken Johnson
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5,6)
Sources: Dr. Ken Johnson, Dr. Grant Jeffrey, Dr. Randall Price