God’s Timetable. Appendix A1.

Pictorial timeline

This is a pictorial summary of God’s timetable for mankind where each millennium since Adam is compared with the days of creation. It’s good to check here as you move through the more detailed explanations. Even by itself, this establishes a compelling comparison between the Genesis 1 account and 6, even 8 millennia of man’s history. This summary reveals the timetable God is working to.

The format of each day

Images of the things created each day are shown along with key players and events for the corresponding millennium. I also highlight the two halves of each millennium, typically from 400 to 600 years long, that might correspond to the two halves of each day defined by day/evening and night/morning. Look for the ticks that suggest what God saw as good. The chapters on “God’s timetable” have many more details about: the symbols; the food allocation; dry land and water; the blessings; the separation/judgement; and the things created and made.

Day 1

Darkness was over the surface of the deep and God said, “Let there be light.”

• The light was Adam, a perfect creation (Matthew 4:16).
• Darkness is sin and death, which is the consequence of sin.
• Separation is God’s judgement of Adam’s sin.
• The water is man spreading out over the face of the earth, living in darkness.

Day 2

God separated the waters above from the waters below to make the expanse.

• The flood – it rained 40 days and nights and the sea rose up.
• Waters below – all the Gentile nations were created by the scattering.
• Waters above – the Holy Spirit lifts off mankind.
• Separation results from two judgements against mankind in this millennium. No tick!

Day 3

Let the waters below be gathered together to reveal dry land.
Let the earth bring forth vegetation.

• The dry land is the descendants of Abraham – the Israelite nation is raised up from the sea of Gentile nations.
• The plants and trees also point to Israel, planted in the Promised Land.
• The seed and fruit is the Word of God and Worship of God entrusted to Israel.
• There is no separation (judgement) because Abraham’s descendants were to be a blessing to all mankind.

Day 4

God makes the sun, the moon and the stars to rule over day and night.

• The sun, the moon and the stars are David, Solomon and other kings.
• Separation is the judgement against Solomon that split the kingdom.
• Some timelines have David’s reign starting at 1010 BC.
  See timeline comparison points 1 and 4 in Appendix A2.

Day 5

God creates the sea monsters, the fish and the birds.

• The great sea monster (or ancient serpent or dragon) is Satan. No blessing.
• The fish are disciples of Jesus – those that have heard and accepted the Gospel. Their blessing is to be fruitful and multiply. Water speaks of the spirit, baptism, forgiveness and the Church, mainly in the Gentile nations.
• The birds are demons under the “ruler of the power of the air”, Satan. They also represent people that have not yet heard the Gospel and are still under Satan. Their blessing is just to multiply.
• No separation/judgement because Jesus has borne our sin on the Cross!

Day 6

God makes beasts (wild animals), cattle and crawling things. Then God creates man in His image.

• The beasts, cattle and crawling things are people groups who have turned away from the Gospel. See the parable of the sower. No blessing, no seed, no fruit.
• Man in God’s image is the revived Church. Because man is on land it also speaks of Israel being restored.
• Man’s blessings are to have dominion, to be fruitful, and to multiply – the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.
• Only man gets the fruit and seed – the Word of God and Worship of the one true God.
• Male and female – the bridegroom and the bride.
• The “very good” speaks of completion and readiness of the bride for Jesus’ return. Perhaps also the double outpouring of God’s spirit.
• By the end of this millennium the Gospel is preached to the whole world so the only groups left are the bride, who accepted Jesus, and the animals that have rejected Jesus.
• At the end of this millennium the ultimate Beast of the Earth, the anti-Christ, and the ultimate man in God’s image, Jesus, will be revealed.
• No separation – it’s your choice to reject or accept Jesus!

Day 7

God rested from all the work of creation.

• Now God rests in heaven with Jesus fully in charge (Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 20:1-7, Micah 4:1-3).
• His enemies have now been made a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 10:12-13, Psalm 110:1).

Day 8

In Genesis 2:4, after He rested, God declares a second account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. God walks with man in the Garden of Eden.

• This is the new heaven and new earth after Jesus rules and reigns.
• The Paradise of the Garden of Eden becomes the Paradise of God’s heaven and the New Jerusalem.
• The four rivers that probably fenced off the garden are now the four jewelled walls around the New Jerusalem.
• The river flowing from the garden is now the river of life flowing from the throne of God.
• The Tree of Life is now in Heaven.
• Adam walked with God in the garden. In Heaven, God will again be with man.
• As Eve was created for Adam, so God has created the bride for Jesus.
• As Eve came from Adam’s side, so on the Cross, the blood and water that poured out from Jesus’ side has redeemed his bride.
• The snake, Satan, has been thrown into the Lake of Fire.
• The eternal separation of Heaven and the Lake of Fire is judgement, but it is your choice where you end up!