I didn't realize that other ancient writers had mentioned God's 7,000-year plan. I would rather hear that the kingdom of God was six months away than more than 1,800 years off, but that was the burden of poor old Irenaeus, who wrote about the 7,000-year plan in the second century. Commodianus wrote about it in the third century, and Lactantius in the fourth. All down through the centuries, the 7,000-year plan of God has been known.

The snatching away could still have happened at any time for Pauline saints through the centuries because, even though we know our presence keeps the man of lawlessness at bay and thereafter the day of the Lord, no one knew how MUCH time would elapse between these events. Now we know: very little.

I will speak more on this fascinating and encouraging theme next week after the conference.