9
abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years. And there
must be tranquility and rest from the labors it now has long endured.
12
This statement by Lactantius is significant in that he not only discerns a seven
thousand year history of the earth, but gives Psalm 90 as the scriptural basis for the belief.
The question is whether Moses intended Psalm 90 verse 4 to be understood in this way.
The quotes of these fathers concerning the "one day is as a thousand years" actually is
closer to a New Testament passage, 2 Peter 3:8. For this scripture, there is indeed both an
origins context and an eschatological context. So, although Lactantius is almost certainly
referring to Psalm 90, it is more likely that the more common referent among those who
held the day/millennium position was 2 Peter 3:8.
13
The review above shows that these teachers of the church believed in a fixed
period of time allotted for the earths history. Some took this to be six thousand, others
seven thousand years long. For others, it is uncertain which of these they preferred. Also
uncertain is the exact nature what would follow the initial period of six thousand years.
What is important at the present moment is to recognize that they all held to belief that
the history of the world parallels the six day creation of the earth.
While it is appears that a number of the church fathers held the day/millennium
view, they likewise acknowledged that theirs was not the only view.
14
In one place,
writing of Isaiahs classic description of the lion lying down with the lamb (Isaiah 11),
Irenaeus acknowledges "that some persons endeavor to refer these words to the case of
12
Ante-Nicene Fathers, The Divine Institutes. Vol.7, 211.
13
Someone might then ask whether Peter was thinking of Psalm 90 when he
wrote chapter 3 verse 8. In light of his exhortation to his readers to live worthy lives in
light of eternal realities, and the thrust of Psalm 90, an affirmative answer is reasonable.
14
Many other references to the idea can be found, but not all are clearly speaking
of an application to chiliasm. Therefore, only those which are beyond dispute have been
mentioned.