BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD #3

By: Eld. G.T. Haywood

CHAPTER IX

The Dispensation of Mankind Sixth Day of Creation Revealed in Ezekiel’s River and Israel’s Tabernacle

Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Acts 15:18. He hath declared the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, things not yet done, but His counsel shall stand and He will do
all His pleasure, working everything after the counsel of His own will. See Isa. 46:9,10; Eph. 1:11.

A thorough study of the dispensational truth is lightly esteemed by many, yet God has promised “That in the DISPENSATION of the fullness of times” he would gather all things in Christ. Eph. 1:10. Many there are who do not “discern the signs of this time” in which we now live.

A cubit seemed to be the unit of divine measurement, and it is on this unit that the measurements of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness were based and also the measurements of the river in the 47th chapter of
Ezekiel. In these two mysterious records lay hidden the duration of the “sixth day” of Creation.

The waters of the river flowed “from under the threshold of the house eastward.” Adam in Eden was a type, or figure, of Christ. (Rom. 5:14-19.) Adam was the typical house, and door also. By him sin and death
entered into the world. Christ the true House, and Door by which men enter into righteousness and life. Thus the waters (symbolic of the Spirit of God) flowed from Eden “eastward,” that is, toward the rising
Sun, or the birth of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2) who shall yet arise upon Israel (as a nation) with healing in His wings (Hosea 6:1,2).

In the four measurements of the river, a thousand cubits is used each time, and by counting a year to a cubit we have the time of the dispensation from Adam until Christ, four thousand (4,000) years. The
description of the waters or river’s actions and surrounding at the fourth measurement is a wonderful prophetic picture of the operations of the Holy Ghost at the beginning of the Gospel dispensation (see
verses 5 to 12), even until the time of the end. In the day of Christ the Spirit was “without measure”(John 3:34).

The waters (John 7:37-39) flowed down into the desert (Israel) , into the sea (among the gentiles, or nations) and the waters (people, Rev. 17:15) were healed (saved). But the miry places and marshes (the
world) shall not be healed (converted during the Gospel Age). Ezek. 47:8-11. In this we can see that the teaching of “converting the world to Christ” during the Gospel age is false. If the world was to be converted to Christ during the Gospel Dispensation, then the present representatives of Christ have miserably failed.

The “miry places” are yet abounding, but, thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift whereby we are taken “out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay” and placed on the solid Rock, Christ Jesus. (Psa. 40:1-3.)

The Tabernacle Dimensions.

In the Tabernacle of Israel we find the duration of the Gospel dispensation which began at the birth of Christ when the angels first announced the “good news.” Luke 2:10-14. The birth of Christ was the
beginning of the manifestation of God’s Tabernacle, or dwelling place among men. The tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon were only types of the True Tabernacle. (John 2:19-21; Isa.66:1,2.) The Lord of Hosts was destined to become the “true” sanctuary. Isa. 8:13,14.

The dimensions of the sanctuary were 10 cubits high, 10 cubits wide, and 20 cubits long. Multiplying the three dimensions together we have 2,000 cubits. Taking a cubit for a year we have 2,000 years for the
appointed duration of the Gospel age (from the birth of Christ to the millenium). It is in the Gospel age that we have the spirit-filled people as the lights of the world (candle-sticks); the word of God (shewbread); and the prayers of the saints (the altar of incense).

In the Holy of Holies we find that its dimensions being 10 cubits in height, length and breadth, when multiplied together gives exactly 1,000 cubits. From this we glean the duration of God’s kingdom on
earth. The Holy of Holies being four square is typical of the New Jerusalem which is also foursquare and will be the home of the glorified saints during the millenium, while its measurements indicate the years of the millenium.

It is during the millenium, when His kingdom. comes, that His will shall “be done in earth as it is done in heaven.” Then shall there be “Peace on earth and good will toward all men.” The millenium is only a
type of the New Earth period. It’s the seventh period of 1,000 years, while the New Earth is the seventh period of 7,000 years. See chart in front of booklet.

CHAPTER X

The City of Ages to Come

It is during the period of the New Heaven and New Earth that the Holy City, the New Jerusalem descends from God out of heaven and remains in sight of the inhabitants of the new earth, shedding forth such a flood of light and glory that they shall have “no need of sun, neither of the moon,” for the “nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it.” Rev. 21:23,24.

For many days we have wondered about the dimentions of the New Jerusalem, its location, and its glorious beauty as is described in the book of Revelation. John saw it descending from God out of heaven after he had gotten the revelation through the Spirit (see Rev. 1:1; John 4:24) that Jesus was the Almighty God, the Lord which is, which was, and which is to come. And he plainly tells us “I was in the Spirit.” Hence, without the Spirit we can never understand the things that are now being revealed. It is the Spirit that searches the deep things of God. (1 Cor. 2:9,10.)

There are two things necessary to make a city; the people and their houses, or places of abode. The greatness of a city is determined by its inhabitants. The wisdom and intelligence of the people are
displayed upon the magnificence of its buildings. Thus it is with the City of God. Its inhabitants, the Bride of Christ, are filled with wisdom and beauty. And that beauteous grace that is within her (Psa. 45:13) shall be portrayed upon the wall of the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, dwelling in her eternal city. Her light is like unto a STONE most precious. That Precious Stone is Christ (1 Pet. 2:4,6,7.) His life was the “light of men.” (John 1:4.) No mortal mind can comprehend, nor describe in human language the splendor of that city that is now hid away in God. The jasper stone, clesr as crystal, the sapphire, the chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, topaz, beryl and all the precious atones in their most
gloriaus description are but faint comparisons when taken in relation to the glory of the City that is to come. Wonderful things are spoken of thee, O City of God! The wall of the City is of jasper; the City itself is pure gold!

We are told that the city lieth four-square, and the length is as great as the breadth. The thickness of the walls sre given to be 144  cubits, which is equivalent to 218 feet. The city measures twelve thousand (12,000) furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height are equal. There are eight furlongs to a mile. Taking this as a basis we will find that the heighth, length and breadth of the city is 1,500 miles each way. Think of a city with a heighth of 1,500 miles! This city has twelve foundations (floors), each being separated by a distance of 125 miles. There is nothing ssid about elevators, or stair cases there. They have no need for such, for they that dwell therein will be equal unto angels. The second floor would be out of the sight of the natural eye! Each floor, or foundation, bears the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

For a time I had considered the city to be rather small for the saints to dwell in eternally, but when I became awakened to what God had really prepared for them that loved him (John 14:2,3; 1 Cor. 2:9,10),
I was lost with amazement. That you might get a glimpse of the immensity of our heavenly habitation we hereby set forth in figures a slight estimate of its magnitude. Were that city divided into rooms one mile in length, and one mile high and mile long, it would contain three billion, three hundred and seventy-five million rooms (3,375,000,000), each room containing the space of one cubic mile!

One of the most astonishing features about such a place is the time it would require to visit, or go over that city, visiting each room separstely. If we were to besin at the formation of Adam to go through “the city, spending one hour in each room for twenty-four hours a day, at the end of 6,000 years we would only have visited 52,570,560, lesving 3,322,529,440 rooms yet to be gone through! This calculation includes all the leap years that occur in 6,000 years, deducting the century year when there is no leap year.

To bring the calculation down to a smaller point let us give one minute’s time to visit each room of the above dimensions, and at the expiration of 6,000 years one would have visited 3,154,233,600 rooms,
ieaving 210,766,400 rooms yet unentered. By the time one would have completed his circuit and returned to the point from which he had started “old things” will have become “new.” When we carefully consider these things we are struck with astonishment and are compelled to exclaim in the prophetic words of old, “What hath God wrought!”

But shall we stop here? No! Let us look again. To be confined to the city alone would seem to be sufficient to absorb our time throughout eternity. How little could we see in one minute of a room a mile cube! But that is not all, for we are told that there are three gates on the East, on the North, on the West and on the South, so that when we shall have tired beholding the things within the wall thereof, we shall have perfect liberty to soar away through unlimited space and feast on the handiwork of our great God forever and ever, and that throughout ages to come He will continually show unto us the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus our Lord. Eph. 2:7.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

CHAPTER XI

The Age of the Earth.

One of the most interesting subjects, that confronts the scientific world today is the age of the earth in the light of geology. It has been proven that there is not a single scientific error in the order of creation as is recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. In a book entitled “Earth’s Earliest Ages,” the author says, “The first chapter of Genesis, equally with those which follow it, is, in its primary meaning, neither vision nor allegory, but plain history (recorded facts), and must, therefore be accepted as a literal statement of facts.”

In face of these facts there are still those who contend that this chapter should be rejected, because they say it states that the earth was created in six days, that is, about six thousand years ago (in six 24-hour days, by some, and six 1,000-year days by others); while science, they claim, declares that some of the earlier coal-beds must have been in existence; or at least in process of formation, for “millions” of years. One  prominent writer upon the subject said that the earth existed from all eternity.

Setting aside the word of God, the scientists, in their effort to fix the age of our present habitation, have brought forth some estimations which differ to the extent of over nine thousand million years. This
difference in itself shows that they have no basis from which to begin their calculations, and the readers may just as well take one man’s view as another, so far as the accuracy of their ststements are concerned, if we are to depend upon science instead of inspired Holy Scriptures.

Professor Ramsay estimates the earth to be 10,000 million years old; Eugene Dubois, about 1,000 million; Goodchild, 700 million; Sir Charles Lyell, 400 million; Darwin (late), more than 300 million; Sir Oliver Lodge, more than 100 million; Sir George H. Darwin, at least 60 million; Prof. Sollas, about 55 million; Lord Kelvin, about 24 million; Dr. Croll, at most 20 million, and Professor Tait makes it “at most 10 million years.” These estimates are certainly staggering to the ordinary mind.

According to Sir George H. Darwin’s figures (60 million years) each “day” of creation spoken of in the first chapter of Genesis would represent sbout 10 million years. All these speculative views are the results of ignoring the word of God. Through the Revelation of the Ages we have obtained a plan from the Bible which will enable us to give a more reliable estimation of the earth’s age than set forth by the many most eminent scientists.

The Bible does not say that the earth was created six thousand years ago; nor that it was created in six 24-hour days; nor six 1,000-year days as some have supposed. But, instead, God has hidden this secret among the many mysterious feasts, ceremonies, days, months, years and jubilees of Israel. In a close study of the chsrt in the front of this book one may arrive at the age of the earth from a scriptural point of view which will be in perfect harmony with the Scriptures.

According to the word of God this earth is in its forty-first-thousand year. Counting 7,000 years to each Creative day up to the “present age” we have 35,000 years; adding to that the years from Adam to this
present day we have a more accurate estimation of the age of the earth than that which is given by the wise men of today. If God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined into our hearts, and the Spirit that moved upon the face of waters has come upon the sons of men, why should it be thought impossible for these things to be known?

CHAPTER XII

Seven Feasts of Jehovah

The seven Creative Days are shown forth in seven Feasts of Jehovah. Lev. 23rd chapter. The first feast, the Passover, commemorated the deliverance from Egypt, separating the children of “light” from the people of “darkness.” The first Creative day was a separation of light from darkness.

The second feast, Unleavened Bread, solid bread, firm, free from gas caused by leaven. Typical of unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, a sure, solid foundation. The second Creative Day God made the
firmament; began to make into solids the gaseous substance of the former day.

The third feast, waving the First Fruits. The third Creative Day God brought the first emblems of life by creating vegetaiton bearing fruit, and trees bearing fruit after its kind, and its leaves and branches waved their first fruits unto the Lord, for there was no man to till the ground.

The fourth feast, feast of Pentecost, typical of the time when the Holy Ghost would come (Matt. 3:16; Acts. 2:4) making us lights unto the world. (John 9:5; Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:15.) The fourth Creative Day God made the sun, the moon, and stars to give light to the world.

The fifth feast, feast of Trumpets, was the awakening of the people to come forth and offer praise and an offering unto the Lord. The fifth Creative Day God brought forth, for the first time, life that produced
sound by articulation. The songs of the fowls and the voices of monstrous creatures of that prehistoric period was truly a feast to Jehovah, for He enjoys the work of His hands.

The sixth feast, feast of Atonement, was a time of shedding of blood and afflicting the soul. This sixth Creative Day, the period in which we are now living, the 7,000 years from Adam-to the close of the
millenium, has been a day of continual atonement, from the shedding of the blood of the lamb in the garden of Eden to make “coats of skin” for Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21), and the blood of Abel even down until the shedding of the blood of Christ. Afflictions have beset the sons of men throughout their entire “day,” and “in all their afflictions He was afflicted” (Isa. 53:4; 63:9). There has been a stream of blood
from the Garden of Eden to the cross of Calvary, and the blood of Jesus is sufficient to make atonement even until the last enemy is destroyed, which is death.

The seventh feast, the feast of Tabernacles, was celebrated for seven days in the seventh month, and they were to tabernacle in booths to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt. This foreshadowed the
seventh Creative Day which is yet to come, when the “tabernacle of God will be with men” (the righteous). And for seven days (a thousand years to the day, (2 Pet. 3:8) seven thousand years will they rejoice in the presence of God, praising him for delivering them from this curse of sorrow, pain, sin and death.

There are many other things to be gotten from a prayerful and careful study of this subject. There is no end to it. Blessed are all they who read these things and understsnd them.

The children of Israel were forty years in their journey to the land of Rest (Canaan) after God had separated Iarael (light) from Egypt (darkness). In this we see the type of Christ coming in the fortieth-
thousand year from the beginning to bring “rest” to all that labor and are heavy laden.

Jesus is the Lord which was, and is, and is to come. He was Lord in ages past. He is Lord in the present age. And He is Lord of the age that is to come. The Almighty.

Pentecost of fifty days, and Jubilee of fifitieth years, are types of the fulness of time from the beginning of creation until the dawn of eternity when the ffitieth-thousand year will be ushered in at the close of tbe New Heaven and the New Earth period.

That will be a Pentecost of Pentecosts, and a Jubilee of Jubilees. But that time is more than 8,000 years hence. The pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit is only an earnest, or foretaste, of that eternal glory that is yet to come.

(The above material is Par III of G.T. Haywood’s book published in 1923, chapter 9-12.)

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