The Open Scroll - The Night Watches

The Night Watches

By Bob Schlenker  (Prints about 6 pages)




Though there is much yet to be learned about the matters of timing, I will share with you what I have come to believe is the general schedule of events facing the world as this age is brought to fullness. Some of you will dismiss it, many more will scoff and mock. We shall see what The Revealer of Secrets prospers and what he does not with regard to promotion at this late hour. This matter is in his hands now as ever.
The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?  Luke 12:42
Is there no faithful and wise manager to be found? How then shall the Master's servants receive their food allowance at the proper time? If I am not faithful and wise, will there not be another or others? Watch. Watch. Watch.

I call this article The Night Watches because it is such an appropriate symbol of the subject of this study. It is used in such scriptures as Psalm 90:4 and Lamentations 2:19. It might equally as well be called "The Famine Week."
He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? Luke 12:54-56

Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.  Amos 3:7
How are we expected to know how to interpret this present time if the Lord doesn't reveal what has been kept secret? We are no smarter than those who have gone before us. Obviously, his secrets must always be intended to be revealed to the appropriate people at the appropriate time. This is the reason we are to watch and pray, and to stay awake and sober.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.  1 Thessalonians 5:4
I find it helpful to have a little visual aid when chronology is the topic, so here's some charts.





A Brief Overview

The so-called Six Day Theory may be more accurately called a seven day model. There are seven millennia appointed for this construct we call time to endure. Six have passed and one remains. The pattern of the seventh 1000 year long "day" is according to the pattern of days established during the creation week. Just as on each of the six there was evening, and there was morning--the first, second, third... day, so shall the seventh begin with the evening. This seventh day is also called the Day of the Lord. Prophecies about this day include both an terrible time likened to the evening and a wonderful time likened to the morning. The evening comes first.

The evening opening the seventh millennial day is the dark time that may be known as the Night Watches, or, the Famine week. Some erroneously refer to this this period as The Tribulation, but this is not strictly accurate according to the scriptural usage. The seven years just prior to the famine week may be known as the Abundance week. The Abundance week of years roughly closes the sixth millennium and the Famine week opens the seventh, with a slight offset of one year. Let me explain.

In the full seven thousand years of time, there will be exactly 1000 Sabbatical cycles. The two seven year cycles that comprise the Abundance / Famine weeks coincide with the Sabbatical cycle established from the beginning. The beginning of the count of millennial weeks is the very same day as the beginning of the count of the year weeks, a fact wich is almost too simple and obvious, but must be stated nonetheless. Simple calculations reveal that each thousand year millennium has 142 and 6/7th Sabbatical cycles - one short of 143 full and complete cycles. Six thousand years has 6000/7 or 857 1/7 Sabbatical cycles. Thus, the conclusion of the sixth millennium coincides with the end of the first year of a Sabbatical cycle.

The basis for this very important 14 year model I've proposed is established in Genesis 41:1-32. A dream given to Pharaoh of Egypt was interpreted by Joseph son of Jacob/Israel. This was its meaning.
Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.  Genesis 41:29-30
The passage continues on to reveal a detailed type, a pattern that teaches us about Y'shua through the record of Joseph's life. His first advent is shown in detail as well as his second.

Rav Sheva - The Great Seven

For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.  Psalms 90:4
There is an equidistant letter skip code (20 character interval) in the above verse -  "rav sheva," meaning, the great seven. The great seven are the three kinds of "sevens" or "weeks" that fit the same pattern. The Millennial week is patterned after the Creation week, likewise the Famine week. This fact is a valuable key the Lord has provided to unlock the sequence of the various events and to understand his great plan, as documented in The Master Overlay of Weeks . Since the creation week as well as six thousand years of history are behind us and we have the necessary account of them in the holy scriptures, a (holy spirit led) comparison of times and events helps us to piece together the chronology puzzle.

Three Calendars

Years are accounted differently according to different calendars. I account the years elapsed from Creation (From Adam, or FA) as beginning on Tishri 1, same as the Jewish Civil Calendar. The Gentile Calendar is accounted from January 1.

Proceed to the Chronology Table of Documentation