Sometimes, people work hard to find some rationale for their conclusions. One fallacious reasoning that attempts to discredit the obvious application of time statements in the New Testament is to suggest that time is impervious to God. “One day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” It is true that an eternal God is not limited by time as human beings. Time statements found in the NT were not written to or for Almighty God, who is not measured by time and space. But, we are not God and our earthly life is measured by time. For example, James tells us that “life is like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:4). Since we cannot apply that statement to God who has no beginning or ending, should we then not apply it to the human race because “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” The logic of God’s timelessness does not void His own references of time for us. The promises and the signs of Christ’s coming were not given for God’s benefit. They were given for man’s benefit. The signs were physical, observable events to measure the impending nature of their fulfillment. They were given to humans to know that the time of fulfillment was near, to offer a sense of urgency, and to give encouragement to hold out in their persecutions.
A similar thought was expressed by David in Psalms 90:4, which reads,
“For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or as a watch in the night.”
Peter explained that the reason Christ hadn’t come was not because He was slack concerning His promise but because he’s longsuffering, giving time for people to repent. (cf. Rom. 2:4). This makes no sense if God expects the human race to measure one day as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
It’s high time someone sets the record straight when some preacher reiterates this common passage to dismiss clear references to time.