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The Kingdom of Israel
John Shepard
April 8, 2002
Cyprian
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The purpose of this article is to show the end-time viewpoint in the writing of Cyprian who wrote around 258 A.D.
Bishop and martyr. Of the date of the saint's birth and of his early life nothing is known. At the time of his conversion to Christianity he had, perhaps, passed middle life. His baptism probably took place about 246 A.D., presumably on Easter eve, 18 April.
Cyprian [200-258 A.D.] was the Overseer of the church in Carthage, North Africa, during a period of fierce persecution. After many years of persecution during which the church existed underground he was captured and executed by the Romans.
Probably believed in a 1,000 year millennium. However, he made two serious mistakes: (1) refers to 6,000 years of human history and (2) believed that the end of the world would come soon (which it didn't).
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Cyprian
The Treatises of Cyprian
Treatise XI — Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus.
Chapter 2
It is an ancient adversary and an old enemy with whom we wage our battle: six thousand years are now nearly completed since the devil first attacked man.
Chapter 10
. . . as the first seven days in the divine plan containing seven thousand years.
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- He subscribes to the idea that the days of creation correspond to the total age of the creation.
- He mistakenly thinks that the end of the 6,000 years will occur soon it continues for at least 1,700 more years
- This passage assumes that human history will last exactly 6,000 years. This is false for two reasons:
(1) 6,000 years from 4,004 B.C. (Bishop Ussher's date and the earliest date anyone has ever proposed for the creation of Adam) plus 6,000 years results in the date 1997 A.D (using the solar year) or the early 1900's (using the lunar year of 360 days which is the year usually used for prophetic analysis). Most young-earth proponents usually allow for a date of 10,000 to 15,000 B.C. for the creation of Adam which makes the problem even worse.
(2) The scientific evidence testifies that the earth and the universe are very old. In this case Adam was created somewhere between 30,000 and 60,000 B.C.
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© Copyright 2007 by John Shepard
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