One Day Is Like One Thousand Years

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

This text has been used to wrongly interpret scripture. Some people have concluded that the seven days creation actually took seven thousand years because one day is equal to a thousand years. One day is like one thousand years!

To resolve the problem this text creates, we begin with the words used and not used. The text has not said that one day is equal to one thousand years. The text has not said that one day is one thousand years. The text has said, “is like.” One day is like one thousand years!

“Is like,” means it is not. One day is not but is like a thousand years. “Is like,” carries uncertainty. One day can be equal to anything and for now, we equate it to one thousand years. “Is like,” is like saying let as assume or for now, just now consider it like this. The text does not carry the finality that one day is equal to one thousand years. To say that the text tells us that a day is equal to a thousand years is to read our own meaning into the text (eisegesis) instead of deriving meaning out of the text (exegesis). Eisegesis is forcing the Bible to say what you want to hear, instead of coming with an open mind ready to learn what the Bible says to you. One day is like one thousand years!

The Apostle again reverses the statement by telling us that, one thousand years can also seem like a single day to our God. The point is therefore in perception and not in equating. This should not and cannot be used in interpreting time in the Bible. The challenge would be, when do you convert a thousand into a day and when do you convert a day into a thousand. Therefore clearly this was not intended as a key for interpretation.

Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 carry the command to interpret one day as equal to one year. That is why this has been used to interpret prophetic days in the books of Daniel and Revelation. However, the one day to a thousand years does not read as an interpretation key and should not be used anywhere for interpreting time in the Bible, but for only appreciating that God perceives differently.

Apostle Peter is responding to what scoffers were telling the church. 2 Peter 3:3-4, scoffers are challenging the church to explain why Jesus has not returned yet He promised to return soon. Peter responds by telling the scoffers and the church that, God does not perceive time the way we perceive time. Where you think He has delayed He has not. While you see one day as short, for God it can be as long as a thousand years. Where human beings see one thousand years as too long, God sees it as a day. The emphasis is that we do not see things the same way as God. Therefore what we call delay, is only delay from our limited perception, but from the divine perception, we are right on time. It is in this response and in this context that Peter makes this very statement. One day is like one thousand years!

Peter was actually citing Psalm 90:4 where the psalmist is talking about the brevity of human life. The psalmist tells us we can’t compare ourselves with God, because God’s perception of time significantly differs from ours. A whole a thousand years in God’s sight are but like just a single day. The emphasis is God’s perception differs from ours. The Bible has not said that we should now interpret one day to be equal to one thousand years, no that is totally wrong. One day is like one thousand years!

As we deal with God and we must relate with God, we must always be conscious that His perception significantly differs from ours. We must not think delay, for He doesn’t delay, He sees differently and acts on time. If God sees differently we pray for patience and faith when we think He has delayed. When we think He has delayed providing the money we prayed for. When we think He has delayed answering our prayers. When we think He has delayed facilitating our singleness into marriage. When we think He has delayed healing. When we think He has delayed providing fees to get us out of school. When we think He has delayed to get us a job, or another job or a better job. When we think He has delayed killing or punishing people who hurt us. When we think He has delayed resolving a crime that cost us.

During such times of potentially misunderstanding God as not caring. During such times of uneasy discomfort. During such times when we can easily doubt the love of God. During such times of anxiety. We need to remember that God perceives everything including times, in a very different way. There is no delay with God, He is always on time. God is never late nor delayed. He only sees and acts differently. That is why the psalmist and Peter remind us how God perceives time differently from us. One day is like one thousand years!

Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us that God’s ways and thoughts are significantly different from our own. God doesn’t see as we do. God doesn’t think as we do. God is not limited as we are. We should not, therefore, limit God or worry that He will fail and delay. His perception is totally different from ours. One day is like one thousand years!

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God seems to delay but it is in our interest. When God seems to delay, we may not understand but He does it for our own benefit. The seeming delay favors us. Jesus would have long returned but the church was not ready and if Jesus had returned many would forever get lost. Therefore He seems to delay, yet He is lovingly doing it in our favor. Your perception is a delay, His perception is lovingly waiting. Any seeming delay is in our favor, believe it by faith!

The delay to get a job will eventually be a blessing to you. In anger of delay, you may start a business that will eventually give you more income than the job you now want. The delay to get married will eventually be a blessing to you. The wrong people you are eyeing will get married and you will remain with the right person, you now refuse to see and appreciate. The delay to visit Lazarus while sick brought death, but after death was greater much more memorable event of being raised from the dead. Any seeming divine delay is in our favor. God will never be late or delay us. God is in charge of time, He can extend it, stretch it, or shorten it. There is no delay where God is involved.

This passage was given in response to those who felt that God was delaying to fulfill His promise. We still feel the same way too even today. May we be reminded that God does not delay, instead He acts in our favor. God’s perception of things is better than our perception. Out of this delay or unanswered prayer, there will be a huge blessing from God, bigger than the present pain. May it be so, in Jesus’ name, Amen!