Dates: Historical and Anniversaries  

Important dates for Jewish people are:  (Also see symbolic meaning of numbers.)

• The Belfour Declaration on November 2, 1917 and subsequent events that made Israeli statehood possible, such as:  the end of World War I in 1918 and the treaty of Versailles June 28, 1919.
• An independent Jewish state was endorsed by the United Nations in November of 1947 (30 years after the Belfour Declaration) and statehood proclaimed on May 14, 1948.
• After the 6-day war (June 5-10, 1967), the eastern part of Jerusalem was under Israeli control (20 years after statehood and 50 years after the Belfour Declaration).
• 1997 and 2007 (30 and 40 years after the 6-day war) are likely to be seen by historians as important dates.  It is not unusual at all for a date to seem uneventful at the time, but later to be recognized as an important pivotal date in history.
• If 2007 is later recognized as a pivotal generational change in Israel's view of Jerusalem, then 2027 (age of responsibility) and 2037 (age of maturity) are likely to be key dates as well.  2037 would also be 120 years after the Belfour Declaration (maximum life span on earth - Genesis 6:3).  
• Note: other dates maybe significant also.

Important dates for Christians are the birth of Jesus, Jesus at the temple, Jesus starts his ministry, Jesus' death & resurrection, and Jesus ascending into heaven.  Over 500 years after the birth of Jesus a monk developed a Christian calendar.  Later it was determined the monk had made an error in placing the birth of Jesus, so Jesus was actually born approximately 4 BC.  Early in the Christian Era some theologians expected a new era to begin about 2000 years later.

• 2000 years after the birth of Jesus would be approximately 1996.  If a new era was born in 1996, there is a good chance that very few people recognized that date as being important at the time it happened.  There is a good chance that only historians will be able to point to the date of the birth of a new era!  Re-read the birth of Jesus in the Gospels.  Only a few people recognized Jesus birth as an important event - at the time of his birth! 
• At 12 years of age, Jesus' parents search for Jesus and find him in the temple.  2000 years later will be approximately 2008.  Will that date be significant?  Will God's people, searching for a Messiah, find him on that date?
• Jesus starts his ministry at approximately 30 years of age.  2000 years later will be approximately 2026.  Will the public ministry of the new era begin on that date?
• Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension happened at approximately 33 years of age.  2000 years later will be approximately 2029.  Will large numbers of God's people ascend to a new era on that date? 

Re-read the New Testament again!  Most people misunderstood the significance of Jesus.  Will most of us misunderstand the significance of a new era also?

Note: see the November 2007 addendum on the sixth seal.