The belief that the seventh millennium will correspond to the
Messianic Age is founded upon a universalized application of the concept of
Shabbat. Based on , one of "God's days" is believed to correspond to 1000 years of normal human existence. Just as (in the Bible) God created the world in six days of work and sanctified the seventh day (Saturday) as a day of rest, it is believed that six millennia of normal life will be followed by one millennium of rest. Just as
Shabbat is the sanctified 'day of rest' and peace, a time representing joyful satisfaction with the labors completed within the previous 6 days, so too the seventh millennium will correspond to a universal 'day of rest' and peace, a time of 'completeness' of the 'work' performed in the previous six millennia. The Talmud also makes parallels between the
Shmita (Sabbatical) year and the seventh millennium: For six millennia the earth will be worked, while during the seventh millennium the world will remain 'fallow'.) during the seventh millennium, suggesting a less positive outcome. The reconciliation between the traditional Judaic age of the world and the current scientifically derived age of the world is beyond the scope of this article, with some taking a literal approach (as with the views of
Young Earth creationism), and others (such as
Gerald Schroeder) an approach conciliatory with secular scientific positions. The Jewish calendar begins with the creation of Adam, not the creation of the universe. ==Sources==