A FRAMEWORK FOR BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY

 

by Noel Rude

 

This year (2007-2008) equals the Jewish year 5768.  This approach reckons from the creation of Adam, and according to it there are yet 232 years to the close of the sixth millennium.  In Usher’s chronology Adam was created in 4004 BCE, which would mean that the six thousand years ended in the autumn of 1997.  If Usher was right then the prediction has failed that Messiah returns before the end of the sixth millennium (just as Adam and Eve were enthroned over the creation before the end of the sixth day).  But if the Jewish reckoning is correct, then the Messiah may very well not come in this or the next generation.

 

Though meticulous and informed by rabbinical and New Testament considerations, Usher’s chronology needs updated in light of subsequent findings.  Rabbinical sources predict that the first messiah should have come at the beginning of the 5th millennium, which according to the Jewish reckoning didn’t begin until 239 CE.  Therefore Jesus was a couple centuries too early to have been the messiah, and therefore it too may need adjusted.

 

What I propose here is an alternative model that is sensitive to all information available today (historical, rabbinical, archaeological) and that also looks for pattern and beauty.  Biblical studies are so jaded from the reigning materialism that to suggest that beauty be used as a guide to truth sounds ridiculous.  Still, if beauty is a principle guide to truth in physics, why not in biblical interpretation?  Consider this from David Gelernter (1997):

 

The sense of beauty is a tuning fork in the brain that hums when we stumble on something beautiful. We enjoy the resonant hum and seek it out. And when we return numb and weary from a round of shoveling the grim gray snow of life, beauty is the hearth, beauty’s the fire, beauty’s the cup of coffee (the fragrance, the saucer’s clink, the curl of cream) that makes the whole business seem almost worthwhile. Strangely enough, beauty is also a truth-and-rightness meter, and science and technology could not exist without it. Its tuning-fork hum guides scientists toward truth and technologists toward stronger and more useful machines. It leads the way forward.

There is the ever-present danger when you discuss beauty in science, mathematics, and technology that readers will assume the word is being used metaphorically. Could a mathematical proof, scientific theory, or piece of software be beautiful in the real, literal way that a painting or symphony or rose can be beautiful?

Yes.

 

Now the chronology of the Bible is pretty straightforward except for three places.  It is not clear in what year of his father Terah that Abraham was born, it is not clear where to begin the 430 years given in Exodus 12:40-41, and thirdly the chronology of the kings of Judah and Israel is complex and controversial.  I start with three assumptions:

 

ό       Abraham departed Harran (when he was 75 – Genesis 12:4) at the death of his father;

 

ό       The 430 years in Exodus 12:40-41 began with the birth of Isaac;

 

ό       The chronology of the kings of Israel and Judah as worked out by Edwin Thiele (1951) and Gershon Galil (1996) are basically correct (within a very few years at least).

 

The Assumptions

 

The first assumption is based on Acts 7:4—

 

Then came he [Abraham] out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. [1]

 

And according to this reckoning we find that the Covenant of Circumcision came in the 43rd jubilee of Adam:

 

 

———————— 43 jubilee cycles ————————

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

— 1656 years —

— 427 years —

— 24 years —

—— 1 year ——

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Adam created

 

1656

Flood

Genesis 5:1-32

2083

Death of Terah

Abraham departs Harran

Genesis 11:10-32

2107

Passover

Covenant of Circumcision

Genesis 17:1-27

2108

Passover

Isaac born

Genesis 21:5
                   

 

The second assumption—that the 430 years begin with the birth of Isaac—is based on Galatians 3:16-17:

 

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

 

Abraham’s singular seed, of course, was Isaac, which Paul is here presenting as a type of Messiah or second Adam. Exodus is not particularly clear as to when to begin the 430 years, except that the Passover is the exact anniversary of some event 430 years before (Ex 12:41):

 

וַיְהִי

And it came to pass

מִקֵּץ שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה

At the end of the four hundred and thirty years,

וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

even the selfsame day it came to pass,

יָצְאוּ כָּל־צִבְאוֹת יהוה

That all the hosts of the LORD went out

מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃

From the land of Egypt.

 

The one event in Genesis that is emphasized as occurring at a set time is the birth of Isaac.  It was to occur ‘according to the time of life’ (Gen 18:10):

 

וַיֹּאמֶר

And he [God] said,

שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶי

I will certainly return unto thee

כָּעֵת חַיָּה

According to the time of life;

וְהִנֵּה־בֵן לְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּ

and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.

 

And it was prophesied to occur ‘at the time appointed’ (Gen 18:14):

 

הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵיהוה דָּבָר

Is any thing too hard for the LORD?

לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶי

At the time appointed I will return unto thee,

כָּעֵת חַיָּה וּלְשָׂרָה בֵן׃

According to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

 

And when the prophecy was fulfilled the precision of the time is emphasized (Gen 21:2):

 

וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה לְאַבְרָהָם

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham

בֵּן לִזְקֻנָיו

a son in his old age,

לַמּוֹעֵד

at the set time

אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים׃

of which God had spoken to him.

 

The rabbinical approach begins the 430 years at the Covenant between the Parts (Gen 15:7-21).[2]  Nevertheless it is also understood that Isaac was born on Passover, as in Rashi to Gen 18:10—

 

כָּעֵת חַיָּה.

“according to the time of life”.

כָּעֵת הַזֹּאת לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה,

According to this time next year,

וּפֶסַח הָיָה,

and it was Passover,

וּלְפֶסַח הַבָּא נוֹלַד יִצְחָק

and at the following Passover Isaac was born

מִדְּלֹא קָרִינָן כְּעֵת אֶלָּא כָּעֵת׃

because it is not written at a time but at the time:

כָּעֵת חַיָּה.

“according to the time of life”.

 

Beginning the 430 years at the birth of Isaac (as indicated in Gal 3:16-17) provides a pattern where there are 43 jubilee (49 year) cycles from the creation of Adam to the year of the miraculous birth of Isaac (a type of the 2nd Adam) is followed by 43 decades.[3]

 

 

—————— 43 jubilee cycles ——————

 

– 430 years –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– 1656 years –

– 427 years –

— 24 years —

— 1 year —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Adam

created

 

1656

Flood

Gen 5:1-32

2083

Death of Terah

Abraham departs Harran

Gen 11:10-32

2107

Passover

Covenant of Circumcision

Gen 17:1-27

2108

Passover

Isaac born

Gen 21:5

2538

Passover

Exodus from Egypt

Ex 12:40-41
                       

 

The number 43 seems to separate times of exile and redemption (and vice versa), as in the following:

 

ό      The 1290 days in Daniel 12:11 equal 43 prophetic months

 

ό      The 2nd temple was destroyed 43 years after the beginning of Messiah’s ministry

 

ό      Messiah ascended to heaven 43 days after his death

 

We now observe another pattern of jubilee cycles emerging—this one terminating in the Exodus.

 

 

————————————— 47 jubilee cycles —————————————

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

————————— 20 jubilee cycles —————————

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

———— 18 jubilee cycles ————

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

­–10 jubilee cycles–

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

235

Enosh born

1558

Shem born

1656

Flood

2048

Abraham

40 years old

2538

Exodus
                   

 

The idea that biblical chronology should be organized within 49 year cycles is old, dating at least to the 2nd century BCE Book of Jubilees.  Thus where Genesis has (Gen 5:5), “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died”, Jubilees 4:29[4] has,

 

And at the close of the nineteenth jubilee, in the seventh week in the sixth year thereof, Adam died, and all his sons buried him in the land of his creation, and he was the first to be buried in the earth.

 

In our quest for pattern we found that Isaac, the messianic type, was miraculously conceived in the 43rd jubilee of Adam.  Now we see jubilee patterns beginning with Enosh who receives special mention in Genesis 4:26—

 

וּלְשֵׁת גַּם־הוּא יֻלַּד־בֵּן

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son;

וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ אֱנוֹשׁ

and he called his name Enosh:

אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יהוה׃

then it was begun to call upon the name of the LORD.[5]

 

Both Adam (אָדָם) and Enosh (אֱנוֹשׁ) are generic words for ‘human’—the latter especially ‘man’ in his frailty and ignorance, as in Psalms 9:20—

 

כ  קוּמָה יהוה

19 Arise, O LORD;

אַל־יָעֹז אֱנוֹשׁ   

let not man prevail:

יִשָּׁפְטוּ גוֹיִם עַל־פָּנֶי׃

let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

שִׁיתָה יהוה מוֹרָה לָהֶם   

20 Put them in fear, O LORD:

כא  יֵדְעוּ גוֹיִם אֱנוֹשׁ הֵמָּה סֶּלָה׃

that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

 

And as in Psalms 103:

 

יד  כִּי־הוּא יָדַע יִצְרֵנוּ     

14 For he knoweth our frame;

זָכוּר כִּי־עָפָר אֲנָחְנוּ׃

he remembereth that we are dust.

טו  אֱנוֹשׁ כֶּחָצִיר יָמָיו     

15 As for man, his days are as grass:

כְּצִיץ הַשָּׂדֶה כֵּן יָצִיץ׃

as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

טז  כִּי רוּחַ עָבְרָה־בּוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;

וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶנּוּ עוֹד מְקוֹמוֹ׃

and the place thereof shall know it no more.

 

And as in Job 28:

 

יב  וְהַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא   

12 But where shall wisdom be found?

וְאֵי זֶה מְקוֹם בִּינָה׃

and where is the place of understanding?

יג  לֹא־יָדַע אֱנוֹשׁ עֶרְכָּהּ

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof;

וְלֹא תִמָּצֵא בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים׃

neither is it found in the land of the living.

יד  תְּהוֹם אָמַר לֹא בִי־הִיא   

14 The depth saith, It is not in me:

וְיָם אָמַר אֵין עִמָּדִי׃

and the sea saith, It is not with me.

 

Also Adam (אָדָם) and Enosh (אֱנוֹשׁ) occur together in parallel, as in Isaiah 56:2—

 

אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יַעֲשֶׂה־זֹּאת

Blessed is the man that doeth this,

וּבֶן־אָדָם יַחֲזִיק בָּהּ

and the son of man that layeth hold on it;

שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ

that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it,

וְשֹׁמֵר יָדוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כָּל־רָע׃

and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

 

And as in Psalms 8:5[4]—

 

מָה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי־תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ 

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

וּבֶן־אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ׃

and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

 

And as in Psalms 90:

 

ג  תָּשֵׁב אֱנוֹשׁ עַד־דַּכָּא      

3 Thou turnest man to destruction;

וַתֹּאמֶר

and sayest,

שׁוּבוּ בְנֵי־אָדָם׃

Return, ye children of men.

ד  כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶי

4 For a thousand years in thy sight

כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל

are but as yesterday

כִּי יַעֲבֹר

when it is past,

וְאַשְׁמוּרָה    בַלָּיְלָה׃

and as a watch in the night.

 

The order of Psalms 8 is reversed in Psalms 144:3—

 

ג  יהוה מָה־אָדָם וַתֵּדָעֵהוּ

LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him!

בֶּן־אֱנוֹשׁ וַתְּחַשְּׁבֵהוּ׃

or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

 

Bullinger’s Two Assumptions

 

Moving on from the Exodus the key scripture is 1Kings 6:1—[6]

 

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif [זִו], which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

 

The temple was seven years in building (1Kings 6:37-38):

 

In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif [זִו]: And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul [בּוּל], which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

 

This, then, expands our chronology to the year of Adam 3025:

 

 

– 43 jubilees –

— 1 year —

– 430 years –

– 480 years –

— 7 years —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Adam

created

 

2107

Passover

Covenant of Circumcision

Gen 17:1-27

2108

Passover

Isaac born

Gen 21:5

2538

Passover

Exodus from Egypt

Ex 12:40-41

3018

Iyar (Zif)

4th year of Solomon.

He began to build temple

1Kings 6:1

3025[7]

Heshvan (Bul)

11th year of Solomon.

The temple was finished.

1Kings 6:37-38
                       

 

When was the temple dedicated?  That it was more than a year later we learn from 1Kings 8:2—“And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.”  Bullinger (1921) suggests it took was three years “at least for the furnishing and ending of all the work (1 Kings 7:13-51)”:

 

For in 1 Kings 8:2 it was dedicated in the seventh month, though it was finished in the eighth month. Therefore it could not have been the same year; and it may well have required three years for the completion of all the interior work described in 1 Kings 7:13-51.

 

And if we perceive beauty as a reliable guide to the truth, we will notice with Bullinger that 70 weeks (שְׁמִטָּה) separates the Dedication from the Exodus:

 

 

————————————— 70 weeks —————————————

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—— 480 years ——

——— 7 years ———

——— 3 years? ———

 

 

 

 

 

 

2538

Passover

Exodus from Egypt

Ex 12:40-41

3018

Iyar (Zif)

4th year of Solomon

He began to build temple

1Kings 6:1

3025

Heshvan (Bul)

11th year of Solomon

The temple was finished.

1Kings 6:37-38

3032

Tishri (Ethanim)

14th year of Solomon?

Dedication of the Temple

1Kings 8:2
               

 

Bullinger (1921) also suggests:[8]

 

Thirty jubilees bring us from the Exodus to the opening of Christ’s ministry, when, opening Isaiah 61:2, he proclaimed ‘the acceptable year of the Lord’ in a seven-fold prophecy (see Luke 4:18-21).

 

If the Exodus occurred in the year 2538 of Adam (1656 + 427 + 25 + 430), then (as we saw above) a search for pattern shows the Exodus to have occurred in the 18th jubilee of the Flood, the 20th jubilee of the birth of Shem, and the 47th jubilee of the birth of Enosh.  These numbers aren’t very interesting (the Exodus is bound to be a jubilee of a couple of datable events in Genesis), but when we consider Bullinger’s intuition that Messiah’s ministry began in the 30th jubilee of the Exodus, then there emerges an interesting pattern of jubilees beginning with Enosh that point to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry:

 

 

——————————————77 jubilee cycles—————————————