IN THE BEGINNING, BC 4004
Period 1: From Adam to the Flood
Adam was 130 years old when he begat Seth.
Seth was 105 years old when he begat Enos.
Enos was 90 years old when he begat Cainan.
Cainan was 70 years old when he begat Mahalaleel.
Mahalaleel was 65 years old when he begat Jared.
Jared was 162 years old when he begat Enoch.
Enoch was 65 years old when he begat Methuselah.
Methuselah was 187 years old when he begat Lamech.
Lamech was 182 years old when he begets Noah.
The flood came when Noah was 600 years old.
COMMENT: The time of birth from Adam to Noah took place in the same month. The timing of birth followed the course of nature before the Flood. Hence, God did not need to provide additional details on months and dates for cross-referencing purposes as He did in later periods. “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD” -Jeramiah 8:7. Many of the animals are still in tune with nature to this day, they give birth at the same time year after year.
Total years: 1656
Source: Genesis 5, Genesis 7:6
Period 2: From the flood to the birth of Abraham
Shem begat Arphaxad 2 years after the flood.
Arphaxad was 35 years old when he begat Salah.
Salah was 30 years old when he begat Eber.
Eber was 34 years old when he begat Peleg.
Peleg was 30 years old when he begat Reu.
Reu was 32 years old when he begat Serug.
Serug was 30 years old when he begat Nahor.
Nahor was 29 years old when he begat Terah.
Terah was 130 years old when he begat Abram.
Total years: 352
Source: Genesis 11, Genesis 12:1,4, Acts 7:4
COMMENT: Terah was 70 years old when he begat his first child. “And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” - Gen 11:26. (Although Abram is listed first in this verse, his placement is not based on birth order but rather on his importance and significance for all future generations). Terah died when he was 205 years old and Abram departed Canaan after his father’s death. Abram was 75 years old when he departed Canaan (“…Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.” Genesis 12:4). Hence (205 – 75 = 130) was the year Terah begat Abram.
Period 3: From the birth of Abraham to Jacob and sons entering Egypt
When Abraham was 75 years old, God called him to depart from his family. Abraham begat Isaac 25 years later at the age of 100 years old. Isaac was 60 years old when he begat Jacob. Jacob was 130 years old when he went to Egypt.
Total years: 290
Source: Genesis 12:4, 21:5, 25:26, 47:28
Period 4: The time children of Israel spent in Egypt
In order to find out how many years the children of Israel spent in Egypt, we have to involve the following time period from the bible.
Exodus 12:40,41 "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt."
Galatians 3:17 “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.”
The sojourn of the children of Israel started when Abraham was 75 years old and ended the day they came out of Egypt. And that period is 430 years. We know Isaac was born to Abraham 25 years later, and Jacob was born to Isaac 60 years later and Jacob was 130 years when he entered the land of Egypt.
Taking away the above 3 periods from the 430-year period would leave the rest of the time the children of Israel spent in Egypt.
The time the children of Israel spent in Egypt = 430 - 25 - 60 - 130 = 215
COMMENT:
The common view held by some is that the children of Israel spent over 400 years in Egypt. This view is incorrect for the following reason:
Kohath, the grandfather of Moses, entered Egypt along with Jacob. Gen 46:5-7,11. Kohath begat Amram, and Amram begat Moses. The total years lived by Kohath and Amram were 133 and 137 respectively. Exo 6:18,20. And the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt when Moses was 80 years old.
Suppose Kohath was just born when he entered Egypt and begat Amram in the year of his death. Similarly, Amram begat Moses in the year of his death, the time the children of Israel spent in Egypt would still be significantly less than 430 years (133+137+80 = 350).
Therefore, based on the above contradiction, we can conclude that the sojourning of the children of Israel started when Abraham was called out, and lasted until the time the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt. “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.” - Exo 12:40
Total years: 215
Sources: provided above.
Period 5: From children of Israel leaving Egypt to 1st year of Solomon
1 King 6:1 “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, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.”
COMMENT:
For the purpose of obtaining an accurate chronology, the years, and figures from the book of Judges as well as the reign of Eli and Samuel are not used for the following reasons:
1) The years the elders lived after the death of Joshua is not stated in the Scripture.
2) The years that a particular judge reigned in the land of Israel and the oppression from enemies was not always mutually exclusive. For example, during the years of Samson, the children of Israel were oppressed by the Philistines.
3) A judge’s reign can overlap with other judges and kings. For example: “And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ”- 1 Sam 7:15. Since Samuel lived during the time of Eli as well as most of the reign of Saul, his period of reign overlaps with another judge (Eli) and a king (Saul). Another notable example is that Eli judged Israel in civil matters while Samson judged Israel in military matters during the overlapping period.
4) Perhaps the most convincing reason of all is that 1 King 6:1 is written in such a plain way that no one can mistake its meaning. The Lord in His mercy gave us plainly the time spanning from the year of Exodus to the fourth year of King Solomon.
Therefore, let us not disregard 1 King 6:1 and add up all the overlapping periods of judges.
Total years: 476 (taking 4 years from 480)
TOTAL period from 1-5: 1656 + 352 + 290 + 215 + 476 = 2989
Period 6: From the reign of Solomon to Babylonian Captivity
➔ Solomon - 40 years, 1 Kings 11:42
➔ Rehoboam - 17, 1 Kings 14:21
➔ Abijah - 3, 2 Chronicles 13:2
➔ Asa - 41, 1 Kings 15:10
➔ Jehoshaphat - 25, 1 Kings 22:42
➔ Jehoram - 4, 2 Kings 8:16,17, 2 King 9:29, co-reigned 3 years with Jehoshaphat
(NOTE: There are a few reasons that the chronology for the Kings of Israel is different from the chronology for the Kings of Judah in the Scripture. The first one is that there is a distinction in the calendar years of Judah and Israel: Israel began its year from the month of Abib/Nisan in the spring, while Judah reckoned its year as the beginning of Tishri in the fall. The second difference is the accession year vs. non-accession year reckoning. While these may create a seeming contradiction between biblical accounts of 1-2 years, the overall difference does not accumulate.)
➔ Ahaziah - 1, 3119, 2 King 8:26
➔ Athaliah - 6
➔ Joash - 40, 2 Chronicles 24:1
➔ Amaziah - 29, 2 Kings 14:2
➔ Azariah (Uzziah) - 52, 2 Kings 15:2
➔ Jotham - 16, 2 Kings 15:33
➔ Ahaz - 16, 2 Kings 16:2
➔ Hezekiah - 29, 2 Chronicles 29:1
➔ Manasseh - 55 years, 2 Kings 21:1
➔ Amon - 2 years, 2 Kings 21:19
➔ Josiah - 31 years, 2 Chronicles 34:1
➔ Jehoahaz – 3 months, 2 Kings 23:31
➔ Jehoiakim – 3rd year “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.” -Dan 1:1.
Total years: 409
Calculation: 40+17+3+41+25+4+1+6+40+29+52+16+16+29+55+2+31+2
COMMENT: Jerusalem was besieged in 606 B.C. Judah fell to Babylon completely in 605 BC after the Battle of Carchemish. "Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah." Jeremiah 46:2. (Note, the Battle of Carchemish occurred in the 4th year of Jehoiakim and Jerusalem was besieged in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim)
Adding the periods:
Period 1, From Adam to the Flood: 1656
Period 2, From the flood to the birth of Abraham: 352
Period 3, From the birth of Abraham to Jacob and sons entering Egypt: 290
Period 4, The time children of Israel spent in Egypt: 215
Period 5, From the children of Israel leaving Egypt to 1st year of Solomon: 476
Period 6, From the reign of Solomon to Babylonian Captivity: 409
Total years of periods 1 to 6: 3398 years.
Beginning of the World: 3398+606 = 4004 BC
ELLEN WHITE QUOTATIONS:
The Great Controversy, 518.1
The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon to close.
The Great Controversy, 552.2
Thus under a new disguise the great rebel still carries on his warfare against God, begun in heaven for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth.
-
At the time the book Great Controversy was written, it has not been 6,000 years since the controversy started in BC 4004.
The Desire of Ages, 652.2
Christ was standing at the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover with His disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice.
-
The system of types and ceremonies that were set up at the fall of Adam in the year BC 3970 ended in the year AD 31 on the 14th day of the first month. Exactly 4000 years.
The Desire of Ages, 759.3
Satan led men into sin, and the plan of redemption was put in operation. For four thousand years, Christ was working for man's uplifting, and Satan for his ruin and degradation. And the heavenly universe beheld it all.
-
From the day Satan led Adam into sin to Christ death on the cross are 4000 years.
The Great Controversy, 327.3
“In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” In A.D. 31, three and a half years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified. With the great sacrifice offered upon Calvary, ended that system of offerings which for four thousand years had pointed forward to the Lamb of God. Type had met antitype, and all the sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were there to cease.
-
The year AD 31 is the 4000th year since sin entered the world. This makes the year AD 2031 the 6000th year since sin entered the world.
( https://www.tm91studies.com/911 )
UNDERSTANDING ELLEN WHITE QUOTATIONS:
1) Sometimes, Ellen White rounds up her numbers. For example:
For nearly forty years after the doom of Jerusalem had been pronounced by Christ Himself, the Lord delayed His judgments upon the city and the nation. [GC 27.3]
For forty years after the doom of Jerusalem had been pronounced by Christ himself, the Lord delayed his judgments upon the city and the nation. [88GC 28.1]
2) Other men distort Ellen White’s writing in the form of compilations and adaptations.
The continual transgression of man for six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruits. – {1TT 421.3}
The continual transgression of man for six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death, as its fruits. – {HR August 1, 1875 Par. 17}
Edited compilation
"The continual transgression of man for over six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruit" - {CTBH 154.2}. In such cases, she said: “There is another fact that should be stated here. I am not responsible for all that has been printed as coming from me.” (Selected Messages Book 1, Page 60.4)
3) Ellen White was often brought to the future in her visions and speaks from the future's time perspective instead of the time period she lived in.
“The fact in the case is, that in these visions I was carried forward to the time when the resurrected saints shall be gathered into the kingdom of God. In the same manner the judgment, the second coming of Christ, the establishment of the saints upon the new earth have been presented before me. Does anyone suppose that these scenes have yet transpired? My adversaries show the spirit by which they are actuated in thus accusing me of deception on the strength of a mere “conjecture”.” {1SM 65.4}
For example:
A cunning and cruel foe attends our steps, and is working every moment, with all his strength and skill, to turn us from the right way. Ever since he succeeded in overcoming our first parents in their beautiful Eden home, he has been engaged in this work. More than six thousand years of continual practice has greatly increased his skill to deceive and allure. On the other hand, he who once yields to temptation becomes spiritually weak, and yields more readily the second time. Every repetition of sin blinds his eyes, stifles conviction, and weakens his power of resistance. Thus while the power of the human race to resist temptation is continually decreasing, Satan's skill and power to tempt are continually increasing. This is one great reason why the temptations of the last days will be more severe than those of any other age. {HS 133.3}
CONCLUSION:
The Bible, and not Ellen White’s writings should be used to establish the foundation of accurate chronology. The bible is simple and plain in its language that none can make a mistake in its meaning. However, with the Spirit of Prophecy, more context and background will be required to understand her writings more clearly.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20)
When one has acquired knowledge directly from the Bible, then the person will be able to distinguish when Ellen White rounds up figures when someone adds words to her writing, and when she speaks from the future time perspective. To believe in the messenger of God is to put the Bible first.
“But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms.” {4SP 413.2}
Interesting things:
● Angels were create on the first day of creation (https://www.tm91studies.com/apostasy )
● Lucifer and his angels fell on the sixth day of creation
(https://www.tm91studies.com/apostasy )
● Terah beget Abraham at 130, which is older than when Abraham begat Isaac.
● Jacob was past 70 years old when he first left the home of his parents and he got married to Leah around 80 years of age. At the age of 91, he begat Joseph.
● Jonathan is at least 28 years older than David
● Lamech murdered Lamech
● Jesus was indeed 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth, which is Jerusalem, not sepulcher
● Jesus was born 4,000th years after Adam
● Jesus died on the cross in A.D. 31 which is 4000th years after Adam sinned
● Jesus died the same age Adam sinned
● 2031 is the 6,000th year after the fall of man