From the birth of Abraham to the death of Joseph

In my previous article, I covered from creation to the death of Shem – son of Noah. I said that covered 2158 years of human history. Now as we continue through the life of the Patriarchs, we come to Abraham.

There are at least two dates given for the year of Abraham’s birth. The first one we will consider is the early birth date of ca[1] 2166 BC. How this date is derived is by moving back in time. The year given for the Exodus out of Egypt is 1446 BC. Moses is 80 years old which means he is born in the year 1526 BC. We read in I Kings 6:1 that King Solomon begins to build the house of the Lord in the fourth year of his reign – 966 BC 480 years after the Exodus. Adding 480 + 966 = 1446 BC. Add in the 430 years the Hebrews were in Egypt before the Exodus, we get to 1876 BC. when Jacob enters Egypt at 130 years old (Genesis 47:9).

As we continue through our time machine, we go back to the birth of Isaac, Jacob’s father who was born 190 years ago from the time Jacob entered Egypt. 1876+190 = 2066 BC (Isaac’s birth). Abraham was born 100 years before Isaac which makes his birth year ca. 2166 BC. (Genesis 21:5).

Now, let’s look at another scenario regarding the birth of Abraham. This time we have to move forward in time. A sixteenth century Bishop named James Ussher (1581-1656) said that the beginning of creation was October 23^rd, 4004 BC. How did he come up with this date for the creation of the earth? Was it random? I do not believe so.

This is what he did.

Ussher used the Bible as his main resource particularly Genesis 5 and Genesis 11 along with astronomical charts and the Julian Calendar which is pretty much like the calendar we use now, the Gregorian Calendar – 365 days a year, and 366 days every four years. Ussher also used landmark events in the Bible such as the year of the Babylonian Captivity of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., and the year of the Exodus which he determined is 1491 BC.  Finally, using the autumnal equinox[2] Ussher determined the dawn of creation as October 23, 4004 BC. Ussher’s research for the beginning of the world is far more extensive than the few sentences than I have treated it here. To learn more, get a copy of his book Annals of the World to get the full story of how he calculated the history of the world using scripture and various main events in history up to the year AD 70.

Now using Ussher’s chronology, we have Abraham being born in the year ca. 1996 BC or year 2008 of creation. This is almost 2000 years before the birth of Christ – born 6 or 5 BC. The following flow chart presents a timeline from creation to the death of Joseph based on Ussher’s chronology:[3]

Year of the Earth	Event	Scripture	Birthdate
0	Creation	Genesis 1:1-31	4004 BC
130	Adam fathers Seth at 130 years	Genesis 5:3	3874 BC
235	Seth fathers Enosh  at 105 years	Genesis 5:6	3769 BC
325	Enosh fathers Kenan at 90 years	Genesis 5:9	3679 BC
395	Kenan fathers Mahalalel at 70 years	Genesis 5:12	3609 BC
460	Mahalalel fathers Jared at 65 years	Genesis 5:15	3544 BC
622	Jared fathers Enoch at 162 years	Genesis 5:18	3382 BC
687	Enoch fathers Methuselah at 65 years	Genesis 5:18	3317 BC
874	Methuselah fathers Lamech at 187 years	Genesis 5:25	3130 BC
1056	Lamech fathers Noah at 182 years	Genesis 5:28-29	2948 BC
1558	Noah fathers Shem at 502 years	Genesis 5:32	2446 BC
1656	The Flood in Noah’s 600th year	Genesis 7:10-12	2348 BC
1658	Shem fathers Arphaxad at 100 years; two years after the flood	Genesis 11:10	2346 BC
1693	Arphaxad fathers Shelah at 35 years	Genesis 11:12	2311 BC
1723	Shelah fathers Eber at 30 years	Genesis 11:14	2281 BC
1757	Eber fathers Peleg at 34 years	Genesis 11:16	2247 BC
1787	Peleg fathers Reu at 30 years	Genesis 11:18	2217 BC
1819	Reu fathers Serug at 32 years	Genesis 11:20	2185 BC
1849	Serug fathers Nahor at 30 years	Genesis 11:22	2155 BC
1878	Nahor fathers Terah at 29 years	Genesis 11:24	2126 BC
2008	Terah fathers Abram at 130 years	Genesis 11:26	1996 BC
2083	Abraham enters Caanan at 75 years. Ussher believes the 430 years begins here	Genesis 12:4	1921 BC
2108	Abraham fathers Isaac at 100 years	Genesis 21:5	1896 BC
2168	Isaac fathers Jacob at 60 years	Genesis 25:26	1836 BC
2258	Jacob fathers Joseph at 90 years in Padan-Aram	Genesis 30:24	1746 BC
2368	Joseph dies in Egypt at 110 years	Genesis 50:26	1636 BC

The problem I see with Ussher’s timeline is that the birthdates are off by about 170 years. For instance, the more widely accepted date for Abraham’s birth is 2166 BC not 1996 BC. 1996 BC is too late of a date. This also means all the other dates in his timeline off by the same amount -170 years. It is more effective to start from the Exodus of Egypt date 14 Nisan 1446 BC and work our way backward like I did before I entered the flow chart.

Another error I see for Ussher’s timeline is when he believes the 430 years began before the Exodus. He says the 430 years begins when Abraham enters Canaan in 1921 BC. As a result of this calculation, the Exodus occurs in the 1491 BC, 46 years earlier than the more popular date of 1446 BC. The 430 year sojourn in Egypt does not actually begin until Jacob arrives there in the year 1876 BC when he 130 years old (Genesis 47:9).

Therefore, I am not convinced that Ussher’s timeline is correct. I respectfully do not accept the 4004 BC dawn of creation date.

Continuing, Jacob dies 17 years after migrating to Egypt at 147 years old in the year 1859 BC. Joseph is 57 years old when his father dies. Joseph lives 53 more years and dies at 110 years old in 1806 BC (Genesis 50:26). He governs all of Egypt for 80 years as he began when he was 30 years old (Genesis 41:46).

The death of Joseph concludes the entire book of Genesis which covers over 2,000 years of human history - more than all the other 65 books of the Bible combined.

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[1] ca stands for about or approximately

[2] The Equinox is when the Sun causes the day and night on the planet to be almost equal in time.

Also the autumnal equinox happens every year in September 21,22 or 23^rd. This year for instance the autumnal equinox will take place on September 22^nd at 7:21 am PST. This is according to: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html?n=806

The reason for Ussher using October 23^rd instead of September 21st is because of the adding and taking away of days between the Julian and Gregorian calendars

[3] The last four entries of this chart I added to include the birth of Isaac to the death of Joseph.

From the Birth of Adam to the Death of Shem

 I wrote a previous article entitled, “How old is the earth?”. In it I provided a timeline from the birth of Adam to the flood. Those that do not hold to the view that the earth is millions of years old and that the universe is billions of years old are called “Young Earth Creationists” by some. I would fall into this category. I do not believe the earth is millions of years old. I believe it is only thousands of years old. Why? Because of the timeline, the Bible provides for its readers.

There are some that teach that there must be gaps in the timeline we read in Genesis 5; this is where we read how old the father is when his son is born. For instance, we read in Genesis 5:3 that Adam was 130 years old when he had Seth. Some would argue that Seth was perhaps Adam’s grandson or great-grandson, and not his son implying there are gaps in the timeline and perhaps names omitted from the record. I do not know of any documentation discovered with missing names in this timeline. Moses who is the author of the book of Genesis was a meticulous, and very careful writer who paid attention to extreme detail. He was one hundred percent honest in his presentation of the facts. His scholarship was impeccable – a great historian who was guided by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21).

With that said, I will now present the Biblical Chronology in Genesis Chapter 5:

Adam begot Seth at 130 years old – vs. 3                                                                                                                              

Seth begot Enosh at 105 years old – vs. 6

Enosh begot Cainan at 90 years old – vs. 9

Cainan begot Mahalalel at 70 years old – vs. 12

Mahalalel begot Jared at 65 years old – vs. 15

Jared begot Enoch at 162 years old – vs. 18

Enoch begot Methuselah at 65 years old – vs. 21

Methuselah begot Lamech at 187 years old – vs. 25

Lamech begot Noah at 182 years old – vs. 28

Noah was 500 years when he begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth – vs. 32[1]

In Genesis 6:14-15 God commands Noah to build the ark because he is going to send a flood over all the earth. He told him to seal inside outside with pitch and provided the measurements: 300 cubits long (450 feet), 50 cubits wide (75 feet), and 30 cubits high (45 feet). A massive vessel even today. The length of the ark would be the length of 1.25 football fields today. The ark was the world’s first ocean liner; a huge wooden box that could float without capsizing.

It took one week for Noah, his family, and the animals to board the ark (Genesis 7:4).     

In the 600^th year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the rains came on the earth for forty days and nights (Genesis 7:12). The waters remained on the earth for 150 days – 5 months (Genesis 7:24).

God caused the wind to blow on the earth so the water could recede from the earth which began in the seventh month, and the seventeenth day of the month. The ark rested on top of Mount Ararat in modern day Turkey. The elevation of this mountain is about 17,000 feet above sea level or 3.2196 miles high. The waters continued to recede. By the tenth month and first day, the tops of the mountains could be seen (Genesis 8:5).

Forty days later, Noah opened the window of the ark and sent out a dove; the dove returned because it could not find anywhere to nest. He sent a raven out also which did not return to the ark. Two weeks later, Noah sends out the dove again, and it did not return because it had found a place to nest; the waters were continually abating from the earth.

In Noah’s 601^st year, second month, twenty-seventh day of the month the entire earth is dry (Genesis 8:14).

In total Noah, and his family were in the ark for 378 days (One year, eighteen days).[2]

God covenanted with Noah by putting his rainbow in the sky promising never to destroy the earth with the waters of the flood (Genesis 9:14).

Noah died at 950 years old – 350 years after the flood (Genesis 9:29).

Some interesting facts

Adam lives long enough to see nine generations of his family. When Noah’s father Lamech was born, Adam was 874 years old. He would die 56 years later at 930 years old.[3] Noah was born 126 years after Adam’s death.

Lamech Noah’s father died five years before the flood and mostly likely helped build the ark. Noah was 595 years old at the time of his father’s death. Shem son of Noah was 93 years old. The year was 1651 YAC;287 years before the birth of Terah, father of Abraham, and 417 years before Abraham was born.

Methuselah was born in the year 687 YAC. He lived 969 years; the oldest man to ever live. The year he died is when the flood came – the year 1656.

Abram (later Abraham) was born thirty-two years after Noah’s death; 382 years after the flood. It was the year 2038 YAC. Shem the son of Noah who is the progenitor of the Semites, and the Messianic line lives to be 600 years old. He dies in 2158 YAC when Abraham is 120 years old.  Abraham's son Isaac is 20 years old. This is 40 years before Jacob and Esau the twins are born. Shem lives long enough to see nine generations of his family. When Abraham was born, Shem is 480 years old. Shem dies 120 years later.

So, from the birth of Adam to the flood was 1,656 years[4] of human history or 1,656 YAC (years after creation). From the flood to the death of Noah was 350 years. In total, from creation to Shem’s death covers 2,158 years of human history (YAC).

By this time in history Adam our first father has been dead for 1,228 years.

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[1] The author list Noah’s sons not by age, but by significance. Shem is listed first because he is the ancestor

Of Jesus Christ. He was the second born of his brothers. Japheth was first and Ham third. We see the same thing

With the sons of Terah: Abram, Nahor and Haran. Abram (renamed Abraham).  Abraham is a direct ancestor of Christ, but he was born last of his brothers. Haran was most likely the oldest because he had 3 children already: Lot, Milchah, and Iscah (Genesis 11:27,29), then Haran, and then Abraham who was born when Terah was 130 years old.

[2] Back then all months were 30 days each.

[3] The life span of those patriarchs is literal, not symbolic. The reason people lived so long is that some have

Said the earth was protected by a water canopy (some sort of natural invisible shield) which prevented the

Sun’s ultraviolet rays from penetrating the earth allowing for very long life. When the rains came during the flood,

The canopy was destroyed shortening the life span dramatically after the flood.

[4] This figure comes from adding the age of the fathers when they had their sons above.

What is Eschatology?

Eschatology in relation to the Christian faith is the study of the last things or the end times. A vital element of eschatology is an event in the Bible called the Millennium. Millennium means one thousand. There are different views regarding the time in history we call the millennium. Is it real or figurative? Another question is when does it happen, or has it happened already? Are we in the millennium now? I will attempt to answer those questions in this article; but first, let us look at some different views on the millennium.

                                                                                                                                 

Amillennialism – Amillennialists believe there is no literal millennium reign of Jesus Christ. The prefix “A” means none, and millennium as mentioned above means one thousand – so it means no millennium. Amillennialists believe the Church Age – the age we are in now is also the millennium.  In other words, the church age and the millennium are concurrent. Amillennialists timeline is as follows:

a.       First Advent of Christ

b.       Church Age/millennium

c.       Tribulation

d.       Second Advent of Christ

e.       New heavens and new earth/Eternity

Premillennialism – Premillennialists believe there is a literal one-thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth after his second advent. Of course the prefix “Pre” means before – meaning premillennialists believe the return of Christ occurs before the millennium. Premillennialists timeline is as follows:

a.       First Advent of Christ

b.       Church Age

c.       Tribulation

d.       Second Advent of Christ

e.       Millennium

f.        New heavens and new earth/Eternity

Postmillennialism – Postmillennialists do not believe in a literal one-thousand-year reign of Christ. Rather, they believe the Church age becomes the millennium. The one thousand years is figurative – non designated period of time. In fact, there are some postmillennialists that subscribe to what is called a “Dominion Theology." This means they will take control of the earth through (1) evangelization, and (2) through economic, military and political control. Once the entire world is ‘’Christianized”, Jesus is allowed to return to the earth.

  

The postmillennialists timeline is as follows:

a.       First Advent of Christ

b.       The Church age → becomes “millennium” (non-literal and indefinite time frame)

c.       Tribulation?

d.       Second Advent of Christ

e.       New heavens and new earth/Eternity

The problems with the amillennium view are (1) the Church age which we are in now is distinct from the millennium, not equivalent to it. (2) to assert there is no millennium is to distort the scripture – particularly deny the reality of Revelation chapter 20 which produces several problems within the chapter if there is no millennium:

1.       The Angel does not bind[1] Satan and places him in the Abyss if there no millennium (v. 2).

2.       The first resurrection does not occur minus the millennium  (vs. 4-6).

3.       Satan cannot be released to deceive the nations only to be cast into the Lake of Fire (vs. 7-10).

4.       The Great  WhiteThrone Judgment of the wicked dead does not occur which means they are not cast into the Lake of Fire (vs. 11-15).

The amillennium position is unbiblical.

Problems with the postmillennium position is that like amillennialism distorts the Biblical timeline of events. The main error that the writer sees is that it gives total dominion to the Church instead of dominion to the head of the Church – The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Bible makes it evident that the millennium has to be literal. If it is not, then Jesus cannot set up his global reign of peace on earth.

In Isaiah we read a clear picture of the posture of the millennium. It reads, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Now I ask the reader, at what time in history has these things occurred? Certainly it is not happening now. And it definitely will not happen during the seven-year tribulation, or at the second coming. The only logical explanation would be it would have to occur during the millennium reign of our Lord, and then into the eternal state.

The postmillennium view is also unbiblical.

That only leaves premillennialism. If one takes Revelation chapters 19-20 literally, then one has to believe the millennium occurs after the second coming, or that Jesus comes prior to the millennium. It is a literal one-thousand-year period. This is unmistakable. The one thousand years is mentioned six times in Revelation 20 (vs 2-7). No doubt John the writer mentions it that many times to emphasize that the one thousand years is literal.

These passages no doubt refer to the millennium:

And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. In both summer and winter it shall occur, and the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be – “The Lord is one, “ and his name one.

All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the King’s winepresses.

The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited (Zechariah 14:8-11).

The Bible commands we that we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalm 122:6-7).

There would be no need to pray for Jerusalem’s peace if we were in some “sort” of millennium now like amillennialists and postmillenialists believe. No. The millennium is a surety, but it is yet a future event.

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[1] As an aside, we DO NOT have the ability to bind the devil as many (or perhaps most) in the church believe; no matter how loudly one prays, or how impassioned and sincere they are. I say this hopefully for the benefit and edification for those who attempt to bind him in their prayers. This binding in prayer(s) comes from a misinterpretation of Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18. Revelation 20 is the only place the author has found in scripture where Satan is bound and literally rendered powerless for one thousand years until he is loosed one last time.