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.

Judgment Day

What exactly is Judgement Day? Many read about it about in books. Many Hollywood films have offered their interpretation of it only for box office receipts because it is no doubt an intriguing topic to draw moviegoers. But, is it a real future event that is coming upon the world or it is fantasy?

Do we really have to deal with an actual judgment of God once He removes all the believers from the earth and the wicked are left behind? That’s what the best-selling novels by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye discuss right?

The judgment of God is indeed real, but to get a correct view of what will happen, we must go to the scriptures.

There are numerous passages in the Old and New Testaments that deal with not only the Judgment of God or what Revelation 6 called the Wrath of the Lamb, but Judgment Day itself – when Jesus returns to earth to destroy His enemies and set up His eternal kingdom on earth.

a.       Malachi – For behold the day of the Lord is coming, burning like an oven. Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:1,5).

b.      Zechariah – Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. The city hall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished (Zechariah 14:1-2a).

c.       Zephaniah – The great day of the Lord I near; it is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter. There the mighty men will cry out. The day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness (Zephaniah 1:14-15).

d.      Matthew - Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:29-30).

e.      ll Thessalonians – And the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing with the brightness of His coming (ll Thessalonians 2:8).

f.        II Peter – But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a great roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and the dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed (II Peter 3:10).

g.       Jude – It was about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam prophesied saying, “Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him (Jude 14-15).

h.      Revelation - And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid heaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.                                

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:11-21).

These passages given by eight different witnesses describe the day of the Lord or Judgment day. It will be the most horrific day in human history, and rest assured it is coming!

Why must this day take place? Because God must for His holiness sake judge the sins of the world. The world must go through a global cleansing in order for God to rid the earth of evil and usher in eternal peace.

Many doubt the return of the Lord. Why? Because the writers predicted Judgment Day centuries ago and it has not occurred yet.

  

Many mock at the return of Jesus Christ which is foolish. Listen to what Peter declares. Knowing this first of all, that scoffers (we would call them haters in today’s vernacular) will come in the last days (now) with their scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (II Peter 3:3-4).

Peter rebukes the ignorance of the naysayers stating that the world that existed at the beginning of creation is different from the world that exists now. The old world was destroyed by water – i.e. the Flood. This current world is reserved for destruction by fire (II Peter 3:5-7).

In Noah’s day God saw all the evil man was committing continually and declared that His Spirit would not always strive with man, and that he (man) had 120 years (Genesis 6:3).[1] God will not forever strive with man now either. God has even been more gracious now in that He has given man nearly two thousand years, since the time of Christ’s first coming to repent, and all of the world still commits evil continually.

Jesus’ return I believe cannot be that far away. Judgment Day is coming. Will you return with Him in glory (Revelation 19:11), or judged by Him in damnation (Revelation 20:15)?                          

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[1] The 120 years in Genesis 6:3 has been interpreted in at least two ways. (1) the 120 years

supposedly became the life span God reduces man to due to his persistent sinfulness after the flood. Prior to the flood, men were living past 900 years old. This is unlikely because Abraham lived to be 175 years and his son Isaac lived 180 years. Jacob his grandson lived to be 147 years old. (2) the 120 years are the years Noah preached until the coming of the flood.

The author does not know of any other possible interpretations

Why did Jesus say to the rich young ruler there is no one good but God? Was He denying that He was God?

In Matthew 19:16-17a we read, “Good Teacher what good thing shall I do to have eternal life?” So he said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is God.”

From the language one could infer that Jesus was not God because he said to the young ruler, “Why do you call me good?”

When Jesus asked the young man why do you me call me good, he was not denying his deity. Rather he was affirming to the young man that he is God by virtue of the fact that he made the statement, 

“There is only one that is good, and that is God.” 

It was if Jesus was also saying to the young ruler, “Since you are calling me good, are you implying that I am God?”

Whether the man knew if Jesus was God, he knew he was talking to someone with supreme wisdom and authority.

Jesus also was not rebuking the young ruler for calling him good, rather he wanted him to consider the gravity of his statement to Jesus by calling him good.

Notice though when Jesus answers the young man’s questions and lets him know what he must do to inherit eternal life how the young ruler’s attitude changes; The Bible says he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions or wealth (Mark 10:22).

This is the attitude of most of the world when they encounter the Good Master; they want to come to God on their own terms. How many people are like that rich young ruler; they feel confident about their position in life. They are unaware they are lost, and are in need of salvation. They believe their works are good enough to merit eternal life, but when matched against the requirements the Word of God demands, their evil pride is broken, and they turn and walk away sorrowful because the requirements of God do not match their own.

Remember the rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What good thing must I do to have eternal life? When Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).

Had he loved the Lord, he would have obeyed Jesus and followed him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” He also said, “He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he loves me” (John 14:15, 21).

This is important to understand, when Jesus answered the young man by telling him to obey the law, and the man said which ones, Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your Mother and Father, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself, he (Jesus) was not advocating that the rich man could be saved by obeying the law, rather he was testing him to see if he believed by keeping the law he could be saved.

The young man replied to him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack” (Matthew 19:20)?

By the young ruler’s reply, he believed he did all that was required to gain eternal life. That is why he replied to Jesus, “What do I still lack?”

When Jesus told him to sell his goods and follow him, he was not advocating that salvation comes through philanthropy.

Jesus was demanding the rich man be willing to abandon all he has to gain all Christ had for him. He refused proving he was unfit for the kingdom of God.

In the end, the rich man did not want to do the good thing he asked Jesus about. Why? Because of what it would cost him, and more importantly, he did not love God like he may have thought in the beginning.

Love of God demands obedience to him. Jesus tested the young man’s faith and love for him and he failed tragically.

The Adams Families

It may be news to some, but the Bible talks about two Adams; the first Adam and the last Adam.
What I would like to do is compare the two men.

In 1 Corinthians 15:45 we read, “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”

The last Adam, of course, is Jesus Christ.

The first way we can compare the two men is in their temptations. With the first Adam, he failed miserably. Adam plunged the entire human race into sin, suffering and death. As a result of his act of disobedience, he became a sinner. Along with his act of sin along with our mother Eve, we were born sinners, unrighteous and rebellious in our own right. The sin nature the first Adam acquired has been transferred to us. All of the human race is guilty by association and guilty by our own sinful acts of rebellion toward God.

Adam was created perfectly by God, but with peccability – the ability to sin. We know this because he did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6).

Contrast the life of Christ we find that he endured every temptation perfectly with no sin. Jesus has what is called impeccability – the inability to sin. Although we are comparing two men, one was of an earthly origin, the other from everlasting with a heavenly-earthly origin in his flesh (I Corinthians 15:47).

The marked difference between the two men was Adam hearkened unto his wife who was deceived by Satan’s lies and ate the forbidden fruit. The first Adam’s mistake was that he did not use the word of God to rebuke the devil, and send him out of the garden.  The last Adam on the other hand, when confronted with temptation, recited God’s word and sent the devil away (Matthew 4:10-11).
Both men had ultimate authority. The first Adam forfeited his authority and was defeated by the enemy. The second Adam used his authority to gain victory over the enemy.
The last Adam regained with the first Adam lost – the authority in the earth. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

The second way we can compare the two Adams is in their offspring. All those born in the first Adam will die because of sin. Since the first Adam was made the federal head of this world, all those born in him take on his DNA which is a certificate of death; we are born into sin.

The Bible says it like this, “Wherefore, as by one man (i.e. Adam), sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death upon all men for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
In Romans 5:17a we read, “For by one man’s offense death reigned by one…”
In Romans 5:19a we read, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…”
All of the first Adams’ children which are the entire human race are sinners. We were born with no hope and without God (Ephesians 2:12).

The chasm between sinful man and a Holy God is an unbridgeable gap. We can never cross that gap on our own. Why? Because in our natural sinful flesh we are unable to because we are unwilling. Our sinfulness is so systemic that it would take a miracle from God for us to be able to get to Him.
Unregenerate man is indeed a child of the devil (John 8:44). Anyone who does not acknowledge this truth is spiritually blind and dead.

So, how does one go from being in the first Adam’s family to the Last Adam’s family? The sinner HAS to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and the justification of his soul by faith in order to cross over the bridge to get to God. The last Adam is that bridge we must go on to cross over and become a part of the family of the righteous. The first Adam ruined our relationship with the Father, the Last Adam restored it forever (Romans 5:19b).

Truly all die in the first Adam, and truly all live in the Last Adam (Romans 5:18).
The third and final comparison I want to make between the two men is rulership

In Genesis 1:26 we read God giving Adam authority over all the earth. Scholars have referred to the first Adam having Federal Headship over the earth. Why? Because God gave him complete dominion. Adam was the king of the earth prior to his epic fall from grace. The earth has always belonged to the Lord, but he centuries ago gave authority to man to take care of it. We see how this has turned out to this very hour – it’s a disaster! Fortunately not a disaster that God is not aware of and in control over. He knew this would happen for he allowed it for his own divine purposes.

Because of sin man’s authority is totally corrupt, and out of control. Man no longer rules with righteousness and submission to God’s will. Rather man is an evil egotistical, despot who abuses his power that leaves countless souls ruined in his collateral damage.

The word of God in Proverbs says this, “When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase” (Proverbs 28:28).

Because of the failure of the first Adam’s rule as Federal Head, we are now seeing the fruits of his descendants’ rulership.

Contrast this with the last Adam’s rule; we read that Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).

His rule will be an everlasting rule which will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44).

The last Adam’s rule will usher in everlasting peace. We read in Isaiah 11:9 these words, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.”
Being full of the knowledge of the Lord is an amazing reality! We have no capacity to realize that now in the world that is wholesale ignorant of God’s true knowledge. The reason why I know we are deficient of God’s knowledge is because of all the false religions, and false teaching that exists regarding the true God; as a result, man manufactures his own gods with his own code of “ethics”, and worships his false deities.

This is idolatry.

Man is ignorant of the knowledge of the Lord willfully because he is sinful, and he is ignorant because he is spiritually dead to God (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13).

These two men represent two natures. The Adamic  nature represents the fall – the man of sin. The last Adam is God in the flesh; He represents all those forgiven of sin, born of his Spirit, adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters.

Two men, two families. To which one do you belong?