CHRONOLOGY OF THE BIBLE 2009 SUMMER BIBLE STUDY Murray Road Church of Christ Lee’s Summit, MO Dennis Stanley [email protected] 1 2 Chronology of the Bible - Overview Why study the chronology of the Bible? To gain a more in-depth understanding and appreciation of the Bible. Ground Rules and Assumptions: • The Bible, as we have it today in our common translations, is accurate. • Supplemental sources of information will be used to complement what the Bible tells us, not to contradict the Bible. • Apparent contradictions in the Bible are a result of an imperfect understanding on our part and are not due to an error in the Bible. We will make an attempt to understand and resolve these but may not be successful in all cases. Chronological Periods Genesis • Generations of Adam. • Generations of Seth. Sojourn in Egypt through the conquest of Canaan • How to interpret 430 year sojourn (Ex 12:40-41, Gal 3:17, Acts 7:6). • Hebrew calendars of offerings and feasts. Period of the Judges • Reconciling 480 yrs of 1 Kings 6:1 with timeline of Judges and Paul’s reference to 450 yrs in Acts 13:20. • Ruth. Kings of Israel & Judah • Including chronology of the Prophets of Israel & Judah. • Synchronizing Bible chronology with secular chronology – assigning dates to Biblical events. Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Captivity • Chronology of the events in the final chapters of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther. • 70 years prophecy. • Prophets of the captivity and post-exilic periods. Between the Old & New Testaments • Prophecies of Daniel fulfilled concerning Persia, Greek and Rome. Chronology of the life of Christ • 70 weeks prophecy. Chronology of Acts & the Epistles • When were all of the letters written? 3 MAJOR EVENTS IN BIBLE CHRONOLOGY Birth of Jesus Jacob goes ~ 5 B.C. The Flood Creation To Egypt Gen 7, 8 Gen 47 Crucifixion ~ 29 A.D. Paul in prison in Rome ~ 60-63 A.D. (Acts 28:16,30) Generations of Shem Generations of Adam 582 years 1656 years (Genesis 5) (Genesis 11) Exodus (Ex 12:40-41) John writes Revelation from the Isle of Patmos Journey, Wandering, ~ 96 A.D. Conquest ~65 years Acts of the Apostles (Josh 14:7, 24:29) ~ 33 yrs. Jesus’ life on earth ~ 33 yrs. Sojourn in Egypt 430 years Period of the Judges 367 (Ex. 12:40-41, ~330 years yrs Gal 3:17, Acts 7:6) Abram received promise Saul, David & Solomon 367 yrs after flood. reign 40 years each (Acts 13:21, 1 Kings 2:11, 11:42 Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai Northern Assyrian 120 Kingdom Captivity yrs (Israel) (2 Kings 17) 207 yrs 586 B.C. Destruction of Jerusalem 480 years (2 Kings 25) (1 Kings 6:1) Southern Esther (483 - 473 B.C.) Kingdom 458 B.C. (Ezra 7-10) Solomon begins construction of (Judah) temple in 4th year of his reign 344 yrs Nehemiah (~445 - 425 B.C.) 516 B.C. Note that at this point, the Bible synchronizes its Second temple completed chronology with secular chronology (2 Kings 24:12, (Ezra 6:15) 2 Kings 25:8 – Jerusalem destroyed in 19 th year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Babylonian Captivity From now on, dates in the Bible are given in secular 70 yrs terms (e.g. Ezra 1:1 – command to rebuild temple in first year of Cyrus, Ezra 6:15 – temple completed in 6th year of Darius, Luke 3:1 – 15 th year of reign of Tiberius Caesar, etc.) 4 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE CHRONOLOGICALLY Numbers (40 yrs) Joshua (25 yrs?) Law at Mt. Sinai Samson’s death Birth of Moses David’s death (970 B.C.) Death of ‘Northern’ Ahaziah (852 B.C.) Creation Death of Jacob Jehoiachin released (560 B.C.) Birth of Jesus (5 B.C.) Judges Genesis (2255 years) (~300 yrs) Cyrus’ decree to rebuild temple (539 B.C.) Crucifixion/Resurrection (29 A.D.) Nehemiah (~20 yrs) 1 Kings 2 Kings Paul’s imprisonment (62 A.D.) (118 yrs) (292 yrs) Ruth 1 Sam 1 Sam 2 2 Chronicles Ezra (431 yrs) (81 yrs) Acts Matthew 1 Chron 1 Letters Mark Exodus Exodus (80 yrs) 1 Chronicles chaps 10-29 Esther parallel 2 Samuel (David’s Luke reign). The first 9 chapters cover genealogies beginning from Adam. John 1 (~90Samuel yrs?) Saul’s death 118 Genesis118 yrs Exodusbetween & (1010 B.C.) Leviticus (1446 B.C.) Leviticus Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (1406 B.C.) Habakkuk S of S S Job Psalms Ecclesiastes Obadiah? Nahum Proverbs Joel? Jonah Zephaniah Lamentations Hosea Malachi Isaiah Jeremiah Amos Micah Ezekiel Zechariah Daniel Haggai 5 6 CHRONOLOGY OF GENESIS 7 CHRONOLOGY OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS The Flood (Gen 7-8) 1656 yrs from Creation to Flood ~ 582 yrs from Flood until Israel goes to Egypt ADAM - lived 930 years (Gen 5:1-5) Flood legends from around the world: SETH - born when Adam was 130 yrs old – lived 912 yrs (Gen 5:6-8) Babylonian “Epic of Gilgamesh” Ancient floods in Greek Mythology ENOSH - born when Seth was 105 yrs old – lived 905 yrs (Gen 5:9-11) China, India Europe CAINAN - born when Enosh was 90 yrs old – lived 910 yrs (Gen 5:12-14) Aztec, Incan, Mayan cultures MAHALALEL - born when Cainan was 70 yrs old – lived 859 yrs (Gen 5:15-17) JARED - born when Mahalalel was 65 yrs old – lived 962 yrs (Gen 5:18-20) Genesis 5:21-24 (NKJV) 21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked ENOCH 23 with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three Genesis 7:11 (NKJV) hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the METHUSALEH - born when Enoch was 65 yrs old – lived 969 yrs (Gen 5:25-27) great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. LAMECH - born when Methusaleh was 187 yrs old – lived 777 yrs (Gen 5:28-31) NOAH - born when Lamech was 182 yrs old – lived 600 yrs before Flood NOAH lived 350 yrs after Flood (Gen 9:28-29) SHEM – lived 98 yrs before flood, 600 yrs total (Gen 11:10-11) Fifth Generation From Cain (Gen 4:16-22): ARPHAXAD – born 2 yrs after flood (Gen 11:12-13) Jabal – father of those who dwell in tents & have livestock. Jubal – father of those who play harp & flute. SALAH (Gen 11:14-15) Tubal-Cain – instructor of every craftsman in bronze & iron. EBER (Gen 11:16-17) Characteristics of Antediluvian World PELEG (Gen 11:18-19) Long lifespans Technologically advanced (bronze, iron, musical instruments) REU (Gen 11:20-21) Giants (Gen 6:4) No rain (Gen 2:6) SERUG (Gen 11:22-23) Extreme wickedness (Gen 6) (Gen 11:24-25) NAHOR Gen 12:4 – Abram 75 yrs old TERAH (Gen 11:26-32) when he departed Haran (Gen 11:26, 25:7) Abraham (Gen 21:5, 35:28) Isaac (Gen 25:26, 47:28) Jacob Genesis 47:28 (NKJV) 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. Genesis 47:9 (NKJV) 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 8 Generations of Adam (Genesis 5); Age at birth of next generation Lifespan Adam 130 930 Seth 105 912 Enosh 90 905 Cainan 70 910 Mahalalel 65 859 Jared 162 962 Enoch 65 365 (Methusaleh died in or just Methusaleh 187 969 prior to flood) (Lamech died five yrs before Lamech 182 777 flood) Yrs from Creation to birth of Noah: 1056 Noah's age at flood: 600 Gen 7:11 Creation to Flood: 1656 yrs Generations of Shem (Genesis 11:10-26); Age at birth of Lifespan next (after generation flood) Shem 100 600 Begin dating from flood here: Shem begot Arphaxad 2 yrs after flood 2 Arphaxad 35 438 Salah 30 433 Eber 34 464 Peleg 30 239 Reu 32 239 Serug 30 230 Nahor 29 148 Terah 70 205 Years from flood to birth of Abram: 292 Abram's age when he first received Gen promise: 75 12:1-4 Flood until promise given to Abram: 367 yrs 9 Age at birth of next generation Lifespan Abram 100 175 Gen 21:5,Gen 25:7 Isaac 60 180 Gen 25:26, Gen 35:28 Age when Jacob went to Egypt 130 147 Promise to Abram until move to Egypt: 215 yrs Flood until move to Egypt: 582 yrs Total duration of the book of Genesis: 2255 yrs 10 1000 900 800 700 Life Spans Before & After the Flood 600 500 Life Span (yrs) 400 300 200 100 0 Adam Seth Enosh Cainan Mahalalel Jared Enoch Methusaleh Lamech Noah Shem Arphaxad Salah Eber Peleg 11 Reu Serug Nahor Terah Abram Isaac Jacob 12 CHRONOLOGY of the 430 Year SOJOURN 13 References to 430 year sojourn in Egypt: Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of Ex 12:40-41 the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.