Chronikon Hebraikon: Prefatory Remarks

p. CH 3Much of Scripture is a record of past events, or HISTORY. This story of the past informs the reader in what manner, to what extent, and to what time the promises of the Deity made to the fathers, have been fulfilled. By this information, light is thrown upon the future by which its coming events may be discovered. The outline of this future is correctly delineated in no other national or private records than the Scriptures. The writers of these were at once historians and prophets. They not only recorded the past with inimitable conciseness, ingenuity and truthfulness; but they sketched out events with wonderful precision as to their times and seasons, which should be providentially developed in the course of a multitude of ages and generations. Hence their writings naturally resolve themselves into HISTORY and PROPHECY—the former, a record of the past; the latter, a sketch of the future.

But HISTORY and PROPHECY are a body without eyes in default of CHRONOLOGY and GEOGRAPHY, which have therefore been termed “the eyes of history,” because of the intimate connection subsisting between these branches of knowledge. Hence, it has been well observed, that “in order to make any regular progress in learning some acquaintance with chronology is indispensable. To pretend to read history, the source and treasure of civil as well as sacred knowledge, without attending to chronology, would be to little or no purpose. To chronology, history owes its use and beauty.”

Deeply impressed with the truth of these remarks while writing my EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE, I concluded to perfect previous chronological sketches in their revision for the reader’s use. Many into whose hands EUREKA may come, it is presumable may know but little of past times and events; for their benefit; therefore, and to refresh the recollection of the better informed, I have appended this little treatise, to which I have given the title of p. CH 4 Chronikon Hebraikon, because it treats of Hebrew Periods. I have endeavored to simplify the subject as much as possible, and to strip it of all the theories and speculations of chronologists, who have created difficulties where none exist, discussed all shades and forms of error, but left the truth untouched. The great question with the reader should be, not what profane writers of heathen antiquity, and theorists of the Apostasy may teach; but what saith the scripture, and how is what it saith to be understood? In solving this question, it is true, there is not much scope for a display of “ripe scholarship,” which discusses everything and settles nothing It affords no room for learned talk about Hermes Trismagistis, Sanchoniathon, the great Chaldeo-Babylonish historian Berosus, Confucius, and all other like confusionists, who have darkened the human mind by a multitude of “words without knowledge.” The profane writers of ancient and modern times are all unreliable, according to the confession of their own oracles. “Whoever,” says Sir William Jones, “in those early ages, expects a certain epocha, unqualified with about or nearly, will be greatly disappointed.” This Chronikon, however, of mine is not compiled upon the qualifying principles of about or nearly. This will be evident if the reader consult the “references” given. I only accept the dates of the profane when they harmonize with the scripture in its historical and prophetical periods and dates. Thus, it matters not to me how many years profane writers may reckon to the interval between “the going forth of a commandment for causing to return and build Jerusalem” in the 20th of Artaxerxes, to “the cutting off of Messiah the Prince” by crucifixion. They may make it 500 years, or 487 years, or any other duration they please. Understanding how to read the testimony in Dan. ix. 24-26, I know that such computations are infallibly wrong. Anything short or in excess of 490 years must be incorrect, for seventy times seven was the period decreed.

The knotty questions untied and expounded in this Chronikon are:

1. Stephen’s chronology of Abraham’s return to Canaan after Terah’s death—Acts vii. 4;

2. The Age of Joshua at the invasion of Canaan, and consequent time of his administration;

3. The time elapsing between the death of Joshua and the beginning of the time of the Judges;

4. The ending of the time of the Judges;

5. The duration of Saul’s reign;

p. CH 5 6. The 480 years of 1 Kings, vi. 1., and Paul’s chronology in Acts xiii;

7. The 2200, 2300, or 2400 of Dan. viii. 14;

8. The Seventy Weeks in their termination;

9. Ezekiel’s 430 days.

The sixth of the above items is styled “The Great Chronological Gordian Knot,” which has proved an insoluble mystery to all chronologists. The reader will find that the Chronikon unties it with the greatest ease; whereby the scriptures are vindicated, and Paul shown to teach in perfect harmony with them.

As a preface is the last part of a book written, it will be more convenient, as the rest is printed, to remark here, that an idea prevails, that the Millennium, or Great Sabbatic Chiliad will commence when the world has attained exactly the age of 6000 years. In conformity with this opinion, speculative theologists have sought to increase the years of the world’s age in order to approximate to their own times, as nearly as possible, the commencement of the Great Sabbatism. MILLER staked his whole theory upon the notion that the world was 6000 years old in 1843. But time has proved his computation, and therefore his theory, to be utterly erroneous. In 1859, SHIMEALL in “Our Bible Chronology,” p. 182, announced that the world will be 6,000 years old in 1868, and that the “year A. M. 6001 will be the ushering in of the Great Sabbatism, spoken of in Rev. xx. 1-6.” Thus, he fixes the commencement of the Millennium to the A. D. 1869; which he assigns as the limit of the “unparalleled ‘tribulation’ predicted by our Lord.” But the current three years will not afford scope for such a tribulation. Mr. Shimeall has made a mistake. His chronological speculations have misled him. The world will not be 6000 years old until A. D. 1910, which is 44 years from 1866. But there is reason to believe that the Millennium will commence a few years before the world attains to 6000 years. It is apocalyptically revealed, that it will end at the “LITTLE SEASON,” which comes within the limit of the Millennary Week of 7000 years from the Creation—“after the 1000 years are fulfilled, Satan must be loosed a little season”—Rev. xx. 3, 7. This puts the beginning of the Millennium back into the Sixth Chiliad, and before its termination, as many years as may constitute the Little Season. If this consist of four years, then the Millennium will begin four years before the world is 6000 years old—in A. M. 5996; and consequently end A. M. 6996 or A. D. 2906. Thus, the end of the Little Season will synchronize with the end of the A. M. 7000 which is equivalent to the A. D. 2910.

p. CH 6 The “unparalleled tribulation” is to precede the Millennium, and will, of course, require time for its development. MR. SHIMEALL says, B. Chron. p. 149, 166, 182, that it belongs to the interval between 1868 and the coming of the Son of Man in clouds. But he begins the Millennium A. D. 1869; so that he allows only a year for the tribulation; for he would hardly say it was continued into the Millennium. Speaking of this interval, however, he says, with the emphasis of italics, “we have no chronological data by which to determine its length.” He therefore terms the interval “an unchronological period.” But here again, scripture testimony compels us to affirm that he is altogether wide of the mark. This appears from Micah vii. 15, where the period for performing the truth and mercy sworn, or covenanted, to Abraham and Jacob is chronologized by “the days of Israel’s coming out of the land of Egypt,” which every reader of scripture knows was a period of 40 years. The “unparalleled tribulation” of Mark xiii. 19, 20 belonged to the end of the Mosaic Dispensation, and has long since passed away: but the “time of trouble” foretold by Daniel and Jeremiah, and styled “the unparalleled tribulation” by Mr. Shimeall, is a pre-millennial chronological period of 40 years. This, his chronological scheme, as also the schemes of all others, I believe, altogether ignores. There can be no Millennium until the judicial work of these 40 years is accomplished. They are the period of the Seventh Vial; and “no one can enter into the Nave until the Seven Plagues of the Seven Angels” of the Vials, “may have been fulfilled.”—Apoc. xv. 8. Chronologists make no allowance of time for the last of these plagues. With them, this “TIME OF THE END” is left to chance. “We have no chronological data,” say they, “by which to determine its length.” True; they have none: but only because they are unacquainted with what exists. The whole world of powerful kingdoms has to be revolutionized. The governments, aristocracies, hierarchies, and democracies, have all to be broken up; the nations, emancipated from these destroyers, illuminated and blessed in Abraham and his seed. And to accomplish all this, theologists and chronologists, with their “science falsely so called,” crowd us into an unchronological period between A.M. 6000, and the year after, A.D. 1869! This is doing the work up in a flash, which none but the spiritual inebriates of the clerical kingdom could for a moment admit.

Centre Hill, Hudson City, N. J.,\ November 20, 1865.

p. CH 7The World’s Age Scripturally Demonstrated

First Period

From the Creation to the Deluge. Embraces 1656 years.

Notes

1. Chronology, in relation to history, is the Science of Time, or the ascertaining the correct dates of past events, and the proper arrangement of them.

2. It is of two kinds, sacred and profane.

3. SACRED CHRONOLOGY is divided into two parts, the historic and prophetic.

4. For our data in sacred chronology we are entirely dependent on the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.

5. Great confusion exists in determining the true epochs of the Creation, the Deluge, and the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, among those who are not satisfied with the Hebrew Original. In Dr. Hales’ Chronology may be found a hundred and twenty different opinions among some 300 on the epoch of the Creation, dating backward from the birth of Christ.

6. Out of twenty-nine computations of the World’s Age before me, I find only one that approximates to the truth, and that is the reckoning of the Chinese Jews, who make the world 4079 years at the Nativity. This is within ten years of the truth.

7. The wide discrepancies of chronologists are not owing to a defect in p. CH 8 the data of the record, but to the want of a proper knowledge of the subjects treated of in the Scriptures.

1.—The Millennary Week of 7,000 Years

8. All things are ordered by the Deity, who has assigned to the SIN-CONSTITUTION OF THINGS upon earth, a limited and definite duration of 7,000 years, commencing from the Creation, and ending with the destruction of “the last enemy DEATH.”

9. The 7,000 years is the GREAT DEMIURGIC WEEK of that Creation which continues eternally and unchanged; and is typified by the smaller demiurgic week familiarly known as the Mosaic. This line of 7,000 years is, in round numbers, the Diameter of the Cycle represented by the circumference of the earth. The circle of the earth is a grand “TIME” of 360 parts, each part consisting of 60 degrees. The parts multiplied by the degrees gives a grand cycle of 21,600 degrees; which, divided by 3, yields a diameter of 7,200. Chronologically, the fractional 200 is of no other account than to show that there is a duration beyond the cycle. The duration of the Sin-Constitution is a question, not of hundreds, but of thousands of years; so that not the 200, but the diametrical 7,000 represents its limits upon the earth. For this reason 7 is the measure of perfection in all things pertaining to the terrestrial system. Hence, in the Apocalypse, the “seven golden lightstands,” the “seven stars,” the “seven lamps of fire,” the “seven spirits,” the “seven horns and seven eyes,” the “seven seals, trumpets, vials and thunders.” Many other illustrations will occur to the reader—these will suffice in this place.

10. It is a very ancient tradition that, as the Deity employed Six Days in fitting up the earth for the indwelling of sinners, and ceased creating on the Seventh, which he hallowed; so He will consume Six Days of a thousand years each in preparing it for the inhabitation of saints; and ceasing therefrom, will hallow the seventh period of a thousand years as “a season and time” of rest and blessedness for the regenerated world. Paul evidently endorses this traditional view in Heb. iv. 9.

11. The Millennium is the Sabbath Day of the previous Six Thousand Years.

2.—The Chronological Chain

12. The Chronological Chain of Scripture is Historico-Prophetic. From the Creation to the Deluge is purely historical; but from the First of Nebuchadnezzar to the First of Darius the Mede, and from the 20th of Artaxerxes to the Crucifixion, historico-prophetical. These periods of 70 and 490 years respectively, were expressly foretold; and the years intervening between the beginning and the end of each, corroborate each other: so that by the mutual aid of sacred history and prophecy, I have been enabled to prove all my positions.

In one place, Dan. viii. 14, I believe the original text has been deliberately p. CH 9 corrupted by the Jews—2,400 having been shortened to 2,300—in order to suit the period to their notions concerning Antiochus. In no other place is there any reason to complain of unfaithfulness in the original.

13. But few generations intervened between Adam and Moses. Seven consecutive historic links only were required to bridge this interval. Whence had Adam all his knowledge? From revelation. All he knew antecedent to observation and experience must have been communicated by the Deity. What he knew he could impart to Lamech, the father of Noah, who was sixty-one years contemporary with Adam. Noah was the third link of the seven-fold chain, and conversed with his father 595 years. Noah was fifty-eight years contemporary with Abram. Then comes Noah’s son Shem, who, as the fourth link, was contemporary with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the last of whom was 50 years old at the end of Shem’s earthly career. These fathers were the fifth. After them Joseph, the sixth, who died 74 years before the birth of Moses, and 154 years before the Exodus. And lastly, the Elders in Egypt to the time of Moses.

14. The following extract, mostly from Hales’ Chronology, supplies an example of the widely different opinions of Chronologists on the epoch of creation, dating backward from the Nativity.

Biblical Texts and Versions

“Jewish” Computations

“Divines” of the Laodicean Apostasy

p. CH 10Second Period

The Postdiluvian Patriarchal. Embraces 807 years.

p. CH 11Notes on the Second Period

1.—Abraham’s Age at Terah’s Death

1. Shimeall says that “Abraham was 75 years old at the death of Terah in his 205th year”—Bible Chron., p. 43. I suppose he arrives at this conclusion from Acts vii. 4, which says: “Then came he (Abram) out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell.” He, in common with others, has been contented with the letter of the English Version. This certainly teaches that Abram dwelt in Charran till Terah’s death; and as Moses says in Gen. xii. 4, that “Abram was 75 years old when he departed out of Haran,” Abram, of course, could have been only 75 years old when Terah died. But chronologists have here overlooked two things; first, that the word κακειθεν, rendered “from thence” in the text, signifies also “and then, i. e., AFTERWARDS:” and secondly, that Abraham not only dwelt in Charran till he was 75 years, but that he also afterwards “sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days,” or years—Gen. xxi. 34. It was from the land of the Philistines Abraham departed on his expedition “into the land of Moriah,” for the purpose of offering Isaac “upon one of its mountains.” This transaction accomplished, he returned to Beersheba in the Philistines’ land, and dwelt there—Gen. xxii. 19. Now Terah died A. M. 2083, and Sarah, Abraham’s wife, in A. M. 2085, two years after Terah. After Abraham’s return to Beersheba in the Philistines’ land, he received tidings from his relations in Charran; when, among other family matters, he doubtless heard of Terah’s death—See verse 20. After this, he removed “into the land of Canaan,” to Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron; and while there Sarah died, and was afterwards buried in the covenanted land—Gen. xxiii. 1, 2. This is the simple and scriptural statement of the case which former writers have not discerned; and in consequence of which they make “the call of Abram” A. M. 2083, when he was really 135 years old, instead of A. M. 2023, when he was only 75. A chronology founded on such data must be incorrect.

With these premises before us, then, Stephen’s words may be rightly paraphrased thus: “Then Abraham came out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt awhile with Terah there. Afterwards, even sixty-two years afterwards, after that his father died, he removed him out of the Philistines’ land where he had sojourned many days, into this land of Canaan in which ye now dwell.”

2.—Shem and Melchizedec the Same Person

2. It nowhere says in Scripture that Shem died. I have therefore said, “he ceased from among men.” I rather conclude that he is the Melchi, king of zedek righteousness, of whom Paul says, “it is testified that he liveth”— p. CH 12 Heb. vii. 8.; and that being alive, he is a very fit and proper type of “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession”—Heb. iii. 1.

3.—The Time of Joseph’s Birth

3. Joseph was son of Rachel, and born at Laban’s, fourteen years after Jacob entered his service. Jacob was born A. M. 2108, and went down into Egypt A. M. 2238, being 130 years old. This was in the second year of famine, or 9 years after Joseph stood before Pharaoh. When he stood before the king he was of the same age as Jesus when he stood before Yahweh in baptism. Hence, being 39 when Jacob was 130, Joseph must have been born of Rachel when Jacob was 91. Jacob remained six years in Laban’s service after Joseph’s birth—in all 20 years. He was therefore 97 when he fled from Laban. From this hegira till Joseph was sold into Egypt was eleven years; and from the end of that to the reunion of the family in Egypt in the second year of the famine, were 28 years more.

As Joseph lived till he was 110, and was born when Jacob was 91, he must have been born A. M. 2199, and have died A. M. 2309, and 54 years after Jacob’s death.

4.—The Birth of Moses

4. Moses was 80 years old at the EXODUS. This occurred exactly at the very night of the first passover, 430 years after Abram’s marriage with Hagar, A. M. 2033. The year of the Exodus was therefore A. M. 2463. From this deduct 80 years, and we find that Moses was born A. M. 2383; from which the year of Joseph’s death, A. M. 2309, being subtracted, we discover that the interval between the death of Joseph and the birth of Moses was 74 years.

5.—The Birth of Joshua

5. Joshua was born 110 years before the time of the Judges, who succeeded him. The time of the Judges was 450 years, beginning at the death of Joshua and ending at the establishment of Samuel as prophet of Yahweh, in the 13th of Eli’s judgeship. Hence Joshua was of the same age as Caleb at the Exodus, namely, 40 years. He was therefore born 40 years after Moses, A. M, 2423.

6.—The 430 Years to the Exodus

6. “They shall afflict thy seed 400 years. And also that nation (Egypt) whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterwards shall they come out with great substance”—Gen. xv. 13, 14. These words were spoken to Abram at the Typical Confirmation of the Land-Covenant. They gave him to understand that full 400 years of affliction would pass before deliverance p. CH 13 should be sent to his seed in the land of the oppressor. He was not told how soon after the termination of the 400-years deliverance should come; but simply that it should be after the lapse of that long period. Moses, in Exod. xii. 40, 41, shows us that it was thirty years after the end of the 400 years; which 430 years he terms “the sojourning of Israel’s sons.” He does not say that they spent this 430 years in Egypt, as is generally supposed. His words are: “Now the sojourning of the sons of Israel (who dwelt in Egypt), was thirty years and 400 years. And it was at the end of thirty years and four hundred years, even the selfsame day it was, that all the armies of Yahweh went out from the land of Egypt.” The 430 years were the time of “the sojourning,” not the time of dwelling in Egypt. Moses simply affirms that “they dwelt in Egypt,” but does not say how long. They were only 225 years in Egypt; the rest of the 430 years, that is, 205 years, was spent by the family as “strangers and pilgrims in the land”—Heb. xi. 9, 13. The Septuagint Version of the text adds the words και εν γη Χανααν, and in the land of Chanaan; as, “the sojourning of the sons of Israel (who dwelt in Egypt and in the land of Canaan) was” so long a time. But the addition is superfluous, as “the sojourning” and “the dwelling” are not identical. The sojourning covers the time of the dwelling in Egypt, but the dwelling there does not comprehend all the time of the sojourning.

The 400 years end ten years after the flight of Moses from the Court of Pharaoh, A. M. 2433; which is therefore the beginning of the 30 years time of the end, in which Egypt was to be judged. The consummation of the judgment signalized the Exodus “in the fourth generation;” the first being represented by LEVI contemporary with Abraham; the second, by KOHATH; the third, by AMRAM; and the fourth, by MOSES and his contemporaries—Exod. vi. 16-20. We are informed by Paul in Gal. iii. 16, 17, that there was an interval of 430 years between the Confirmation of the Abrahamic Land Covenant and the promulgation of the Mosaic Law. My Chronology exactly fills up that interval with the required number of years, without any shortening, stretching, or overlapping of periods. It begins A. M. 2033, and ends A. M. 2463.

7.—Computations Concerning the Exodus

Shimeall makes the world at the Exodus too old by 50 years. He reckons it at 2513; an error arising from his mistake about the age of Abraham at the death of Terah.