Daniel 9 and the Millennial Jubilee
with a comment on the Apophis Asteroid and the Impending War
For the last 400 years, Christians have generally agreed that Christ was born in 4 BC. Archbishop James Ussher, in his book on Bible chronology placed creation 4000 years before this in 4004 BC. Based on the commonly held belief of the time that human history would span a great week of seven millennia, Ussher assumed that there were 4000 years between creation and the birth of Christ and that three more would follow.
Although Ussher’s view appealed to me for several years, I always wondered if the crucifixion rather than the birth of Christ might not be a better 4000-year alignment. I think now that it is because it harmonizes with improvements in our understanding of Bible chronology and with other inspired statements.
Regarding Ellen White, there are 65 hits for the phrase "four thousand years" in the White estate database. Half or more of these are duplicate quotes in various compilations. In most of them, she applies the 4000 years to the reign of sin from the fall of Adam to Christ's ministry rather than his birth. She does the same with the phrase, "six thousand years" which appears 86 times. Like with her “four thousand year” statements, she applies these to the duration of sin from the fall of Adam (not creation) to the close of human probation and the start of the seventh millennium.
The scriptures are silent on when the fall of Adam occurred but based on the statements of Ellen White, we can narrow it down to within a few years. Since she says there are 4000 years of sin between the fall of Adam and either the beginning of Christ's ministry or his crucifixion, then Adam fell between about 3974 and 3970 BC. (27AD - 4000 - 1 = 3973 BC and 31 - 4000 - 1 = 3970 BC. The - 1 is to adjust for the absence of a zero year between the two eras.)
Some Adventists think that Ellen White is only using round figures but even if she is, we know from the prophets that God is precise in everything he does. If a thousand years is like a day to him we can be sure that the literal day and the 1000-year day of both are exact. God always numbers and measures things precisely; for example, the number and name and course of each star, of which there are untold trillions, the number and health of the little sparrows, and even the hairs of our head.
Regarding Ussher's chronology of scripture and his calculation of the date of creation, October 23, 4004 BC, his work is still influential today. However, almost all Bible-believing chronologists acknowledge now that Ussher was mistaken on some minor points. The current evangelical consensus is that the Exodus was about 1446 BC rather than 1491 according to Ussher, and creation was about 4000 to 3950 BC.
Ezekiel 4 and the Chronology of the Kings
From the days of Ussher and still today, the main unresolved problem in Old Testament chronology is the four century period of the kings. In my book, The Final Atonement, I’ve pointed to Ezekiel 4 as the solution to Old Testament chronology. In Ezekiel’s acted prophecy we’re told that Israel transgressed under the rule of the house of David for 430 years. Judah's fall to the Babylonians in 587 BC marks the end of the 430 years of David’s dynasty, therefore David's reign began in 1017 BC. (587 + 430 = 1017). Since Solomon built the temple 40 years later, which I Kings 6:1 says was 480 years after the Exodus, the Exodus was in 1457 BC.
(587 BC + 430 – 40 + 480 = 1457 BC.)
With that anchor date, we can place the start of the jubilee cycle at 1401 BC. After the Exodus in 1457 Israel wandered 40 years, then crossed the Jordan and began their conquest of the promised land. After 16 more years, the land was divided and the reckoning of the sabbaticals and jubilees began. Joshua 14 to 23. (1457 – 40 – 16 = 1401 BC).
Based on Daniel 9 which allows 70 "sevens" of probationary time to God's people, 70 jubilees from 1401 BC take us to 2030 AD. That date, in my opinion, is the end of probationary time for God's people, just as 34 AD marked the end of probationary time for the Jews.
That said, I caution that this doesn't mean we have until 2030 before probation ends for the remnant. According to Christ's parable of the ten virgins, the door to the wedding shuts earlier for the five unwise virgins who find that they have no oil at the critical moment.
I give more reasons for 1457 and 1401 BC in chapters 25 and 26 of my book, The Final Atonement. I'd be glad to get your critiques and feedback on this and on my book. In this most recent edition, I’ve added a comment on the Apophis asteroid that passes the Earth in 2029. When it was first sighted in 2004, astronomers sounded an alarm that it was on a trajectory to impact the earth on Friday, April 13 of that year but further calculations have reduced that risk to basically zero. However, on that same day, it still will come perilously close, within the orbit of GPS satellites, skimming the outer limits of our atmosphere. We ought to take due note of it as an important sign of destruction. The meaning of the asteroid’s name is just that, destruction. So I include a mention of this harbinger at the start of chapter 26.
In closing, as you all know, things continue to heat up in Ukraine and the Middle East. I have been blessed to live on the southeastern edge of the New River Gorge for 14 years. About six to ten times a year the US military does low-altitude practice flights up and down this majestic chasm in their Hercules C-130 transport planes. I’ve wished I could be a passenger to take in the view.
In the last few months, these flights have noticeably increased and yesterday, for the first time, large military transport helicopters, that could be heard miles away, started practicing as well. As the anger of the nations increases and the majority of Western leaders lose their senses, full-scale war is looming large. Poland, for example, just invited NATO to place nuclear weapons on its soil close to Russia. We have enjoyed peace and prosperity for so long in the West, we seem to have forgotten the horrors of nuclear war, the lingering and deadly impact of nuclear contamination on land, food, animals, and people, the toll on families, the bodily mutilations, the emotional wreckage, the rationing, shortages, famines, pandemics, and diseases.
The 13th chapter of Isaiah applies today to our Western Babylonian culture and our military alliances. Additionally, Ezekiel 38 is nearing its fulfillment. I’ll leave those for another day but highly recommend their study.
Let’s venture something for God while we can regardless of the risks and personal loss. There are no real losses in his cause, only gains.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.
(Psa 84:5-7 ESV)
Thanks for sharing Mark! I’ve wondered if the eclipses of 17 and 24 had marked an end to a cycle of 7 and a final 7 year cycle might be starting … I agree we shouldn’t be wasting the time and opportunities God provides to us! Blessings!