The exact date of the year is something that we are unlikely to know until after the Messiah has returned, and restored all things. It is an opinion that the “Millennium” in which Yeshuah will rule and reign in righteousness should begin around the year 6000 since Adam. This is based on the scriptural reference that a day is as a thousand years. And, we have the six days plus a sabbath pattern along with the “Millenium” - the scriptural reference to a thousand years of peace and rest. He would return just before that, say, in the 7th month of the year 5999, maybe. Seeing that the great tribulation has not started yet, at the writing of these notes, it could make it no later than about 5992 now, or even 5991.
However, we can not just guess that to suit our doctrine, even if it does make sense. What we know of the Author and Finisher of our faith, is that He is working according to His own plan that has been revealed to His servants in the word of YHVH, and that it is consistent. What we also know is:
Matt 25vs5; “Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept.”
1 Peter 3vs20a; “who were disobedient at one time when the patience of Elohim waited in the days of Noah, “
2 Peter 3vs3-9; “knowing this first: that mockers shall come in the last days with mocking, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues as from the beginning of creation.” For they choose to have this hidden from them: that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in water, by the Word of Elohim, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. And the present heavens and the earth are treasured up by the same Word, being kept for fire, to a day of judgement and destruction of wicked men. But beloved ones, let not this one matter be hidden form you: that with YHVH one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. YHVH is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
We can see from these verses that there is a possibility that YHVH may lengthen the days to his return, even according to His plan. We also have some scriptures that suggest that He may shorten the time of trouble:
Matt 24vs22; “And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the chosen ones those days shall be shortened.” See a repeat of this also in Mark 13vs20.
So even in the Scriptures we see a certain indication of flexibility regarding the time. Yet we also see a clear and precise pattern of exactness in the hand of the master planner. We believe that the exact year and timing of all things will be extremely profound and significant, yet we may only see all of that in hindsight. We also know that YHVH hide’s Himself in mystery that we may seek Him. So not all will be revealed just yet, even to those who seek to know with all their hearts, and to whom YHVH loves and longs to reveal all things. In His time, may His will be done.
Having briefly covered some basic theology with regards to the concept of the year and its significance, we are left with our mind and our gift from the Creator; the ability to calculate.
The years written in Scripture mostly refer to the life span of individuals and the age at which they ‘begat’ their sons. We also have the years certain kings reigned. An academic and mathematical study of Scripture can lead to calculations of its chronology. After the scriptural times, a comparative study of Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman and modern history records, compared with each other, can yield a fairly accurate record of the years since, and compared with the Scriptural account. Most chronologists, including many Jews, agree that the traditional Jewish calendar is inaccurate in being about 240 years short.
Dr. Floyd Nolen Jones has done just such a thorough independent re-study of our history in order to understand the dates of events contained in the Scripture, and the correct number of years since creation to our current time today. He published a book: “Chronology of the Old Testament” (See Bibliography) in 1993, which included a comparative report titled ‘Why Jewish Dating is Different’, predominantly dealing with the discrepancies between the “Seder Olam Rabbah” and “Ussher”.
The ‘Seder Olam Rabbah’ (The Book of the Order of the World) was compiled by Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta about a hundred years after Christ. This book provides calculations for the date since the creation of the world. Prior to this book, the Jews had dated their years from significant points in their history, and earlier than that according to the length of the reign of the Kings, as can be found in the Scriptures, the very records themselves.
In 1659, the Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland, James Ussher, a Christian Biblical Chronologist, did a comprehensive re-calculation of the Scriptural Historical Timeline. He devised a system of chronology that became the source for dates printed in the margins of Bibles, placing the date of creation at 4004 B.C.
Dr. Jones compares their findings with the Old Testament Scriptures, finding Ussher accurate, and the Seder Olam continually having a shortfall of ‘missing years’. He studies periods of time, using the Scriptural reference to dates, years and the age of individuals. The first period being from Creation to the birth of Avraham, the second from Avraham to the Exodus, and so forth. The shortfall continues increasing. It is however after the time beyond the Canonisation of the Tanach (Better know in English as the Old Testament), that the error increases significantly. From this period of time the chronology has to move its ancient record base away from the times of the Scriptures to that of the Persian Historical Records, 538-331 B.C. The ‘Seder Olam’ depicts the Kingdom of Persia as lasting a mere 53 years rather than 207 years.
While not openly admitting this, the shortening of the years within the ‘Seder Olam’ is deliberate. It prevents the Daniel chapter 9 prophecies from pointing to Yeshuah of Nazareth as being the fulfilment of the Messiah, but rather then points to the military rebel Simon Bar Kokhba.
Present day Jewish scholars such as Rabbi Simon Schwab, along with other Jewish commentators have written such references to this using the words: “… had covered up a certain historic period and purposely eliminated and suppressed all records…”, “… a Divine command could have prompted…”, “known to a few initiates only…”. They go on further to suggest that the reason God directed the sages of the 2nd Century AD to become involved in falsifying the data was to confuse anyone who might try to use the prophecies of Daniel to predict the time of the Messiah’s coming. This was supposedly done to honour Daniel 12 vs 4: “Shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the times of the end.”
The Persian period of History had been the most open to exploit, as Greeks and later Moslems, who conquered them, so hated the Persians that they destroyed nearly all the records.
Dr. Jones gives a thorough report of all the calculation, not included in this summry, and goes on to conclude:
“… many of the orthodox rabbis are looking for messiah to come in the year AM 6’000 (Anno Mundi, “from creation”). Should they be correct in this assessment, the deception inherent within the Seder Olam would result in a great national tragedy for Israel. Their Messiah who “came unto His own, and His own received Him not” would not be coming to earth for the first time. Rather he would be returning “as a thief in the night” about 243 years before they would be expecting Him. O Israel, repent!
Regardless of the actual year of our Lord’s return, He will come. At that time, He will fulfil all the many ancient Biblical prophecies associated with that great event. He will save His own, slay the wicked, and establish the promised thousand year reign of righteousness. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.”
Apart from the error, it is still quite a task to counter compare the historical records of the Scriptures with other ancient cultures. Interestingly enough, although many scholars from different backgrounds have done this research for different reasons, many have come to conclusions within the space of a few years of each other. Very basically speaking, the Messiah was born about four thousand years after Adam, and this was about two thousand years ago. The Gregorian Calendar suggests 2009, supposedly since Christ (death or birth?, B.C.= Before Christ, A.D.= Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord). This year date is not all that inaccurate. Many scholars say that we are therefore in fact in the yare 6009 since Adam then. We feel that as it may not be possible to be exactly precise with the year, it would be better to do the mathematics and accept the result. As this is a task that involves many years of research, we have trusted in the diligent work of those who have dedicated themselves to this task. Many of them have arrived within three years or so of each other. According to Dr. Jones we are in the year about 6013, and we have noted on the calendar pages that accredited scholars have argued diligently their proposals from around 6010 to 6016, about three years either side, as noted. (There are others who have researched and that have come to conclusions about 30 years different)
Other scholars who have researched this include many more than just those in ‘Messianic’ circles; Ernest L. Martin, of A.S.K. the Associates for Scriptural Knowledge, is a Christian, but not Messianic and does not believe that we should observe the Sabbath or even follow the calendar. Yet he has studied it deeply and he calculates the error to be 248 years. Even Jewish commentaries like “torahvoice.org” elaborate on the 240 year error of the Seder Olam Rabbah, but using totally independent studies from Dr. Jones and Ussher. Another Christian Author, Dr. David R. Regan refers to the errors in the calendar in ‘Lamplighter’. Here he make makes reference to an Orthodox Jew, Mitchell First and his book; “Conflict”. In this book he provides a survey of what the Jewish rabbis have had to say about the calendar discrepancies of about 240 years. A quick search on the internet will provide you with an in-exhaustible list of references to the topic.
As the return of the Messiah draws closer, so may the understanding of these things be revealed by Elohim. Should the precise year be important, Hashem shall reveal it to His servants. It may be you to whom this is revealed, if you are willing to dedicate yourself to YHVH and He leads you to the study of these things for the benefit and the enrichment of the Body of the Messiah.
Shalom and welcome to this presentation of what is a very ancient calendar system
