Bible Chronology (44): From the Temple to Artaxerxes (19)

Because of Solomon's compromise with idolatry, the 430 years of sin against God's Presence in the Temple (Ezekiel 4:1-8) started as soon as it was dedicated by Solomon in 1018 BC, when God's Glory filled the Temple, and continued until God's Glory departed the Temple in 588 BC, as witnessed by Ezekiel. So these 430 years correspond exactly with the time that God's Presence dwelt in the first Temple. We establish that God appeared to Solomon immediately after the Dedication of the Temple to warn him about the danger of idolatry and its consequences (1 Kings 9:1-9). This meant that he (as Israel's representative) was in deliberate sin (rebellion) against God, when he allowed idolatry to continue and increase, despite this warning. This helps to understand the seriousness of this sin, and why God had to start counting the 430 years of sin (idolatry) from this point. The 390 years of sin from the Temple Dedication in 1018 BC to when the 40 years of sin began in 628 BC with the start of Jeremiah's ministry at the start of Josiah's 13th year, perfectly confirms the long chronology, which we have constructed by tracing and harmonising the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel, just using the information given in the Bible. The 390-year measurement also enables us to determine the exact length of Jotham's reign (22 years). The Biblical account says he reigned at least 20 years, but it does not specify the exact length of his reign, but the 390 years provides this one piece of missing information. Another wonderful confirmation of this Biblical Chronology of the kings is that it explains why God measured exactly 70 years for the Desolations of the Land. 2 Chronicles 36:14-21 explains the cause of the Desolations (unrepentant idolatry), and why they had to last 70 years (they had to continue until the Land had enjoyed her lost Sabbaths - v21). Because of their sin, Israel failed to keep God's Law concerning the Sabbath Year (Leviticus 25:1-3) - God told them to rest the Land 1 year in 7. Therefore, He removed them from the Land, until the Land had enjoyed the correct number of Sabbaths, as He had warned them He would do in Leviticus 26:31-35. Thus the time of the Desolations was measured on this basis. Therefore, if a proposed chronology is correct, it must be able to explain why God measured exactly 70 years for the Desolations of the Land, according to this Sabbath principle. As the climax of this video, we demonstrate the perfect solution to this difficult challenge, thus providing an independent confirmation of this chronology!