Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

After Asa, Jehosaphat reigned in Judah, followed by Jehoram. Meanwhile, Ahab reigned over Israel, followed by Ahaziah, then Joram. Although Jehoshaphat was a good king, he made an ungodly alliance with Israel, marrying his son Jehoram to evil Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. As a result, Jehoram walked in the ways of the evil kings of Israel. We show that one example of this is that Jehoram caused Judah to change to using non-accession year dating, just like Israel. This system continued in Judah for the next 4 reigns.

After Solomon, Israel divided into 2 kingdoms, with Judah in the south led by Rehoboam, and Israel in the north led by Jereboam. We reconstruct the chronology of both kingdoms, showing how they interconnect and harmonise through their synchronisms, starting with Abijah and Asa over Judah, and Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Tibni, Omri, and Ahab over Israel.

After Solomon, Israel divided into 2 kingdoms: (1) Judah under Rehoboam, and (2) Israel under Jereboam. To harmonise their chronologies we must know how they reckoned their king's reigns. Having established Judah used Accession Years (unlike Israel), we also show Judah's regnal years start in Tishri, but Israel's in Nisan.

We start our study of the next Great Jubilee Cycle of 490 years from the Dedication of the Temple to the Decree to restore Jerusalem, which initiates the 490 years of Daniel's 70 Weeks (Dan 9:24-25). We will prove this time consists of 560 years minus 70 unreckoned years of Servitude to Babylon, making 490 years. This time includes the time of the Divided Kingdom, which adds to its complexity, because we are given the reigns of both the kings of Judah and of Israel, as well as many synchronisms connecting them. The Messiah is descended from the kings of Judah, so the primary chronology is provided by Judah, but this must be fine-tuned by harmonising it with the chronology of Israel's kings. Moreover, the way these 2 kingdoms measured the reigns of their kings differed. For example, we show that one used Accession Years, while the other used the Non-Accession Year System.

“If you are WILLING and OBEDIENT you shall eat the good of the Land” (Isaiah 1:19). The first key to blessing is a submitted heart, WILLING to do the will of God, whereas unwillingness always produces failure. Hilary illustrates this in the experiences of (1) Caleb and Israel, (2) Jesus' disciples, and (3) Jonah.

In studying the whole progress of time from the Exodus to the Temple-Dedication, we find there are 3 gaps in the record. By using the keys of time and 3 long time-spans (the 450 years of Acts 13:19-20, the 480 Redemption years of 1Kings 6:1, and the 490-year Redemption Cycle) we are able to fill in the 3 gaps.

After summarising the Chronology from the Exodus to David, we start to study Solomon's reign. Careful work is needed to deduce exactly when (1) he started to build the Temple, (2) when the 480 years of 1Kings 6:1 ended, (3) the time he took to build the Temple, and (4) the time he took to furnish it before its Dedication.

After Saul, David reigned 7 years and 6 months in Hebron, then 33 years from Jerusalem. The 6 months explains the origin of Tishri years for the reigns of the kings of Judah. We also deduce David's age when he killed Goliath, and when his son Absalom rebelled, and the age difference between David and Jonathan.

A literal reading of Judges confirms Acts 13:20 in revealing the Time of the Judges must have been longer than what's allowed by the 480 years of 1Kings 6:1. This is explained by the Key of Unreckoned Time. Likewise, we see how Jephthah's 300 years fit with a long chronology, and how Saul's 40 years (Acts 13:21) agree with his 1 year (1Samuel 13:1).

After Eli's 40 years, Israel entered her 7th Servitude of 20 years (to the Philistines), the time of Samuel, the Prophet (Acts 13:20). Israel's repentance released God to raise up Samuel as their Judge (1Sam 7), who called them to Mizpeh for a national repentance, resulting in a great victory over the Philistines. Samuel then judged Israel until Saul's reign.