The Kings Highway was one of the major north/south trade routes connecting much of the middle east from Egypt through Syria. It is the desert route starting north at Resafa and running parallel to the coastal route ending at Heliopolis in Egypt.
“Lining both sides of this thoroughfare is a rich chain of archaeological sites that reads like an index of ancient history and a biblical gazetteer — prehistoric villages from the Stone Age, biblical towns from the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom, Crusader Castles, some of the finest early Christian Byzantine mosaics in the Middle East, a Roman-Herodian fortress, several Nabatean temples, two major Roman fortresses, early Islamic towns, and the rock-cut Nabatean capital of Petra.
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First mentioned by name in the Bible, the Kings Highway was the route that Moses wished to follow as he led his people north through the land of Edom, which today is in southern Jordan. The name may, however, derive from the even earlier episode recounted in Genesis 14, when an alliance of “four kings from the north” marched their troops along this route to do battle against the five kings of the Cities of the Plain, including the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.” (From Visit Jordan site ).
From a reader: Hi, my name is Charles Brown. I believe too, that we are in the end times and my question is: Do you think that the social security number is or the fore runner for the mark of the beast? I personally believe that it is and because of my belief I went in to court and rescinded the number and the account. I have found out first hand that it is almost impossible to do anything without that number, which makes me believe even more that it is, that is to say, you cannot buy anything of value without it, you cannot work without it, you cannot get your utilities turned on without it, you can get in a hospital without it and if they put 666 in front of the SS# they have effectively and very cleverly deceived the élite. Would you not say. Your Christian friend, Charles.
This site is a Bible History site dedicated to events and people that occur on the Amazing Bible Timeline Chart. We do not attempt to answer questions on doctrine or future prophesying. But we do present historical information as well as the different interpretations available so that readers can make informed decisions. With that in mind here is information on the mark of the beast. Here are verses in Revelation referring to the mark of the beast. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17 KJV And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Revelation 14:11 KJV And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. Revelation 15:2 KJV From BibleStudyTools.com Greek word translated as “mark” Charagma (transliterated)
a stamp, an imprinted mark
of the mark stamped on the forehead or the right hand as the badge of the followers of the Antichrist
the mark branded upon horses
thing carved, sculpture, graven work
of idolatrous images
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Bible commentaries on the mark of the beast (prior to social security numbers) A variety of interpretations say it is a symbol of allegiance, it refers to an actual person (for example Nero), it refers to a type of organization (man-made governments), it refers to the Catholic Church and papacy, it refers to a year (Ba’Hai faith), it has already occurred, it is yet to occur. Some early writers believe it refers to the papacy and holy orders. Very interesting to read. For example here and here, On the other hand, others simply give us an idea of what it symbolizes and it’s spiritual significance. 16. to receive a mark–literally, “that they should give them a mark”; such a brand as masters stamp on their slaves and monarchs on their subjects. Soldiers voluntarily punctured their arms with marks of the general under whom they served. Votaries of idols branded themselves with the idol’s cipher or symbol. Thus Antiochus Epiphanes branded the Jews with the ivy leaf, the symbol of Bacchus (2 Maccabees 6:7; 3 Maccabees 2:29). Contrast God’s seal and name in the foreheads of His servants, Revelation 7:3, 14:1, 22:4; and Galatians 6:17, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus,” that is, I am His soldier and servant. The mark in the right hand and forehead implies the prostration of bodily and intellectual powers to the beast’s domination. “In the forehead by way of profession; in the hand with respect to work and service” [AUGUSTINE]. From Jamison, Fausset, Brown Critical Commentary It refers to a name that can be rendered as a number as was common in New Testament times. Here’s a multipage article on how that was done and the names suggested in the past that it might have been. For example a few Caesars and, of course, the papacy. Perhaps we should let the Catholics respond. Here is an excellent and complete response that says the beast (Nero) has come and gone, and that we are living in the golden age of Christianity. Compared to past ages, this is true. More recently people refer to the Social Security Number as the mark of the beast as it has all of the signs. More on the beast can be found in Wikipedia’s almost exhaustive collection of beliefs about the beast and the mark including the belief of preterists that it refers to the Roman coins which bore the imprint of Caesar and Roman Gods, the Seventh Day Adventist belief that it refers to a (future) enforcement of Sunday worship, the Jehovah Witnesses belief that it refers to any unified human-made government and more. Perhaps you will agree with this much of John Darby’s statement: As regards the number of the beast, I have no doubt that it will be very simple to the godly, when the beast is there, and the time of spiritually judging it comes, and that name will practically guide those who have to do with him. Till then, the speculations of men are not of much value; John Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament This is why we stay focused on events that can be noted on our Biblical History Timeline.
In the article What Are The Signs of the Last Days, we are reminded that Jesus cautions us to pray that our flight be not in winter (Mark 13:18) (Making your escape perilous or tempting you to delay your flight. Matthew 24:20 adds “or on the sabbath day.”)
Why should we pray that our flight not be in winter?
Here is a variety of Bible commentaries. “When days are short, roads bad, the weather inclement; and when to lodge in mountains, is very incommodious, and uncomfortable.” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible) “Such is the vanity of the creature, which the time may often be, when the greatest comforts may prove the greatest burdens. It would likewise be very uncomfortable, if they should be forced to flee in the winter (v. 18), when the weather and ways were bad, when the roads would be scarcely passable, especially in
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the mountains to which they must flee. If there be no remedy but that trouble must come, yet we may desire and pray that, if it be God’s will, the circumstances of it may be so ordered as to be a mitigation of the trouble; and when things are bad, we ought to consider they might have been worse.
It is bad to be forced to flee, but it would have been worse if it had been in the winter.” (Matthew Henry Commentary) “Not in the winter. Because the streams were then impassable torrents from the heavy rains and the weather cold and wet, hard on homeless people. Nor on the sabbath. Because then the gates of the city were closed, preventing departure. History tells us that the army of Cestius Gallus enclosed Jerusalem in A. D. 67, then deterred by its strength, retired to Cæsarea. This was the signal for which the church waited, and it then fled beyond the Jordan. The sign given by the Lord for the flight, the environment of the city by the Romans, and the panic that caused their sudden withdrawal, occurred on Tuesday, in October. Hence the flight was neither in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day.” (People’s New Testament)
People’s New Testament tells us what actually did happen when the Roman Armies returned. “The account given by Josephus, the Jewish historian who witnessed and recorded the war, is almost an echo of the predictions of Christ. Women ate their own children from starvation; the Jews within the city fought each other as well as the Roman army; on August 10, A. D. 70, ) the city was stormed and there was a universal massacre; 1,100,00 persons perished, and 100,000 survivors were sold into slavery.” (see the 1st century on the Biblical Timeline Prior to the second coming of Christ similar events will occur as discussed in the Signs of the Times article on this site.
What is a Biblical explanation of the difference between these phrases?
Quick summary: They all mean the same thing.
End times (as that phrase) is not found in either The Authorized King James or the New International Version of the Bible. It is found in Daniel as “time of the end.” The Hebrew word translated as time (transliterated Hebrew word: ayth) can mean either time of an event or an occurrence while the word translated as end (transliterated Hebrew word: Qets) refers to end of time or the end of a space (i.e., end of the hall).
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End of the Age is found in The New International Version of the Bible. The same text is translated as End of the World in the King James Bible. It is used only in the New Testament. The Greek words (transliterated Greek words: aion suntevleia) consistently translated as end of the world or age can mean “completion or consummation of” the following: eternity, the worlds/universe, or period of time/age.
Latter Days (found only in the Old Testament) and Last Days (found in both Old and New Testaments). In the Old Testament, the same Hebrew words are translated as either last days or latter days. The word for latter or last means “end, latter time for prophetic future time, or last/ hindermost. (tyrxa)The word for days is the common word for the day found throughout the Old Testament including Genesis where God creates the world in a period of days (yowm). It can mean day as opposed to night, a 24 hour period, a division of time, a working day, plural days can mean a lifetime, a time period (general) or a year.
How it is translated depends on the context. In the Greek New Testament again the King James translators are consistent. The word translated as last (eschatos) means the end of or last in a series or the end of space. The Greek word for days (hemera) is similar to the Hebrew in that it can refer to a particular day or days as in a lifetime or period of time. The next step is a bit of a comparison. The words translated as last or end are similar to our English last or end. We might say “He’s at the end of the line.” Or we might say, “He’s last in line.” The meaning is essentially the same. The words translated as day/days/age/or the world can all mean a period of time or in some cases space. We can assume then that that all the phrases are different ways of saying the same thing.
Tools used for comparing the Greek and Hebrew to English Bible Translations for this article: Bible Study Tools Look up the phrase. A list of verses will come up. (You can choose from 30 versions of the Bible.) Beneath each verse, you will see more options. Click on the Interlinear View to see the Greek and Hebrew for a particular verse. Then click on a Greek or Hebrew word for it’s definition and root.
The original year calculated by Dionysius Exiguus was incorrect although close. Matthew and Luke both place Christ’s birth just before the death of Herod the Great. Herod’s death occurred shortly after a lunar eclipse. Scholars assume this is the eclipse in March of 4BC putting Christ’s birth that year.
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However, Christ’s birth could have been up to two years earlier since Herod also ordered the death of the innocents aged two and under based on information he received from the Magi. Ussher was aware of the information regarding Herod. He placed Christ’s birth 4 years earlier than the Christian calendar of 1 AD (Anno Domini or year of our Lord) making it 4 BC.
Job is not on the timeline because biblical scholars cannot agree on when he might have lived, and the Bible does not give enough direct clues to place him accurately.
Here are three suggested times Job might have lived by the reasoning of Biblical scholars:
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a. Eliphaz refers to the flood as being in the past in Job 22:16
b. Job sacrifices to God as head of his family (a practice of patriarchal times that stopped with Moses) Job 1:5
c. Job's daughters received an inheritance along with his sons Job 42:15 a patriarchal practice that also stopped with Moses
d. Job's wealth is determined by flocks rather than money that is also consistent with patriarchal times Job 1:3, 42:12
e. The kesitah or piece of money mentioned belongs to patriarchal times
f. The musical instruments (organ, harp, and timbrel) are the instruments of early Genesis
g. Job lived long enough to birth two families of ten children and raise them to adulthood then lived another 140 years. He lived at least 200 years and possibly longer. This is consistent with the ages of patriarchs prior to Abraham.
(Read more on this at apologetics press)
2. Job lived after Joseph but before Moses (after 1650 BC and before 1500 BC)
The reasoning for this time placement is that he must have lived between truly righteous men but not when other righteous patriarchs were alive. Therefore, he is placed between Joseph and Moses. Job 1:8 ( Read more at wiki answers )
3. Job lived during Moses' lifetime.
Job is an associate of Moses' father-in-law. According to this opinion, Moses authored the Book of Job. Some say he was one of Pharaoh’s advisors, together with Jethro and Balaam. (More on this from Rabbi Buchwald )
There's our problem. Since better Biblical scholars than we are cannot agree we did not put Job on the timeline. (But you could pen him in on your copy!)
Please give us your opinion! When do you think Job lived, and how did you come to that conclusion?
Yes. The two timelines place creation 244 years apart.
The Hebrew Timeline known as Seder Olam Rabba places creation at 3760 BC. It was calculated on a literal reading of the book of Genesis by Tanna Yose ben Halafta in the second century BC. The Tannaim (Hebrew: תנאים, singular תנא, Tanna) were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE – from wikipedia.org
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The Hebrew Timeline and the King James Biblical timeline based on Ussher’s chronology, places creation at 4004 BC. The 244-year difference is due to differences in calculations during the period when dates have to be determined by relationship to other events as exact time frames and relative dates are not given. (see our article: The Three Bible Timelines: Why and How They Differ )
Here are some of the dates on the Jewish Timeline:
The Hebrew calendar is the official calendar of Israel and the religious calendar for Judaism.
The Hebrew Calendar begins with the year of creation as 3761 BC while Ussher’s Chronology (the basis for our Bible Timeline Chart and the dates in the King James Bible) starts with Adam in 4004 BC.
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‘The Hebrew or Jewish calendar, showing Adar II between 1927 and 1948.’
Is there anywhere I can go print out a Hebrew calendar?
Printable Hebrew calendar site (you may have to scroll below the ads to see the printable pages): www.printablejewishcalendar.com
An excellent site that explains the Jewish calendar and how the dates are calculated can be found here: https://www.jewfaq.org/jewish_calendar
For a complete explanation of the complex history and calculations of the calendar, an internet search will return many good resources.
The story of the great flood is one of the most studied events on the Bible Timeline. Some people are skeptical that rain took place on Earth before Noah’s flood, others are just as strongly convinced that there was rain even before the rain that caused the great flood. The Bible does not specifically tell us whether or not it rained before the Flood.
Both groups use the same verses of scripture as proof of their positions. The main ones are “the fountains of the great deep” and the “windows of heaven” along with the significance of the rainbow in Genesis 9:11-17. Others use History, Science and even rules of Literature to defend their convictions. Here are some of the most frequent, and a few controversial or lesser-known arguments for and against rain prior to Noah’s flood.
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The Rainbow: as a new sign of a covenant from God to man after the Flood (Genesis 9:11-17), suggests that rain was experienced for the first time just before the flood and rainbows only after the flood. [i] Today’s Science: John Baumgardner, et.al. [ii] proposed the catastrophic plate tectonics model where during the onset of the flood, the ocean floor rapidly lifted up to 6,500 feet (2,000 meters). Due to an increase in temperature as horizontal movement of the tectonic plates accelerated resulting in massive flooding. This phenomenon depicts the breaking up of the “fountains of the great deep” described in Genesis 7:11. Water Canopy and Windows of Heaven: Dillow [iii] described water canopy, made of vapor or ice in the atmosphere surrounding the earth. Inundation of the canopy as the source of all the water required to explain a global flood may also refer to the “windows of heaven being opened” in Genesis 7:11. Water Canopy and the Greenhouse Effect: Dillow and Vardiman [iv] cited that vapor canopy caused a greenhouse effect before the flood that explains the growth of lush vegetation on the land all around the globe. Even with just the aid of mist, validated by the discovered coal seams in Antarctica containing vegetation. No Need for Rain: Genesis 2:6 could reflect the annual flooding of the Nile River every spring and covered the tillable land of Egypt. Water was channeled from the Nile to the crop fields through irrigation to resolve the lack of rainfall needed for plant growth. [v] Today’s Science: a prerequisite for rain – condensation nuclei (typically less than .0001 millimeter in diameter) was largely absent before the flood. Water vapor molecules in the air have lesser chance to collide and fuse together. Without them, no rain can be produced. [vi] Fountains of Great Deep: The “fountains of great deep” could also be seen as a series of volcanic eruptions with prodigious amounts of water (about 70% or more) bursting up through the ground supported by many volcanic rocks interspersed between the fossil layers in the rock record—layers that were obviously deposited during Noah’s Flood. [vii]
On the other hand, here are some viewpoints that rain occurred before the flood:
Argument: Yes It Rained Often Before Noah’s Flood
Todays Science: A river ran out of the Garden of Eden and parted into four headstreams – Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates (Gen. 2:10). The water from these rivers would pour into the sea. However, the sea would not overflow (Eccl. 1:7). With a hydrologic cycle, water from the sea evaporates then returns to Earth as rain thus, the sea never overflows. [viii] The Rainbow: The Pulpit Commentary suggested that the phrase “I do set” in Genesis 9:11-17 grammatically connotes, “I have given, or have placed”, an implication that the occurrence of rainbow had already frequently appeared yet God took it as “new” sign. [ix] Windows of Heaven: Refers to Rain Raqia (Hebrew word “expanse”) occurs 18 times in 15 verses of the Old Testament. In Genesis 1:8 raqia can be translated as “heaven” or “sky.” The “floodgates of the sky” might refer to a water canopy if “expanse” is never used in the later part of the Old Testament. But it can be seen from Malachi 3:10 and 2 Kings 7:2 which happened after the flood that this term indicates rain in general. [x] Water Canopy Too Dense: Dr. Russell Humphreys [xi] reasoned that “in the expanse of the heaven” must have consisted of interstellar space therefore the waters above the expanse of Genesis 1:7 would be beyond the stars at the edge of the universe. Any kind of substantial water canopy above the earth would prevent the light from the sun, moon, and stars from being seen. Water Canopy and the Greenhouse Effect: Earth’s atmospheric pressure doubles even with just 40 feet equivalence of liquid water canopy. A global water layer of only 40 feet deep that is 6.22 x 1021 grams of water would release 3.35 x 1024 calories of heat, increasing Earth’s temperature to 810°F.[xii] Definitely, animals and plants, including Noah and his family, do not survive long at this extreme pressure and temperature. Other: Gen 2:4-25 is a highly structured topical account with a twofold focus on vegetation and humanity. Therefore, it is suggested that the coherent reading of Gen 1:1-2:3 (reading that coheres internally as well as externally with Gen 2:4-25) is topical rather than chronological [xiii]. Plants and the Need for Rain: Genesis serves as a preface to the history of Israel. The land of Canaan was a land cared for by God with rain from heaven. To keep the pledge to be loyal only to God would result in rain, vegetation, and life. But the Canaanites were tempted to turn to Baal, “the rider on the clouds,” in the procuring rain that resulted in no rain, no production, and death. God of Israel, our God created everything by His powerful words (Psalms 33:6), including the very first rain sent in the beginning, and has ever since sustained all things in His greatness (Hebrews 1:3). [xiv]
References:
i. Whitcomb and Morris, The Genesis Flood, p. 241
ii. S.A. Austin, J.R. Baumgardner, D.R. Humphreys, A.A. Snelling, L. Vardiman, and K.P. Wise, “Catastrophic Plate Tectonics: A Global Flood Model of Earth History,” Proc. Third ICC, 1994, pp. 609-621.
iii. J.C. Dillow, The Waters Above, 1981
iv. L. Vardiman, “The Sky Has Fallen”, Proc. First ICC, 1986, 1:113-119
v. House Church Network Association, Did it Rain Before Noah’s Day?, 2005
The two genealogies of Jesus Christ are found in Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3: 23-38
How are the two genealogies of Jesus Christ different?
Matthew’s gospel was written for the convincing of the Jewish people that Jesus was the prophesied Messianic king of the Jews. His line traces through Joseph, Christ’s legal father, his line of descent that proves that he would have truly been a King of the Jews had they not been living under Roman rule.
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Matthew starts with Abraham coming forward to Christ in sets of 14 names – a common device in that time. His focus is on the important forbears – i.e., as one might say today “a descendant of King Henry” or “one of the Mayflower” without giving the entire line linking back to that person.
Luke’s gospel is written to converted members of the ancient church both Jewish and Gentile to give background and the story of this man Jesus, son of God. His genealogy begins with Jesus linking him to Joseph as his father (with the qualifier “as was supposed”) since the church knew Christ was the literal son of God. Luke, therefore, traces the genealogy of Christ back to Adam ending with the words “the son of God.”
Why are the two genealogies of Jesus Christ Different?
Here are the common reasons that were given and some arguments for them:
That as Joseph was the legal father of Christ both genealogies are of Joseph – one of Joseph’s natural father and the other of his legal father -one being from the line of David and the other being from the line of Levi thus giving Christ both priestly and ruling power. A number of writers have suggested that this could have happened through adoption, or through the common practice for a “brother” (a man from the same father but not necessarily the same mother) to marry his deceased brother’s wife to raise up children for his brother.
One of the genealogies is the genealogy of Mary. Hebrew law did not allow a woman to be in the genealogy (it went from male to male) so that Luke used Joseph’s name instead. This argument also suggests that Mary and Joseph were cousins and shared a maternal ancestor. Most frequently writers argue that Luke’s line is the one of Mary as Luke believed that God was the father of Christ, and, therefore, the genealogy should be traced from her.
One or the other is incorrect – most likely Luke, who was going by hearsay while Matthew knew Christ and his family.
FREE, beautiful posters of the genealogy of Christ available for instant download.
We had two beautiful posters of the genealogy of Christ designed. On those posters, we have chosen to reflect the arguments suggesting that Luke’s genealogy traces Mary’s ancestors.
You can download either or both of these beautiful artwork posters of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ here – and while you’re there sign up for other free downloads and discount coupons.
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