Bible Questions – Page 11 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on April 29, 2013December 14, 2022 by Margaret Hunter — 38 Comments

Which of Japheth’s descendents became the Chinese?

There are various beliefs regarding which son was responsible for the Asian peoples. This site (https://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p920901.htm ) has a good reference giving the source of Asian peoples as Kittim grandson of Japheth.

Here are the pertinent paragraphs “Look at these Japhetic peoples for a moment. We know that Meshech and Tubal are associated with Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Some people have even connected the city of Moscow in Russia with Meshech. That is a possibility. These nations of Japheth moved north and then on farther east. Later on, we find that Gomer and Javan and the others of Japheth followed them into the east into the region of what we call China today.

Which_of_Japheth’s_descendents_became_the_Chinese — ‘There are various beliefs regarding which son was responsible for the Asian peoples.’

‘There are various beliefs regarding which son was responsible for the Asian peoples.’

They also went into Southeast Asia, and then through the Malay archipelago into various islands of the ocean… Look at what this means regarding the Chinese who were once known as the people of Cathay or Kittim. Believe it or not, the Kittim people were the original ones who first settled the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean after the Tower of Babel incident. From there they went further westward and made settlements in Italy. Then they were pushed northward and then eastward by Semites coming from the eastern Mediterranean areas. The people of Kittim journeyed even further north and then eastward into the central areas of Asia. Finally winding up in the region we now call China (indeed, an early name of China was Cathay which comes from the root word Khitai which also answers to Kittim, the “im ” is plural).”

Here’s an article giving the sixteen grandsons of Noah and the cultures/countries that descend from them. Also answers two common questions on race and that pesky “did God really condemn interracial” marriage question.

References:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_people#mediaviewer/File:Anita_R%C3%A9e_-_Junger_Chinese_-_1919.jpeg

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013September 16, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 1 Comment

Who Are The Nephilim

The King James version of the Bible does not include the term Nephilim. In this approved version, the Hebrew word has been translated as “giants”. A number of stories have grown up suggesting they were fallen angels who had intercourse with human women. Or were the offspring of such or were perhaps the children of Cain or the children of Seth, who rebelled against God and married the daughters of Cain.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary has this to say, “(Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:33, RSV), giants, the Hebrew word left untranslated by the Revisers, the name of one of the Canaanitish tribes. The Revisers have, however, translated the Hebrew gibborim, in Genesis 6:4, “mighty men” The intermarriage with the daughters of man occurs early in Genesis on the Biblical Timeline. While the later references in Bible history occur after Moses to the time of David. Goliath is included in this group. For more about the other suggestions for who the Nephilim are and the sources see Nephilim in Wikipedia.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013September 16, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 6 Comments

When Was The Word Bible First Used?

The word Bible comes from the Latin Biblia.

It refers to a collection of books rather than just one book. That’s what The Bible is; a collection of books written by various authors over hundreds of years.

When_was_the_word_Bible_first_used — ‘Frontispiece to the King James’ Bible, 1611, shows the Twelve Apostles at the top. Moses and Aaron flank the central text. In the four corners sit Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, authors of the four gospels, with their symbolic animals. At the top, over the Holy Spirit in a form of a dove, is the Tetragrammaton.’

‘Frontispiece to the King James’ Bible, 1611, shows the Twelve Apostles at the top. Moses and Aaron flank the central text. In the four corners sit Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, authors of the four gospels, with their symbolic animals. At the top, over the Holy Spirit in a form of a dove, is the Tetragrammaton.’

Biblia is the root of such words as the bibliography in English or Biblioteca, the Spanish word for library.

Check out the Online Etymology Dictionary for a nice long history of the word bible taking us right back to the Greek word for Egyptian papyrus and the town from which it was exported.

According to a PBS program on The Bible, Ta Biblia was used to refer to the Greek version of the Jewish scriptures (The Septuagint) centuries before Christ.

As for the Christian Bible, it was being used as early as 223 AD.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013November 5, 2019 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

What is the Kings Highway in Numbers 21:22

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.

What_is_the_Kings_Highway_in_Numbers_21_22 — ‘King’s Highway (in red), and other ancient en:Levantine en:trade routes, c. en:1300 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ancient_Levant_routes.png

‘King’s Highway (in red), and other ancient en:Levantine en:trade routes, c. en:1300 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ancient_Levant_routes.png

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 ).

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013September 16, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 13 Comments

Are Social Security Numbers (and other national ID) the “mark of the beast?”

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

Are_Social_Security_Numbers_(and_other_national_ID)_the_“mark_of_the_beast — Depiction of the number of the Beast

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.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013September 16, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 54 Comments

Why Should We Pray That Our Flight Not Be In Winter?

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

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.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013October 12, 2018 by Margaret Hunter — 5 Comments

End Times, Last Days, Latter Days, End of the Age

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).

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.

Associated article:

Signs of the end times

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.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

Why Does The Bible Timeline show Birth of Christ as 4 BC?

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.

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.

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013June 12, 2019 by Margaret Hunter — 193 Comments

Is Job included on the Bible Timeline?

Job is not on the Amazing Bible Timeline with World History. Why not?

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:

1. After the flood and long before Moses (after 2350 BC and before 1750 BC)

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?

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_(biblical_figure)#mediaviewer/File:Bonnat02.jpg
http://pixabay.com/en/burnout-exhausted-alone-loneliness-384083/
http://pixabay.com/en/skeletons-family-box-painting-238135/

More Bible Questions →

Posted on April 29, 2013October 6, 2019 by Margaret Hunter — 3 Comments

The Hebrew Timeline

Are the Hebrew and King James timeline of the Bible (Old Testament) different?

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

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:

Creation of Adam and Eve 3760 BC

Methuselah Born 3074 BC

Adam dies 2831 BC

Noah born 2704 BC

The Flood 2102 BC

Abraham born 1813 BC

Tower of Babel 1765 BC

Noah dies 1755 BC

Joseph born 1562 BC

Moses born 1393 BC

Exodus 1313 BC

Saul anointed king 879 BC

David anointed king 877 BC

First Temple construction begins 832 BC

Kingdoms split 769 BC

The first temple destroyed 586 BC

The second temple built 516 BC

Esther to Achashverosh 431 BC

The second temple destroyed 70 AD

For a comparison list of dates see our article comparing the Catholic, King James and Hebrew Timelines.

Return to the Bible Questions and Answers Page→