CHAPTER TWO

Page 11

Eras during Sabbaticals Much of the speculation on the coming or return of the Messiah is based upon the historical sabbaticals and jubilees because several eras began or ended at these times. In 721 BC, the Assyrians captured 10 tribes of Israel. 98 years (two jubilees) later, in 623 BC, Josiah found the lost books of Moses and began a new era of reformation. In 588 BC, in the 35^th year of the reform, Jeremiah told the Jews to observe the sabbatical (see Jeremiah 34). They refused; so God created a release of his own by driving the Jews into captivity in Babylon and allowed the burning of the temple in the next year, in 587 BC. 49 years later, in 539 BC, Cyrus captured Babylon and released the Jews to return to Jerusalem. The eight jubilees of the curse were over. This cycle was likely based upon 931 BC, when Israel split from Judah. The cycle based upon an exodus in 1255 was restored after founding the second temple in 520 BC, in the second year of Darius the Persian. Alexander allowed the Jews to observe the sabbaticals after October 12, 331 BC. This was the 27^th sabbatical after the second temple was founded in 520 BC, 735 years (105 sabbaticals) after the exodus.
From	To	Years
1255 BC (exodus?)	37 BC (Herod captures Jerusalem)	1218 (174 sabbaticals)
“	2 BC (sabbatical)	1253 years (179 x 7)
968 BC (temple)	“	931 (19 jubilees)
“	“	(49 19-year cycles)
“	“	(1 jubilee x 19)
331 (Alexander’s sabbatical grant)	“	294 (6 jubilees)
3761 BC (rabbinical Creation)	“	3724 (4 jubilees x 19)
“	“	(196 19-year cycles)

From 1255 (exodus) to 37 BC (when Herod conquered Jerusalem), there were 1218 years (174 sabbaticals). There were 931 years (19 jubilees) from the temple in 968 to 37 BC. From Alexander (331 BC) to 37 BC (to Herod) there were 294 years (6 jubilees). From 1255 (exodus), there were 1253 years (179 sabbaticals) to 2 BC.

Note also that 1255 is 427 years after the Samaritan date of the exodus, 1682 BC.

Was Rome Aware of the 251 Years?

There seem to be some connections between the 251-year pattern and Rome. Rome was founded 753 (251 times 3) BC, 251 years after 1004 BC, when David captured Jerusalem.

Eusebius of Caesarea wrote his Chronicle in about 324 AD. On page 123 he says, “…from Solomon and the first building of the temple until the second year of Darius and the rebuilding of temple, is 502 years (251 x 2)”. Perhaps he recognized the 251-year pattern. His date for the temple, then, was 1022 BC (520 + 502 = 1022). Rabbinic figures only allow 480 years for the first temple and 480 years for the tabernacle. There’s another pattern.

Actually, there were 502 years from 1004 BC (when David conquered Jerusalem) to 502 BC (when Nehemiah rebuilt a portion of the wall of Jerusalem to finish the city’s restoration) if Nehemiah were during the time of Darius “Artaxerxes”. There were 251 years from the 1^st year of Solomon in 971 to the Assyrian captivity of Israel in 720 BC.

Herod received his power from the Caesars to reign over Palestine. He conquered Jerusalem in 37 BC, 502 years after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC and began to tear down and enlarge the temple in about 18 BC, 502 years after it had been founded in 520 BC.

The Bottom Line

The world is full of speculators about the “time of the end”, but what do we really know for sure? 4.31 billion descendants of Abraham’s two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, expect an Imam or Messiah to intervene in world affairs for certain, without question.