Question: How did you arrive at the Biblical year count as displayed on WLC?
Answer: Most Bible commentaries have used Ussher’s Chronology as the standard for determining the age of the earth. James Ussher (January 4, 1581- March 21, 1656) was the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh. He developed a system of chronology and dating that is still widely used by scholars today.
Ussher’s chronology placed 1 AD as the supposed year of the birth of Yahushua. However, with the research available today, it is now known that Yahushua was actually born approximately four years earlier, making Ussher’s chronology off by 4 years in the Common Era (AD). Furthermore, transitioning from BC dates to AD dates requires the addition of one extra year, because one year must be lived through completely in order to be counted as Year One. Usher did not have that “zero” year that would move the counting from BC 1 to AD1.
Usher’s chronology calculates to 4004 BC as being the year of Creation. There are three errors that must be accounted for when using Usher’s chronology:
WLC uses Genesis 11:26 as the source for the correct age of Terah at Abraham’s birth. While many have assumed that the Children of Israel spent 430 years in Egypt itself, the actual beginning of this time period started when Yahuwah and Abraham entered into a covenant relationship (see Genesis 17). Abraham was circumcised at that time as a sign of this covenant. This timing of the years of bondage beginning then is confirmed by the Book of Jasher, which is referred to twice in Scripture.
The year count given on WLC was found by adding up the ages of the patriarchs at the birth of their firstborn sons as well as the years of the reigns of the kings as given in Scripture. This brings it down to extra-biblical sources that refer to events which also appear in the Biblical record. The ancient Egyptians and Babylonians kept very careful records of their observations of various events in the heavens, such as lunar and solar eclipses. This provides a base by which to connect the time-lines in Scripture to the modern equivalent of the same dated event.
Taking all of these factors into account, the year of Creation is placed at 3989 BC. This is 15 years later than Usher’s date of 4004 BC.
For a detailed explanation of how to calculate the age of the earth from the Biblical chronologies, see the 7000-year Bible Chronology.
Collaborating evidence is found in the Biblical doctrine known as the "Great Week of Time." The early Christian believers wanted to believe that the Second Coming was near. The apostle Peter corrected this mistake by reminding them of certain end time conditions that had not yet been fulfilled. He then went on to explain the concept of the Great Week of Time:
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with . . . [Yahuwah] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8, KJV)
Just as six days have been given to accomplish the work that needs to be done, followed by a Sabbath rest on the seventh day, so the Great Week of Time presents 6,000 years for sin to run its course under Satan’s direct influence. During this time, Satan's government will be fully demonstrated for the evil thing that it is and Yahuwah's government will be fully vindicated and cleared of all accusations made against it. When the 6,000 years are over, Satan will be bound and Yahushua will return to His waiting people. The seventh millennium, like the seventh-day Sabbath, will be a period of rest and rejoicing from toiling under Satan’s influence.
The Great Week of Time was a doctrine held by most, if not all, early Christians for several hundred years after the death of Yahushua. The reformers, such as Martin Luther, also held to this belief which could explain why Martin Luther guessed Yahushua's return would be 300 years from his time.
Before the flood, Yahuwah stated that the amount of time allotted for man to work under the influence of Satan, and during which He, Yahuwah, would undertake the great work of redemption, would be 6,000 years. Because of how it is worded, most people do not understand the significance of this text.
"And . . . [Yahuwah] said, 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.' " (Genesis 6:3, NKJV)
Many people have applied this "one hundred and twenty years" to the time period Noah spent preaching of the coming flood. However, this time period is mentioned in connection to the intermarriages taking place at that time. It is only later, when Yahuwah "saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5) that it "grieved in His heart" that He had made man. It was at that time Yahuwah determined to send a flood.
Other people have applied the 120 years to the time apportioned people to live. However, this cannot apply either. Before the flood, people lived nearly a thousand years. After the flood, life spans rapidly dropped. Shem lived 300 years less than his father, Noah, but he still outlived Abraham who lived only 175 years. When asked by Pharaoh how old he was, Jacob could honestly state: "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." (Genesis 47:9)
Jacob's great-grandson, Moses, died at 120, but even for then that was an unusually long life span for Moses stated: "The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." (Psalm 90:10)
From Moses until now, seventy years has remained the average life expectancy, so the 120 years given for man cannot apply to general life span.
The 120 years is another confirmation of the Great Week of Time being 6,000 years apportioned man to live under Satan’s influence. The Jubilee cycle was 50 years long. When people lived for centuries, they calculated time by the Jubilee cycles. In fact, the Book of Jubilees is full of this method of time-calculation. In Genesis, when Yahuwah stated that man should live for 120 years, He was also using this means of reckoning. One hundred and twenty Jubilee cycles is exactly 6,000 years: 120 X 50 = 6,000. The Jubilee cycle confirms the Great Week of Time doctrine.
The week of years in which, after the land had been cultivated six years, it was to remain without cultivation the seventh (Lev. 25:1-7), is certainly a type of the great week of 7,000 years, in which after the earth has been extensively cultivated/exploited by its great number of inhabitants during 6,000 years, it will remain relatively uncultivated by its greatly reduced population [see “few men left” Isaiah 24:6 & “that is left“ Zech. 14:16] during the seventh period of 1,000 years…. In this year liberty was proclaimed throughout all the land to all its inhabitants, and every man returned to his own inheritance. This signifies that AFTER the great Sabbath, during which the earth will remain relatively uncultivated for 1,000 years, the great week of 7,000 years being finished, the curse will cease and all the just will return to their inheritance in the new earth.
It is important to remember that even when the year 6000 is reached, that year must be lived through completely before it can be counted as the 6000th year. Furthermore, Biblical scholars have long debated whether the years begin in the Spring, in keeping with Exodus 12:2, or the fall when the regnal year for the reign of the kings was counted. Either way, the end of the 6,000 years is very close.
It is true that “no man knows the day nor the hour” (see Matthew 24:36) of the Saviour’s return. However, we are repeatedly warned to “watch and be ready.” WLC is not setting a date for the return of Yahushua. However, WLC is committed to taking truth to the world and warning of the nearness of the end of the world. For this reason WLC feels it is important to post the year count, as established by Biblical chronology.
Please Note: WLC is not dogmatic about the precise year displayed by the Calendar App. This is simply our best estimation based on the available information.