1.

Table XIV. Hierarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and Cuninghame—Determination of the Intervals from Scripture—Period of the Seventy years Captivity—Period of the Seventy prophetic weeks of Daniel—Table XV. Date of the Crucifixion determined—Truth of the Ancient Tradition respecting the First Advent of the Messiah demonstrated.

The extent of the Sixth, or Hierarchal age, is ascertained from chronological notices interspersed in the Historical and Prophetical Books of Scripture, and confirmed by the Astronomical Canon of Ptolemy.^[27] The difference between the Hebrew and Septuagint chronologies in this period, amounts only to two years, its length, according to Usher’s “Chronologia,” p. 44, being 583 years, and, according to the following table, 585 years. This table, in which we have taken the Hebrew dates and intervals from Usher’s “Annals,” because they are wanting in the Chronologia, exhibits only the Scriptural intervals of the Hierarchal eras, and the corresponding years of the world, according to both systems:—

The first interval in this table is determined from the following texts:—Jeremiah xxv. 12, and xxix. 10; 2 Kings xxiv. 1, and xxv. 2; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21; and Daniel ix. 2; from these, it appears that the seventy years’ captivity in Babylon commenced in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar; and, that it preceded the destruction of the Temple by eighteen years. Consequently, it terminated exactly fifty-two years after that epoch, namely, in the first year of Cyrus, when, by his permission, the Jews “went up out of the Captivity,” in A.M. 4943. The second interval is determined in the following manner:—from Zechariah vii. 5, it appears that in the fourth year of Darius, seventy years had elapsed from the destruction of the Temple; consequently, eighteen years must have elapsed from the first of Cyrus. This computation agrees with that of Ptolemy’s Canon, which gives seven years to Cyrus, and eight to Cambyses, or Ahasuerus, making, with the three complete years of Darius, the same amount. Again, we find, from Ezra vii. 8, that in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, A. M. 5021, Ezra received a commandment from that king, to establish the Jews in their own land, and to beautify the Second Temple. Now, Ptolemy’s Canon gives thirty-three years for the rest of Darius’s reign, and twenty-one for that of Xerxes, making, with the six complete years of Artaxerxes, the amount of sixty years; consequently, the whole interval, from the first of Cyrus to the seventh of Artaxerxes, is seventy-eight years. That the epoch of Ezra’s commission is the commencement of the prophetic period of seventy weeks, or 490 years, is evident from Daniel ix. 24–27. Hitherto, the Jews had been hindered in the building of the city and temple; the latter was indeed built and dedicated; but the walls of the city were still in ruins, and the inhabitants were exposed to the insults and inroads of their enemies! Now, by the liberal decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was furnished with money and means to forward the work at Jerusalem; and their enemies were not only silenced, but compelled to assist in carrying the king’s order into execution. This was, therefore, the epoch of “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem,” and the beginning of the period “determined upon the people and the holy city,” until the time, when “the Messiah, the Prince,” should “be cut off, but not for himself;” when “the transgression should be finished or consummated” in his crucifixion; and, when “reconciliation” should be made “for iniquity,” by his death and resurrection.

The third and fourth intervals in the table are clearly pointed out in Nehemiah ii. 1; v. 14; and xiii. 6; the date, indeed, recorded in the latter text, being the last note of time to be found in the present Hebrew text. At this period, or very soon afterwards (according to Mr. Cuninghame, in A.M. 5055),^[28] the Old Testament Canon was closed by the prophecy of Malachi, and a long night of darkness reigned, “until at length the Day-spring from on high” visited the world. Thus we have proved, from Scripture evidence alone, that at the date of Ezra’s commission, which was upwards of 5000 years from Creation, and even before that period, the Jews were in possession of a prophecy extending nearly 500 years into futurity, and pointing to the Advent of a mighty Saviour who should restore all things, and “bring in everlasting righteousness.” The date of the passion of Christ is fixed and determined as in the following table:—

Hence, it is clearly demonstrated that the general belief among all nations, that the Messiah should appear in the middle of the Sixth Millenary from Creation, had its real origin in a knowledge of the true chronology of the sacred Scriptures! In arriving at this conclusion, we have been obliged, in order to establish the exact lengths of the Critarchal and Hierarchal ages, to borrow twelve years from the writings of the ancient chronographers, and seventy-eight from the canon of Ptolemy, amounting only to ninety years in all,—a period which may be considered as almost evanescent in the long range of 5500 years. Probably the Scriptures originally contained notices even of these intervals, and in the course of ages, they may have been either lost, through the negligence of transcribers, or omitted through the wilfulness of enemies to the truth.

2.

Determination of the Epoch of the Birth of Christ—Labours of Mr. Cuninghame on this point—Coincidence of the extent of the period of Patriarchal pilgrimage with that of Hierarchal Bondage—Table XVI. Extent of the Six Ages of the World—Difference between the true and vulgar dates of the Nativity—Mr. Cuninghame’s dates of the Nativity and Public Ministry of Christ, deduced from the chronology of the Septuagint.

The determination of the dates of the Nativity and Passion of our Lord, is a question of considerable difficulty, and of great importance in the true system of chronology; but much has been written upon it to very little purpose. We agree, however, with Mr. Cuninghame, in the conclusion to which he has arrived, after a very laborious and complete investigation, in his “Fulness of the Times,” part i. pp. 60–107, and part ii. pp. 1–27, and in his “Season of the End,” pp. 73–90, where he refutes the opinions of Newton, Hales, Gresswell and others, and demonstrates that the Passion of Christ took place in the thirty-fifth year of his age, that is, according to the vulgar reckoning in A. D. 33: and, that consequently, the true date of his Nativity was B. C. 3. The Scriptural evidence for this conclusion recommends itself to the mind, both by its simplicity and sufficiency. It appears from Luke iii. 23, that Christ was baptized when he was thirty years of age; and from Luke iv. 16–24, that soon after that period, he began his public ministry. Moreover, from the whole of the Gospel history, particularly that of John, it appears that he was present at four, if not five, public celebrations of the Passover; and consequently, that his thirty-fifth year was coincident with the date of the Crucifixion. Hence, it clearly follows, that the epoch of the birth of Christ was coincident with the 455th year of the prophetic period of seventy weeks, this being the difference between 35 and 490 years. Again, the intervals of thirteen years between the commissions of Ezra and Nehemiah, and of twelve between that of the latter and his return to the court of Artaxerxes,—amounting to twenty-five years in all,—being deducted from the 455 years, gives the last interval of 430 years to the Nativity. Thus, we perceive a singular coincidence in the period of the pilgrimage and afflictions of the Hebrews in Canaan and Egypt, till the time of Moses; and that of the persecution and sufferings of the Jews in Syria and Egypt, till the Advent of the Messiah! The following table exhibits, according to the two systems, the extent of the six ages of the world:—

Usher states in his “Chronologia Sacra,” p. 45, that the true period from Creation to the Birth of Christ, is 3999 years, two months, four days, and six hours; but, according to the vulgar reckoning 4003 years, two months, eleven days, and six hours! Hence, according to his computation, the true date of the Nativity in current years is A.M. 4000, and the vulgar date A.M. 4004. It is indeed admitted by all chronologers that an error of two or three years was committed by Dionysius Exiguus, who first introduced the Christian era, in A.D. 532; and, by Bede, who followed him, in A.D. 720. Accordingly, Mr. Cuninghame very properly places the commencement of the vulgar era in A.M. 5478; and that of the Public Ministry of Christ, in A.M. 5508, which was in fact the true period of his appearance to the world! In the whole of this interesting inquiry, now approaching a close, we must candidly acknowledge the invaluable assistance we have received from the learned and original works of Mr. Cuninghame, which have been, as it were, our guide through the labyrinth of chronological difficulties, till we have at last arrived at the open field of well-known History.

The epochs of the Nativity and Epiphany of Christ, determined in the preceding Section, receive very strong confirmation from the histories and chronicons of ancient writers both sacred and profane, from the writings of the early Fathers, and from the prophetic arrangement of “the Times and the Seasons” by the Great Θεος, or Supreme “Disposer” of all human events. It is plain, however, that a multiplicity of views both of the Hebrew and the Septuagint chronology may be taken, according as more or fewer of the errors, which we have pointed out in the computation of the different ages of the world, are either adopted or rejected. Dr. Hales, in his “Analysis,” vol. i. pp. 3–7, gives a list of more than a hundred and twenty different dates of the birth of Christ, under the title of “Epochs of the Creation;” and he adds that the list might be swelled to the number of three hundred! In such a multitude of discordant dates we might, at first sight, despair of ever arriving at the truth; but let us remember that error is a hydra-headed monster, which in chronology as well as in more sacred subjects, can only be successfully destroyed by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

It is easy to see the source of the differences of opinion among the learned, in regard to the point under consideration. Instead of taking the sacred Scriptures as their guide, men have chosen rather to follow their own fancies; and, because discrepancies were found to exist in the ancient texts, they have with one consent agreed to abandon the light of internal evidence, and to take refuge in the obscure glimmerings of heathen tradition or the doubtful testimony of Jewish writers and Christian fathers. Hence, we have all varieties of dates, from the bold conjecture of Alphonsus, king of Castile, who supposed that the Mundane Cycle of 7000 years had nearly expired at the birth of Christ, to the traditionary epoch of the Chronicle of Axum in Abyssinia, which, according to Bruce, places that event in the year of the world 5500; and, from the Alexandrian or Constantinopolitan era, which, according to the computation of the Greeks, places it in A. M. 5508, to the Jewish epoch of the “Seder Olam Rabba,” which according to Ganz, dates it in A.M. 3751.

The following Table of the extent of the different ages of the world according to the three texts, will serve the double purpose of showing the leading varieties in the computation of the date of the Nativity from Creation, and of bringing before our readers, at a single glance, a condensed view of the result of our investigations in the preceding pages. As the Samaritan text comprehends only the chronology of the first two ages, the extent of the remaining four ages is borrowed from the Hebrew.

In the preceding Table we have reckoned the date of the Birth of Christ in current years, and included the year of Abraham’s sojourning in Egypt in the Patriarchal age of the Septuagint computation.—See page 66 of this Dissertation.

Testimonies of the ancient chronographers and historians before and after Christ, in favour of the chronology of the Septuagint—Demetrius, Eupolemus, Josephus, Justin Martyr, and all the early fathers of the first three centuries—Theophilus, Hippolytus, Africanus, Origen, Cyprian, Lactantius, Epiphanius, Ambrose, Ephrem Syrus, Augustine, Chrysostom, Sulpicius Severus, Annianus, Syncellus, Eutychius, the author of the Paschal Chronicle, and the Council called “Synodus in Trullo”—Probable cause of minute variations among the ancient chronographers.

In confirmation of the true epoch of the birth of Christ, and the accuracy of the Septuagint chronology, we select the following examples of ancient testimony, for which we are chiefly indebted to the learned works of Russell and Clinton, “Connection of Sacred and Profane History,” vol. i., pp. 113–120, and “Fasti Hellenici,” vol. i., pp. 286–291. Demetrius, who lived B.C. 220, and is cited by Eusebius and Polyhistor, states that “from Adam to the Eisodus, were 3624 years; from the flood 1360; and from the Call of Abraham 215.” It follows, that he reckoned the Antediluvian age 2264 years, and the Postdiluvian 1145; adding two years to the former, and taking them from the latter by mistake, but preserving the correct sum of both 3409 years, and the true epoch of the Eisodus A.M. 3624, see Tables VII. and VIII. Eupolemus, who lived B.C. 174, and is cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, states that “from Adam to the 5th year of Demetrius [Poliorcetes], the 12th of Ptolemy [Soter], were 5149 years.” If to this number, as Dr. Russell remarks, we add 296, as the date B.C. of the 5th of Demetrius, the epoch of the nativity is, according to Eupolemus, A.M. 5445. From the works of Josephus, who flourished A.D. 90, both Russell and Jackson have determined the same epoch at A.M. 5481. Justin Martyr, who wrote A.D. 140, speaking of the prophecies concerning Christ, says, “some were delivered 5000 years before his appearing, some 3000, some 2000; and, some again 1000, and others 800 years.”^[29] Ignatius, Clemens Romanus, Irenæus, Polycarp, Tertullian, and all the early fathers of the first three centuries, held similar opinions respecting the antiquity of the prophecies, and the appearance of the Saviour of the world in the sixth millennium.

Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, A.D. 180, placed the epoch of the Nativity in A.M. 5507, according to Kennicott; and Clemens Alexandrinus, who lived A.D. 194, placed the same epoch in A.M. 5444, according to Clinton and Cuninghame, on the supposition that he follows Eupolemus. Mr. Cuninghame, however, has shown, in his “Fulness of the Times,” Part ii. pp. 59, 60, that by correcting an error of thirty-four years, the epoch of Clemens is A.M. 5478; and, by the most indefatigable scrutiny of his numbers, that the epoch of Josephus is A.M. 5472, the difference of six years arising from his well-known error of this amount in the Antediluvian age. Hippolytus, A.D. 200, states that “the first advent of our incarnate Lord took place in the 5500th year of the world.” Julius Africanus (apud Syncellum) A.D. 220, says that “the Jews have transmitted to us, from the extant Hebrew histories, the number of 5500 years from creation to the epiphany of the Saviour,”—a conclusion, which, as Syncellus remarks, was received by all the learned Christians of his day. It is also remarkable, that although both Theophilus and Africanus seem to omit the second Cainan in the Postdiluvian age, yet their dates of the foundation of Solomon’s temple agree with that of Mr. Cuninghame to a year or two; thus showing that an error of 130 years in relation to an epoch so generally known, was wholly inadmissible into any system of chronology pretending to be founded on the sacred writings. Origen, A.D. 230, states that “our Lord descended from Heaven for the salvation of man, 6000 years after the Almighty had formed the first of the human race.” Cyprian, A.D. 250, says that “6000 years are already almost accomplished since the devil made his first assault on man.” Lactantius, A.D. 300, says, “philosophers who calculate the thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, must know that the 6000th year [that is, the sixth millenary,] is not yet finished.” Epiphanius, A.D. 368, says “the preaching of Christ began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar, in the 30th year of his age, which was in the 5509th year of the world’s creation.” This date differs only by one year from that which we have assigned to the same epoch. Hesychius, a contemporary of Jerome, says, “the incarnation of the Redeemer took place nearly 6000 years from the foundation of the world.” Ambrose, bishop of Milan, A.D. 375, says, “but now more than 6000 years are counted from the foundation of the world.” Ephrem Syrus, A.D. 378, says, “the Saviour was to appear after 5500 years, [from creation,] to deliver man.” Augustine, A.D. 398, says, “since from the first man, 6000 years are not yet completed.” Chrysostom, his contemporary, says, “after 5000 years and more, Christ came as the substitute of our race.” Sulpicius Severus, A.D. 400, makes the date of the Nativity A.M. 5469, according to Clinton. Annianus A.D. 405, Syncellus A.D. 792, Eutychius A.D. 937, and a host of later writers, adopt the epoch A.M. 5500, following Africanus. The author of the “Paschal Chronicle,” makes the epoch A.M. 5507; and the meeting of the council, called “Synodus in Trullo,” A.D. 691, reckoned it A.M. 5508, which is the same as our date of the Epiphany. In short, the epochs of the Nativity, the Epiphany, and the Resurrection, (ἡ παρουσία, ἡ ἐπιφάνεια, και ἡ ἀνάστασις) appear to have been so inseparably connected in the minds of the ancient writers, as to make them sometimes put the one for the other; a circumstance, which may account for not a few of the small varieties in their computation of the year of the world which was the commencement of the Christian era.^[30]

Errors of Eusebius, Jerome, and the Western churches—Consistency of the Eastern and Southern churches to the latest period—Chronology of the Russians and Armenians that of the Septuagint—Testimony of Abulpharajius—Chronological innovations of the Venerable Bede—His denouncement as a heretic on this account—Chronology of the Roman church different from that of the Latin Vulgate—The chronology of the Masoretes an abridgement of the true—The chronology of the Roman Martyrology preserved by Pontifical authority to the present day—Extract from Strauchius—An important testimony in favour of the true chronology.

Having shown by incontestable evidence, that the computation of the Septuagint was universally received as the true chronology of the Church of Christ from the earliest periods of its history, and that it was also received by the Jews themselves, at least two centuries before the Christian era; let us now shortly inquire how it came to be abandoned, and the chronology of the Masorete Hebrew text adopted in its stead. Eusebius of Cesarea, A.D. 325, or some one for him, acting under Jewish influence, reduced the era of Redemption from A.M. 5478 to A.M. 5200, by the exclusion of the Postdiluvian Cainan, the adoption of the forged period for the Critarchal age, and the omission of fifteen years in the Monarchal. In these errors, he was followed by Jerome,^[31] A.D. 378, and some of the Western churches; but his system was resolutely opposed by all the Eastern and Southern churches, in which the chronological authority of Africanus and Epiphanius prevailed. This opposition has indeed preserved the true chronology in some countries to a very late period; for we find that the Russians, who received it from the Greeks, still reckon that the Christian era commenced in A.M. 5509, as may be seen by reference to their native historians. The remoter Eastern churches, with some slight variations, also adhered to the longer chronology; as testified by Abulfarajius, the celebrated Armenian historian, who flourished in the thirteenth century, and who reckoned the same epoch at A.M. 5586, apparently to adjust it to the birth of Peleg, in A.M. 2793, the former number being just double the latter; for, “in his days was the world divided,” at the command of (θέος των ἀίωνῶν) the God of the ages, or the worlds. The Western Churches indeed, can scarcely be said to have followed the chronology either of Eusebius or of Jerome, till the time of the venerable Bede, A.D. 720; and the innovations of the latter were so ill received by his contemporaries, that he was denounced as a heretic, because he dared to assert, in opposition to all the fathers of the Church, that Christ was not born in the sixth millenary of the world; see Usher’s “Chronologia Sacra,” p. 50. The chronology of the Roman Church appears to have remained in this state during the dark ages till the meeting of the Council of Trent, A.D. 1563, when the Protestants, under the double influence of prejudice against the errors of the Church, and overweening confidence in the Hebrew text, adopted the modern and corrupted chronology of the Jews! The Roman chronologists had, however, abridged the true computation of the ancient Church of Christ only by 278 years; while the Masoretes and their followers had abridged it by no less than 1474 years! The system of the former continues to prevail in the Church of Rome, though contrary to the Latin Vulgate, and the system of the latter in the Reformed Churches, even to this day. In the “Roman Martyrology,” published by the authority of Pope Gregory XIII., in A.D. 1582, and revised by command of Pope Urban VIII., in A.D. 1640, we find the following statement, which according to Strauchius, “Breviarium Chronologicum,” p. 382, is read in the churches every year on the 25th of December:—“In the 5199th year from the creation of the world, when God created heaven and earth; and the 2957th after the deluge; the 2015th from the birth of Abraham; the 1510th from the time of Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt; and the 1032nd from the time of David being anointed king; in the 65th annual week of Daniel; in the 194th Olympiad; in the 752nd year since the building of Rome; in the 42nd year of the Emperor Octavius Augustus, when the whole world was blessed with peace; in the sixth age of the world; Jesus Christ, Eternal God, and Son of the Eternal Father, conceived from the Holy Ghost, was born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem of Judea.”^[32] There are several contradictions among the synchronisms contained in this statement, which are acknowledged by Roman Catholic writers themselves, as may be seen in the works of Baronius and Petavius; but, it is a noble public testimony to the true faith of the Church of Christ, and an important public evidence in favour of its ancient chronology.

Chronology of the English Bible erroneous—Usher influenced by the Masoretes—Tradition of the House of Elias—Its complete refutation both from Scripture and fact—Utility and application of Mr. Cuninghame’s “Chart of Chronology”—Reasons assigned by the Jewish Rabbis why their expected Messiah is not yet come—Their curse upon all who calculate the Times.

From the whole of the preceding testimony and argument, it must appear evident that the chronology of Usher, which places the Christian era in A.M. 4004, which is adopted in all the larger editions of the English Bible, and which is still strenuously maintained by English divines, is but of comparatively recent origin, and rests upon a very unsound foundation. We have no doubt that the pious and learned Archbishop was influenced in his determination to adopt the Masorete chronology, contrary to his better judgment, by a tradition current among the Jews from a very early period, which appears to be only a corruption of the more ancient one referred to at the beginning of this Dissertation. After their rejection of Jesus Christ as the true Messiah, the Jews, in order to cover their retreat from the truth, gave out in their Talmud the following gloss on the universal belief of the Church:—“Traditio Domus Eliæ: Mundus sex millibus annis durabit; duobus millibus inanitas; duobus millibus lex; duobus millibus tempus Messiæ;”—the meaning of which is, that according to the tradition of the house of Elias, the world shall last 6000 years; of which 2000 shall pass without the law; 2000 under the law; and 2000 under the Messiah. It is proper to observe that the inventor of this tradition was neither Elijah the Tishbite, nor his antitype, John the Baptist, but a certain famous doctor of the Jewish schools, who flourished after the Messianic age; and, that not the slightest trace of the tradition itself is to be found in the Holy Scriptures! As some writers, however, consider it a confirmation of the modern Hebrew chronology, we may show that it is not only quite erroneous, but inconsistent with itself, even in its details. Referring to Mr. Cuninghame’s “Chart of Sacred Chronology,” in which he has arranged the Hebrew and Septuagint chronologies in parallel columns, and exhibited the most remarkable events in ancient history, both according to the years of the world and before Christ, we see that according to the Masorete text, the law was delivered on Mount Sinai in A.M. 2513, more than 500 years after the time said to be predicted by Elias! Hence, it follows that the interval from that epoch till the end of the next 2000 years, is less than 1500 years, and terminated in A.M. 4000, when, according to the tradition, the Messiah was expected to appear! With respect to the 2000 years allotted to the reign of the Messiah, they are, on their own showing, nearly past; inasmuch as 1844 years of this period have already elapsed, and yet, according to their opinion, he is not come! The reason assigned by the Jewish Rabbis for this long delay, is that their sins have prevented his coming! This grievous falsification of their famous Doctor’s prediction, has made them so ashamed of their traditions, that they have pronounced a curse upon all who dare to calculate the times: קצין מחשבי תפחרוחן של—“Animam exhalent illi qui supputant terminos.” On this and other curious matters relating to the Hebrew chronology, see Father Le Quien’s “Defense du Texte Hébreu et de la Vulgate,” reprinted in the “Cours Complet,” vol. iii. pp. 1525–1586.^[33]

1.

The Revolutions of the Heavenly bodies appointed for Cycles—Origin of the cycles of the year and the month—The subject of Enoch’s prophecy—Mr. Cuninghame’s discovery of the cycle from the Creation to the Era of Redemption—Scriptural Cycles of frequent occurrence—The numbers of Jubilee and of Pentecost—of Pilgrimage and Persecution—of Omnipotence, glory, and wisdom; and of mystery, vengeance, and forgiveness—The prophetic numbers of Daniel—Discovery of their connection with the Higher Cycles of Astronomy, by M. de Chesaux and Mr. Cuninghame

The true system of chronology receives its grandest confirmation from the cyclical character of the times appointed by (ὁ πατηρ τῶν ἀιῶνων) the Father of the ages. In Genesis i. 14, the word of God created two luminaries in the firmament of Heaven, for giving light upon the earth, and for separating day and night; and, for signs, and times, and days and years! Thus early were the phenomena of the sun and moon appointed to indicate the arrangements of Divine providence, as well as to regulate the ordinary periods of time. Before man, however, could understand the nature of these periods as they were gradually unfolded by the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, or by the still higher cycles of prophecy which were afterwards revealed to God’s chosen people, the natural division of the day, and the sacred division of the week were appointed for his observance. The origin of the year is considered by the learned as involved in obscurity; but we think there is a striking indication of its length in the life of Enoch. This favoured Patriarch lived a year of years on earth, that is, a year of 365 prophetic days; and he himself was a prophet, who, by the Spirit of God, was enabled to see far into the womb of futurity. It is also very remarkable that, according to Mr. Cuninghame’s singular discoveries, the birth of Him, who was the great subject of Enoch’s prophecy, took place at a period of fifteen years of years, or fifteen years of prophetic days from the creation! The origin of the month is referable to the same age; for we recognize the month of thirty days in the account of the year of the Deluge; and, a period of four prophetic months, or 120 prophetic days, is visible in the 120 years of grace before that awful catastrophe. The sacred period of seven days also assumed a prophetic character. In Pharaoh’s dream, the seven years of plenty, and the seven years of famine, were vividly depicted. After seven days previous warning, the Diluvian rain descended in torrents for forty days. After Jericho was encompassed seven days, the last day seven times, by seven priests with seven trumpets, the walls were levelled with the ground. The number forty is prophetic; the Israelites wandered forty prophetic days, that is, forty years, in the wilderness; Moses was in the mount forty days; and, Christ was tempted forty days. In forty days, Nineveh was to be destroyed; Christ was seen of his disciples forty days after his resurrection; and, in forty years, after his baptism, was Jerusalem destroyed. The number of seven days and seven years, with their multiples and higher powers, perpetually recur in the Mosaic institutes; and the period of seven times seven, or forty-nine days and forty-nine years, is particularly signalized in the feasts of the Jews. Balaam, who knew the sacredness of the number seven, in the divine institutions, at three different times and places, built seven altars, and slew seven oxen and seven rams, in order to propitiate the favour of God. In the land of Canaan, seven nations were destroyed in seven years. Solomon’s temple was seven years in building, and in 430 years after the celebration of the first passover within its walls, it was destroyed. The latter number, as we have seen, is highly prophetic, corresponding to the 430 prophetic days of Ezekiel, and having a mysterious reference to the 430 years of promise to Abraham, the 430 years of Gentile persecution, and the three times 430 days, or 1,290 years of Daniel. But time would fail us to speak of the seven spirits of God, the seven eyes, the seven lamps, the seven stars, the seven golden lamp-stands, the seven churches, the seven angels, the seven seals, the seven vials, the seven plagues, the seven heads, the seven crowns, the seven mountains, and the seven kings; the seven times, yea and the seventy times seven—the perfect numbers of omnipotence, glory and wisdom; and, of mystery, vengeance and forgiveness!

We have already seen the prophetic nature of Daniel’s seventy weeks, and it now only remains to notice his other prophetic periods. In Dan. xii. 14, mention is made of “a time, times and half a time,” which should be accomplished, before the wonders he had seen should come to an end. This period is clearly shown by writers on the prophecies, to signify three and a-half prophetic years, forty-two prophetic months, or 1260 prophetic days; and this view is confirmed by the mention of 1290 and 1335 prophetic days, in the context. Again, in Dan. viii. 14, we read of 2300 prophetic days, after the lapse of which, “the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” That these periods are all connected with each other, and that they each signify so many years, has been long known and generally admitted; but, that they are connected with the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, appears to be but a very recent discovery! Mr. Birks, of Trinity College, Cambridge, in his “Elements of Prophecy,” just published, has very properly remarked, in p. 368, that, “It seems to have been first unfolded by M. de Chesaux, a French writer, purely as a curiosity of science; but it is Mr. Cuninghame who has revived attention to this interesting topic.” The fact is, that the original work of M. de Chesaux might have lain for ever on the shelves of the library of the University of Lausanne, had not Mr. Cuninghame searched it out with his wonted industry, and republished the author’s discovery anew in his work on the “Jubilean Chronology.” We shall endeavour to give our readers some idea of this curious discovery.

2.

Lengths of the tropical year and the synodical period of the moon, according to Sir John Herschel—Application of the method of continued fractions to the determination of their approximating ratios—Various lunisolar cycles—The Octaëteris of the Greeks—The cycle of nineteen discovered by Meton, but probably known to the Hebrews—The period of Calippus—Proof that the numbers of Daniel are lunisolar cycles—Remarks of Mr. Birks in his “Elements of Prophecy”—Observations of Mr. Cuninghame in his “Scientific Chronology”—Proof that the prophetic month and the jubilean period are lunisolar cycles.

The latest determinations of the lengths of the tropical year, and the lunar month, or synodical period of the moon, are, according to Sir John Herschel, 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 49·7 seconds; and 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 2·87 seconds. “Astronomy,” pp. 205, 224. By the method of Continued Fractions,^[34] we find that the continually approximating ratios of these periods are represented by the following series of fractions:

where the numerators represent the numbers of years, and the denominators the numbers of lunations, necessary to bring the sun and moon again into the same relative position, very nearly at the same point of time in the tropical year. Of these ratios, some have been long known; the fourth is the Greek cycle called Octaëteris, discovered B.C. 600, and is a very rude approximation: the sixth is the famous cycle re-discovered by Meton B.C. 432, but probably known to the Hebrews from the earliest ages, as the lives of Seth, Methuselah and Noah are exact multiples of this cycle, as well as the Antediluvian age itself, and is a remarkably near approximation to the truth; four times this ratio gives the period of Calippus, which was rectified by the omission of one day in seventy-six years. These approximations, however, are much inferior in accuracy to the higher terms of the series; from which, in fact, any number of approximate ratios may be deduced by the following principle:—If a series of fractions be all equal to each other, the sum or difference of the numerators and denominators of any pair will constitute a new fraction equal to each; and the same is true of fractions whose numerators and denominators are equi-multiples of those of any of the given or derived fractions. Hence, from the terms of the preceding series, we derive the following additional ratios, whose degree of approximation, of course, depends on that of the fractions of which they are composed. From the eighth and ninth ratios, by addition, we obtain the ratio ¹⁰⁴⁰⁄₁₂₈₆₃, which is so remarkably correct, that the approximation is within about three-quarters of an hour of the truth. From the sixth and seventh ratios, by subtraction, we obtain, the ratio ³¹⁵⁄₃₈₉₆ = ¹²⁶⁰⁄₁₅₅₈₄, which shows that the prophetic period of 1260 years is a scientific lunisolar cycle. From the two new ratios thus obtained, by addition, we have a third new ratio ²³⁰⁰⁄₂₈₄₄₇, which proves that the prophetic period of 2300 years is another scientific cycle, in which the approximation is nearly twelve hours.

Mr. Birks, in his “Elements of Prophecy,” pp. 368–372, distinctly acknowledges the “Cyclical character of the Prophetic Times,” and gives the numerators of the above series of ratios. He adds a very ingenious explanation of these cycles, and remarks that, “the highest prophetic period, 2300 years, is perhaps the only secular cycle, composed of centuries, known to exist!” The secular cycle of 5200, though not, as far as we are aware, a prophetic period, is “composed of centuries;” and being five times the cycle of 1040 years, is so close an approximation to the truth, that it is within about 3¾ hours, and is therefore considerably more accurate than the cycle of 2300 years! What then does Mr. Birks mean in this passage? Perhaps the following sentence from Mr. Cuninghame’s “Scientific Chronology of the year 1839,” will supply the answer: “Moreover, 2300 years is the only centurial number, which is an original cycle in astronomy; for though we have a cycle of 5200 years, it is only as the multiple of the perfect one of 1040 by 5.” From the fifth and sixth ratios in the series, we obtain those of ³⁰⁄₃₇₁ and ⁴⁹⁄₆₀₆, which shows that thirty years, the prophetic month, and forty-nine years, the jubilean period, are also scientific cycles, but not possessing such close approximation to the truth as the larger cycles. In the same way, it may be easily proved, that the periods of 1290 years and 1078 years are scientific cycles; the former being three times the prophetic period of pilgrimage and trial, namely 430 years, which is also a cycle of an inferior degree of approximation; and the latter being exactly twenty-two jubilees.^[35]