Hi John & All:
In response to Simon's question regarding
the generational count found in Matthew 1: 1-17.
Allow me to start by saying that,
over the past few years I have been proposing that the proper length of
a generation seems to be fifty (50)
years. Back in 1998/2000 I had thought, like so many others, that the length
was forty (40) years, based upon the length of time the people of Israel
were left to wander in the desert, prior to entering the Promised Land.
This was obviously not the case, and in fact the time spent wandering in
the desert (which another scripture cites as 38 years), was simply the number
of years from that point (of the bad report), until the final individual
over twenty years of age had passed away.
There are a number of reasons that
I now believe a generation to be fifty (50) years in length. It starts in the book of Leviticus,
where God instructed the people of Israel to count their time in the
land in blocks of 50 years (i.e.
7 sets of 7 years, followed by the Jubilee Year). I have additionally discovered,
as noted here previously, that Israel has always spent a period of years
IN the land, that is a multiple of 43 ... and that when God has removed
them OUT of the land, it is for a period of years of which 7 is the multiple.
This is not a one time manipulative mathematical fluke, since it proved
true on the TWO occassions in which Israel was IN the land, and OUT of the
land (i.e. in control of the area of Jerusalem).
Coincidentally, both these numbers
(7 multiple out of the land; 43 multiple in the land), have
50 as their sum (i.e. 7 + 43 = 50). As well, the phrase "MY LAND" (i.e.
God's land), has two gematria values in the Old Testament -- one of
which adds up to 50 (i.e. 7 + 43), while the other totals 301 (i.e. 7 x
43).
But to keep it short ....
If you look at the generational groupings
found in Matthew 1: 1-17, it would be difficult to simply divide the individual
time-fames and come up with anything meaningful. The reason for this is
because during the early years of the Abraham-David period, a lifespan was
significantly longer than during the period from the David to the
Carrying Away, or from the Carrying Away unto the birth of Jesus Christ.
Now having said this -- there is
an interesting discovery to be made, if you consider the overall period
as a whole (i.e. from the birth of Abraham to the birth of Jesus Christ).
Keep in mind that there are actually 41 generations listed (not
14 x 3 = 42), since the Carrying Away is listed twice.
My timeline lists the birth of Abraham
in the year 1948. It further lists the birth of Jesus Christ occuring in
the first few days of the year 3999 (i.e. just after the completion of 3998).
Given this data, as well as the number of generations listed above:
3998 (Jesus Christ) - 1948 (Abraham)
= 2050 years / 41 generations = 50
year average.
Furthermore, my timeline lists the
period from the Exodus until Israel had gained the land promised unto them
(i.e. including the area known as modern-day Jerusalem), as being 50 years. As well, from
the first Zionist Congress (1897) until the U.N. Declaration creating the
State of Israel (1947), was also 50 years.
Finally, from the time of the Balfour Declaration (1917) until the regaining
of Jerusalem (1967) was also 50 years in length.
Oh and just as one extra note: From
the time the Israeli Knesset made the Jerusalem Declaration (1950), vowing
it to be the eternal capital of the Land of Israel, until the start of the
War of Jersualem (2000), it was also a period of 50
years.
See ya in the air,
Eric