Adam When?

    In the first four chapters of this book we learned that God has given us a trustworthy and accurate calendar that begins with Adam’s generation and continues generation to generation until the time of Aaron. Now we are going to demonstrate that God has also hidden within Scripture the truth that this generation pattern continues all the way to Christ’s generation. In developing this truth, we shall also discover that God utilizes the mistakes of men to accomplish His perfect will. For example, He used the sins of Joseph’s brother to save the family of Jacob during the famine. Before seeking the generation sequence beyond Aaron, let us refresh our memory by recapitulating our previous findings.

    We learned that Enosh, grandson of Adam, became the figure or representative of the first patriarchal period or generation. His period continued for 905 years and was followed by a succession of other generations, each named after a patriarch and each lasting for the entire life span of that patriarch. These generations followed one another until just before the flood. Even as in the case of Adam where God gave us detailed information to show that Seth was the immediate son of Adam, and Enosh the grandson, so at the flood, God provided additional information. Lamech, the patriarch who followed the generation of Methuselah was 182 years old when Noah was born to him as an immediate son. We also discovered that Shem was the grandson of Lamech. Shem in turn became the figure or personality of the next patriarchal period or generation.

    Again, there follows a succession of generations each named after a patriarch and each beginning with the year of the birth of that person and ending with the year of his death. This calendar continues through the generation of Nahor. In the 130th year of the patriarch Terah who followed the generation of Nahor, Abram was born to Terah and was, of course, an immediate son. Because at this time God established Abram as the head of the Jewish nation, as well as the father of all

believers, God again gives much more detail regarding these events in history. He shows us quite plainly that Isaac was the immediate son of Abram, and that Jacob was the immediate son of Isaac. The time sequence during this important period is carefully given in the Bible.

    Following Jacob, we discovered that Levi, the immediate son of Jacob, was the representative of the next patriarchal period. He was followed by Amram. At Amram’s death Aaron became the representative for the next patriarchal period. Thus, we have a consistent and logical sequence in the march of time from Adam to Aaron.

    After Aaron a problem arises. Aaron died 40 years after the Israelites left Egypt, but there is no genealogical record that follows through in an unbroken fashion from Aaron to Christ, who, as we have seen is the representative or head of the last and final generation. Thus, there apparently exists a discontinuity in the genealogical table.

    This is not fatal to the development of a chronological timetable, however, because there is sufficient evidence available to tie the time of Aaron to the time of Christ. This evidence is based on a great deal of information that diligent Bible study as well as archaeological and historical research reveals. Is there genealogical continuity in any sense? A search for genealogical continuity between the Exodus and Christ reveals two possibilities. The first is to investigate the tribe of Judah from which Jesus came. But God gives no information concerning the tribe of Judah that might be used for calendar purposes, so it must be excluded. The second may be found by looking again at Aaron and the tribe of Levi. We will discover as we look at the Biblical record that there may exist a continuity between the generation of Levi, Amram, Kohath, and Aaron with that of Christ.

    The one continuous event that extended from Aaron to Christ was the priesthood after the order of Aaron. The Levitical priesthood was the priesthood after the order of Aaron. The Levitical priesthood as it is called in the Book of Hebrews continued until it was replaced by Christ who was a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

    We read in Hebrews 7:11-12:

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

    Thus, in a real sense the generation of Aaron continued until the coming of the generation of Christ. Christ’s coming effectively ended the bodily descent of the order of Aaron.

    This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:15, 17).

    The Bible teaches that in the Old Testament, the Aaronic priesthood continued until the coming of Christ.¹ It then ceased and Christ became the high priest. He continues as high priest throughout the balance of history and on into eternity. Since Aaron was the representative of the Old Testament period, we could logically say that Aaron’s generation or patriarchal period continued until Christ. Christ’s generation followed Aaron’s and continues on forever.

    The questions that then must be asked are: What is the precise date of the end of Aaron’s generation and the beginning of Christ’s? If Christ’s generation actually began with His birth, which occurred several years B.C., must we decide that Aaron’s generation continued until the actual birth year of Christ? We note that for calendar purposes Christ’s generation began at A.D. one. We are presently in the calendar generation of Jesus Christ. A.D. 1950 signifies the year of our Lord 1950 which indicates the passage of 1950 years from the beginning of A.D. one rather than 1950 years from the birth of Christ several years B.C. We also know that Aaron’s generation began with his birth. According to Exodus 7:7 he was three years older than Moses. Moses was 120 years old when he died (Deut. 34:7). Moses died just prior to the end of the wilderness sojourn which was the year 1447 B.C. Thus Aaron would have been born 123 years earlier which was the year 1530 B.C. Thus, it would appear that we are to consider that Aaron’s generation continued from his birth in 1530 B.C. to A.D. one at which time Jesus’ generation began. Therefore, it continued for a period of 1530 years. The genealogical table is thus completed without any exceptions from Adam to Christ.


A Catch of 153 Fish

    We now look at the Gospel of John to possibly find another clue to help us relate Aaron’s generation to Christ’s generation, and to show that God intended for Aaron’s generation to continue until Christ’s began in A.D. zero. We cannot be positive that the arguments

which will now be presented are with absolute certainty the intention of God. The truth which we will outline is, however, in keeping with the nature of Biblical truth and, therefore, should at least be considered by a student of God’s Word.

    In John 21:10-11 we read:

Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

    This even took place after Jesus has risen from the dead. Seven of the disciples, including Peter, had gone fishing. They had toiled all night without catching anything. At daybreak Jesus appeared and told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. They discovered the net contained 153 large fish. Theologians have struggled with the number 153. They have rightly sensed that it is somehow symbolically important.

    How does it figure in God’s revelation? If we remember that Jesus had called Peter, James, and John from their fishing some three and one half years earlier, we can begin to find an answer. At that time (see Luke 5:1-11), they had toiled all night and caught nothing. At Jesus’ word they let down their nets and caught so many fish that their nets were breaking and their boats were sinking. Jesus then said to Peter in Luke 5:10, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” He, at that time, in a definite fashion, links the catching of fish with the catching of men, or with bringing those who have been chosen to salvation into God’s kingdom.

    Now it is but a few days before Christ’s ascension. He is ready to give them the command to go into all the world to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). They again catch fish as they had done three and one half years earlier, but with two differences. The net did not break, and the fish were numbered.

    Were these fish symbolical of all of the people who would become Christians in the New Testament era? It certainly could be so in the light of the mandate given by Christ to these same disciples to go out into the world and make disciples. Could the unbroken net be symbolic of the certainty of the salvation of the elect? One is reminded of the parable recorded in Matthew 13:47-50:

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they

drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

    Here Christ definitely relates the catching of fish in a net to those who are to be saved.

    What then is the significance of the number 153? Since no facts in the Bible are accidental, what was God’s purpose in stipulation the number of fish? At least one answer is suggested. If we remember that Jesus is our eternal high priest, who was foreshadowed by the Aaronic priesthood, we can see how God relates these two generations through the number 153.

    The Aaronic generation or priesthood continued 1530 years. It was symbolic of the present age.

    We read in Hebrews 9:8-9:

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience.

    By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary is not yet opened as long as the outer tent is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age).

    It is followed by the generation of Christ as we know it today and which will continue until Christ returns.

    Matthew 24:34:

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these thins be fulfilled.

    God tells us in Matthew 28:19-20:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

    The ingathering of souls who become a kingdom of priests to Christ during the entire New Testament period, symbolized by the

153 fish, and the unbroken net is to continue throughout Christ’s generation. Not only is Christ’s generation foreshadowed by the Aaronic generation which preceded it but also through the common use of the number 153.

    A very important question arises at this point. Is there Scriptural warranty for relating two events by the numbers 1530 and 153, as the Bible teaches, a period of 1530 years and about 153 fish? I believe there is. God relates spiritual truth to spiritual truth by the use of language as well as by symbols such as the sacrifices, and the temple, etc. He also relates spiritual truth to spiritual truth by means of numbers.

    The number seven, for example, is considered by most believers to be the number of perfection. This thought was already established at the time of creation when God created the earth and its creatures in six days and rested on the seventh day. So whenever we see the number seven in the Bible we sense in its use the implication of God’s perfect will having been performed.

    As we study the Bible, we shall also find that when God uses a certain number to convey, symbolize, or illustrate spiritual truth, he often uses the same number, but in multiples of 10, to relate spiritual truth to spiritual truth. Thus, the 10 silver coins of Matthew are indicative of the completeness of believers, and so are the 100 sheep of Luke 15.

    Likewise, I believe God may be relating the generation of Aaron to the generation of Christ by the number 153. The number 153 has the same symbolic or spiritual value as the number 1530. On one side it is the 1530 years of Aaron’s generation or priesthood. On the other, it is the sum of all who will become priests under the priesthood of Christ. They are symbolized by the 153 fish.

    In the introduction to this Appendix, reference was made to the sovereignty of God in utilizing the sins of man to accomplish His perfect will. If we reflect on the foregoing discussion concerning Aaron’s generation and the number 153, we can see that the error made by Abbot Dionysius Exigus² in the sixth century in establishing the birth date of Christ was probably a part of God’s perfect plan. This Abbot, who had been given the task of tying the birth date of Christ to the calendar of his day, unexplainably made an error of several years. If he had accurately calculated the year of Jesus’ birth, Aaron’s generation would have been a few years less than 1530 years. As it is,

his computation gives us a figure for Aaron’s generation of 1530 years which interrelates so beautifully with New Testament truth.


NOTES


    ¹Was the priesthood of Aaron to continue everlastingly? We read in Exodus 40:15 that Aaron’s sons would be a “an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” How then can we contend that it continued only until the generation of Christ began? See Appendix IV for a discussion of this.

    ²Jack Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology, p. 132.