A Biblical Exposition of War

A BIBLICAL EXPOSITION OF WAR
by
Dr. John David Geib
MAY 1984,
Talbot School of Theology MA Thesis
2
nd
Revised Edition, 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
Purpose 3
Methodology 3-4
Limitations 4
Problems 4-5
Importance 5
2. WAR IN THE OLDER TESTAMENT
Historical and Cultural Background 6-7
Lexical Information 7-8
War in The Pentateuch 8-18
The Historical Books: Joshua through David 19-27
The Kings and Prophets Prior to the Babylonian Captivity27-38
Exilic and Post-Exilic Books and Prophets 39-40
Summary of War in The Older Testament
41-43
3. WAR IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Lexical Information 44
War in the Gospels 45-60
Soldiers and War in the Book of Acts 60-62
War and Government in the New Testament Letters
62-69
War in the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ 69-71
Summary of New Testament Teaching on War
71-73
4. APPLICATIONS OF THE BIBLICAL TEACHING ON WAR:
HISTORIC POSITIONS WITHIN THE ORGANIZED CHURCH 74-89
5. CONCLUSIONS ON THE BIBLICAL EXPOSITION OF WAR 90-94
BIBLIOGRAPHY 95-100
ADDENDUM 1: TABLES IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER 101-124
ADDENDUM 2: CHRONOLOGICAL CHARTS OF THE BIBLE125-192
2
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Purpose
The primary purpose of this thesis was to discover both the
prescriptive and descriptive teaching about war in the Bible. The
secondary purposes were to briefly survey and present the three main
interpretations and implications of the biblical information regarding
war that have appeared throughout the history of the Church, and to
offer an exposition of the view that the writer believes to best fit the
biblical information.
Methodology
The New American Standard Bible was chosen as the basic
English text. The Greek text utilized was the third corrected edition of
the United Bible Societies. The 4
th
Revised Edition was consulted in the
2003 revision of this thesis. All biblical quotations are from these
texts. The following procedure was then followed.
3
1. A comprehensive inductive search for biblical passages
regarding war was undertaken by reading the entire Bible and citing all
passages that were found apposite to war.
2. Those passages were then arranged in chronological order
and placed on tables that reflected that order.
3. The passages were then studied in their context proper and
for thematic connections with one another.
4. Concurrently, extra-biblical research was conducted on the
subject of war in the Bible.
5. The biblical information and its implications regarding war in
the Bible were then presented in the text of this thesis by means of the
tables that contain the biblical references as they occurred
chronologically, with short observations made by the author on the
references. The text proper attempted to expound the meaning of war
as it was developed chronologically in the Bible, with primary attention
given to those passages in the Bible that explicitly give an interpretive
rationale regarding the subject of war.
6. An attempt was made to evaluate the historic interpretive
and applicational models regarding the subject of war in the Bible that
have been offered and still exist in the Christian Church in light of the
biblical information.
4
Limitations
The scope of the work was limited to a broad survey and
presentation of the biblical information regarding the subject of war.
Lexical, exegetical and historic-cultural factors were taken into
account, but only the briefest mention of the writer's findings were
cited.
Problems
There were three main problems faced in writing this thesis.
First, because of the massive amount of information on war contained
in the Bible, it was problematic to present the information adequately
and non-selectively. The tables placed within the text (and in
sequential order in an Addendum) represented an attempt to
comprehensively present the biblical passages that refer to war. The
body of the text represented an attempt at the interpretation and
synthesis of the main themes of the biblical teaching on war. While an
effort was made to cite every passage in the Bible that is germane to
war, some may have been missed due to human error. However, the
writer is confident that the vast majority of passages apposite to war in
the Bible have been cited.
Second, hermeneutical and theological problems were
encountered when an overall synthesis was attempted of the biblical
information from both Older and New testaments. Accordingly, the
writer presented the information from both Older and New testaments
5
in separate chapters, and attempted to discuss and deal with the
hermeneutical and theological issues in chapter four.
Third, historic interpretations and applications of the biblical
information regarding war have differed sharply. Each model has had
worthy advocates with plausible reasons to support their model. An
attempt was made to fairly present each system and, in light of the
primary meaning of the passages in the Bible on the subject of war, to
present in a non-polemical fashion the writer's conclusion.
Importance
Historically, war has been a universal and persistent factor in
human history. The prophets and Jesus predicted that war would
continue to be so until Jesus returns. Christians, although members of
the Kingdom of God, must interact and in some measure be involved
with the political and sociological dimensions of the earthly kingdoms
of the present age. Because of these facts, Christians must formulate a
biblical response to war that goes beyond a selective, inferential proof-
text methodology. They must formulate a holistically biblical and
prescriptive response to the phenomenon of war that is rooted in a
comprehensive analysis of the biblical information. The following
thesis is an attempt to chronologically and comprehensively cite the
biblical passages on war so that such a response to war can be
formulated and used to guide people to God's mind and will on the
subject of war.
6
CHAPTER TWO
WAR IN THE OLDER TESTAMENT
Historical and Cultural Background
The Older Testament was not written in a cultural and historical
void, and many of the ideas and events recorded in it cannot be
properly understood without some understanding of the historical and
cultural context surrounding the origin of the Older Testament. War in
the Older Testament can best be understood in light of historical and
cultural information regarding war in general from that time period.
First of all, war was a well-known and universal phenomenon in
ancient history.
Mercer extensively documented the fact that:
The earliest extant Semitic inscriptions, whether on stone,
baked clay, papyrus, or Parchment, whether Babylonian,
Egyptian, or Hebrew, tell of wars between tries and Nations.
From the time of Mesilim, before 3000 B.C., through that of
Eannatum, the Military genius of Lagash, of lugal-zaggisi of
Erech, the conqueror of the whole of Mesopotamia, of Sargon
I., of Gudea, or of Hammurabi, to that of Asurbanipal or of
Nabonidus, wars and rumors of wars have been ceased.
1
War was not only universal, its nature and conduct were
inextricably tied to the religious worldview of the participants: "In the
Near East generally war was a sacred undertaking in which the honour
of the national god was very much at stake.
2
This has been historically
1
Samuel A. B. Mercer, "War, War-Gods (Semitic)," Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion
and Ethics, ed. James Hastings (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1921), XII, 6789.
2
R. P. Gordon, "War," The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. James Dixon Douglas
(Leicester: Intervarsity, 1980), III, 1629.
7
true not only of the ancient Near East, but as Aho showed, religious
mythology and the art of war have been associated in many different
cultures.
3
One reason for this union of religious ideas and war that is
particularly germane to grasping the significance of war in the Older
Testament was espoused by Gross: "From the onset it is important to
remind ourselves that the Old Testament does not divide life into a
religious and a profane sphere. . . . according to the Old Testament,
even war is a religious event . . .."
4
One of many striking
confirmations of the above general assertions is the Mesha stele,
discovered in 1868. Upon this black basalt stone is an account of a
battle between Moab and Israel in the 9
th
century B.C., purportedly
from the viewpoint of Chemosh, Moab's god.
5
Examples of this type
are numerous, and confirm the general conclusion that war and
religious worldviews were closely associated in the historical and
cultural environs that surrounded the wars of Israel and Judah recorded
in the Older Testament.
3
James Aho, Religious Mythology and the Art of War: Comparative Religion
Symbolisms of Military Violence (Westport, CN: Greenwood, 1981), 14.
4
Heinrich Gross, "War," Sacramentum Verbi, ed. Johannes B. Bauer (New York:
Herder and Herder, 1970), III, 958.
5
M. J. Dahood, "Mesha Inscription," New Catholic Encyclopedia, ed. Staff of Catholic
Univ. of America (New York: McGraw Hill, 1967), IX, 695.
8
Lexical Information
Two basic words are used in connection with war in the Older
Testament. Milhama, was defined as "Battle, war," and it
appears 319 times in the Older Testament.
6
A fuller rendering of
Milhama, is "war; battle; skirmish; combat."
7
Laham, '
was defined as "I fight, do battle," and Kaiser observed that: "The
most significant usages of the verb laham, which occurs 171 times,
pertain to God's roles in Israel's wars."
8
Besides these two words, one other term used in the Old
Testament in connection with the subject of war needs to be
considered. According to Miller:
The principal epithet for God in the Old Testament is
"Yahweh of Hosts," [YHWH sabaot] which (despite the
extensive discussion and disagreement the term has called
forth) can hardly mean anything other than "Yahweh of the
armies," whether heavenly, earthly or both.
9
Hartley added this additional insight on YHWH sabaot, 1 _ :
Yahweh of Hosts is a special name for God. Yahweh and
Elohim occur with sebaot some 285 times (based on
Mandelkern); most frequently in Isa (62),Jer (77), Hag (14),
Zech (53) and Mal (24).
10
6
Walter C. Kaiser, "' [etc]," Theological Workbook of the Old Testament, Eds. R.
Laird Harris, and others (Chicago: Moody, 1980), I, 476.
7
"War," Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament, Eds. Merrill F. Unger
and William White, Jr. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1980), 459.
8
Kaiser, I, 476.
9
Patrick D. Miller, Jr., "God the Warrior: A Problem in Biblical Interpretation and
Apologetics," Interpretation, 19 (965), 39.
10 1
John E. Hartley, " _[etc.], " Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Eds. R.
Laird Harris, and others (Chicago: Moody, 1980), II, 750.
9
War in the Pentateuch
Genesis
Genesis has often been called the seedbed of many doctrines
developed later in the Bible, and this is also true of war. Genesis
contributes two foundational ideas about war that are amplified later in
the Bible. First, God abhors violence. Second, God has the right as the
Creator to take human life either directly or by means of other humans
at Gods command. Genesis 6:1-13 (Table 1, no. 2; Tables hereinafter
cited as T, with the table number first and the specific tabular
section(s) of that table after the colon) reveals that God destroyed the
human race (except for Noah and his family) for being violent, among
other reasons. "Violence" (hamas, ) in this context was explained
by Harris as follows:
. . . hamas in the OT is used almost always in
connection with sinful violence.
It does not refer to the violence of natural catastrophes . .
.. It is often a name
for extreme wickedness. It was the cause of the
flood. . . .
11
Second, Genesis 15:12-21 (T 1:4) represents the base upon
which the biblical teaching on war is built from Moses to David. That
base specifically indicates that God determined to extinguish Gods gift
11
R. Laird Harris, " [etc.]," Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Eds. R.
Laird Harris, and others (Chicago: Moody, 1980), I. 297.
10
of life given to the Canaanites because of their wickedness, to do so by
means of other humans at Gods command, and to give to Abraham's
descendants the land that the Canaanites occupied at that time. The
moral, axiological purpose of God in using Israel in this warfare is seen
in nascent form in the phrase . . . the iniquity of the Amorites is not
yet complete" (Gen. 15:16). This interaction between God and
Abraham took place approximately in 2065 BC/BCE. It was not until
1405 BC/BCE that Joshua led Israel into Canaan to claim the land God
gave to Abraham. God's intention in waiting for more than 600 years to
remove the Canaanites was a demonstration of Gods justice and
mercy, for the Canaanites were given more than adequate time to turn
from their wickedness during this time of Gods patience. As explained
by Archer,
The implication of this last statement was that when the
wickedness of the inhabitants of Canaan had reached a
predetermined accumulation of guilt, then God would have
them removed from the land of promise intended for
Abraham and his Seed.
12
These two ideas from Genesis 6 and 15, that God abhors
violence and that God as the Creator has the right to take human life
either directly or by means of other humans at Gods command, are
developed in great detail throughout the rest of the Older Testament.
12
Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982), 158.
11
Table 1
War in Genesis
Passages Observations
1. 4:16-24
2. 6:1-13
3. 14:1-24
4. 15:12-
21
5. 22:15-
18
6. 35:1-31;
49:5-7
Lamech articulated the beginning of a war-like attitude.
God destroyed the human race, except for Noah and his family, for
being violent, among
other reasons.
Abraham rescued Lot by means of war.
The invasion and defeat of the Amorites is predicted; their sin is said
to be "not yet
complete."
Abraham's descendants are predicted to "possess the gates of their
enemies."
Jacob's sons used violence and war to avenge their sister Dinah;
Jacob expressed his
displeasure.
Exodus
Exodus contributes two main ideas to the subject of war in the
Older Testament. First, God was given the title "Man of War" (T 2:3).
The reason for this title was Gods supernatural victory over Egypt at
the sea (Exod. 14:15-25). Exodus 12:12 and 18:10-11 indicate that
this victory was viewed as a judgment both on the Egyptians and their
gods. Craigie correctly affirmed that: "The manner in which both the
12
theory and the practice of war are presented in Scripture is such that it
is clear that the wars of the Hebrews were religious wars."
13
Second, Exodus contains three passages (T 2:5; 2:6; 2:9) in
which God gave the reason (gross idolatry) for why God promised to
expel the Canaanites. The following quote explained this judgment:
"We should also note that every man is already under the sentence of
death by God . . . so there needs to be no further justification of God's
curse on any man."
14
Exodus therefore contributes the ideas of the
religious nature of God's wars, and that the rationale for these wars
was God's judgment on the idolatry and perversion of the Canaanite
nation.
Table 2
War in Exodus
1. 1:8-14
2. 13:17-
18
3. 15:3-18
4. 17:8-15
5. 23:20-
Israel was enslaved because Egypt feared potential war.
God led Israel away from Philistia because Israel feared war.
God was called a Warrior. The rationale for this title was Gods
judgment of Egypt and their gods (cp. Exod. 12:12; 14:15-25; 18:10-
11).
God gave victory to Israel over the Amalekites in a war of self-
defense, and then declared perpetual warfare against the
Amalekites.
13
Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1978), 78.
14
"Warfare and Weapons," The Bible Almanac, Eds. James I. Packer, and others
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1980), 303
13
24
6. 23:27-
33
7. 32:25-
29
8. 33:1-7
9. 34:10-
17
God promised to destroy Canaan by Gods angel because of
Canaans idolatry, provided Israel proved to be obedient to God.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites by Gods terror and
hornets because of Canaans idolatry.
God commanded a civil war in Israel as a judgment on those who
practiced idolatry.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites by Gods angel.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites. Total destruction of them
was decreed and social intercourse with them was forbidden
because of their idolatry.
Leviticus
The theme of God's rationale in using war to expel the
Canaanites was developed further in Leviticus, but the emphasis is on
the sexual abominations of the Canaanites rather than their idolatry (T
3:1; 3:2), as the . . . Canaanites . . . had given themselves to dreadful
sinfulness and practiced awful perversions of virtually every form as
religious acts."
15
Leviticus also contained a new idea regarding the
purposes of God in using Israel in war, the conditional nature of victory
and defeat in war for Israel. (T 3:4; 3:5).
Cazelles and Grelot asserted that:
The combats of God . . . do not have as their last end the
temporal triumph of Israel. God's glory is of another
nature; His Kingdom of another order. What He wishes is
the establishment of a kingdom of prosperity and justice,
such as He defines it. Israel has the mission to effect this,
but if it fails, God must fight His sinful people for the same
reasons that He combats the pagan powers.
16
15
"Warfare and Weapons," 303.
16
Henri Cazelles and Pierre Grelot, "War," Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. Xavier
Leon-Dufour (New York: Seabury, 1973), 641.
14
Thus, if Israel proved to be disobedient to God and His Law, God
would let them suffer crushing defeat. But if Israel fulfilled the
theocentric purpose for which they were created, God would bless
them and allow them to defeat Gods enemies. The didactic nature of
these wars was explained thus:
For the purpose of saving Israel and the world God warred
against the enemies of the nature he had chosen for the
transmissions of his blessings to all mankind. But at times
he also caused the hostile nations to win victories over
Israel, when it had disbelieved and disobeyed him. . . . All
of Israel's wars, whether defensive or aggressive, and all
its victories and defeats were pedagogical means in the
hand of God. . . .
17
Table 3
War in Leviticus
Passage Observation
1. 18:1-30 A catalogue of sexual sins of the ethnic groups nations living in
Canaan given as a reason why they would be driven from the land.
17
Gottfried Niemeier, "War," The Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church, Ed. Julius
Bodensieck Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1965), III, 2457.
15
2. 19:18
3. 20:1-26
4. 26:1-8
5. 26:17;
26:23-
25;
26:32-
33;
26:36-
39
Personal vengeance is prohibited.
Sins of the Canaanites given as a reason for their expulsion.
Freedom from war and defeat was promised to Israel if they should
prove obedient to the
Law of God.
War and crushing defeat of Israel was promised if Israel should be
disobedient to the Law of God.
Numbers
God's purposes in using Israel to judge Canaan with war are
reflected in the organizational theme contained in Numbers, both in
pragmatic and symbolic senses. God commanded a census of the
army (T 4:1; 4:17), and the army was organized (T 4:2). The trumpet
and the Ark became symbols of God's presence with Israel in war (T
4:3; 4:4). The "ban of destruction" (T 4:10) served . . . to emphasize
the sacrificial character of the holy war, which makes a whole city a
sacrifice to Yahweh."
18
The theocentric nature of war is seen in two key passages. First,
Joshua and Caleb asserted that the protection of the Canaanites . . .
has been removed from them . . ." (T 4:6), explained as follows: . . .
neither their equipment nor their numbers turned the scale. It was
18
Lawrence E. Toombs, "War, Ideas of," The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, ed.
George Arthur Buttrick (New York: Abingdon, 1962), IV, 798.
16
Yahweh who went before them, gave them courage, and took it from
their foes."
19
Second, Israel suffered defeat in a war not authorized by God (T
4:7), illustrating again the moral and didactic nature of God's purpose
in war with Israel. Only when Israel met the theocentric purpose for
which Israel was created would God be with them in war.
19
Otto Bauernfeind, " [etc.]," ed. Gerhard Friedrich, Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, trans, and ed. Geffrey W. Bromily (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1968), VI, 508.
17
Table 4
War in Numbers
1. 1:1-54
2. 2:1-34
3. 10:9
4. 10:35-36
5. 13:1-33;
Dt.1: 22-
23
6. 14:1-10
7. 14:39-45
8. 20:14-21
9. 21:1-3
10. 21:10-14
11. 21:21-32
12. 21:33-35
13. 22:1
23:10
14. 23:11
24:19
15. 24:20-25
16. 25:1-18
God commanded a census for the army of Israel to be taken.
The army of Israel was arranged and organized.
A trumpet sound was given as a symbol to remember Israel to God during
battle.
The Ark became a symbol of God's victorious presence in battle.
God commanded the spies to be sent into Canaan.
Joshua and Caleb asserted the future victory of God over Canaan because .
. . their protection has been
removed from them"
Israel suffered defeat in a war not commanded by God.
Edom threatened war on Israel if Israel tried to pass through Edom's
territory.
God gave Israel victory over Arad in a war of self-defense. The ban of
destruction practiced for the first time.
The Book of the Wars of the Lord mentioned for the first time.
Israel defeated Sihon in a war of self-defense.
Israel exterminated Og of Bashan in a war of self-defense by the power of
God.
Balak tried to defeat Israel through Balaam's divination.
Balaam predicted Israel's defeat of Canaan.
Balaam predicted the destruction of various nations.
18
17. 26:1-65
18. 31:1-20
19. 31:21-54
20. 33:4
21. 33:50-56
God commanded Moses and Israel to fight Midian because they enticed
Israel to practice sin.
The second census of the army was taken.
God commanded Israel to execute His vengeance on Midian. The reason for
the destruction of
their women was explained as removing those who led Israel into sin. Cf.
Numbers 25.
Various war booty laws were given.
God was proclaimed as having executed judgment upon Egypt's gods.
Total destruction of Canaan commanded by God because of their idolatry
and enticing Israel into sin.
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy builds on the base laid in the previous books
regarding the interpretive reasons for why Canaan was destroyed, and
contains the most replete elucidations of these reasons in the
Pentateuch (T 5:6). Buehler affirmed that "it is because of the idolatry
of the Canaanites, with its accompanying abominable practices, that
they must be destroyed. . . ."
20
Additional information was given to Israel regarding rules to be
followed in warfare (T 5:8; 5:9; 5:10). One writer saw this as a
departure from current cultural practice: "The Mosaic law, however,
mitigated to a certain extent the severity of the ancient usages toward
the vanquished."
21
Also, ceremonial laws of cleanliness given to the
warriors further emphasized the religious aspect of these wars of
20
William Buehler, "Peace and War," Baker's Dictionary of Christian Ethics, Ed. Carl F.
H. Henry (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973), 495.
21
"War," Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, Ed. John
M'Clintock and James Strong (New York: Harper, 1872), X, 881.
19
Yahweh: "Since the wars of Israel were wars of Yahweh, ceremonial
impurity excluded from service."
22
Once again the theocentric conditions of victory in warfare were
repeated (T 5:5; 5:12; 5:13). If Israel fulfilled her task of obeying God,
God would use the nation for Gods sovereign purposes. Disobedience,
however, made Israel no different than the other nations and thus God
would not insure victory for them if they were in a war.
Finally, God was revealed as the sovereign God of vengeance
who, as the Creator and sustainer of life, can take away life by any
means God chooses from those who by their disobedience live as
Gods adversaries (T 5:15; 5:16).
Table 5
War in Deuteronomy
1. 1:1-46
2. 2:1-19
3. 2:20-23
4. 2:24--
3:17
5. 6:10-19;
11:22-25
Gods command to take the land and the defeat at Hormah were reviewed.
Israel was commanded not to fight Esau, Moab and Ammon because they
had been given their land
and were in their rightful place.
God was asserted to have destroyed Rephaim, the Horites and Avvim by
means of other nations.
God's victories through Israel over Og and Sihon were reviewed.
Israel's victory or defeat in war dependent upon their obedience to God.
22
Immanuel G. A. Benzinger, "War, Hebrew," The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of
Religious Knowledge, Ed. Samuel Jackson (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1950), XII, 267.
20
6. 7:4-5;
7:16;
7:25-26;
8:19-20;
12:1-3;
29:17-18
9:5
12:29-31
18:9-14
7. 13:12-18
8. 20
9. 21:10-14
10. 23:9-14
11. 25:17-19
12. 28:7
13. 28:25-
26;
28:36-
37;
28:49-
52;
29:22-
28;
31:23-
27.
14. 31:1-8
15. 32:1-43
16. 33:26-29
The interpretive reasons for the destruction of Canaan were given by God;
Idolatry;
Wickedness;
Human sacrifice and abomination;
Occult practices and witchcraft;
Civil war punishment was decreed for Israeli idolaters.
Various rules for warfare were given.
Rules regarding women captured in warfare were given.
Holiness rules for soldiers were given.
Perpetual warfare against Amalek was reviewed.
Victory in war promised to Israel if they should obey the Law of God.
Crushing defeat in war promised to Israel if they should disobey the Law of
God.
Moses asserted that God would use Joshua to drive out the nations of
Canaan.
God was revealed as the sovereign God of vengeance, who is Lord of life and
death, healing and deliverance.
God was revealed as the Lord of Israel's victories.
Summary of War in the Pentateuch
Although a vast amount of particulars can be gleaned from the
Pentateuch regarding war, four main concepts surface as preeminent.
Their religious nature. God's theocentric purpose in using war as
a judgment on sin is Gods right as the Creator (T 1:4; T 5:32). Thus,
God categorically commanded Israel to fight these wars (T 2:4; 2:5;
2:6; 2:8; 2:9; T 4:17; 4:19; 4:20).
21
Their rationale. God repeatedly gave the reasons for these wars
(T 1:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:9; T 3:1; 3:3; T 4:17; 4:19; 4:22; T 5:6). They were
not political wars in the modern sense but primarily moral, axiological
and soteriological in nature.
Their requirements. God, who is holy (Exod. 3), conditioned
Gods promise to fight for Israel on the basis of their obedience to God,
Gods law and the theocentric purpose for which Israel was created.
Victory in war would come from total submission to Yahweh, and
defeat in war would be the result of sin and rebellion (T 2; T 3:4; 3:5; T
4:7; T 5:5; 5:12; 5:13).
Their rules. Although all vestiges of the race and practices of the
Canaanites were to be exterminated because of their gross
wickedness, Gods holy character and mercy was also seen in various
rules that reminded Israel of Gods holiness, which was shown to
mitigate the tendency of war to degenerate into anarchistic savagery
(T 4:3; 4:4; 4:10; 4:19; 4:20; T 5:2; 5:8; 5:9). As it will be seen later in
this work, these four principles form the conceptual parameters into
which fit the rest of the wars of the Older Testament.
22
The Historical Books -- From Joshua Through David
Joshua
Five key ideas were reemphasized in Joshua from the
Pentateuch. First, God commanded Israel to take the land (T 6:1). God
continued to ramify Gods purposes through every command given to
Israel: "Further, they went forth with the divine directive to "utterly
destroy" the Canaanite cities. . . ."
23
Second, victory in war came by
the power of God (T 6:3; 6:4; 6:8; 6:9; 6:13): "The conquest of the
Canaan was due to Yahweh's power and His special guidance of Josue,
rather than to any purely human effort.
24
Third, the conditions for
victory were reiterated (T 6:1; 6:5; 6:6; 6:7; 6:12). Victories or defeats
in war were thus a spiritual thermometer by which Israel could gauge
their obedience to God. Fourth, God kept Gods rationale clearly in
view throughout these wars (T 6:1; 6:11), and It should be
emphasized that the holy war, although an important part of Hebrew
theology, is never represented as an end in itself. The war looks
beyond the day of battle to the time of peace . ...
25
23
Harvey E. Finley, "War, Warfare," Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, Eds. Charles F.
Pfeiffer, and others (Chicago: Moody, 1975), 1784.
24
Marcian Strange, "Josue (Joshua), Book of," New Catholic Encyclopedia, ed. Staff of
Catholic Univ. of American (New York: McGraw Hill, 1967), VII, 1130.
25
Toombs, 798.
23
Table 6
War in Joshua
1. 1:1-18
2. 2:1-24
3. 5:13-15
4. 6:1-27
5. 7:1-26
6. 8:1-35
7. 9:1-27
8. 10:1-43
9. 11:1-23
10. 12:1-24
11. 13:1--
21:45
12. 23:1-16
Israel commanded to take the land; victory promised to them if they
were obedient to the
Law of God.
It is critically important to compare Rahab's testimony of the fear
that possessed the Canaanites with Genesis 15:16, Deuteronomy
2:25 and Joshua 5:1 to understand that God did give Canaan over a
space of 600 years a chance to repent.
A Theophany or Angel revealed as the Captain of the army.
Jericho taken by God's power; Rahab spared for her faith.
Achan's sin of taking booty under the ban of destruction caused
Israel to suffer defeat in
battle with Ai.
A reconsecrated Israel totally exterminated Ai.
The Gibeonites deceived Israel and escaped destruction because
Israel did not consult with God.
God gave Israel victory as they totally exterminated five nations.
The Book of Jashar
mentioned for the first time.
God gave victory to Israel as they totally exterminated many nations.
God is revealed as
the One who hardened their hearts for destruction.
A review of the kings and nations exterminated.
The division of the land to the various tribes of Israel. Israel was
24
13. 24:1-31 unable to drive out
Jebusites (15:63), Gezer, Canaanites (16:10) and various Canaanites
(17:12-13).
Obedience to God the condition for keeping the land. Destruction of
Israel promised if they disobeyed God's Law.
Historical review of God's redemption of Israel and God's power to
give victory by His decree (24:8; 24:11; 24:18) and hornets (24:12).
Judges
Judges' strongest contributions to the topic of war in the Older
Testament are the striking illustrations of God's adherence to the
theocentric purposes in using war, even to the point of disaster for
Israel. This is revealed in general terms in Judges 2:11-23 and
repeated cyclically seven times throughout the book. Lind correctly
observed that "... the idea of judgment following apostasy was a
traditional one, rooted as we have seen, in the covenant curse."
26
Judges also adds to the teaching of the Pentateuch regarding the
reasons for the gradual expulsion of the Canaanites. Exodus 23:29-30
and Deuteronomy 8:22 records one of the reasons to be so that the
land would not be overrun with wild beasts, and this concern is joined
with disobedience (Judg. 2:20-21), to test Israel (Judg. 2:22; 3:1; 3:4)
and to teach the inexperienced the lessons of warfare (Judg. 3:2) in the
book of Judges.
Table 7
26
Millard C. Lind, Yahwek is a Warrior: The Theology of Warfare in Ancient Israel (Scottsdale,
PA: Herald, 1980), 161.
25
Israel's Wars with the Nations in Judges
General Literary
Pattern of
Judges given in
2:11-23
Specific Cycles exemplified throughout the Book of Judges
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6
Stage 1
Israels Idolatry
Judges
2:11-13
3:5-7 3:12a 4:1 6:1a 10:6 13:1a
Stage 2
Israel defeated
in war because
of idolatry.
Judges
2:14-15
3:8 3:12-14 4:2-3 6:1-6 10:7-16 13:1b
Stage 3
God provides a
Judge to lead
Israel to victory.
Judges
2:16-18
3:9-10 3:15-31 4:4-5:31 6:7-8:31 10:17-
12:6
13:2-
16:31
The judge dies,
leading to
repeat of cycle.
Judges
2:19-23
3:11 4:1 8:32-
10:5
12:7-15
First Samuel
Themes solidly established in Israel's biblical history are seen
again in I Samuel. Defeat in war was experienced and explained by
Samuel as the result of idolatry (T 8:1; 8:6; 8:15). When Saul failed to
acknowledge God's theocentric purpose in war, he was rejected as
King (T 8:13-15). When victory was achieved, it was because Israel
returned to the theocentric purpose of God. God would then
26
accordingly use Israel to chasten the nations for their sin, or God would
win the victory alone (T 8:2; 8:3; 8:5; 8:8; 8:10). God's use of symbols
to indicate Gods presence in war began to degenerate into Israel
trusting in the symbols themselves (T 8:1; 8:2; 8:7). Jones, taking
issue with Gerhard von Rad's thesis that Israel had a set pattern of
cultic war rituals attached to holy war, observed that:
. . . there is sufficient evidence to suggest that customs
of a ritual and cultic nature were attached to Israelite
warfare. But even when all the evidence is assembled, no
set pattern for Yahweh War emerges; it is not possible to
say that when Israel went to war it had to perform a
number of rituals according to a given formula. A
recognition of its association with cultic practices does not
prove that Holy War was a cultic event.
27
This degeneration reached a nadir in the request for a king to
. . . judge us and go out before us and fight our battles" (I Sam. 8:20).
God then declared that this request for a king would eventuate in more
war, only then political and not theocentric in nature (I Sam. 8:9-18).
27
Gwilym H. Jones. "'Holy War' or 'Yahweh War,'" Vetus Testamentum, 25 (July 1975), 650-51.
27
Table 8
War in I Samuel
1. 4:1-22
2. 5:1--
6:21
3. 7:1-17
4. 8:1-22;
8:20;
12:12
5. 11:1-15
6. 12:6-25
7. 13:1-23
8. 14:1-52
9. 15:1-35
10. 17:1-58
11. 18:1-30
12. 19:1--
10:42
13. 22:1-23;
I Ch.
12:1-22
14. 27:1--
29:11
15. 30:1--
31:13
Israel defeated by Philistines. Israel trusted in the Ark for victory and
the Ark was
captured by Philistia.
God supernaturally recaptured the Ark for Israel.
Samuel led Israel to return to the Lord and then the Lord gave Israel
victory over
Philistia.
Israel requested a King against God's will to fight their battles
God gave Saul and Israel victory over the Ammonites.
Samuel explained Israel's defeats as the result of idolatry.
Saul presumptuously offered sacrifices before battle.
God used Jonathan to rout the Philistines (14:23). An example of
consulting God in
battle was recorded (14:36-38).
God again commanded the extermination of Amalek. Saul failed to
practice the ban of
destruction against them and was rejected as King. Samuel then
executed the ban against
Agag.
God used David to defeat Goliath because of faith in God.
David was honored in Israel as a slayer of Philistines, and then he
gave as a dowry for
Michal 200 Philistine foreskins.
An example of military disobedience; however, Jonathan was spared.
Doeg killed the priests, an example of blind military obedience. Many
warriors joined
David's side and God instructed David to rescue Keilah, who then
attempted to betray
David.
28
David fought on the side of Philistia because of Saul.
David rescued his family from Amalekites; Saul and Jonathan killed in
battle by an Amalekite in a war with the Philistines.
Second Samuel and I Chronicles
Through the career of David, two ideas surface as dominant in
reference to war. First, David was the ultimate example of God using a
warrior and war for Gods theocentric purpose of establishing a holy
nation in the midst of the nations as a witness to Gods existence,
character and purposes. God clearly declared the reasons why God
. . . helped David wherever he went" (II Sam. 8:6; 8:14). This
supernatural assistance was given to free Israel from oppression (T
9:4; 9:5). Robinson explained the result of this assistance as . . .
thus, under David's leadership, and because of his military prowess,
Israel, in a few years, became the dominant and most important
people in Western Asia."
28
Second, a transitional theme begins during Davids reign that the
prophets developed later, that although God sovereignly used war for
theocentric purposes, God also stands in judgment on military prowess
and the glorification of war. This was demonstrated by God using war
to chasten David for his sins (T 9:9). Even more germane to the issue,
28
George L. Robinson, "David," The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, eds. James
Orr, and others (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1939), II, 797.
29
David was punished by God for apparently beginning to trust in the
numerical value of his army (T 9:13; 9:15). David was also forbidden
to build the house of God because of all the blood he had shed on the
earth before God (T 9:13; T 10:1). Robinson ironically explained that
. . . this means more than merely that David was too busy fighting to
build a permanent sanctuary for the ark."
29
God thus affirmed Gods
transcendence over war by these nugatory judgments on the life and
career of His servant David. This judgment by God may have been
necessary to reorient Israel, for: . . . under David's leadership, the
whole meaning of combat began changing
radically, from a means to glorify God's majesty, to a vehicle of self-
display for individual warriors."
30
The biblical record lends credence to
the Robinsons conclusions (T 9:12).
Table 9
War in II Samuel and I Chronicles
Passage Observations
1. 2 Sam. 1:1-27; I
Chron. 10:1-14;
2. II Sam. 2:1-32;I Chron.
12:23-40
3. II Sam. 3:1-39
4. 2 Sam. 5:1-25; 1
Chron. 11:4-9; 1
Chron. 14:1-17
Saul was killed by an Amalekite for his sin; cf. I Sam.
15.
War between the followers of David and Saul.
Abner goes to David's side; Abner quoted God as
promising to deliver
Israel from Philistia by means of David.
David won victories over Jebusites and Philistia. The
29
Robinson, II, 796
30
Aho, 171.
30
5. II Sam. 7:1-29; I
Chron. 17:1-27
6. II Sam. 8:1-18; I
Chron. 18:1-17
7. II Sam 10:1-19; I
Chron. 18:1-17
8. II Sam. 12:26-31; I
Chron 20:1-8
9. II Sam. 13:1--II Sam.
20:26
10. II Sam. 21:18-22; I
Chron. 20:4-8
11. II Sam. 22:1-51; Psalm
18
12. II Sam 23:8-39; I
Chron. 11:10-47
13. II Sam. 24:1-25; I
Chron. 21:1-30
14. I Chron. 22:1-19; I
Chron. 28:1-21
15. I Chron. 27:1-24
reason is given in
II Sam. 5:12; "For the sake of his people Israel."
The Davidic covenant: God declared that God had
been fighting for David and gave the reason in II Sam.
7:10, to allow Israel to live in the land free from
oppression.
God gave David repeated victories in war.
David defeated the Syrians and Ammon.
Joab and David conquered Rabbah, and then tortured
the people of Rabbah.
Various civil wars arose against David as chastening
for his sins (Cf. II Sam. 12:10-12).
Israel defeated the Philistines.
David praised God for Gods protection and for giving
military victory
to him.
David's mighty men were named and praised.
God chastened David for numbering the military men.
David forbidden by God to build the house of God
. . . because you have shed so much blood on the
earth before me" (I Chron. 22:8).
Partial numbering of the army divisions for which God
chastened
David and Israel (I Chron. 27:24).
Table 9b should be consulted with Table 9 as many of
the Psalms historically attach to David.
Table 9b
War in the Book of Psalms
Psalms Observations
31
1. 44:1-8; 78; 80; 91;
106
2. 3; 18; 21; 24:7-10; 31;
47; 105; 118; 124;
135; 136; 149
3. 17:6-14; 27:1-3; 35:1-
8; 59; 60; 74; 79; 82;
108; 122; 137; 140;
144
4. 7:11-16; 9; 10; 11;
20:6-9; 33:10-12;
46:8-11; 68; 76
5. 2; 45
Psalms that demonstrate the principles given by God
to Israel of
victory in war through obedience to God and defeat in
war through
disobedience to God.
Psalms that praise God the Warrior and Gods victories
through Israel
in war.
Psalms that implore God for victory in war or
deliverance from the
enemy.
Psalms that show the sovereign God standing in
judgment on war,
trust in weapons of war and on the warring nations.
Psalms that refer to Messiah as Warrior.
Summary of the Historical Books--Joshua Through David
Joshua is the concrete consummation of God's teachings on war
in the Pentateuch, and is the clearest example of the theocentric
principle of victory in war for Israel through their obedience to God (T
6:1; 6:4; 6:8; 6:10; 6:11; 6:12; 6:13).
Conversely, Judges is the clearest example of the defeat through
disobedience concept, thus emphasizing the truly spiritual and moral
nature of God's purposes with Israel in war (T 7). First Samuel repeats
these ideas, and adds the germinal tendency of Israel which developed
disastrously during the kings and prophets, namely, trusting in ritual
and visible kings rather than God alone (T 8:1; 8:4; 8:6; 8:9; 8:10).
Second Samuel and I Chronicles reveal that although God used
war to establish Israel as a God-centered nation and to chasten the
32
nations for their sin, God also stands in judgment on trusting in military
prowess and the glorifications of war (T 9:4; 9:5; 9:6; 9:13; 9:14; 9:15).
The Kings and Prophets Prior to the Babylonian Captivity
As Tables 10 through 22 show, there is a large amount of
information regarding war in the Older Testament for this time period.
However, a careful study of this material, subsequently arranged in
chronological order by the present writer, led to the discovery that the
vast majority of references to war in this period fall into four basic
categories that reveal God's attitude toward war at that time for Israel,
Judah and the nations.
The Victory Principle
Victory in or preservation from war was due to obedience to God
or Gods sovereign purposes (T 11:4; T 12:2; T 13:1; 13:3; 13:4; T 15:3;
T 16:1; 16:3; Amos; T 17:2; T 18:2; T 19:2; 19:3; T 21:2). Surprisingly,
the writer found no references from this period that reveal God as
commanding Israel to fight in wars as God did in the Pentateuch and
the earlier historical books. Rather:
During the remainder of the history of the "United
Kingdom" (under Solomon, David's successor), and then
during the history of the two kingdoms Israel and Judah, It
was defensive warfare that becomes the norm as Israel
sought to protect her boundaries from foreign invaders.
31
However, when Israel or Judah were engaged in war, the
outcome from a victorious viewpoint was determined by God's favor on
31
Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978),
68.
33
them based upon their obedience to the theocentric purpose of God, or
simply the grace of God preventing disaster from occurring upon Gods
people because of the Abrahamic covenant (T 15:3; cf. Gen. 12; 15;
17; 22). As Finley explained regarding the covenant: . . . victories on
the battlefields were understood as an aspect of God's favor and
blessing upon His covenant people . . ..
32
The Defeat Principle
Defeat in war for Israel and Judah was to be attributed to the sin
of forsaking God and unfaithfulness to the Mosaic covenant (Cf. Ex. 19-
24, Ex. 34, and Deut. 27-30; T 10:4; T 11:2; 11:3; T 14:3; 14:4; T 15:1;
15:2; T 16:3; Amos 5-9; T 17:4; T 18:3; 18:4; T 19:1; 19:4; T 20:1; 20:3;
T 21:1; 21:3; 21:4; T 22:1; 22:2; T 22b; Jer. 34; 39; 52; Ezek. 11;
Zedekiah's reign; Lamentations). God, who is absolutely fair (Deut.
10:17), refused to fight for Gods unfaithful people. Bauernfeind
posited that: "If the lines of the Old Testament are followed up . . . we
may conclude that it is beyond question that the reason for the wars of
Yahweh against Israel is always to be sought in human
transgression."
33
A trenchant analysis of the causes of Israel's defeats
in war is as follows:
By taking up the religious practices of the nations around
her, importing their gods, and abandoning or corrupting
the worship of Yahweh, Israel has lost the true source of
her strength, the presence of Yahweh with her armies is
32
Finley, 785.
33
Bauernfeind, 510.
34
unthinkable, and the theological basis of the holy war is
absent from her life and thought. . . . In this way war take
son new meaning for the prophets.
34
Goodwald explained the new meaning of war for the prophets:
Religious thought about war took a new turn with the
appearance of prophets who stood holy war on its head by
audaciously declaring that in the wars at hand God fought
not for Israel but against Israel. Originally holy war had
posited a direct correlation between an internally just
society and its external self-defense. Observing the
masses of domestically oppressed Israelites, some
prophets argued that the axiomatic correlation between a
just society and the right to self-defense and survival had
been conclusively shattered.
35
The Chastening Principle
War was a tool God used to chasten Israel, Judah and the nations
for their sins (T 10:4; T 12:1; 12:4; T 14:5; 14:6; T 16:1; 16:3; Amos
4:10; T 18:1; T 21:1; 21:5; T 22:2; Jer. 45-50). Although this is not a
new idea in the Older Testament (Deut. 2:20-23), the prophets
especially expounded upon the implications of a sovereign God who is
transcendentally capable of using the warlike sinfulness of the nations
to punish themselves for their own sin. Eller addressed the apparent
problem that especially baffled Habakkuk (cf. Hab. 1) and others of the
prophets: how can a holy God use a sinful nation to correct the sins of
other nations by means of war, then stand in judgment on that sinful
34
Toombs, 798.
35
Norman K. Gottwald, "War, Holy," The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible: Supplementary
Volume, ed. Keith Crim (Nashville: Abingdon, 1976), 944.
35
nation, and still maintain Gods transcendent position as Judge of all
human behavior?
The thought is subtle at this point . . .. It could be put in a
most maddening way: "Was Assyria doing Gods will in
attacking and devastating Israel?" Yes, we are told as
much. "Yet Yahweh was determined to punish Assyria?"
Right. "Why?" for not doing God's will . . . while she was
doing Yahweh's will!
36
Reconciling the two ideas of the sovereignty of God and the
responsibility of man within finite minds has haunted theologians and
philosophers throughout history. Nevertheless, the prophets
unabashedly affirmed that God used war as a "rod of His anger" to
punish sin while maintaining Gods right to judge the punishing nation.
The Judgment Principle
God stands in judgment on trust in military prowess, the
weapons of war, the practice of savagery in war and the dependence
of Israel and Judah on political alliances for security (T 10:1; 10:3; T
11:1; T 12:3; T 14:1; 14:2; T 16:3; Amos 1; T 17:1; 17:3; T 18:1,
especially Isa. 30-31). The germinal tendency to trust in symbols of
war and visible kings rather than God seen in I Samuel (T 8:1; 8:2; 8:4)
received nurture from Solomon (T 10:3) and produced a disastrous
crop of violence and war in this period. As Toombs explained:
The necessary prerequisite of holy war is uncompromising
trust in the power of Yahweh to give victory. Precisely this
quality was missing in Israel. The people trusted in
wealth . . . the army . . . in such alliances as they were able
36
Vernard Eller, War and Peace from Genesis to Revelation (Scottsdale, PA: Herald, 1981), 76.
36
to conclude with foreign powers and in the apparatus of
diplomacy . . ..
37
Contrary to a popular caricature of Israel's God being a
bloodthirsty warmonger, God revealed Himself against trust in war for
security:
The prophets lament the state of violence into which the
people have fallen . . . and they appeal to Yahweh who
alone can remedy this state of affairs . . . In fact, God has a
horror of violent men . . . did he not cause the flood
because "the earth grew corrupt . . . and filled with
violence."
38
Table 10
Wars in the Reign of Solomon
1. I Kings 5:3-5; I
Chron. 22:5-10
2. I Kings 8:33-34;
I Kings 8:44-53;
I Kings 9:6-11;II
Chron. 6:24-25;
II Chron. 6:34-
39
3. Deut. 17:14-20;
I Kings 10:26-
29; II Chron.
9:25-28.
4. I Kings 11:1-40
A repetition of God forbidding David to build the House of God
because David had shed so much blood.
If Israel should ever be defeated in war, it was to be
attributed to their sin in forsaking God.
Solomon built up a cavalry in disobedience to God.
God raised up foreign and civil wars against Solomon to
chasten him for his sins.
Table 10 should be compared and studied with Table 10b as
both Table 10 and 10b historically attach to Solomon.
Table 10b
War in the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
37
Toombs, 798.
38
Xavier Leon-Dufour, "Violence, Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. Xavier Leon-Dufour (New
York: Seabury, 1973), 632.
37
Proverbs
1. 16:32
2. 20:18
3. 21:31
4. 24:6
5. 24:17-18
6. 25:21-22
7. 30:31
Ecclesiastes
1. 3:3
2. 3:8
3. 8:8
4. 9:11
5. 9:13-18
Self-control is better than military victory.
War is to be conducted with wise guidance.
A horse is prepared for battle but victory comes from the
Lord.
Guidance and many advisers are needed for waging war and
obtaining victory.
One should not rejoice when one's enemies fall.
Give your enemy food and drink to meet their needs and it
will be like heaping burning coals on their head, and God will
reward you (Cf. Rom. 12:17-21).
A king walks stately when with his army.
There is a time to kill, and a time to heal.
There is a time for war, and a time for peace.
No one is discharged in times of war.
The battle is not always to the warriors but time and chance
overtakes them.
Wisdom is better than strength and the weapons of war.
38
Table 11
Wars in the Reigns of Jeroboam, Rehoboam and Abijah
I Kings 12:1--15:8; II Chronicles 10:1--13:22
1. I Kings 12:21-
23; II Chron.
11:1-4
2. I Kings 14:1-6
3. I Kings 14:21-
28; II Chron.
12:1-12
4. II Chron. 13:1-
20; I Kings
15:1-8
God forbade a civil war in Israel through the prophet
Shemaiah.
The Assyrian captivity (defeat in war) predicted by Ahijah
because of Jeroboam's idolatry.
God allowed Egypt to defeat Judah because of their idolatry.
God gave Judah victory over Israel in a civil war because
Judah trusted in the Lord.
Table 12
War in the Reigns of Asa and various Kings of Israel
II Chron. 14:1--16:14; I Kings 15:816:23
1. I Kings 15:32
2. II Chron. 14:1-
15
3. II Chron.
15:19-- II
Chron. 16:14; 1
Kings 15:16-22
4. I Kings 16:8-28
Constant civil war between Asa and Baasha.
God gave Asa and Judah victory in war over Ethiopia because
of obedience and trust in God.
Because Asa relied on Syria instead of God in a civil war with
Israel, Hanani the
prophet predicted that Asa would have more war.
Continuous revolt in Israel because of sin.
39
Table 13
War in the Reigns of Ahab, Joram and Jehoshaphat
II Chron. 17:1--20:37; I Kings 16:29--II Kings 3:27
1. I Kings 20:1-43
2. II Chron. 17:1-
19
3. II Chron. 18:1--
II Chron. 19:3.
4. II Kings 3:1-27;
II Chron. 20:1-
37.
God gave Ahab victory over Aram so that Ahab would know
God is the Lord and then God rebuked Aham for not killing Ben-
Hadad.
God put the "Dread of the Lord" on surrounding nations and
spared Jehoshaphat from war.
Micaiah the truthful prophet counseled Jehoshaphat and Ahab
not to fight Ramoth-Gilead. They disobeyed and Ahab was
killed. Jehoshaphat was spared but rebuked by Jehu for helping
Ahab.
God gave Jehoshaphat victory in war because he trusted in the
Lord (Cf. II Chron. 20:5-13 and II Chron. 6:28-30 to see that
trust and faith in God insured Israel from defeat in war).
Table 14
War in the Reigns of Jehoram, Ahaziah and Joram
II Chron. 21:1--23:21; II Kings 8:16--II Kings 11:21
Passage/or Prophet Observations
1. Obadiah 10:14
2. Joel 3:1-21
3. II Chron. 21:1-20; II
Kings 8:16-24
Obadiah rebuked Edom for their rejoicing at the
sufferings of Judah in war.
Joel's prediction of God's judgment of the military
powers of the earth in the last days.
Jehoram suffered revolts and defeats in war because
of idolatry.
40
4. II Chron. 22:1-6; II
Kings 8:25-29
5. II Kings 9:10:36; II
Chron. 22:7-9
6. II Chron. 22:10--II
Chron. 23:21; II Kings
11:1-21
Ahaziah and Joram defeated by Aram because of
idolatry.
Jehu executed the judgment of God on Ahab's house
because of Ahab's sin.
Jehoiada the priest executed God's judgment on
Ahaziah's house because of sin.
Table 15
War in the Reigns of Joash, Jehoahaz and Jehoash
II Kings 12:1-21; II Chron. 24:1-27; II Kings 13:1-25
1. II Kings 12:1-
21; II Chron.
24:1-27
2. II Kings 13:1-8
3. II Kings 13:9-25
Joash and Judah defeated by a small Syrian army because
theyforsook God (II Chron. 24:24).
Johoahaz suffered defeat in war because he forsook God, and
then God delivered him because of prayer and Gods grace.
God gave Jehoash victory in war because of the covenant with
Abraham.
Table 16
War in the Reigns of Amaziah and Jeroboam II
II Chron. 25:1-28; II Kings 14:1-29
1. II Kings 14:1-29; II
Chron. 25:1-28
2. Jonah 1:1--4:11; II
Kings 14:25
3. Amos should be read
with Jeroboam II (II
Kings 14:23-29) and
Amaziah defeated Edom in war, but was then defeated
by Israel because of his idolatry. God saved Israel
under Jeroboam II because Of Gods grace.
God revealed Gods grace, compassion and love to
militaristic Nineveh.
41
Uzziah (II Kings 15:1-
7).
Amos 1:1-15;
Amos 2:9;
Amos 4:10;
Amos 5:1--9:15
God condemned savagery in war.
God claimed credit for destroying the Amorite.
God claimed that he used war to chasten His people.
Amos predicted Israel's captivity by Assyria.
Table 17
War in the Reign of Uzziah (Ahaziah) and Various Kings of
Israel
II Chron. 26:1-23; II Kings 15:1-7; II Kings 15:8-30
1. Hosea should be read
with Jeroboam II,
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
Hezekiah
Hosea 1:7; 5:13;
7:11-16; 8:9;
10:5-15; 11:5-7; 12:1;
13:9-16;
14:3
2. I Chron. 26:1-15; II
Kings 5:1-4
3. II Chron. 26:16-23; II
Kings 15:5-7
4. II Kings 15:8-31
Hosea rebuked Israel and Judah for their spiritual
prostitution and their trust in foreign war machines for
security.
God gave Uzziah military victory because he sought
the Lord.
Uzziah's military strength and power led to pride and
God afflicted him with leprosy.
The evil kings of Israel suffered turmoil and the
beginning of the Assyrian captivity because of their
idolatry and sin.
Table 18
War in the Reigns of Jotham and Ahaz
II Chron. 27:1--28:27; II Kings 15:32--16:20
42
1. Isaiah should be read
with Uzziah, Jotham,
Ahaz and Hezekiah.
Isaiah 1:1--35:10; 41:1-
29;
42:20-25; 45:1-25; 47:1-
15;
63:1-6.
2. II Chron. 27:1-4; II Kings
15:32-38
16:1-20; Isaiah 7:1--12:6
4. Micah should be read
with Jotham, Ahaz and
Hezekiah.
Micah 1:12:13; 4:9-13;
5:10-15;
6:16
God was revealed to Isaiah as the sovereign God over all
nations who uses war to chasten the nations for their sin.
God gave Jotham victory over Ammon because he ordered
his ways before the Lord. God began to send Aram against
Israel and Judah.
Ahaz and Judah suffered repeated defeats because of
unfaithfulness to God; they came into bondage to Assyria.
Micah predicted war and destruction because of the sin of
Judah and Israel.
Table 19
War in the Reigns of Hosea and Hezekiah
II Kings 17:1--18:12; II Chron. 29:1--32:33
1. II Kings 17:1-- II Kings
19:9-12
2. II Chron. 29:1--31:21;
II Kings 18:1-8
3. II Chron. 32:1-22; II
Kings 18:13II Kings
19:37; Isaiah 36:1--
37:38
4. II Kings 20:1-21; II
Chron. 32:24-33;
Isaiah 38:1--39:8
Israel went into captivity in Assyria because of their
idolatry and sin.
Hezekiah began a revival that saved Judah from going
into captivity with Israel.
God supernaturally delivered Judah and Hezekiah from
Assyria because they trusted in God (II Chron. 32:7-8).
Isaiah predicted the Babylonian Captivity of Judah
because of their sins.
Table 20
43
War in the Reigns of Manasseh and Amon
1. II Chron. 33:1-12; II
Kings 21:1-17
2. II Chron. 33:13-20; II
Kings 21:18
3. II Chron. 33:1-25; II
Kings 21:19-25
Manasseh was taken captive to Babylon for his sin.
Manasseh repented and God restored him to Judah.
Amon was killed in civil upheaval because of his sin.
Table 21
War in the Reign of Josiah
II Chron. 34:1--35:27; II Kings 22:1--23:30
1. Zephaniah should be
read with Josiah.
2. II Kings 22:15-20; II
Chron. 34:22-28
3. II Chron. 35:20-27; II
Kings 23:29-30
4. Jeremiah should be
read with Josiah
through the end of the
Zephaniah promised the chastisement of war against
Judah, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, Assyria and the
whole world, and God promised to save the meek and
humble in Jerusalem who trusted in God from the
coming Babylonian captivity and destruction.
The prophetess Huldah predicted that Josiah would be
spared the coming disaster from Babylon because he
repented and obeyed the Law of God.
Josiah fought a war not authorized by God and was
killed by Neco.
Jeremiah predicted that God would use and captivity
44
kings of Judah.
5. Habakkuk should be
read in this context.
to chasten Judah for their sin and idolatry (Jer. 1-17).
Habakkuk received a revelation from God that God
would use the ungodly Babylonians to defeat Judah
and chasten them for their sin and idolatry.
Table 22
War in the Reigns of Johoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah
II Kings 23:31--25:30; II Chron. 36:1-23
1. II Kings 23:31-34; II
Chron. 36:1-4.
2. Jeremiah 25:1--26:24;
35:1--36:32.
Jeremiah 45:1--49:39;
Jeremiah 50:1--51:64
II Kings 32:30-- II Kings
Jehoahaz was defeated and taken captive to Egypt for his sins.
Seventy years of captivity predicted for Judah because of their
sin.
The sovereign God predicted that war would be used to
chasten many
nations for their sins.
The sovereign God predicted that after using Babylon to
chasten many nations for their sins, God would raise up the
45
24:6;
II Chron. 36:4-8
24:6-17.
4. Jeremiah 37:1--38:28;
Jeremiah 21:1-14;
Jeremiah 24:1-10;
Jeremiah 27:1-22;
Jeremiah 28:1-17;
Ezekiel 1:1--24:27;
Ezekiel 25:1--32:32;
Jeremiah 34:1-22;
Jeremiah 39:1-18;
Jeremiah 52:1-
34; Ezekiel 33:21-33
I Kings 24:8-17; II Chron.
36:9-
21
Lamentations;
Ezekiel 38:1--39:29
Medes and destroy Babylon for their sins.
Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon and God sent war and
defeat for the sins of Judah.
Jehoiachin sent to captivity because of sin.
Jeremiah predicted the seventy-year captivity, was accused of
being unpatriotic,
and subsequently persecuted.
The seventy-year captivity predicted again.
Destruction predicted against Zedekiah.
God told all nations through Jeremiah to serve the King of
Babylon.
The siege of Jerusalem was predicted, and Babylon was
declared to be the rod of God's anger to chasten the nations
for their sins.
Ezekiel predicted that God would use war to chasten many
Zedekiah told by Jeremiah that he would go into captivity for
his sin.
Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and Jeremiah and Ezekiel
explained the fall as chastening for their idolatry and sin.
Zedekiah rebelled against God's chastening rod Babylon and
Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken captive
to Babylon.
Jeremiah lamented the destruction and captivity of
Jerusalem because
of their idolatry and sin.
Ezekiel predicted a war against Israel to happen in the
latter days.
Exilic and Post-Exilic Books and Prophets
The previous four ideas from the age of the kings and prophets
represent the consummation of the teaching of the Old Testament
regarding war. In the exilic and post-exilic books and prophets, the
chronological reader of the bible is presented with a tripartite
46
reiteration of the previous ideas, although the dominant concept from
this period has a futuristic emphasis.
First, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah are all given various
apocalyptical visions regarding war, Israel, the Gentile nations and the
coming Messiah (T 22b: Ezek.38-39; T 23:1; Dan. 2; 7-12; Zech. 12:14).
Finley commented on the significance of these revelations:
Actual historic wars are not treated by the biblical writers
in post-Exilic and subsequent biblical times as they were in
the earlier books . . .. apocalyptically and eschatologically,
the Gog and Magog prophecy of Ezekiel (chaps. 38-39),
and the visions of Daniel, as well as portions of earlier
prophetic writings, provide the basis for developing
apocalyptic literature of canonical and non-canonical sorts
for speaking about conflict between the forces of Satan
and evil and those of God and righteousness.
39
Daniel saw war as a constant dimension of human existence until
"the end" (Dan. 9:26), and Zechariah completed the picture,
encapsulated as follows: "There is coming a time when God will fight
once more; this time against all the nations which have attached Israel
(Zech. 14:3)."
40
Second, the familiar theme of God using warlike nations to
punish themselves with war for their sins was repeated, but the
emphasis was futuristic (T 23:1; 23:2; 23:3; Dan. 2; 5). Empires rise
and fall through war while God uses their battles to achieve Gods
purposes.
39
Finley, 1786.
40
Kaiser, 476.
47
Most appropriately, the last statement on war in the Old
Testament is an interpretive one, in which Nehemiah (T 23:5; Neh. 9)
outlined the history of Israel in a prayer of repentance. Most pertinent
to the subject of war, Nehemiah 9 reviews the theocentric purpose of
God in using obedient Israel in war to subdue Canaan (9:22-25), how
disobedient Israel suffered defeat in war (9:26-31), and how God used
the sinful nations as Gods rod of anger to discipline Israel for their sins
(9:32-37).
Table 23
War in the Exilic and Post-Exilic Books and Prophets
Passage/or Prophet Observation
1. Daniel 2:1-49;
2. Daniel 5:1-31;
3. Daniel 7:1--12:13
4. Haggai 2:20-23
5. Zechariah 7:8-13;
6. Zechariah 12:1--14:21
7. Ezra 8:15-32
8. Nehemiah 4:7-23;
9. Nehemiah 9:1-38
God is revealed as the sovereign God of all nations;
God gave Daniel
wisdom to interpret Nebuchadnezzer's dream of
Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, Rome and their wars. Daniel predicted
a kingdom that
God would raise up that would endure forever.
Daniel predicted that Medo-Persia would take over
Babylon.
Daniel predicted various historical and apocalyptical
end times wars.
The sovereign God predicted that God would shake all
nations with war.
God declared that God used war to chasten Jerusalem
for their sins.
God declared that God will destroy all nations who
attack Jerusalem, and that God will fight against them.
Ezra was ashamed to ask King Artaxerxes for military
protection while returning to Jerusalem because he
had affirmed that God protects those who look to Him.
48
They fasted and prayed instead and God protected
them.
While rebuilding the city walls, the Jews prayed and
kept their weapons on at all times.
A historical review of Israel that explains God's
purpose in using war to chasten Israel and the nations
for their sins.
Summary of War in the Old Testament
This thesis surveyed the entire Older Testament in chronological
order, and it was found apparent that the topic of war is a central idea
in the written revelation of Yahweh. As Lind suggested:
The study of warfare in the Old Testament reveals that
Yahweh is a God of war. Yahweh is depicted as warrior
both at the beginnings of Israel's history, as early poetry
and prose testify, and also at the end of the Old Testament
period, as stated in prophetic and apocalyptic writings.
Violent political power is thus a central issue in Israel's
experience of Yahweh, as this experience is set forth in the
Old Testament.
41
From this plethora of data, and at the risk of oversimplification,
the following six concepts are offered as a general schematic that
represents the central themes of the Old Testament regarding the
topic of war. Because of their poetic incisiveness, and to maintain a
biblical tenor, each theme is introduced by a quotation from a Psalm
41
Lind, 23.
49
that hopefully pierces to the essence of the biblical data that constitute
the idea.
1. For He remembered His holy word with Abraham His
servant; and He brought forth His people with joy, His
chosen ones with a joyful shout. He gave them also the
lands of the nations, that they might take possession of
the fruit of the people's labor, so that they might keep His
statutes, and observe His laws. Praise the Lord! (Psm.
105:43-45).
The peoples of the earth having forsaken God (Gen. 3-11), the
God of salvation gave birth to a nation, Israel, to live theocentrically in
obedience to God and Gods laws the glory of God. Gods categorical
command to Israel to take Canaan by war was thus a reflection of
Gods soteriological, moral and axiological purposes and is therefore
totally unique and distinct from the egocentrically rooted wars of
human origin. This interpretation is based on information cited on T 1-
6, but the same idea is reiterated constantly through the Older
Testament.
2. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth. And a
two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on
the nations, and punishment on the peoples; To bind their
kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To
execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for
all His godly ones. Praise the Lord! (Ps. 149:6-9).
God, as the creator of life, has also the right to remove Gods gift
of life from those who misuse its purposes by flood (Gen. 6-8), by fire
from heaven (Gen. 19), directly (Gen. 38:1-10) or by Gods categorical
command to Israel to go to war. God repeatedly gave the reasons for
50
this command, the idolatry and perverse wickedness of these nations.
By this unique command and God-given rational, these biblical wars
are therefore seen as distinct from the self-righteous wars of human
origin. This interpretation is based on information from the Pentateuch
(T 1-5) and the earlier historical books (T 6-9b).
3. "But My people did not listen to My voice; And Israel did
not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of
their heart, to walk in their own devices. Oh that My people
would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I
would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand
against their adversaries" (Ps. 81:11-14).
The Holy One of Israel cannot and will not be allied with sin!
Accordingly, God conditioned the promise to fight for Israel in battle on
their fulfillment of the theocentric purpose for which they were
created. Failure to meet this purpose left Israel morally equivalent to
the sinful nations, thus unqualified to execute God's judgment on sin
by means of war, thus liable herself to receive crushing defeat in war
as chastisement for their sin. Since God has not made such a
contractual agreement with any other nation, the uniqueness of these
wars as opposed to wars of human origin is apparent. This
interpretation is based on information cited on all the tables.
4. O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, how
blessed will be the one who repays you with the
recompense with which you have repaid us. How blessed
will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones
against the rock (Ps. 137:8-9).
The sovereign God of Israel is asserted most especially by the
prophets to have used the warlike nations as Gods rod of anger to
51
punish themselves and Israel for sin. Whatever the source of deceit
that animates the victorious nation, be it a belief in their own power or
the purported justice of their cause, God declares through the prophets
that war is a two-edged sword that wounds both victor and vanquished
and which serves God's, not their, purposes. This interpretation is
based especially on passages cited on T 18-23.
5. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought
desolations in the
earth; He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He
breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the
chariots with fire. "Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the
earth." (Ps. 46:8-10).
The God of peace, who uses war to punish sin, stands in
judgment upon the weapons of war, trust in them for security, and the
glorification of war. These attitudes are portrayed in the Bible as being
in fact lack of faith in God and a hubris that God repudiates as not from
God everywhere in Scripture, but especially in T 8-22, and applicable to
both biblical times and our age of realpolitik.
6. Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples
devising a vain thing? The
Kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take
counsel together against the Lord and against His
anointed: . . . 'Thou shalt break them with a rod or iron,
Thou shalt shatter them like earthware'" (Ps. 2:1-3; 2:9).
The God who sees the end from the beginning has informed
those who take the doctrine of God-inspired Scripture and prophecy
seriously that war will continue until the end of human history. This
viewpoint is neither fatalism nor a divine imprimatur upon engaging in
52
war because it has been inevitably foreseen, because the prophecies
also reveal that ultimately war is sourced in human rebellion against
God animated by Satan. This rebellion will in the last days show its
true nature by actually warring against God and Gods people, and
which rebellion will be decisively and finally shattered personally by
The Messiah T 22b; T 23. Then,
. . . He will judge between the nations, and will render
decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and
never again will they learn war (Isa. 2:4).
CHAPTER THREE
War in the New Testament
The primary purpose of this chapter is to determine the intended
meaning of those passages in the New Testament that have some
inherent relation to or are commonly cited as germane to war,
retaliation and government. The isolation of relevant passages from
irrelevant passages to the issue of war prepared a foundation for
chapter four. The fourth chapter then will take the relevant biblical
information on war from both the Older and New Testaments, and use
hermeneutical, logical, theological and other principles to relate the
biblical information on war in an applicational sense to the lives of
those who recognize the Bible as authoritative for their beliefs and
practice.
53
Lexical Information
The following words are used in connection with war in the New
Testament. A person who fought in battle was called a stratiotes,
, literally a "soldier," and the verb form strateuo,
means "do military service, serve in the army."
1
Nine
of the sixty-two usages of this word in the New Testament are
figurative, either of the warfare of the Christian life, being a soldier of
Christ, or of the lusts which are in our bodies (T 27b).
Soldiers participated in a polemos, , "armed
conflict, war, battle, fight," or figuratively "strife, conflict, quarrel."
2
A
machomai, , literally a "fight," or figuratively "fighting
without weapons, fight, quarrel, dispute, and the noun form mache,
, "battle" were also descriptive of their activities.
3
As they
engaged in real or figurative battle, they were protected by their
panoplia, , "full armour of a heavy-armed soldier,
panoply."
4
They inflicted damage with a machaira, , "a
short sword or dagger . . . possibly a knife . . ." [or] . . . romphaia,
), . . . a Thracian weapon of large size, whether a sword
1
William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament, 4
th
ed. (Chicago: Chicago Univ., 1957), 778.
2
Arndt and Gingrich, 691.
3
4
54
or spear is not certain, but usually larger than a machaira,
."
5
War in the Gospels
Table 24 is a chronological compilation of passages in the
Gospels referring to war or commonly cited as apposite to war.
Standard harmonies were the source for the order.
6
A perusal of these
passages led the present writer to make a tripartite classification of
this information. First are those passages that refer to war
metaphorically (T 24:5; 24:6; 24:8; 24:9). Second are narrative
accounts of historical events that speak of war in which inference plays
a large role in determining, if any, the prescriptive meaning of the
event (T 24:1; 24:2; 24:4; 24:7; 24:10; 24:13; 24:15-19). Third are
those passages in which Jesus used declarative language regarding the
subject of war, retaliation and government (T 24:3; 24:12; 24:13;
24:15). The following was an attempt to discover the primary and
intended meaning of these passages.
Table 24
5
W. E. Vine, "Sword," Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testaments Words
(McLean, VA: MacDonald, n.d.), 1123.
6
Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry, A Harmony of the Gospels (Chicago:
Moody, 1978); A. T. Robertson, A Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper & Row,
1922).
55
Passages in the Gospels Arranged in Chronological Order
That are Cited as Apposite to War
1. Luke 3:7-14
2. John 2:13-22
3. Matt. 5:9; 5:38-
48; Luke 6:27-
36
4. Matt. 8:5-13;
Luke 7:1-10
5. Matt. 10:34-39
6. Matt. 12:22-37;
Mark 3:20-33
7. Mark 6:14-29
8. Luke 11:14-36
9. Luke 12:49-53
10. Luke 14:25-35
11. Matt. 21-12-13;
Mark 11:15-18;
Luke 19:45-48
Events during
the Last Week of
Jesus' Life
12. Matt. 22:15-22;
Mark 12:13-17;
Luke 20:20-26
13. Matt. 24:6-7;
Mark 12:7-8;
Luke 21:9-10
14. Luke 22:35-38;
Luke 22:47-53;
Matt. 20:47-56;
Mark 14:43-52;
John 18:2-12
John the Baptizer's advice to soldiers was, "Do not take
money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and
be content with your wages."
First cleansing of the Temple of Jesus.
Jesus' teaching on retaliation and action toward enemies.
Jesus healed a centurion's slave, and marveled at his faith.
Jesus declared He came not to bring peace but a sword.
Jesus told the parable about the "strong armed man."
Soldiers at the command of Herod Antipas beheaded John the
Baptizer.
Jesus repeated the "strong armed man" parable. Cf. no. 6.
Jesus repeated the "division" saying, Cf. no. 5.
Jesus told a parable about a king preparing to go to war.
Jesus cleansed the Temple a second time.
Jesus responded to a "trick question" regarding payment of
tax to Caesar with the famous aphorism "Give to Caesar what
is Caesar's . . ." etc.
Jesus predicted various historical and apocalyptical wars.
Jesus told His disciples to purchase "swords"
( ), along with
prior and
subsequent historical information in reference to events
56
15. John 18:33-38
16. Luke 23:6-12
17. John 19:1-3;
Matt. 27:27-30;
Mark 15:16-19
18. Matt. 27:35-44;
Mark 15:24-32;
Luke 23:22-43;
John 19:18-27
19. Matt. 27:54;
Mark 15:39;
Luke 23:44-47
20. Matt. 28:11-15
surrounding Jesus'
arrest in the garden.
Jesus told Pilate why His servants would not fight.
Herod Antipas and his soldiers mocked Jesus.
Pilate's soldiers mocked and beat Jesus on two separate
occasions.
Soldiers crucified Jesus and gambled for His cloak.
The Centurion and some of the soldiers who crucified Jesus
confessed Jesus deity and innocence.
The soldiers who guarded Jesus' tomb accepted bribes and
said that the disciples
stole Jesus' body.
Metaphorical References to War in
the Gospels (T 24:5; 24:6; 24:8; 24:9)
Jesus often used parables and metaphors to illustrate spiritual
ideas, and on five recorded occasions used warlike metaphors to teach
a spiritual idea. Matson explained the intended meaning of the
metaphor of the sword:
The statement by Jesus, "Do not think I have come to
bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but
a sword," is taken completely out of its context at times
and given as a defense of war. The setting of the
statement shows clearly that Jesus was using this word as
a symbol of the division that would come within families
because some accepted and followed him while others
reject him.
7
7
Thomas Bufford Matson, Christianity and World Issues (New York: Macmillan, 1957),
242.
57
Rutenber used the cross reference in Luke to show the alternate
word for sword was "division,"
8
and it is worth noting that this is an
allusion to Micah 7:6, where sin, not war, is the divisive factor. Lassere
used the context of another metaphor to reveal its symbolical
meaning:
Then there is the parable in which Jesus describes "a
strong man armed who keeps his palace, his goods are in
peace" . . . But Jesus is speaking here of the devil and not
of us; and He presents Himself as the one "stronger than
he" who "shall come upon him and overcome him." So it
would be absurd to claim that this text justifies Christians
in bearing arms.
9
Jesus also told a parable of a king who prepares for war.
Hershberger explained the principle of interpretation of parables and
this parable:
The only safe rule for interpreting the parables of Jesus is
to discover the point He wishes to make, and to remember
that the details of the story have value only as they
illustrate this point. . . . Jesus is teaching the need of
counting the cost involved in becoming a disciple. A wise
man before beginning to build his house counts his money
to see if there is enough to build. And a man going to war
counts his soldiers to see if there are enough to meet the
enemy. Again, reference to an army is purely for the
purpose of illustration, and has nothing to do with the
question of war, peace and non-resistance. If it did, one
could argue just as logically that Paul condones stealing
because he says, "The day of the Lord . . . cometh as a
thief. . . .
10
8
Culbert Berow Rutenber, The Dagger and the Cross: An Examination of Christian
Pacifism (Nyack, NY: Fellowship, 1950), 33.
9
Jean Lasserre, War and the Gospel, trans. Oliver Coburn (Scottsdale, PA: Herald,
1962), 55.
10
Guy Franklin Hershberger, War, Peace and Non-Resistance, 3
rd
rev. ed. (Scottsdale,
PA: Herald, 1969), 305.
58
None of these metaphors have as their intention a prescriptive
statement regarding war. Thus, they are essentially irrelevant to the
biblical teaching on war.
Narrative Passages That Relate to War in the Gospels (T 24:1;
2; 4; 7; 10; 13; 15-19)
Many of these passages, which depend heavily on inference to
determine their relation to war, are often cited as germane to this
subject. This section attempted to discover their intended meaning.
John the Baptizer's message to soldiers who requested his advice
is often adduced as tantamount to God's approval of military service
because John did not tell them to cease soldiering. Four reasons
diminish this being a valid inference. First, John's stated purpose was
to prepare a group of people to receive Christ, not to give doctrinal
teaching for the Church (John 1:19-28). Second, John's frame of
reference was the old covenant, as Jesus pointed out (Matt. 11:2-19;
Luke 7:18-35). This "frame of reference" was explained thus:
Although John the Baptist's life and ministry is recorded in
the New Testament, he himself is the last of the great
characters of the Old Dispensation And hence his
viewpoint is Old Testament. He does not speak as a "child
of the Kingdom" but as a "child of the law."
11
Third, John's subsequent confusion about Christ (Matt. 11:2-6;
Luke 7:1-8) revealed that he had only a shadowy idea of the ultimate
11
Rutenber, 36.
59
nature of Messiah's kingdom, and John himself confessed his partial
and transitional role in God's overall program (John 3:22-36). Finally,
this argument is ultimately one from silence, for the New Testament
does not record if these men even followed John's advice, let along
their ultimate vocational stance. John's advice to the soldiers should
therefore remain a historical event representative of that time period
and not necessarily relevant (except as a transitional concept) to a
fully developed biblical view of war.
Jesus' cleansings of the Temple are sometimes cited as relevant
to war, because it is inferred that His supposed use of force justifies
the use of force to achieve righteous ends. Careful exegesis, however,
reveals:
That our Lord used the scourge on the beasts only, not on
the sellers of them, is almost necessarily contained in the
form of the sentence here: the .
. being as it stands with the and ,
merely epexegetical of , not conveying new
particulars. So that it should be rendered as in A.V.R., "He
drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the
oxen."
12
Dombrowski demonstrated that the inferential relation of these
pericopes to the subject of war was based on the argument from
silence, and thus little more than "idle speculation."
13
That Jesus was
capable of feeling and demonstrating strong emotion does not logically
12
Henry Alford, Alford's Greek Testament (Grand Rapids: Guardian, 1976), I, pt. II,
708-9.
13
Daniel A. Dombrowski, "Pacifism: A Thorn in the Side of Christianity," Christian
Scholar's Review, 9, No. 4 (1980), 345-46.
60
qualify these passages for inclusion among those that deal with war.
Rather, their intended meaning is best taken as follows: "After His
dramatic entrance into the city . . . the King went right to the heart of
the nation's problem: corruption in worship."
14

Jesus' encounter with and praise of the centurion for his faith (T
24:4) is sometimes cited as New Testament justification of war and the
military. Besides the fact that close attention to the account reveals
that Jesus praised only his spiritual, not vocational stance, it could just
as logically be argued that Jesus was affirming slavery, for the Greek
text records that it was the slave ( , doulos) of the centurion who
was healed, and Jesus did not disavow the legitimacy of this social
phenomenon either. Moreover, Lasserre showed the theological error
of deducing a justification of war from this passage:
A reading of the Gospels shows us that the sanctification
of the disciples themselves was scarcely very advanced at
that time--"For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because
that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39). Jesus could
not demand the fruits of the Spirit before the hour. Any
deduction from the centurion's faith as regards his
personal sanctification is therefore mistaken a priori.
15
The only valid and safe deduction to be made from this account is the
one Jesus Himself made in the context, a portent of Israel's rejection of
Jesus and the salvation of the Gentiles (Matt. 8:10-12).
14
Thomas and Gundry, 179, note h.
15
Lasserre, 54.
61
Boettner
16
and Alford
17
are representative of those who take
Jesus' statement to buy a sword (T 24:14) literally, citing self-defense
in a barbarous age as the rationale. Based on this interpretation, they
saw in this text a latent justification for forceful self-defense, and in a
larger context, the idea of war itself. Others such as Hershberger,
18
Ballou,
19
Rutenber
20
and Bruce
21
took this as a symbolical reference of
Jesus to the dangerous times ahead, as Jesus was about to be handed
over and numbered with the transgressors. For the following reasons,
it was concluded that the figurative view of Jesus' statement to buy a
sword to be the most reasonable. Table 25, which presents a
contextual reconstruction of prior and subsequent events surrounding
these words of Jesus based on the previously cited harmonies, should
be consulted carefully as it is foundational for the reasons favoring the
figurative view.
First, the "two swords" produced in response to Jesus' saying and
later used by Peter were most probably culinary or work knives, not
war swords. Lexical and logical reasons support this assertion.
16
Loraine Boettner, The Christian Attitude Toward War, 2
nd
World War II ed. (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1942), 33-35.
17
Alford, I, pt. II, 645-46.
18
Hershberger, 301-3.
19
Adin Ballou, Christian Non-Resistance (Philadelphia: J. Miller M'Kim, 1846), 80-81.
20
Rutenber, 33-34.
21
F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973), 63.
62
Lexically, (machairai) could be taken as either "knives"
or "swords":
. . . very common from the time of Hom., first in the sense
of "knife," at sacrifice, slaughter, the chase, cooking . . .
clipping, shaving and as a tool in various occupations,
tanners, gardeners, etc. As a weapon from the time of
Hdt.: "small sword," to be distinguished from the sword
proper ( ) "dagger," "sabre" (in Xenoph. Eq.,
12, 11 a curved weapon as distinct from the , the
pointed weapon or sword).
22
Moulton and Milligan,
23
Arndt and Gingrich
24
and Field
25
also suggested
"knife" as an alternate rendering of (machairai).
22
W. Michaels, " , ed. Gerhad Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromily (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1967), IV, 524.
23
James Hope Moulton and Goerge Milligan, "," The Vocabulary of the
Greek Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1930; rpt. 1972), 391.
24
25
F. Field, Notes on Translation of the New Testament (Cambridge, England:
Cambridge, n.d.), p. 76.
63
Table 25
Chronological Reconstruction of Events Surrounding
The "Buy a Sword" Saying of Jesus
a. Luke 22:35-37 (Cf.
Matt. 10:1-42); Mark
6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6.
b. Luke 22:38
c. Matt. 26:26-46; Mark
14:22-46; Luke 22:39-
46; John 13:117:26
d. Matt. 26:47-49; Mark
14:34-45; Luke 22:47-
48; John 18:1-19.
e. Luke 22:49
f. Matt. 26:50-51; Mark
14:46-47; Luke 22:50;
John 18:10.
g.
a. Luke 22:51a
b. Luke 22:51b
c. Matt. 26:52a; John
18:11a
1) Matt. 26:52b
2) John 18:11b
3) Matt. 26:53
4) Matt. 26:54
Matt. 26:55; Mark 14:48;
Luke 22:52
Matt. 26:55; Mark 14:48;
Luke 22:52;
During the Last Supper, Jesus asked the disciples if they had
lacked anything on previous missions in light of His
instructions to them to take no thought for the necessities of
life. After they replied that they had not lacked for anything,
Jesus told them they should now think about such things,
including the purchase of a sword.
The disciples produced two swords ( ), and Jesus
then replied, It is enough ( ).
Jesus and the disciples finished the supper, Jesus gave His
final teaching to the disciples, and they departed for the
Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus agonized in prayer.
Judas led a large armed force to the garden to arrest Jesus,
and kissed Jesus as a signal that Jesus was the one to be
arrested.
The disciples then realized Jesus was caught in a trap, and
asked Jesus if they should . . . strike with the sword
( ).
Apparently before Jesus had a chance to answer their
question, Peter slashed off Malchus ear with the sword.
The following statements of Jesus are difficult to precisely
chronologize, but in response to Peters attack on Malchus,
Jesus did and said the following:
Jesus the apparently answered their question about using
the sword by saying, Stop! No more of this (
).
Jesus then healed Malchus ear.
Jesus then told them to sheath the sword for four reasons:
All those taking up the sword will perish by it;
The current events were the Fathers cup (will) for Jesus;
Jesus could have asked for and received from the Father
Angelic protection;
Jesus interpreted these events as a fulfillment of scriptural
prophecy.
Jesus then addressed those who were arresting Him with the
following:
Jesus asked them why they were treating Him like a robber
by using spears and clubs against Him.
64
Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:49;
Luke 22:53
He told them their conduct was the fulfillment of prophecy,
and
Their behavior was in consort with Satans power and plan
(Cf. T 25:10 with Peters recollection of these events 30
years later at 1 Peter 2:21-23).
Since (machairai) could mean either knives or
swords in this context, logic must assist lexicography in this instance.
A principle of logic known as Ockham's razor was defined as follows:
. . . 1. Of two or more possible explanations for
phenomena choose the one
that (a) explains what is to be explained with the fewest
assumptions and explanatory principles; and (b) explains
all, or most, of the facts that need explaining as
satisfactorily as any of the theories. 2. The simplest
explanation is the one most likely to be true. . . .
26
Therefore, consider the pertinent facts. The context of the
saying was the last supper. Knives would have been needed to
prepare the meal. There is no record of the disciples carrying "swords"
before or after the crucifixion. If they did carry
(machairai) with them they were most probably fishermen's knives.
Finally, this saying is never adduced by the Apostles in their writings as
a basis for self-defense as Boettner and Alford a priori assume it to be.
Therefore, the simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions
involved is that (machairai) in that context meant
"knives."
Second, when Jesus said, "It is enough" ( ) to the
disciples when they produced the (machairai), Jesus
26
Peter A. Angeles, Dictionary of Philosophy (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1981), 195.
65
most probably did not mean, "That is a sufficient number," but was
actually terminating the conversation. There are logical and
syntactical reasons for this statement. Logically (as Matson
demonstrated) . . . the two swords produced would have been
inadequate for the disciples' defense of themselves and their
Master. . . .
27
Bruce reproduced this argument.
28
Syntactically, Yoder
showed a precedent for this statement functioning as a termination of
a conversation: "He is (in direct parallel to Deut. 3:26 . . .) breaking off
the conversation because they don't understand anyway.
29
Third, when Peter did use the "sword, its use was stopped by
Jesus for the reason (among others, cf. T 25:9) . . . for all those who
take up the sword shall perish by the sword." Fast objectively
observed: "Jesus did not here philosophize about war or try to answer
the question of the legitimacy of the use of the sword by the state in
meting out punitive justice."
30
But he went on to add:
Nevertheless this utterance of Jesus reveals a wideness of
reflection that goes far beyond the demands of the
immediate situation. It reveals a mature judgment that
can only be explained as the product of keen observation
and sustained meditation on the methods and futility of
the whole method of force. Here He states His ripe
judgment that violence only begets more violence. It does
not settle but rather aggravates a difficulty.
31
27
Matson, 243.
28
Bruce, 63.
29
John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973), 54.
30
Heny A. Fast, Jesus and Human Conflict (Scottsdale, PA: Herald, 1959), 168.
31
Fast, 169-70.
66
Therefore, because of the reasons cited (and because the literal
view depends on an a priori assumption to explain Jesus' words), the
figurative view figurative view of Jesus' statement to buy a sword was
concluded to the preferred view.
The final group of narrative passages in the Gospels relevant to
war describes soldiers in action. Although Nicol was correct in the
observation that "Centurions figure most honorably alike in the
Gospels and Acts . . ."
32
this reflects the character of those particular
men, not necessarily their vocation. As a correction to Nicols partially
true statement, it must be noted as well shows that soldiers were the
agents of John's death and the mocking, humiliation and death of Jesus
(T 24:7; 24:16-19). Afterward, soldiers lied about Jesus' resurrection (T
24:20). Jesus' prayer of forgiveness for those that murdered Him is the
point of the centurion's confession of His deity and innocence, not a
proof text for the justification of war and military service (Luke 23:34; T
24:19). Thus, there are no logical or hermeneutical reasons that would
lead to the conclusion that these narrative accounts about soldiers in
action reveals any positive or negative axiological statement on the
part of God regarding war or the military. If anything, they reveal that
human nature is the same in or out of uniform and that people are
capable of good and bad regardless of their vocation.
32
Thomas Nicol, "Army" International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, eds. James Orr,
and others (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1939), I, 257.
67
In summary, none of the narrative passages in the Gospels
commonly cited as relevant to the Bible's teaching on war have as
their intended meaning a prescriptive evaluation of war. To use them
as such is to go beyond their intended meaning and sound
hermeneutical principles.
Declarative Statements by Jesus on War,
Retaliation and Government
In the "Sermon on the Mount" (T 24:3) Jesus asserted that a love-
oriented and non-retaliatory course of action is to be practiced toward
evil people and one's enemies. Matson described the controversy
regarding Jesus' declarations:
There is rather general agreement concerning what he
said but disagreement
concerning its exact meaning and application. Was Jesus
talking exclusively about individual relationships, or did he
intend for his teachings concerning non-resistance to be
applied to the broader social community?
33
However, this is not the only issue attached to the Sermon on the
Mount. As Bainton explained: "Taken together, these texts enjoined
so great a degree of submissiveness that many devices have been
employed to obviate their apparent intent."
34
Bainton then listed the
following interpretations of Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the
Mount. First, they are to be taken in a theological rather than an
33
Matson, 243.
34
Roland Bainton, Christian Attitudes Toward War and Peace (New York: Abingdon,
1960), 62.
68
ethical sense, and are thus impossible to obey because God cannot be
fully imitated. Second, they refer only to inner disposition, not outward
acts. Third, they applied only until Jesus would return, which Jesus
thought to be imminent. Fourth, they apply only after Jesus returns, in
the Millennium.
35
Ryrie, speaking for dispensationalists, wrote: "(1)
The Sermon is primarily related to the Messianic kingdom. (2) Like all
Scripture, the Sermon is applicable to believers in this age," [and] "If
literal, it cannot be for today; if for today, it cannot be literal."
36
Another view was described as follows:
St. Ambrose . . . and St. Augustine . . . distinguished
between the counsels of perfection "not to resist the evil
doers" and "to return the other cheek" . . . directed to the
individual, who can renounce his natural right of self-
defense for a higher cause, and the social duty to defend
others from injury and oppose the violation of peace.
37
The primary purpose of this chapter was to determine the
intended meaning of those passages in the New Testament that have
some inherent relation to or are commonly cited as germane to war,
retaliation and government. Therefore, the following reasons led to the
conclusion that the "Sermon" was directed to individuals (not national
groups or governments) for that and the present period.
First, the immediate context reveals that Jesus addressed His
"disciples," not corporate nationalities (Matt. 5:1-2; Luke 6:20):
35
Bainton, 62-63.
36
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today (Chicago: Moody, 1965), 107.
37
John Eppstein, "Intervention," New Catholic Encyclopedia, Eds. Staff at the Catholic
Univ. of America (New York: McGraw Hill, 1967), VII, 493.
69
When Jesus commands love of enemies, he thinks
primarily of personal relationships and perhaps also of the
relationships of small groups. . . . Jesus never deals with
the responsibilities of free citizens in a democratic state.
His teaching of course has political implications, but how it
should be applied is one of the most difficult problems of
Christian social ethicis.
38
Second, the larger context of the New Testament records the
Apostles giving similar instructions to believers living in the "Church
age." Hendrisksen asserted that Romans 12:19-21 is "an excellent
commentary" on the Sermon.
39
Greystone cited I Peter 2:20-23, 3:9-18
and 4:12-16 as "direct reminiscence" of the Sermon.
40
Bruce affirmed
the Beatitudes as "identical" with Galatians 5:22 f.
41
The application of
these apostolic instructions, similar to the Sermon on the Mount, to the
issue of war will be discussed in chapter four.
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's," etc. (T 24:12) is cited as
relevant to and sometimes as a justification of war. Four reasons
militate against this inferential interpretation. First, the context shows
this was a complex or "loaded" question, a type of question designed
to incriminate the respondent. Since this type of complex, loaded
38
Sherman E. Johnson and George A. Buttrick, The Gospel According to St. Matthew,
Vol. VII, The Interpreter's Bible, Eds. George A. Buttrick and others (New York:
Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1951), 303.
39
William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, New
Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973), 310.
40
K. Greystone, "The Sermon on the Mount," The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible,
ed. George A. Buttrick (New York: Abingdon, 1962), IV, 281.
41
F. F. Bruce, The Message of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972),
67.
70
question is an informal logical fallacy,
42
it is doubtful that Jesus
intended His answer to be taken as a universal, binding, political
aphorism: "The issue was, of course, surcharged with popular
resentment. If he said yes, the people would call him a traitor; if he
said no, the Roman rulers would promptly deal with him."
43

Second, Dombrowski pleaded for the reader to attend to what
the text does affirm. "If taken literally, this passage only gives a coin
to Caesar, not one's ability to fight. And whatever the symbolism of
this passage means, which is difficult to determine, there is no
indication that it meant to justify war."
44

Third, Calvin, a believer in just war, suggested the intention of
Jesus was . . . to refute . . . the idea that a people cannot belong to
God unless it is free of the yoke of human rule. . . . In short, he
declares that God's law is not violated or His worship offended if the
Jews . . . obey the Romans."
45
Fourth, Bainton warned against
unwarranted assumptions based on this text: "To derive from these
few conclusions a complete political philosophy, however, is to make
vast assumptions. Payment might have been regarded simply as
submission under tyranny rather than as the endorsement of a
42
Angeles, No. 14, 97.
43
Johnson and Buttrick, 518.
44
Dombroski, 347.
45
John Calvin, A Harmony of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, trans. A. W.
Morrison, Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. I, eds. David W. and Thomas F. Torrance
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), 154.
71
regime."
46
Apparently Jesus recognized a government's right to exist
and collect taxes, but this text does not speak to or justify war. The
applicational relevance of this saying will be discussed in chapter four.
Jesus predicted in consort with Daniel 9:26 that war would
continue until the end (T 24:13). As such, Jesus prediction has direct
relevance to the biblical teaching on war. However, an invalid
inference some have made from this text was addressed by
Hershberger:
This passage is sometimes cited to show the futility of the
non-resistant position. If Jesus . . . predicted future wars,
why should Christian people refuse to take part in them?
Here Jesus was simply giving a picture of future events,
and He surely did not expect His disciples to take part in
everything that would occur in the future. In the same
passage Jesus predicts future famines, and no one would
argue from this that Christians should assist in the
promotion of famine.
47
Bauernfeind explained the primary purpose of this prophecy as:
If they were the victims of military operations such as that
of of Titus besieging Jerusalem, they
saw therein a necessary action which Jesus Himself
foretold . . . and which demanded of them a readiness for
extreme suffering but not in any sense for active
participation on either side.
48
Moreover, this passage is helpful in refuting the idealistic notion
that pacifism practiced by Christians or any other ideological
46
Bainton, 59.
47
Hershberger, 303.
48
Otto Bauernfeind, " ," ed. Gerhard Friedrich, Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromily (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1971), VII, 708.
72
movement will be successful in abolishing war. However, it is not to be
taken as a divine imprimatur upon war either. As shown by the
context (Matt. 24:4; Mark 13:5; Luke 21:8-9), it is a prophecy intended
to protect believers from deception and fear.
Jesus' answer to Pilate regarding the nature and source of His
kingdom (T 24:15) is often cited as a proof text for pacifism. As the
context and Penner demonstrated, Jesus was proving His innocence of
political sedition by asserting the apolitical nature of His kingdom,
demonstrated by the fact that His servants were not fighting for Him as
they would for a king of this present world system:
Caesar's kingdom is of this world, Christ's is not.
Therefore, because of the nature and character of Jesus'
kingdom, Caesar need not fear. Then Christ offers
evidence for His answer. His servants do not seek to
overthrow the "powers that be. They are forbidden to use
force or coercion to accomplish the establishment of Jesus'
Kingdom; the charge of treason, therefore, is without
ground.
49
However, even though the primary intention of Jesus' answer was not
an direct assertion or defense of a fully developed pacifism, it does
have relevance to the biblical view of war and will be discussed in
chapter four.
Summary of Gospel Passages Cited
As Apposite to War
As written earlier, the intention of this chapter was to determine
the primary meaning and relevance of passages commonly cited in the
49
Archie Penner, The Christian, the State and the New Testament (Altona, Manitoba:
D. W. Friesen & Sons, 1959), 61-62.
73
New Testament as germane to the issue of war. The conclusions are
as follows.
First, Jesus' metaphorical references to war are illustrative of
spiritual truths, not prescriptive affirmations of war; thus, they are
irrelevant to the topic. Second, the narrative passages that depend on
inferential arguments to extract their purported relevance to war offer
no positive affirmation regarding war in and of themselves. These
passages are descriptive, not prescriptive, in nature. Third, Jesus'
declarative statements on war and retaliation are four in number, and
have applicational value for Jesus disciples regarding war.
1. War will continue until the end of human history (T 24:13).
2. Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world, evidenced by Jesus refusal
to allow His disciples to fight ( , egonizonto) for Him
(T 24:15).
3. Caesar is to be given what belongs to him (T 24:12).
4. Jesus' disciples are to practice love toward their enemies (T
24:3).
Soldiers and Government in the
Book of Acts
Boettner is representative of some who interpret the
considerable amount of references to soldiers in Acts as God's
imprimatur of approval upon war and the military.
50
This is a
50
Boettner, 32.
74
questionable inference for a number of reasons. First, it is a logical
fallacy formally known as the fallacy of "is" to "ought."
51
Second, it
disregards the fact that Luke was writing primarily as an historian who
described historical events and situation. Not every historical event
included by a historian should be taken in a prescriptive sense. For
example, Cadbury recorded a generally accepted thesis that Luke may
have included this information (besides the material regarding the
origin and spread of the Christian movement) to demonstrate that
Christianity was not a political threat to Rome.
52
Third, the most
famous account of a solider in Acts, Cornelius' conversion, has as its
primary purpose, as the context clearly reveals, not a justification of
military service but the aim that:
While eating with the Gentiles was the main subject of
arguing on this occasion,
at the Jerusalem Council, where wider issues were
debated, Peter uses the Cornelius episode as an argument
against requiring the Gentile converts to be circumcised.
53
Fourth, in consort with Luke's theme of the worldwide salvation
of God for all people,
54
Cornelius conversion was cause for the Jewish
believers and Peter to conclude that God was granting repentance and
faith in Jesus to the Gentiles as well as to Jewish people (Acts 11:18;
51
Angeles, 99, no. 26.
52
H. J. Cadbury, "Acts of the Apostles," The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, ed.
George A. Buttrick (New York: Abingdon, 1962), I, 37-38.
53
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), 230.
54
F. F. Bruce, The Message of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972),
56-61.
75
15:6-11). Bauernfeind correctly inferred from this information in Acts
about Peter that "He obviously believes in general that members of the
army are no less open to the gospel than other pagans."
55
Therefore,
God's salvation of the Gentiles, not an axiological affirmation of war
and the military, was Lukes purpose in including information about
soldiers who believed in Jesus.
Fifth, to infer a prescriptive evaluation of military service from
the inclusion of this information in Acts about soldiers that believed in
Jesus is to argue from silence, for we are never told whether or not
Cornelius or the other soldiers Paul led to Christ (Phil. 1:13; 4:22)
continued to serve as soldiers. Even if they did (as some Christians
continued to hold slaves after conversion), behavior is not
justificational in nature. Behavior is merely descriptive, as the logical
fallacy of "tu quoque" demonstrates.
56
"tu quoque," or you also, is
an attempt to refute anothers position by showing them to act
inconsistent with their stated position, which really does not refute
their position but merely shows them to act inconsistent with it. Thus,
for the reasons cited, the passages in Acts regarding the military are
descriptive in nature and offer no substantive value regarding the
prescriptive biblical teaching on the subject of war.
Table 26
55
Bauernfeind, "," 710.
56
76
Passages in Acts Regarding Soldiers and Government
1. 4:1-23; 5:12-42
2. 10:1--11:18
3. 12:1-23
4. 16:11-40
5. 21:17--23:35
6. 25:1-27
7. 27:1-44
The Temple guards were used to restrict the Apostles from
proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus.
Cornelius, a Gentile centurion, and his family became
Christians through Peter's proclamation.
Herod Agrippa directed his soldiers to kill the Apostle James
and imprison Peter, and in return received the judgment of
God upon himself.
God miraculously overruled the injustices of the Magistrates
of Philippi, and Paul and Silas led the Philippian jailer and his
family to faith in Christ.
A Roman chiliarch twice saved Paul's life.
Paul appealed to Caesar to hear his case.
Julius the centurion saved Paul's life.
War and Government in the Letters
of the New Testament
T 27 and 27b contain passages from the letters of the New
Testament that address war and the Christian's relation to
government. Hershberger explained an inference drawn from the
metaphorical language used in the passages cited on T 27b:
From passages such as these it is argued that Paul
approves of warfare. If not, why does he make so much
use of military language? One writer says: The pacifists
would need to perform a major operation on both the Old
and New Testaments in order to delete such passages . . ..
It is hardly conceivable that the Scripture should present
the Christian life under a symbolism having to do so
distinctly with soldiering and warfare and at the same time
77
repudiate the reality for which it stands as always and
everywhere wrong.
57
This argumentation is fallacious for three main reasons. First,
careful examination of word usage in these passages reveals that:
It is worth noting, and is certainly no accident, that in
spite of the positive use of images from the soldiers' life,
the words and or and
. . . are never used literally . . . to describe
what the Christian should do . . ..
58
Second, exegesis of these passages reveals that the intent of
these metaphors is not
to justify war but to alert and prepare the Christian for spiritual
warfare. One example that vindicates this assertion is the following
quote: "That the battle is thus religious and moral is also shown by the
description of the spirits as
(v. 12), and also by the exhortation to prayer . . . (vv. 18 ff.)."
59

Third, it is a fallacy of logic to interpret a metaphorical
description of a phenomenon as justifying in an axiological sense the
literal phenomenon. One would hardly take Paul's metaphorical
allusion to boxing (I Cor. 9:26) as his imprimatur upon literal boxing, or
the parable of the unrighteous steward (Luke 16:1-13) as Jesus' literal
57
Hershberger, 306.
58
Otto Bauernfeind, " [etc.]," ed. Gerhard Friedrich, Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, trans, and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromily (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1968), VI, 515.
59
Albrecht Oepke and Karl George Kuhn, " [etc.]," ed. Gerhard Friedrich,
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromily
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967), V, 301.
78
advice to businessmen facing economic problems. Moffatt explained
one reason why these metaphors are appropriate: "Early Christians
spoke of themselves as soldiers of God, just because they were not
literally soldiers as, e.g., the Maccabees had been. They were not
crusaders. Their military language is purely metaphorical and
figurative."
60
Thus, for the reasons cited, the metaphorical comparison
of dimensions of the Christian life to literal war are illustrative in nature
and offer no prescriptive evaluation of war and military service.
Table 27
New Testament Letter References Commonly Cited as Apposite
to War
1. Romans 13:1-7
2. I Timothy 2:1-7
3. Titus 3:1-7
4. I Peter 2:13-17
5. Phil. 1:13; 4:22
6. Hebrews
11:30-34
God has established existing governments; Christians are
therefore to "submit" ( , hupotassestho) to them,
pay their taxes, and "respect" ( , phobon) and "honor"
( , timen) them.
Christians are therefore to "pray" for authorities so that . . .
we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and
dignity."
Christians are to "submit" (,
hupotassethai) to governing authorities and be obedient
( , peitharchein).
Christians are to "submit" ( , hupotagete) to and
"honor" ( ,
timate) governmental authorities.
Paul apparently led some of "Caesar's household" and
60
James Moffatt, "War," Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. James Hastings (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1973), IV, 653.
79
members of the
Praetorian guard to Christian faith.
The faith of Old Testament warriors is eulogized.
Table 27b
Metaphorical Usage of War Terminology in the New Testament
Letters
1. I Cor. 9:7; I Cor. 11:8;
II Cor. 10:1-5; Phil.
2:25; I Tim 1:18; I Tim.
6:12; II Tim. 2-3-4; II
Tim 4:7; Philemon v.
2.
2. Rom. 13:12; Eph.
6:10-20; I Thess. 5:8.
3. II Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:7-
10.
4. Rom. 7:23; James 4:1-
2; I Pet. 2:11.
The Christian life and ministry are likened to the life
and service of soldiers.
Various spiritual qualities and dimensions of the
Christian life are likened to pieces of a soldier's armor.
God and Christ are likened to victorious military
generals.
Internal and external sin and dissonance in the
Christian life and church are likened to war.
80
Table 27 records passages in the New Testament letter that
instruct Christians on the nature of, and responsibilities to,
government. Luther is representative of those who by means of
inference, and by positing a dichotomy between the Christian's role as
citizen and his/her role as "Christian," adduce these passages as
prescriptive justification not only of war waged by governments but
Christian participation in war as well.
61
Matson represents those who,
after careful attention to the positive affirmations of these texts, have
come to a different conclusion:
When these and other references in Paul are carefully
examined, we are forced to the conclusion that Paul, as
was true of Jesus, did not say anything directly approving
or disapproving war in general or the Christian's
participation in war. Both Jesus and Paul did set out some
general principles applicable to the problem of war that
may be used by the sincere Christian to give him guidance
in regard to his relation to war.
62
Therefore, the purpose of the following section is to isolate the
positive affirmations these texts enjoin upon the Christian as her/his
duties in respect to the State in the hope that the "general principles"
referred to by Matson may be brought to bear upon the biblical
teaching of war. Having done that, the present writer suggests for the
following reasons that the epistolary literature does not teach or justify
war or Christian participation in war.
61
Ewald M. Plass, compiler, "War," What Luther Says: An Anthology (St. Louis:
Concordia, 1959), III, 227-29.
62
Matson, 244.
81
First, their positive affirmations do not include military service
and participation in war as a Christian duty or responsibility. The
positive affirmations of these texts are five in number. First, God has
established government in principle for the purpose of punishing evil,
praising good, keeping peace, preventing anarchy, and is in sovereign
control of the specific governments that exist (T 27:1; 27:3; 27:6).
Second, Christians are therefore to "submit" ( ,
hupotasso) to the particular government they exist under (T 27:1;
27:4; 27:6; , pertharchein; , hupotagete). Third,
Christians are therefore to "pay taxes" to support the previously cited
purposes of government (T 27:1). Fourth, Christians are therefore to
"honor" (, timao) rulers (T 27:1; 27:6). Fifth, Christians are
therefore to "pray" for the rulers and for peace, especially so that the
message of Jesus may freely reach all people for whom Christ died (T
27:3).
No mention is made of military service as a Christian duty in the
New Testament letters. Pinson explained a possible historical reason
for this silence as follows:
The New Testament is practically silent on such issues as
revolution, Christian
participation in political action and church-state relations.
Direct Christian political action, apart from revolution, was
hardly a live option for Christians under the Roman
dictatorship.
63
63
William M. Pinson, Jr., Ethics in the Bible, The Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol.
XII, ed. Clifton J. Allen (Nashville: Broadman, 1972), 381.
82
Guthrie posited the same reason for silence in this matter.
64
However,
this silence necessarily forces those who cite these passages as
evidence for the justificational or non-justificational nature of war and
Christian participation in war to build inferential arguments for their
cases based on silence. The validity and ramifications of these
arguments will be discussed in chapter four. Meanwhile, the
prescriptive directives to the Christian just cited remain, and should
remain, as the New Testament emphasis regarding Christian
responsibility to government, and none of them affirms Christian
participation in war.
Second, (, hupotasso, submit) does not primarily
mean "obey" or "obedience." Since this word is often taken as
equivalent to obey, proponents of the just war theory and others
construct the following syllogistic argument. Since governments are to
be obeyed, and since they may for various reasons engage in war,
Christians and others are to demonstrate obedience by serving in the
military and engaging in war. This argument fails to be compelling for
lexical and logical reasons. Cranfield elucidated the lexical meaning of
, hupotasso:
It is often assumed that it means "to obey." . . . But is
really represented with proper
accuracy by "obey?" . . . There are, of course, three
64
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1981),
948.
83
perfectly good Greek verbs meaning "obey," all of which
occur in the New Testament,
namely, ,, and
. . .. In the New Testament
occurs thirty times. Sometimes
the specific idea of obedience is clearly prominent (e.g.
Rom. 8.7); but in the majority of cases, while it may well
be included,
it is not clear that it is the predominant thought.
65

Delling concurred with this analysis: "In the New Testament the verb
does not immediately carry with it the thought of obedience. . . ."
66
Cranfield explained the central meaning of, hupotasso
in these passages:
But what does [hupotassethai]
mean when it is used, as here, to denote that which the
Christian owes to the civil authority . . .? It means surely
recognizing
that one is placed below the authority by God . . .. This will
not mean an uncritical, blind obedience to the authority's
every command; for the final arbiter of what constitutes
[hupotassethai] in a particular
situation is not the civil authority of God.
67
Geisler, a just war theorist, noted the logical implications of the
previously mentioned syllogism. After citing cases of divinely
approved civil disobedience (Exod. 1; Kings 18; Dan. 3; 6; and Acts 4-5)
he wrote:
65
C. E. B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the
Romans, 6
th
ed. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1979), II, 660-61.
66
Gerhard Delling, "[etc.]," ed. Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of
the New Testament, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1972), VIII, 41.
67
Cranfield, 662.
84
These divinely approved cases of disobedience to
government prove that a "My government right or wrong"
king of obedience is definitely contrary to the principle of
love . . .. War is not right simply because a government
has decreed it so . . .. An unquestioning compliance with
the command of an authority to kill may be just plain
murder.
68
In summary, the word, hupotasso, when used in
relation to government is best defined by fulfillment of the positively
affirmed duties in the New Testament letters previously cited, not as
well when it is taken to mean "obedience," even less well when it is
used as a basis for the inferential, syllogistic conclusion that justifies
war or Christian participation in war.
Third, the primary purpose of these passages was not to issue a
prescriptive analysis of political theory as it should be, or to advise
Christians on the nature of war, but to advise Christians on their
responsibilities to government as it then existed. Knox and Cragg
commented on how Paul's words in Romans 13:1-7 have been used
with a disregard for their primary intended meaning:
He hurled his anathemas against anarchy; he did not
foresee that they would be quoted in defense of tyranny.
Those who contend for the "divine right" of existing
institutions have always found their strongest support in
ch. 13, and it could be reasonably claimed that no other
part of Scripture has afforded such solace to unscrupulous
men.
69
68
Norman L. Geisler, "A Case for Participation, His, 41, No. 2 (November 1980), 6.
69
John Knox and Gerald R. Cragg, The Epistle to the Romans, The Interpreter's Bible,
Vol. IX, ed. George A. Buttrick (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1954), 599.
85
In summary, these passages, taken in their entirety, affirm some
positive duties for Christians to fulfill towards the State. However, they
do not justify war of Christian participation in war. Rutenber
summarized their relation to the subject of war:
It is surely tragically clear that Paul never intended to
teach unqualified obedience to the state in Romans 13. He
did teach that the principle of government is something
that every Christian should applaud, and that the Christian
should obey the government in all things where loyalty to
Christ is not at stake. This leaves the whole question of
war open.
70
To conclude this section on references to war in the New
Testament letters, Bauernfeind explicated by means of the context the
central purpose, examples of faith, the reference to war in Hebrews
11:30-34 (T 27:5):
Heroes of the holy wars of every age (Hb. 11:33f.) belong
to the cloud of witnesses of Hb. 12:1. Nevertheless, the
[agon] . . . of this v., which the witnesses
encourage us to endure victoriously, is no
[strateia]. The witnesses offer an example of
[pistis], not of warlike achievement.
71
War in the Apocalypse of
Jesus Christ
T 28 cites passages in the book of Revelation that touch on the
subject of war. Even if it could be done adequately, it would be outside
the scope of this work to discuss the various theories and systems of
interpretation that have been used to explicate the message of the
70
Rutenberg, 85.
71
Bauernfeind, "," 708.
86
Apocalypse. Guthrie cited seven main theories,
72
and Walvoord claimed
after surveying one hundred commentaries that he found fifty different
interpretations of the kings of the East mentioned in chapter 16.
73
Nevertheless, for the purpose of this work, certain ideas about war in
Revelation seem clear.
First, governments and war in Revelation are generally
presented as sovereignly controlled by God but mediately and
demonically controlled by Satan and the Antichrist as objects of
rebellion against God, Christ and the people of God (T 28:2; 28:3; 28:5;
28:6). Second, war is revealed as a physical manifestation on Earth of
a cosmic, spiritual and metaphysical war between God, Christ and their
angels and Satan, Antichrist and their demons (T 28:4; 28:7).
74
Third,
Gods people, the saints, are not pictured as participating in the
physical manifestation of this cosmic war. Rather, they are seen as the
sufferers of the wars, oppression and injustices of the Beast and his
puppet governments until Christ, who in . . . righteousness . . . judges
and wages war . . . (Rev. 19:11), comes with . . . the armies which
are in heaven . . . (Rev. 19:14), and finally and ultimately crushes the
Satanic forces in the apocalyptic wars (T 28:6; 28:7; 28:8).
Bauernfeind commented on the essential nature of war in Revelation:
72
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 3
rd
rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1970), 969-74.
73
John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody, 1966), 236.
74
Bruce M. Metzger, The New Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 1965), 267.
87
What he does not see is the positive counterpart one
might have expected, namely, another earthly
[strateuomai] which, impelled by
faith, allies itself with the heavenly host and hurries to the
aid of the [basileus
basileon, King of Kings] . . .. For primitive Christianity the
idea that this King needed the help of earthly
[strateumata], or even wanted it,
would have been more than sancta simplicitas; it is not
found at all in its visions of the future.
75
Thus, there is nothing that affirms war or is prescriptive about war
and Christian participation in war in the Apocalypse. Rather,
Revelation contains a solemn description of the satanic source and
horror of war, and its ultimate banishment to the lake of fire with its
perpetrators (Rev. 19--20).
Table 28
War in the Book of Revelation
Passage Observation
75
Bauernfeind, , 708.
88
1. 6:3-8
2. 9:13-19
3. 11:1-3
4. 12:1--13:10
5. 16:12-16
6. 17
7. 19:11-21
8. 20:7-15
Three of the four horsemen are revealed with warlike
terminology.
One third of mankind is pictured as killed by a union of angels
and an army of two hundred million humans.
The Beast makes war on the two witnesses of God and kills
them. God brings them back to life after three and one half
days and takes them to heaven.
War in heaven between good angels and Satan and his
demons is described. Satan is cast out of heaven to earth and
through the Beast makes war on the saints and overcomes
them.
Various armies of the East are gathered at Armageddon for
the war of the great day of God Almighty.
Babylon, the Beast and the nations unite to wage war against
the Lamb. The victory of the Lamb is predicted.
The kings of the earth and the Beast are defeated in a war
against Jesus and His army, after which Jesus and His
followers reign for a thousand years on Earth while Satan is
bound.
After the thousand-year reign of Christ, Satan is released.
Satan deceives and gathers the nations for one final war
against Christ and His followers. Satan and his followers are
defeated with a holocaust that ends war for all time and
which ushers in the eternal, peaceful reign of God, Christ and
their followers
Summary of the New Testament
Teaching on War
In the Gospels
The metaphorical and narrative passages commonly cited as
attaching to war do not contain as their primary intention a
prescriptive affirmation or justification of war. Thus, they are
essentially irrelevant to the prescriptive biblical teaching regarding
war. The few declarative statements Jesus did make regarding war,
89
retaliation and government are addressed by Guthrie and constitute
part of the focus of the next chapter:
It may be wondered how relevant the advice of Jesus to
love enemies (Mt. 5:43f = Lk 6:27f) is in a national context.
He was clearly speaking of individual attitudes. Yet since
communities consist of individuals, there can be no doubt
that if Christian love motivated a large enough group in a
community, it would have decided repercussions in
reducing political tensions. Nevertheless, Jesus did not
specifically deal with the problems of relationships within
political groups.
76

In the Book of Acts
The passages in Acts that speak of soldiers and government are
descriptive, not prescriptive in nature. For that reason they are
essentially irrelevant to the pursuit of the axiological evaluation of the
Bible on the subject of war.
In the Epistles
The metaphorical likening of dimensions of the Christian life and
ministry to war and the experience of soldiers carries no positive
affirmation of the reality that the metaphors are based upon. Rather,
these metaphors are illustrative in nature. The specific responsibilities
enjoined upon the Christian toward government do not necessarily
affirm or disconfirm war and Christian participation in war. However,
the New Testament emphasis is upon civic duties other than those that
attach to military service. The next chapter will focus upon what
76
Guthrie, New Testament Theology, 948.
90
Rutenber called the open question of war that the Epistles seem to
present.
77
In the Apocalypse
Literal war is revealed as a physical manifestation of a larger
cosmic war between God and Satan. Satan originates and uses war on
earth in an attempt to achieve his purposes, but Christ Himself will
ultimately crush him. No mention is made of Gods people fighting in
the literal earthly wars.
77
Rutenber, 85.
91
CHAPTER FOUR
Applications of the Biblical Teaching on War
The Apostle Paul explained both the nature and purpose of Gods
inscriptured revelation.
All Scripture is inspired by God and Profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
righteousness, that the man [person] of God may be
adequate, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:16-17).
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for
our instruction, that through perseverance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope
(Rom. 15:4).
Based on a belief in the truthfulness of the above assertions, and
in light of the biblical data of chapters two and three, the purpose of
this chapter was to determine the best application of the biblical
teaching on war (i.e., its instruction) to the present time for those
who similarly recognize the authority of Scripture.
To accomplish this aim, this section surveyed the various
positions that have been advocated within the organized Church. This
survey is followed by the position of the present writer.
Historical Positions on War within the Organized Church
Vast quantities of literature exist on this subject, and naturally
there are small differences in schematic arrangement. However, there
is general agreement among the sources consulted that the three main
positions have been and continue to be non-participation in war for
Christians, qualified participation in war for Christians (based on just
92
war criterion) and the crusade or militaristic position.
1
Different
emphases exist along the spectrum within each camp. Niemeier cited
some reasons for the divergent views:
The records of church history show that Christians have
assumed highly divergent attitudes with reference to the
problems connected with war, all the way from total
condemnation to the highest glorification of war and the
solider. This wide divergence is due to theological
differences concerning the Scriptures and their
interpretation, particularly the commandments of God and
the Sermon on the Mount, also concerning the meaning of
Law and Gospel, the nature of the state and its functions,
and the manner of realizing a Christian existence within
the orders of this world.
2
The Just War Theory
The majority of Christians throughout the history of the Church
have favored qualified participation of Christians in war as the most
biblical and reasonable view. Most who hold this view agree with the
following tenets of the just war doctrine, culled from the sources
1
War and Christian Ethics, ed. Arthur F. Holmes (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975); War:
Four Christian Views, ed. Robert L. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity, 1981);
William E. Nix, The Evangelical and War, Journal of the Evangelical Society, 13, No.
3 (Summer 1970) 133-46; Peter Brock, The Roots of War Resistance (Nyack, NY:
Fellowship, 1981); Alan Kreider and John H. Yoder, Christians and War, Eerdmans
Handbook to the History of Christianity, ed. Tim Dowley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1977), 24-27; Roland Bainton, Christian Attitudes Toward War and Peace (New York:
Abingdon, 1960); Robert McAfee Brown, Religion and Violence (Philadelphia:
Westminster, 1973); Chris Sugden, Violence and Non-Violence, Eerdmans
Handbook to Christian Beliefs, eds. Robert Keeley and others (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1982), 294-95.
2
Gottfield Niemeier, War, The Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church, ed. Julius
Bodensieck (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1965), III, 2456.
93
cited,
3
and usually limit their participation in particular wars that meet
its canons.
(1) Legitimate Authorization the war must be declared by a
legitimate head of state; (2) Just Cause the cause of justice and the
suppression of injustice and evil must be the basic motivation for the
war; (3) Last Resort all other reasonable means to achieve justice
and peaceful resolution of the tension must be first exhausted before
war can be justly declared; (4) Proportionality the good that will
ostensibly result from the intended war must outweigh the evil causes
and results of the intended war; (5) Success the intended war must
have a reasonable hope of success (i.e., justice and eventual peace) if
it is to be waged; (6) Moderation this implies noncombatant immunity
and the rejection of excessive brutality and savagery; (7) Proof the
burden of proof is upon those who advocate and conduct the war to
demonstrate that their advocacy is compatible with the above points.
The first proponent of an organized statement on just war was
the pre-Christian statesman Cicero,
4
and within the church Ambrose,
Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the Jesuit priest Suarez contributed to
and brought the doctrine to maturity.
5
Scholars argue about the
3
Bainton, 96-98; Brown, 19-25; War and Christian Ethics, 4-6; Ronald J. Sider and
Richard K. Taylor, Nuclear Holocaust and Christian Hope (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1982), 61-62; James F. Smurl, War, Just, Encyclopedia Dictionary of
Religion, eds. Paul Devin Mengher, Thomas C. OBrian and Sister Consuelo Maria
Alarme (Washington: Corpus, 1979), III, 3710-11.
4
Cicero, War and Christian Ethics, 24-31.
5
William P. Patterson, War, Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. James
Hastings (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1921), XII, 678-79; J. Bass Mulliger, War,
94
extent to which Constantine and his policies stimulated and legitimized
the applicability of this doctrine to the church.
6
Luther held a
modification of this position,
7
as did Calvin.
8
Qualified participation in
war by Christians remains until the present time the central position
among Catholics and Protestants.
Pacifism and Non-Resistance
A minority position held during the history of the church has
favored the non-participatory model in war (either pacifism or non-
resistance) as the best application for Christians of the overall biblical
message regarding war. Advocates of this position usually cite some
or all of the following reasons to support their view. First, the New
Testament overall forbids Christian retaliation in favor of aggressive
love that attempts to overcome evil with good. Second, the message of
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount replaces retaliation with active love
as the way to treat ones enemies. Third, the separate functions of the
Church and State, the churchs evangelistic mandate from God toward
the global community outweigh the temporal concerns of political
warfare. Fourth, the trans-national and trans-cultural nature of the
Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, eds. William Smith and Samuel Cheetham
(London: John Murray, 1880), II, 2029-30; Arthur F. Holmes, Just War Criteria,
Bakers Dictionary of Christian Ethics, ed. Carl F. H. Henry (Grand Rapids: Baker,
1973), 359-60; Kreider and Yoder, 24-25; War and Christian Ethics, 3.
6
Adolf Harnack, Militia Christi, trans. David McInnes Gracie (Philadelphia: Fortress,
1981); Mullinger, 2029; Brock, 13; Nix, 137.
7
Ewald M. Plass, compiler, What Luther Says: An Anthology (St. Louis: Concordia,
1959), I, 226-29; III, 1428-35.
8
Calvin, War and Christian Ethics, 165-76.
95
church make the possibility of Christians fighting and killing Christians
certain and unavoidable. Fifth, the lack of commands to the Christian
in the New Testament to use force to overcome evil (unlike the clear
commands given to Israel in the Old Testament) force the advocates of
Christian involvement in war to argue from silence.
9

Bainton and others have cited quotations from early church
teachers (pre-Constantine) that seem to present a surface or prima
facie case that the early church favored non-participation in war for
Christians.
10
Other scholars and historians have interpreted these
passages as having been motivated by eschatological expectancy and
the idolatry and immorality associated with military life at that time
rather than an affirmative expostulation of pacifism in and of itself as a
position.
11
Whatever the motivation, the non-participatory model was
favored by the early church, and later by some monastic Catholics, the
Albigenses, the Waldneses, and the majority of Anabaptists, the
Mennonites, the Friends and the Brethren.
12

The Crusade or Preemptive War Position
9
War: Four Christian Views, 32-33; 80-91; John H. Leith, ed., Creeds of the Churches,
rev. ed., The Scheitheim Confession (Richmond, VA: John Knox, 1973), 287-89;
Kreider and Yoder, 25-27; Nix, 125-36.
10
Bainton, 68-73; Niemeier, 2457; Brock, 10-12; War and Christian Ethics, 35-54;
Pacifism in Christian Thought, The Westminster Dictionary of Church History, ed.
John C. Braver (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1971), 625.
11
Adolf Harnack, Militia Christi, inclusive; Mullinger, 2028; Patterson, 678.
12
Guy Franklin Hershberger, War, Peace and Non-Resistance, 3
rd
rev. ed. (Scottsdale,
PA: Herald, 1969), 77; Kreider and Yoder, 25-27; Pacifism in Christian Thought,
625-26.
96
The middle ages saw the development of the aggressive crusade
idea. By the application of Gods instructions to Israel to destroy Gods
enemies for their sin to the church (one of many interrelated reasons
for the Crusades), the organized church advocated the destruction by
means of war Gods purported enemies during that time.
13
As the
nation state phenomenon replaced the Holy Roman Empire following
the Reformation, the crusade evolved into the doctrine of militarism,
analyzed by Nix as follows:
That notion that it is the responsibility of one nation to
wage a war in behalf of the international community as a
means of curbing evil and protecting society is the
extension of the role of government to act as a restraint
against evil on the internal level. Hence, the use of the
sword is extended to cover international violence in the
world community just as it is within a given state when
rebellion and violence threaten its stability.
14
Harold O. J. Brown is a sincere advocate of this position, and he
argued that not only is self-defense philosophically justifiable but that
history has confirmed the view that aggressive preparation for and
willingness to wage war actually deters the tendency of war to occur.
15
The Authors Position on War and Peace in The Bible
For the following reasons, the present writer cannot with
certainty conclude which of the historic views represents the originally
13
Kreider and Yoder, 24; Bernard of Clairvaux in War and Christian Ethics, 88-91.
14
Nix, 139.
15
War: Four Christian Views, 153-64.
97
intended biblical view. First, the complex interfacing of information
that surrounds the issue of war from the Bible and the fields of
hermeneutics, philosophy, ethics, political science, etc., has led most
who have wrestled with this issue to have conceded that an
authoritative answer is exceedingly difficult to give.
Second, the best minds within and during the history of the
church have offered defensible reasons for their contrary positions. It
is difficult to realize that at least some esteemed teachers of the past
and present have incorrectly understood the biblical teaching on war
and peace, for not all of these conflicting positions can be
simultaneously correct.
Thus, the present writer offers the following considerations as
individual links in a chain. When these links were fastened together,
with the entire panorama of Scripture taken into view, the conclusion
was reached that the non-participatory model in war for Christians best
represents the teleological conclusion of the mind of God on the issue
of war. The considerations are offered in the spirit of the following
quotations:
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him
show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of
wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish
ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie
against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes
down from above, but is earthly, natural, demoniac. For
where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder
and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first
pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and
good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed
98
whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who
make peace (Jas. 3:14-17).
Our understanding of the Scriptures and other records of
the living Church is conditioned in all sorts of ways by the
time and place in which we live, the traditions we inherit,
the lacks in our individual heredity and training, the blind
spots made in us by special interests, desires and fears. . .
. Secondly, the specific implications of the revealed truth
for human understanding and conduct in a particular
present situation can be discerned only by processes of
thought that are liable at every step to the risk of error.
Sincere Christians who agree on the primary demand of
love for neighbors and enemies can disagree on its
meaning for statesmen, citizens, and victims of belligerent
powers. Too confident assertions about the details of
Christian duty, as though human judgment could ever
claim the infallibility of God, are presumptuous and self-
refuting. There is need then for humility on the part of
every Christian.
16
Hermeneutical Considerations
First, the hermeneutical principle that recognizes that Gods
written revelation has been progressively revealed best explains why
the Old Testament records God as using Israel in war (to punish sin and
give Israel a land) and the total absence of New Testament passages
that suggest Christians should engage in war to accomplish Gods
present purposes in and with the global community.
17

Second, the hermeneutical principle of distinguishing Israel from
the Church, Gods unique purpose and program for each of these
16
Creeds of the Churches, The Relation of the Church to the War in the Light of the
Christian Faith (1943), 528-29.
17
Bernard Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 3
rd
rev.
ed., 1970), 102-4; Milton S. Terry, Biblical Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
n.d.), 292; Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1978), 60; Ryrie, 44-47; Chapter 7.
99
entities, and a sane, careful discernment of the applicability of Gods
revelation in the older and newer testaments to each entity best
explains the following information. God commanded Israel to wage
theocentric wars, but God has given no command or the slightest
indication of approval to individual Christians (who together constitute
the universal, international Church of Christ) that participation in war is
part of Gods purpose for them in this present age.
18

Third, the hermeneutical principle of the general analogy of faith
(which, as Terry demonstrated, was the principle used by some
Christians to escape the proof text justification of slavery) best
explains the following facts. God commanded Israel to fight
specifically defined wars in the Old Testament, but God has given no
such command or responsibility to individual Christians or the
corporate church in the New Testament.
19
Fourth, the hermeneutical principle that affirms that the New
Testament should interpret the Old Testament, and that Old Testament
doctrines, commands, promises and practices should be interpreted in
light of the same from the New Testament, allows for the most
satisfactory resolution of the following facts. God commanded Israel to
fight in specifically defined wars, but there is a total absence of New
18
Terry, 596-97; Bruce Kaye, Good and Evil, Eerdmans Handbook to Christian
Belief (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), 292; Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in
the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978), 60; Ryrie, 44-47; Chapter 7.
19
Terry, 580-81; Ramm, 55-56; The Wars of America: Christian Views, ed. Ronald A.
Wells (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981), 75-77.
100
Testament passages that suggest Christians are responsible to or
should participate in the wars of secular nations.
20
Fifth, the hermeneutical principle that makes the distinction
between the interpretation of Scripture and the application(s) of
Scripture best explains the following facts. Christ and the New
Testament writers never adduced Gods sovereign use of Israel and
other nations in war as recorded in the Old Testament literature as
normative in a behavioral sense to individual Christians or to the
corporate body of Christians.
21
Utilization of the above-cited hermeneutical principles does not
imply a discontinuity in the Bible or its ethical teachings. Rather, as
Ramm illustrated, their usage represents a sound hermeneutic that
prevents:
. . . an uncritical and unrealistic application of the Old
Testament to Christian morality. . . . an expositor from
using some mere phrase as an eternal principle of
morality. . . . the effort of trying to force some binding
principle upon contemporary life from an obscure Old
Testament incident . . .
22
,
and other tragic misapplications of the Old Testament which he cites in
that context.
Logical Considerations
Ramm explicated the relation of logic and theology as follows:
20
Terry, 18; 596-97; Louis Berkof, Principles of Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids:
Baker, 1952), 137-38; Ramm, 139; 167-68; 190-94.
21
Terry, 171-72; Ramm, 112-13.
22
Ramm, 2-3.
101
The theologian uses the principles of formal and applied
logic in hammering out his system. . . .
23
[and] So much
of exegesis depends on the logic of implications and the
principles of induction and evidence, that it is unwise not
to have a working knowledge of the same . . . . [and]
Ministers, Bible students and interpreters who have not
had the sharpening experiences of logic and science may
have improper notions of implication and evidence. Too
frequently such a person uses a basis of appeal that is a
notorious violation of the laws of logic and evidence . . . .
24
The following is therefore an attempt to analyze the biblical passages
regarding war and the validity of Christians participating in war in light
of elementary aspects of logic.
Western logic, predicated upon the three laws of thought (the
Law of Identity, the Law of Non-contradiction, and the Law of Excluded
Middle) was taken as normative, valid and as the basis of the following
discussion.
25
Popkin, Stroll and Beardsley asserted that within the
context of Western thought the two main branches of reasoning are
the deductive and inductive models.
26
Inductive logic proceeds from
particulars to a general conclusion, and:
. . . is concerned with the relation between the evidence
and a conclusion drawn from the evidence . . . [and] . . . is
a theory about what reasons provide evidence for a given
23
Ramm, 169.
24
Ramm, 172.
25
Peter A. Angeles, Laws of Thought, the Three, Dictionary of Philosophy (New
York: Barnes & Noble, 1981), 153; Stephan Korner, Laws of Thought, Encyclopedia
of Philosophy, ed.-in-chief Paul Edwards (New York: Macmillan, 1967), IV, 414-17.
26
Richard H. Popkin and Avrum Stroll, Philosophy Made Simple (Garden City, NY:
Doubleday, 1956), 149-52; Monroe C. Beardsley, Thinking Straight (Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall, 1975), 21-46.
102
conclusions truth when the reasons in question are not
conclusive . . ..
27
Deductive logic moves from a general thesis assumed to be true
to an ostensibly valid conclusion, usually by means of the logical
construct known as the syllogism,
28
and is concerned with . . .
reasoning which attempts to establish conclusive inferences . . . [and] .
. . the rules for determining when an argument is valid.
29
Therefore, for the following reasons, it is argued that neither
deductive nor inductive reasoning from biblical passages regarding war
eventuates in the valid conclusion that Christians should participate in
war.
First, the following deductive argument (Major Premise: All that
God commands people to do is morally justified. Minor Premise: God
commanded Israel to fight theocentric wars. Conclusion: Israel was
morally justified in fighting the wars.) cannot be applied to Christians,
either individually or corporately. This is because the minor premise of
the above argument is nowhere repeated in the New Testament, nor
do Jesus or the New Testament writers ever cite it as normatively
relevant to Christians.
Second, an inductive search for New Testament passages that
justify a Christians participation in war (as chapter three of this thesis
27
Popkin and Stroll, 151.
28
Beardsley, 61-72; Angeles, 284-85.
29
Popkin and Stroll, 150.
103
attempted to demonstrate) reveals that none of the pericopes or
passages commonly adduced as evidence have as their intended
meaning an axiological affirmation of the inductive conclusion that
Christians should participate in war.
Third, inferences based on inductively gathered proof texts from
both testaments that ostensibly support Christian participation in war
invariably commit the logical fallacies of is to ought
30
(similar to
the argumentation that justified slavery because slavery was not
declaratively repealed in chapter and verse in the Bible),
31
hasty
generalization,
32
or simply represent inferential arguments based on
silence, which do not attain the status of certainty. Thus, these
inferences are potentially dangerous.
33
Fourth, the inductively gathered passages that declaratively
assert the Christians responsibilities to government and the state (T
27, Chapter 3) do not include military service or participation in war as
a Christians duty or responsibility. A priori explanations of and
speculations regarding this silence should therefore retain a non-
apodeictical or merely possibly true status.
34
30
31
Terry, 580-81.
32
33
Terry, 585-96; Ramm, 170-72.
34
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1981),
948; William M. Pinson Jr., Ethics in the Bible, Broadman Bible Commentary, Eds.
Clifton J. Allen and others (Nashville: Broadman, 1972), XII, 381.
104
Fifth, it is commonly asserted that the instructions of Jesus and
Paul to believers on dealing with enemies (such as to love, pray for, do
good towards, bless, resist not, to not take revenge, to fee and to
overcome evil with good, Matt. 5:38-47; Luke 6:27-36; Rom. 12:14-21)
are intended for individual Christians and the practice of these
instructions is to take place within the context of personal
relationships.
35
This assertion is, strictly speaking, a tautology or a
self-evident statement with no significance.
36
Therefore, there are no
logical or exegetical reasons that arise from these instructions of Jesus
and Paul that suggest they had a dichotomous view of how one should
treat a personal enemy as opposed to how one should act toward a
national enemy of a corporate nature. In point of fact, their
language suggests that individual Christians indeed have a unique
behavioral mandate when dealing with enemies.
Theological Considerations
First, the nature of the international Church transcends the
ethnic nature of the earthly nations. Whereas Israel was a theocratic
nation with a unique mandate and purpose, the Church of Christ is the
result of Gods eternal purpose to save individuals from every nation
(Rev. 5:9-10) and to create from them a new nationality (I Pet. 2:9-
10) that is international in nature. Therefore, the nature of the body of
35
War and Christian Ethics, 65; 106-9; 145-64; 201; 305-6.
36
Angeles, 289.
105
Christ is trans-national (Eph. 2:113:12) and trans-cultural (Col.
3:11).
37
As Gods people now exist among many nations, there no
longer exists any nation with a theocentric mandate to punish sin with
war as Israel had and did. This analysis does not mean that the
sovereign God may not use the secular nations to punish themselves
mutually with war for their rebellion against God. However, as God has
given no indication to Christians that they should participate in these
wars, Christians must accordingly realize that their membership in and
allegiance to the trans-national body of Christ transcends in important
and responsibility their natural membership and allegiance to whatever
ethnic group or body politic to whom they may happen to belong.
38

Second, the transcendental purpose of the Church and its
individual members transcends the temporal purposes and concerns of
the nations in importance. The primary purposes of the body of Christ
are to bring glory to God by gathering individuals from every nation
through the message of reconciliation given to the church by God (II
Cor. 5:16-21; Matt. 28:16-20) and to build itself up to reach the mature
stature of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:1-16). Christians who participate in war
must therefore temporarily lay aside the proclamation of the message
of reconciliation with God through Jesus in favor or a national mandate
37
George W. Knight III, Can a Christian Go to War, Christianity Today, 20
(November 21, 1975), 4-5.
38
Paul Mundry, John Calvin and Anabaptists on War, Brethren Life and Thought, 23
(Autumn 1978), 239-43; Creeds of the Churches, The Schlechtheim Confession,
285-89.
106
that requires them to kill those for whom Christ died. Also, since there
are Christians in most countries, Christians who participate in war must
lay aside the divine commandment to lay down their lives for one
another in sacrificial love (John 14:9-14; I John 3:11-18; I John 4:7-21)
for a governmental commandment that requires them to take the lives
of their brothers and sisters in Christ. This analysis does not deny that
God can sovereignly use war to bring people to Christ.
39
As the
following quote illustrates, God is transcendentally sovereign:
Illuminating the finiteness of man, Lincoln noted that
sincere men embraced opposite courses of action under
the conviction that they were responding to Gods will:
Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and
each invoked His aid against the other. A sincere intention
to do Gods will does not guarantee that what one does is
therefore the will of God. Both sides could not be right:
The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither
has been fully. Each side could be partly right and partly
wrong and Gods purpose might be to use both sides as His
instruments to effect a result that neither had foreseen.
The Almighty has His own purpose.
40
However, a belief in the reality of Gods sovereignty does not
exempt the Christian from bowing to the realization that Gods
purposes for the Church transcends the ethnocentric concerns of
nations who do not recognize God and Gods plans. When and if a
choice must be made, the Christians primary allegiance is to be given
39
The Wars of America: Christian Views, 82-83.
40
The Wars of America: Christian Views, 86.
107
to the stated purposes of God in Scripture. Those interested in this
concept may consult the following sources.
41
Third, as Jesus declared in Johns Gospel (18:36), My kingdom is
not of [] this world . . . As Paul clearly explained in Romans
13:1-7, God has sovereignly instituted the order of earthly kingdoms to
achieve the purposes stated in that passage. Within this context of
orders, Christians are to devote themselves to living and articulating
the concerns and values of Christs kingdom. When the rulers and
requirements of secular kingdoms do not violate the concerns and
values of Christs kingdom, Christians are to acknowledge their
authority, honor them and their policies, and support them with their
prayers and payment of taxes. When the temporal concerns and
policies of earthly kingdoms lead them to a violation of Gods laws and
(as the movement of this thesis is attempting to explicate) to war,
Christians must acknowledge and peacefully articulate that the values
and concerns of Christs kingdom take precedence over the temporal
concerns of the earthly kingdoms. Accordingly, they must view these
tragic upheavals as a forum for a non-partisan witness to the Prince of
Peace without having as their primary motivation a pragmatic notion
41
William R. Faw, Christs Church: Gods Colony and Agent of Reconciliation,
Brethren Life and Thought, 23, no. 2 (Winter 1978), 51-58; Sider and Taylor, 120-34;
Myron S. Augsburger, Beating Swords Into Plowshares, Christianity Today, 20
(November 21, 1975), 7-9.
108
that their witness will cause wars to cease. Those interested in this
two-kingdom concept may consult the sources cited.
42
Fourth, the noetic effect of sin has rendered the human heart
and mind incapable of generating or waging a just war, and has
enslaved the nations to a vain and deceptive ethnocentrism (Jer. 17:9-
14; Jas. 4:1-3; Prov. 16:2). The ramifications of this biblical assessment
of human nature are the essential difference between Israels
theocentric wars and the wars of secular kingdoms. The former were
rooted in Gods holiness and command, the latter in an inevitable
ethnocentrically biased analysis of the particular situation at hand.
Christian historians who have analyzed the wars of American (to cite
just one national example from many) from the perspective of the just
war doctrine have persuasively documented this tragic tendency of
ethnocentrism. They concluded that all of American involvement in war
(except World War II) has been motivated by ethnocentrism, a
pretentious assumption of moral superiority, and has violated the
established canons of the just war doctrine.
43
Therefore, since
Christians have not received a declarative command or instructions
from God to crush evil with war, they must not put their faith in
national assertions of just causes but in the inerrant justice of God,
42
Leland Wilson, A Brethren Perspective on Church and State, Brethren Life and
Thought, 16, no. 3 (Summer 1971), 169-84; Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian
Manifesto (Westchester, IL: Crossway, 1981), 89-102; War and Christian Ethics, 185-
89; Creeds of the Churches, The Barmen Declaration (May 1934), 518-22.
43
The Wars of America: Christian Views.
109
who has commanded Christians to overcome evil with good and trust
that God alone will avenge evil and injustice (Rom 12:17-21).
Technological Considerations
Unlike the wars recorded in the Bible and pre-modern historical
documents, the modern technological developments of nerve gas,
chemical warfare, saturation bombing and atomic weapons totally
preclude any possibility of adherence to the criterion of the just war
doctrine. Stott avered that:
Because they are indiscriminate in their effects,
destroying combatants and non-combatants alike, it seems
clear to me they are ethically indefensible, and that every
Christian, whatever he may think of the possibility of a
just use of conventional weapons, must be a nuclear
pacifist.
44
Those interested in Stotts logic may consult the following sources.
45
Pragmatic Considerations
One line of argumentation posited by sincere Christian thinkers
against non-participation in war by Christians is that it is an impractical
and nave ideology in a fallen world. Consequently, non-participation
in war by Christians thus represents an abdication of moral and
political responsibility that would eventuate in the tyrannical control of
44
John R. W. Stott, Calling For Peacemakers in a Nuclear Age, Part I, Christianity
Today, 24 (February 8, 1980), 45.
45
John R. Stott, Calling For Peacemakers in a Nuclear Age, Part II, Christianity
Today, 24 (March 7, 1980), 44-45; Sider and Taylor; Robert L. Spaeth, No Easy
Answers (Minneapolis: Winston, 1983); Father George Zabelka, Interview, I was Told
It Was Necessary, Sojourners, 6 (May 1977), 17-19; Richard N. Ostling, God and the
Bomb, Time, 120, no. 22 (November 29, 1982), 68-77.
110
the political, social and spiritual institutions and sectors of humanity by
violent and evil despots.
46
It is outside the scope of this thesis to provide a comprehensive
apology for the non-participation model in the realm of pragmatics.
However, while the present writer does not agree with all the
suggestions of the following authors, such pragmatic strategies exist
for the Christian and have been responsibly and cogently presented.
47
Sider and Taylor especially have documented concrete historical
examples where non-resistance has been a noble and successful
response to evil violence, and which has required at least as much
hard love, courage, realism and political responsibility as participation
in war does.
48
46
Norman L. Geisler, A Case For Participation, His, 41, No. 2 (November 1980), 5-7;
24; Michael Novak, Moral Clarity in the Nuclear Age, Catholicism in Crisis, 1, no. 4
(March 1983), 3-23; In Matters of War and Peace, Editorial, Christianity Today, 24
(November 21, 1981), 14; War and Christian Ethics, 309-13.
47
Stott, Calling For Peacemakers in a Nuclear Age, Part II, 44-45; G.H.C. MacGregor,
The New Testament Basis of Pacifism (Nyack, NY: Fellowship of Reconciliation,
1940), 135-47; Sider and Taylor, 195-294.
48
Sider and Taylor, 235-56.
111
CHAPTER FIVE
Conclusion
Older Testament Conclusions
Foundational to a biblical understanding and evaluation of war
are the following biblical assertions. First, God created the human race
in Gods image to rule the biological and ecological orders of the Earth,
to fill the Earth with their kind and, by theological implication, to exist
in a sacred and loving relationship with their Creator (Gen. 1-2).
Second, Genesis records the initial core results of human
autonomy in disregard to the stated purposes and commandments of
God for the human race. These results were and are spiritual and
physical death (Gen. 2:16-17; Gen. 3).
Third, the necrotic results of human autonomy took place in the
physical realm by means of murder and revenge (Gen. 4:1-24),
biological degeneration (Gen. 5), the direct judgment of God (Gen. 6-9;
18-19) and, as the Old Testament reveals when read chronologically,
by war at the direct command of God within the context of Gods
sovereign purposes. With these biblical assertions as the
foundation, the conclusions regarding the biblical data on war in the
Old Testament recorded in chapter two were found to be as follows.
God created a distinct nation (Israel) to represent God and Gods
values to the world then ruled by rebellious autonomy. To secure a
land for this nation, and to judge the nations for the perverse
112
implementations of their autonomy, God categorically commanded
Israel to exact the result of sinful autonomy (death) upon these nations
by means of war.
Gods rationale for using war as a means to achieve Gods
sovereign purposes in the Older Testament are accordingly reflected in
the biblical passages that stress the soteriological, axiological, moral
and spiritual nature of Israels wars with the surrounding autonomous
nations. God conditioned Gods promise to fight for Israel in these wars
to secure Gods sovereign purposes upon Israels fulfillment of the
theocentric purpose for which Israel was created. This promise thus
reflected Gods axiological and spiritual purposes in these wars of
Israel, and not a universal justification of war in general.
From a global perspective, God declared through the prophets
that God sovereignly used war and the warring nations to punish
themselves for their autonomy and rebellion against God. At the same
time, God maintained a transcendent, judgmental stance on the
ethnocentric deceptiveness of the nations trust in war and the
weapons, participants and advocates of war to bring about true justice.
The Old Testament prophets also predicted war would continue
throughout human history (functioning in harmony with the purposes
stated above), finally to reveal its satanic source when the nations
would band together to fight against God, The Messiah and Gods
people. The Messiah would then Himself decisively crush these nations
113
in the apocalyptic wars and usher in a just and eternally peaceful state
of affairs.
New Testament Conclusions
Fundamental to understanding the biblical information regarding
war in the New Testament are the following four conclusions. First, the
promised Messiah has come as Jesus. Second, Jesus as Messiah has
secured eternal redemption and salvation by His death and
resurrection for all who place their faith in Him. Third, Jesus has given
those who believe in Him the preeminent mission of articulating the
nature and ramifications of this redemption to every nation and ethnic
group in the world. Fourth, those who believe in Messiahs redemption
thus become members of and constitute the trans-national,
international body of Christ. Therefore, there no longer exists any one
particular nation that has a theocentric mandate to crush evil and
injustice with international war as Israel had and did.
With this biblical analysis from both the Older and New
Testaments as a foundation, the conclusions regarding the biblical data
apposite to war in the New Testament recorded in chapter three are as
follows:
First, none of the biblical passages commonly cited as germane
to war or Christian participation in war have as their primary meaning
a prescriptive, axiological affirmation of war or Christian participation
in war. Rather, their primary meaning is either descriptive or
114
illustrative as regards the subject of war. To utilize the New Testament
passages as prescriptive affirmations of war and Christian participation
in war represents an inferential transgression of sound hermeneutical
and logical canons.
Second, Jesus predicted in harmony with the Old Testament
prophets that war would continue as a dimension of human existence
until the consummation of human history. There is no evidence that
suggests Jesus was prescriptively affirming this state of affairs or
viewed participation in war by Christians as normative.
Third, the New Testament is silent regarding whether a Christian
should or should not participate in these ethnocentric, temporal wars.
However, the positive affirmations of the New Testament authors
regarding responsibilities toward enemies and governments stress
activities that do not attach to military service and the activities of war.
Fourth, the book of Revelation is in harmony with the Old
Testament prophetic literature regarding the satanically inspired
enterprises of the nations to wage war against God, Christ and the
people of God, the final crushing of these nihilistic unions by Christ
Himself and His heavenly army, and the subsequent eternal reign of
the Prince of Peace under God with Gods people.
Chapter four represented a brief survey of the historic positions
various Christian thinkers have put forward regarding normative
Christian behavior toward war, based on their understanding of the
115
interfacing of the biblical information on war and the global state of
affairs that have existed and presently exist.
Based upon the hermeneutical, logical, theological, technological
and pragmatic considerations cited in chapter four, the writer
concluded that the non-participation in war model for Christians best
represents the teleological conclusion of the Bible on the subject of
war. While the present writer does not expect all who read this thesis
to agree with his conclusion, he hopes that this thesis will prove helpful
to some for the following reasons.
First, this thesis contains a nearly exhaustive compilation of
biblical passages that are germane to the issue of war, both from a
descriptive and prescriptive viewpoint. Others may find the inductively
gathered information cited in the tables useful as they attempt to
discover Gods will on the subject of war, even if they presently
disagree with the writers conclusion.
Second, it has hopefully been demonstrated by compiling all the
biblical data in chronological order on the subject of war that the
selective, inferential proof-text methodology commonly used by some
advocates of the just war, pacifistic, non-resistance and militaristic
models is an inconclusive and immature methodology. Other
Christians who are sensitive to the many issues involved will hopefully
be able to utilize the biblical data presented in this thesis as they
116
attempt to construct a holistic approach to the biblical teaching
regarding war.
Third, it was hoped that this thesis would provide a stimulus to
others to work in this field of biblical research and thus provide
theological and pastoral guidance to those who are seeking Gods word
and will regarding the subject of war.
Finally, the writer releases this thesis with the joyful and grateful
acknowledgment of the truth of the following assertion of Paul; For we
can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth (II Cor. 13:8),
and with the prayer that those things that are true in this thesis will be
used by the Holy Spirit for Gods purposes.
117
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Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982, 290-95.
119
Robertson, A. T. A Harmony of the Gospels. New York: Harper & Row,
1922.
Rutenber, Culbert Gerow. The Dagger and the Cross: an Examination
of Christian Pacifism. Nyack, NY: Fellowship, 1950.
Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. Dispensationalism Today. Chicago: Moody,
1965.
Schaeffer, Francis A. A Christian Manifesto. Westchester, IL:
Crossway, 1981.
Sider, Ronald J., and Richard K. Taylor. Nuclear Holocaust and
Christian Hope: A Book for Christian Peacemakers. Downers Grove,
IL: InterVarsity, 1982.
Spaeth, Robert L. No Easy Answers: Christians Debate Nuclear Arms.
Minneapolis: Winston, 1983.
Sugden, Chris. Violence and Non-Violence. Eerdmans Handbook to
Christian Beliefs, ed. Robert Keely, and others. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1982.
Terry, Milton S. Biblical Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.
d.
Thomas, Robert L., and Stanley E. Gundry. A Harmony of the Gospels.
Chicago: Moody, 1978.
Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago: Moody,
1966.
Wells, Ronald A., Ed. The Wars of America: Christian Views. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981.
Yoder, John H. The Politics of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972.
Commentaries
Alford, Henry. Alfords Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical
Commentary. Grand Rapids: Guardian, 1976.
Calvin, John. A Harmony of the Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke,
trans. A. W. Morrison. Calvins Commentaries, Vol. I, Eds. David W.
and Thomas F. Torrance. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972.
120
Cranfield, C. E. B. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle
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th
ed. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1979.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew.
New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.
Johnson, Sherman E., and George Arthur Buttrick. The Gospel
According to St. Matthew. The Interpreters Bible, Vol. VII, Eds.
George Arthur Buttrick, and others. New York: Abingdon-
Cokesbury, 1951.
Knox, John, and Gerald R. Cragg. The Epistle to the Romans. The
Interpreters Bible, Vol IX, Eds. George Arthur Buttrick, and others.
New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1954.
Pinson, William M., Jr. Ethics in the Bible. Broadman Bible
Commentary, Vol. XII, Ed. Clifton J. Allen. Nashville: Broadman,
1972.
Dictionaries
Angeles, Peter A. Dictionary of Philosophy. New York: Barnes &
Noble, 1981.
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121
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Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972, VIII, 27-41.
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New York: Herder and Herder, 1970, III, 958-61.
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Ethics, Ed. Carl F. H. Henry. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973, 359-60.
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nd
ed., Ed. Xavier Leon-Dufour. New York: Seabury, 1973, 631-35.
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Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, IV, 524-27.
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Friedrich. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, trans. and
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315.
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26.
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Merrill F. Unger and William White, Jr. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
1980, 459.
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123
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91.
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Encyclopedia, Ed. James Orr, and others. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1939, II, 790-97.
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Eds. John MClintock and James Strong. New York: Harper, 1872,
X, 876-83.
Warfare and Weapons. The Bible Almanac, Eds. James I. Packer,
Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, Jr. Nashville. Thomas Nelson,
1980, 302-18.
Lexical Works
Arndt, William F., and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of
the New Testament. 4
th
rev. Chicago: Chicago Univ., 1952.
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England: Cambridge, 1899.
Harris, R. Laird. [etc.]. Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament, Eds. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer and Bruce K.
Waltke. Chicago: Moody, 1980, I, 297.
Hartley, John E. _ [etc.]. Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament, Eds. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer and Bruce K.
Waltke. Chicago: Moody, 1980, II, 649-51.
Kaiser, Walter C. ' [etc.], . Theological Wordbook of
the Old Testament, Eds. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and
Bruce K. Waltke. Chicago: Moody, I, 476-77.
124
Moulton, James Hope, and George Milligan. The Vocabulary of the
Greek Testament: Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary
Sources. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1930, rpt. 1972.
Journals
Augsburger, Myron S. Beating Swords Into Plowshares. Christianity
Today, 20 (November 21, 1975), 7-9.
ADDENDUM 1:
TABLES CITED IN THIS WORK IN CONSECUTIVE ORDER
Table 1
War in Genesis
1. 4:16-24
2. 6:1-13
Lamech articulated the beginning of a war-like attitude.
God destroyed the human race except for Noah and his family for
being
violent, among other reasons.
125
3. 14:1-24
4. 15:12-
21
5. 22:15-
18
6. 35:1-31;
49:5-7
Abraham rescued Lot by means of war.
The invasion and defeat of the Amorites is predicted; their sin is said
to be "not yet complete."
Abraham's descendants are predicted to "possess the gates of their
enemies."
Jacob's sons used violence and war to avenge their sister Dinah;
Jacob expressed his displeasure.
Table 2
War in Exodus
1. 1:8-14 Israel was enslaved because Egypt feared potential war.
126
2. 13:17-
18
3. 15:3-18
4. 17:8-15
5. 23:20-
24
6. 23:27-
33
7. 32:25-
29
8. 33:1-7
9. 34:10-
17
God led Israel away from Philistia because Israel feared war.
God was called a Warrior. The rationale for this title was Gods
judgment of Egypt and their gods (cp. Exod. 12:12; 14:15-25; 18:10-
11).
God gave victory to Israel over the Amalekites in a war of self-
defense, and then declared perpetual warfare against the
Amalekites.
God promised to destroy Canaan by Gods angel because of
Canaans idolatry, provided Israel proved to be obedient to God.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites by Gods terror and
hornets because of Canaans idolatry.
God commanded a civil war in Israel as a judgment on those who
practiced idolatry.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites by Gods angel.
God promised to drive out the Canaanites. Total destruction of them
was decreed and social intercourse with them was forbidden
because of their idolatry.
Table 3
127
War in Leviticus
Passage Observation
1. 18:1-30
2. 19:18
3. 20:1-26
4. 26:1-8
5. 26:17;
26:23-
25;
26:32-
33;
26:36-
39
A catalogue of sexual sins of the ethnic groups nations living in
Canaan given as a reason why they would be driven from the land.
Personal vengeance is prohibited.
Sins of the Canaanites given as a reason for their expulsion.
Freedom from war and defeat was promised to Israel if they should
prove
obedient to the law of God.
War and crushing defeat of Israel is promised if Israel should be
disobedient to the law of God.
128
Table 4
War in Numbers
1. 1:1-54
2. 2:1-34
3. 10:9
4. 10:35-36
5. 13:1-33;

Cf. Dt. 1
6. 14:1-10
7. 14:39-45
8. 20:14-21
9. 21:1-3
10. 21:10-14
11. 21:21-32
12. 21:33-35
13. 22:1
23:10
14. 23:11
24:19
15. 24:20-25
16. 25:1-18
17. 26:1-65
18. 31:1-20
19. 31:21-54
20. 33:4
God commanded a census for the army of Israel to be taken.
The army of Israel was arranged and organized.
A trumpet sound was given as a symbol to remember Israel to God during
battle.
The Ark became a symbol of God's victorious presence in battle.
God commanded the spies to be sent into Canaan.
Joshua and Caleb asserted the future victory of God over Canaan because .
. . their protection has been
removed from them"
Israel suffered defeat in a war not commanded by God.
Edom threatened war on Israel if Israel tried to pass through Edom's
territory.
God gave Israel victory over Arad in a war of self-defense. The ban of
destruction practiced for the first time.
The Book of the Wars of the Lord mentioned for the first time.
Israel defeated Sihon in a war of self-defense.
Israel exterminated Og of Bashan in a war of self-defense by the power of
God.
Balak tried to defeat Israel through Balaam's divination.
Balaam predicted Israel's defeat of Canaan.
Balaam predicted the destruction of various nations.
God commanded Moses and Israel to fight Midian because they enticed
Israel to practice sin.
The second census of the army was taken.
God commanded Israel to execute His vengeance on Midian. The reason
for the destruction of their women was explained as removing those who
led Israel into sin. Cf. Numbers 25.
Various war booty laws were given.
129
21. 33:50-56
God was proclaimed as having executed judgment upon Egypt's gods.
Total destruction of Canaan commanded by God because of their idolatry
and enticing Israel into sin.
Table 5
War in Deuteronomy
1. 1:1-46
2. 2:1-19
3. 2:20-23
4. 2:24--
3:17
5. 6:10-19;
11:22-25
6. 7:4-5;
7:16;
7:25-26;
8:19-20;
12:1-3;
29:17-18
9:5
12:29-31
18:9-14
7. 13:12-18
8. 20
9. 21:10-14
10. 23:9-14
11. 25:17-19
12. 28:7
13. 28:25-
26;
28:36-37;
28:49-52;
29:22-28;
Command to take the land and defeat at Hormah was reviewed.
Israel was commanded not to fight Esau, Moab and Ammon because they
had been given their land
and were in their rightful place.
God was asserted to have destroyed Rephaim, the Horites and Avvim by
means of other nations.
God's victories through Israel over Og and Sihon reviewed.
Israel's victory or defeat in war dependent upon their obedience to God.
The interpretive reasons for the destruction of Canaan were given by God;
Idolatry;
Wickedness
Human sacrifice and abomination
Occult practices and witchcraft
Civil war punishment decreed for Israeli idolaters.
Various rules for warfare were given.
Rules regarding women captured in warfare were given.
Holiness rules for soldiers were given.
Perpetual warfare against Amalek was reviewed.
Victory promised to Israel if they should obey the Law of God.
Crushing defeat promised to Israel if they should disobey the Law of God.
130
31:23-27.
14. 31:1-8
15. 32:1-43
16. 33:26-29
Moses asserted that God would use Joshua to drive out the nations of
Canaan.
God was revealed as the sovereign God of vengeance, who is Lord of life and
death, healing and deliverance.
God was revealed as the Lord of Israel's victories.
Table 6
War in Joshua
1. 1:1-18
2. 2:1-24
3. 5:13-15
4. 6:1-27
5. 7:1-26
6. 8:1-35
7. 9:1-27
8. 10:1-43
9. 11:1-23
10. 12:1-24
11. 13:1--
21:45
12. 23:1-16
Israel commanded to take the land; victory promised to them if they
were
obedient to the Law of God.
It is critically important to compare Rahab's testimony of the fear
that possessed the Canaanites with Genesis 15:16, Deuteronomy
2:25 and Joshua 5:1 to understand that God did give Canaan over
600 years to repent.
A Theophany or Angel revealed as the Captain of the army.
Jericho taken by God's power; Rahab spared for her faith.
Achan's sin of taking booty under the ban of destruction caused
Israel to suffer defeat in
battle with Ai.
A reconsecrated Israel totally exterminated Ai.
The Gibeonites deceived Israel and escaped destruction because
Israel did not consult with God.
God gave Israel victory as they totally exterminated five nations.
The Book of Jashar
mentioned for the first time.
God gave victory to Israel as they totally exterminated many nations.
God is revealed as
the one who hardened their hearts for destruction.
A review of the kings and nations exterminated.
The division of the land to the various tribes of Israel. Israel was
131
13. 24:1-31 unable to drive out
Jebusites (15:63), Gezer, Canaanites (16:10) and various Canaanites
(17:12-13).
Obedience to God the condition for keeping the land. Destruction of
Israel promised if they disobeyed God's Law.
Historical review of God's redemption of Israel and God's power to
give victory by His decree (24:8; 24:11, 24:18) and hornets (24:12).
Table 7
Israel's Wars with the Nations in Judges
Stage 1
General Literary
Pattern of
Judges given in
2:11-23
Specific Cycles exemplified throughout the Book of Judges
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6
Stage 1
Israels Idolatry
Judges
2:11-13
3:5-7 3:12a 4:1 6:1a 10:6 13:1a
Stage 2
Israel defeated
in war because
of idolatry.
Judges
2:14-15
3:8 3:12-14 4:2-3 6:1-6 10:7-16 13:1b
Stage 3
God provides a
Judge to lead
Israel to victory.
Judges
3:9-10 3:15-31 4:4-5:31 6:7-8:31 10:17-
12:6
13:2-
16:31
132
2:16-18
The judge dies,
leading to
repeat of cycle.
Judges
2:19-23
3:11 4:1 8:32-
10:5
12:7-15
Table 8
War in I Samuel
16. 4:1-22
17. 5:1--
6:21
18. 7:1-17
19. 8:1-22;
8:20;
12:12
20. 11:1-15
21. 12:6-25
22. 13:1-23
23. 14:1-52
24. 15:1-35
Israel defeated by Philistines. Israel trusted in the Ark for victory and
the Ark was
captured by Philistia.
God supernaturally recaptured the Ark for Israel.
Samuel led Israel to return to the Lord and then the Lord gave Israel
victory over
Philistia.
Israel requested a King against God's will to fight their battles
God gave Saul and Israel victory over the Ammonites.
Samuel explained Israel's defeats as the result of idolatry.
Saul presumptuously offered sacrifices before battle.
God used Jonathan to rout the Philistines (14:23). An example of
consulting God in
battle was recorded (14:36-38).
God again commanded the extermination of Amalek. Saul failed to
133
25. 17:1-58
26. 18:1-30
27. 19:1--
10:42
28. 22:1-23;
I Ch.
12:1-22
29. 27:1--
29:11
30. 30:1--
31:13
practice the ban of
destruction against them and was rejected as King. Samuel then
executed the ban against
Agag.
God used David to defeat Goliath because of faith in God.
David was honored in Israel as a slayer of Philistines, and then he
gave as a dowry for
Michal 200 Philistine foreskins.
An example of military disobedience; Jonathan spared
An example of military obedience; Doeg killed the priests. Many
warriors joined David's
side and God instructed David to rescue Keilah, who then attempted
to betray David.
David fought on the side of Philistia because of Saul.
David rescued his family from Amalekites; Saul and Jonathan killed in
battle by Philistines and an Amalekite.
Table 9
War in II Samuel and I Chronicles
134
16. 2 Sam. 1:1-27; I
Chron. 10:1-14;
17. II Sam. 2:1-32;I Chron.
12:23-40
18. II Sam. 3:1-39
19. 2 Sam. 5:1-25; 1
Chron. 11:4-9; 1
Chron. 14:1-17
20. II Sam. 7:1-29; I
Chron. 17:1-27
21. II Sam. 8:1-18; I
Chron. 18:1-17
22. II Sam 10:1-19; I
Chron. 18:1-17
23. II Sam. 12:26-31; I
Chron 20:1-8
24. II Sam. 13:1--II Sam.
20:26
25. II Sam. 21:18-22; I
Chron. 20:4-8
26. II Sam. 22:1-51; Psalm
18
27. II Sam 23:8-39; I
Chron. 11:10-47
28. II Sam. 24:1-25; I
Chron. 21:1-30
29. I Chron. 22:1-19; I
Chron. 28:1-21
30. I Chron. 27:1-24
Saul was killed by an Amalekite for his sin; cf. I Sam.
15.
War between the followers of David and Saul.
Abner goes to David's side; Abner quoted God as
promising to deliver
Israel from Philistia by means of David.
David won victories over Jebusites and Philistia. The
reason is given in
II Sam. 5:12; "For the sake of his people Israel."
The Davidic covenant: God declared that God had
been fighting for David and gave the reason in II Sam.
7:10, to allow Israel to live in the land free from
oppression.
God gave David repeated victories in war.
David defeated the Syrians and Ammon.
Joab and David conquered Rabbah, and then tortured
the people of Rabbah.
Various civil wars arose against David as chastening
for his sins (Cf. II Sam. 12:10-12).
Israel defeated the Philistines.
David praised God for Gods protection and for giving
military victory
to him.
David's mighty men were named and praised.
David was chastened by God for numbering the
military men.
David forbidden by God to build the house of God ". . .
because you have shed so much blood on the earth
before me" (I Chron. 22:8).
Partial numbering of the army divisions for which God
chastened
David and Israel (I Chron. 27:24).
135
Table 9b should be consulted with Table 9 as many of the Psalms historically attach
to David.
Table 9b
War in the Book of Psalms
Psalms Observations
6. 44:1-8; 78; 80; 91;
106
7. 3; 18; 21; 24:7-10; 31;
47; 105; 118; 124;
135; 136; 149
8. 17:6-14; 27:1-3; 35:1-
8; 59; 60; 74; 79; 82;
108; 122; 137; 140;
144
9. 7:11-16; 9; 10; 11;
20:6-9; 33:10-12;
46:8-11; 68; 76
10. 2; 45
Psalms that demonstrate the victory through
obedience and defeat
through disobedience principle given by God to Israel.
Psalms that praise God the Warrior and Gods victories
through Israel
in war.
Psalms that implore God for victory in war or
deliverance from the
enemy.
Psalms that show the sovereign God standing in
judgment on war,
trust in weapons of war and on the warring nations.
Psalms that refer to Messiah as Warrior.
Table 10
Wars in the Reign of Solomon
5. I Kings 5:3-5; I
Chron. 22:5-10
6. I Kings 8:33-34;
I Kings 8:44-53;
I Kings 9:6-11;II
Chron. 6:24-25;
II Chron. 6:34-
39
7. Deut. 17:14-20;
I Kings 10:26-
A repetition of God forbidding David to build the House of God
because David had shed so much blood.
If Israel should ever be defeated in war, it was to be
attributed to their sin in forsaking God.
Solomon built up a cavalry in disobedience to God.
136
29; II Chron.
9:25-28.
8. I Kings 11:1-40
God raised up foreign and civil wars against Solomon to
chasten him for his sins.
Table 10 should be compared and studied with Table 10b as
both Table 10 and 10b historically attach to Solomon.
Table 10b
War in the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
Proverbs
8. 16:32
9. 20:18
10. 21:31
11. 24:6
12. 24:17-18
13. 25:21-22
14. 30:31
Ecclesiastes
6. 3:3
7. 3:8
8. 8:8
9. 9:11
10. 9:13-18
Self-control is better than military victory.
War is to be conducted with wise guidance.
A horse is prepared for battle but victory comes from the
Lord.
Guidance and many advisers are needed for waging war and
obtaining victory.
One should not rejoice when one's enemies fall.
Give your enemy food and drink to meet their needs and it
will be like heaping burning coals on their head, and God will
reward you (Cf. Rom. 12:17-21).
A king walks stately when with his army.
There is a time to kill, and a time to heal.
There is a time for war, and a time for peace.
No one is discharged in times of war.
The battle is not always to the warriors but time and chance
overtakes them.
Wisdom is better than strength and the weapons of war.
137
Table 11
Wars in the Reigns of Jeroboam, Rehoboam and Abijah
I Kings 12:1--15:8; II Chronicles 10:1--13:22
Passages
Observations
5. I Kings 12:21-
23; II Chron.
11:1-4
6. I Kings 14:1-6
7. I Kings 14:21-
28; II Chron.
12:1-12
8. II Chron. 13:1-
20; I Kings
15:1-8
God forbade a civil war in Israel through the prophet
Shemaiah.
The Assyrian captivity (defeat in war) predicted by Ahijah
because of Jeroboam's idolatry.
God allowed Egypt to defeat Judah because of their idolatry.
God gave Judah victory over Israel in a civil war because
Judah trusted in the Lord.
Table 12
War in the Reigns of Asa and various Kings of Israel
II Chron. 14:1--16:14; I Kings 15:816:23
5. I Kings 15:32
6. II Chron. 14:1-
15
Constant civil war between Asa and Baasha.
God gave Asa and Judah victory in war over Ethiopia because
of obedience and trust in God.
138
7. II Chron.
15:19-- II
Chron. 16:14; 1
Kings 15:16-22
8. I Kings 16:8-28
Because Asa relied on Syria instead of God in a civil war with
Israel, Hanani the
prophet predicted that Asa would have more war.
Continuous revolt in Israel because of sin.
Table 13
War in the Reigns of Ahab, Joram and Jehoshaphat
II Chron. 17:1--20:37; I Kings 16:29--II Kings 3:27
5. I Kings 20:1-43
6. II Chron. 17:1-
19
7. II Chron. 18:1--
II Chron. 19:3.
8. II Kings 3:1-27;
II Chron. 20:1-
37.
God gave Ahab victory over Aram so that Ahab would know
God is the Lord and then God rebuked Aham for not killing Ben-
Hadad.
God put the "Dread of the Lord" on surrounding nations and
spared Jehoshaphat from war.
Micaiah the truthful prophet counseled Jehoshaphat and Ahab
not to fight Ramoth-Gilead. They disobeyed and Ahab was
killed. Jehoshaphat was spared but rebuked by Jehu for helping
Ahab.
God gave Jehoshaphat victory in war because he trusted in the
Lord (Cf. II Chron. 20:5-13 and II Chron. 6:28-30 to see that
trust and faith in God insured Israel from defeat in war).
Table 14
War in the Reigns of Jehoram, Ahaziah and Joram
II Chron. 21:1--23:21; II Kings 8:16--II Kings 11:21
139
7. Obadiah 10:14
8. Joel 3:1-21
9. II Chron. 21:1-20; II
Kings 8:16-24
10. II Chron. 22:1-6; II
Kings 8:25-29
11. II Kings 9:10:36; II
Chron. 22:7-9
12. II Chron. 22:10--II
Chron. 23:21; II Kings
11:1-21
Obadiah rebuked Edom for their rejoicing at the
sufferings of Judah in war.
Joel's prediction of God's judgment of the military
powers of the earth in the last days.
Jehoram suffered revolts and defeats in war because
of idolatry.
Ahaziah and Joram defeated by Aram because of
idolatry.
Jehu executed the judgment of God on Ahab's house
because of Ahab's sin.
Jehoiada the priest executed God's judgment on
Ahaziah's house because of sin.
Table 15
War in the Reigns of Joash, Jehoahaz and Jehoash
II Kings 12:1-21; II Chron. 24:1-27; II Kings 13:1-25
4. II Kings 12:1-
21; II Chron.
24:1-27
5. II Kings 13:1-8
6. II Kings 13:9-25
Joash and Judah defeated by a small Syrian army because
theyforsook God (II Chron. 24:24).
Johoahaz suffered defeat in war because he forsook God, and
then God delivered him because of prayer and Gods grace.
God gave Jehoash victory in war because of the covenant with
Abraham.
Table 16
War in the Reigns of Amaziah and Jeroboam II
4. II Kings 14:1-29; II
Chron. 25:1-28
Amaziah defeated Edom in war, but was then defeated
by Israel because of his idolatry. God saved Israel
140
5. Jonah 1:1--4:11; II
Kings 14:25
6. Amos should be read
with Jeroboam II (II
Kings 14:23-29) and
Uzziah (II Kings 15:1-
7).
Amos 1:1-15;
Amos 2:9;
Amos 4:10;
Amos 5:1--9:15
under Jeroboam II because Of Gods grace.
God revealed Gods grace, compassion and love to
militaristic Nineveh.
God condemned savagery in war.
God claimed credit for destroying the Amorite.
God claimed that he used war to chasten His people.
Amos predicted Israel's captivity by Assyria.
Table 17
War in the Reign of Uzziah (Ahaziah) and Various Kings of Israel
II Chron. 26:1-23; II Kings 15:1-7; II Kings 15:8-30
5. Hosea should be read
with Jeroboam II,
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
Hezekiah
Hosea 1:7; 5:13;
7:11-16; 8:9;
10:5-15; 11:5-7; 12:1;
13:9-16;
14:3
6. I Chron. 26:1-15; II
Kings 5:1-4
7. II Chron. 26:16-23; II
Kings 15:5-7
8. II Kings 15:8-31
Hosea rebuked Israel and Judah for their spiritual
prostitution and their trust in foreign war machines for
security.
God gave Uzziah military victory because he sought
the Lord.
Uzziah's military strength and power led to pride and
God afflicted him with leprosy.
The evil kings of Israel suffered turmoil and the
beginning of the Assyrian captivity because of their
idolatry and sin.
141
Table 18
War in the Reigns of Jotham and Ahaz
II Chron. 27:1--28:27; II Kings 15:32--16:20
5. Isaiah should be read
with Uzziah, Jotham,
Ahaz and Hezekiah.
Isaiah 1:1--35:10;
41:1-29;
42:20-25; 45:1-25;
47:1-15;
63:1-6.
6. II Chron. 27:1-4; II
Kings 15:32-38
7. II Chron. 28:1-27; II
Kings 16:1-20; Isaiah
7:1--12:6
8. Micah should be read
with Jotham, Ahaz and
Hezekiah.
Micah 1:12:13; 4:9-
13; 5:10-15; 6:16
God was revealed to Isaiah as the sovereign God over
all nations who uses war to chasten the nations for
their sin.
God gave Jotham victory over Ammon because he
ordered his ways before the Lord. God began to send
Aram against Israel and Judah.
Ahaz and Judah suffered repeated defeats because of
unfaithfulness to God; they came into bondage to
Assyria.
Micah predicted war and destruction because of the
sin of Judah and Israel.
Table 19
War in the Reigns of Hosea and Hezekiah
II Kings 17:1--18:12; II Chron. 29:1--32:33
Passage/or Prophet
Observations
5. II Kings 17:1-- II Kings
19:9-12
6. II Chron. 29:1--31:21;
II Kings 18:1-8
7. II Chron. 32:1-22; II
Kings 18:13II Kings
19:37; Isaiah 36:1--
37:38
Israel went into captivity in Assyria because of their
idolatry and sin.
Hezekiah began a revival that saved Judah from going
into captivity with Israel.
God supernaturally delivered Judah and Hezekiah from
Assyria because they trusted in God (II Chron. 32:7-8).
142
8. II Kings 20:1-21; II
Chron. 32:24-33;
Isaiah 38:1--39:8
Isaiah predicted the Babylonian Captivity of Judah
because of their sins.
Table 20
War in the Reigns of Manasseh and Amon
4. II Chron. 33:1-12; II
Kings 21:1-17
5. II Chron. 33:13-20; II
Kings 21:18
6. II Chron. 33:1-25; II
Kings 21:19-25
Manasseh was taken captive to Babylon for his sin.
Manasseh repented and God restored him to Judah.
Amon was killed in civil upheaval because of his sin.
Table 21
War in the Reign of Josiah
II Chron. 34:1--35:27; II Kings 22:1--23:30
6. Zephaniah should be
read with Josiah.
7. II Kings 22:15-20; II
Chron. 34:22-28
Zephaniah promised the chastisement of war against
Judah, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, Assyria and the
whole world, and God promised to save the meek and
humble in Jerusalem who trusted in God from the
coming Babylonian captivity and destruction.
The prophetess Huldah predicted that Josiah would be
143
8. II Chron. 35:20-27; II
Kings 23:29-30
9. Jeremiah should be
read with Josiah
through the end of the
kings of Judah.
10. Habakkuk should be
read in this context.
spared the coming disaster from Babylon because he
repented and obeyed the Law of God.
Josiah fought a war not authorized by God and was
killed by Neco.
Jeremiah predicted that God would use and captivity
to chasten Judah for their sin and idolatry (Jer. 1-17).
Habakkuk received a revelation from God that God
would use the ungodly Babylonians to defeat Judah
and chasten them for their sin and idolatry.
Table 22
War in the Reigns of Johoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah
II Kings 23:31--25:30; II Chron. 36:1-23
1. II Kings 23:31-34; II
Chron. 36:1-4.
2. Jeremiah 25:1--26:24;
35:1--36:32.
Jehoahaz was defeated and taken captive to Egypt for his sins.
Seventy years of captivity predicted for Judah because of their
sin.
144
Jeremiah 45:1--49:39;
Jeremiah 50:1--51:64
II Kings 32:30-- II Kings
24:6;
II Chron. 36:4-8
24:6-17.
4. Jeremiah 37:1--38:28;
Jeremiah 21:1-14;
Jeremiah 24:1-10;
Jeremiah 27:1-22;
Jeremiah 28:1-17;
Ezekiel 1:1--24:27;
Ezekiel 25:1--32:32;
Jeremiah 34:1-22;
Jeremiah 39:1-18;
Jeremiah 52:1-
34; Ezekiel 33:21-33
I Kings 24:8-17; II Chron.
36:9-
21
Lamentations;
Ezekiel 38:1--39:29
The sovereign God predicted that war would be used to
chasten many
The sovereign God predicted that after using Babylon to
chasten many nations for their sins, God would raise up the
Medes and destroy Babylon for their sins.
Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon and God sent war and
defeat for the sins of Judah.
Jehoiachin sent to captivity because of sin.
Jeremiah predicted the seventy-year captivity, was accused of
being unpatriotic,
and subsequently persecuted.
Destruction predicted against Zedekiah.
God told all nations through Jeremiah to serve the King of
Babylon.
The siege of Jerusalem was predicted, and Babylon was
declared to be the rod of God's anger to chasten the nations
for their sins.
Ezekiel predicted that God would use war to chasten many
Zedekiah told by Jeremiah that he would go into captivity for
his sin.
Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and Jeremiah and Ezekiel
explained the fall as chastening for their idolatry and sin.
Zedekiah rebelled against God's chastening rod Babylon and
Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken captive
to Babylon.
Jeremiah lamented the destruction and captivity of Jerusalem
because
of their idolatry and sin.
Ezekiel predicted a war against Israel to happen in the latter
days.
Table 23
145
War in the Exilic and Post-Exilic Books and Prophets
Passage/or Prophet Observation
1. Daniel 2:1-49;
Daniel 5:1-31;
Daniel 7:1--12:13
2. Haggai 2:20-23
3. Zechariah 7:8-13;
Zechariah 12:1--
14:21
4. Ezra 8:15-32
5. Nehemiah 4:7-23;
Nehemiah 9:1-38
God is revealed as the sovereign God of all nations;
God gave Daniel
wisdom to interpret Nebuchadnezzer's dream of
Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, Rome and their wars. Daniel predicted
a kingdom that
God would raise up that would endure forever.
Daniel predicted that Medo-Persia would take over
Babylon.
Daniel predicted various historical and apocalyptical
end times wars.
The sovereign God predicted that God would shake all
nations with war.
God declared that God used war to chasten Jerusalem
for their sins.
God declared that God will destroy all nations who
attack Jerusalem, and that God will fight against them.
Ezra was ashamed to ask King Artaxerxes for military
protection while returning to Jerusalem because he
had affirmed that God protects those who look to Him.
They fasted and prayed instead and God protected
them.
While rebuilding the city walls, the Jews prayed and
kept their weapons on at all times.
A historical review of Israel that explains God's
purpose in using war to chasten Israel and the nations
for their sins.
146
Table 24
Passages in the Gospels Arranged in Chronological Order
That are Cited as Apposite to War
1. Luke 3:7-14
2. John 2:13-22
3. Matt. 5:9; 5:38-
48; Luke 6:27-
36
4. Matt. 8:5-13;
Luke 7:1-10
5. Matt. 10:34-39
6. Matt. 12:22-37;
Mark 3:20-33
7. Mark 6:14-29
8. Luke 11:14-36
9. Luke 12:49-53
10. Luke 14:25-35
11. Matt. 21-12-13;
Mark 11:15-18;
Luke 19:45-48
Events during
the Last Week of
Jesus' Life
12. Matt. 22:15-22;
Mark 12:13-17;
Luke 20:20-26
John the Baptizer's advice to soldiers was, "Do not take
money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and
be content with your wages."
First cleansing of the Temple of Jesus.
Jesus' teaching on retaliation and action toward enemies.
Jesus healed a centurion's slave, and marveled at his faith.
Jesus declared He came not to bring peace but a sword.
Jesus told the parable about the "strong armed man."
Soldiers at the command of Herod Antipas beheaded John the
Baptizer.
Jesus repeated the "strong armed man" parable. Cf. no. 6.
Jesus repeated the "division" saying, Cf. no. 5.
Jesus told a parable about a king preparing to go to war.
Jesus cleansed the Temple a second time.
Jesus responded to a "trick question" regarding payment of
tax to Caesar with the famous aphorism "Give to Caesar what
is Caesar's . . ." etc.
147
13. Matt. 24:6-7;
Mark 12:7-8;
Luke 21:9-10
14. Luke 22:35-38;
Luke 22:47-53;
Matt. 20:47-56;
Mark 14:43-52;
John 18:2-12
15. John 18:33-38
16. Luke 23:6-12
17. John 19:1-3;
Matt. 27:27-30;
Mark 15:16-19
18. Matt. 27:35-44;
Mark 15:24-32;
Luke 23:22-43;
John 19:18-27
19. Matt. 27:54;
Mark 15:39;
Luke 23:44-47
20. Matt. 28:11-15
Jesus predicted various historical and apocalyptical wars.
Jesus told His disciples to purchase "swords"
( ), along with
prior and
subsequent historical information in reference to events
surrounding Jesus'
arrest in the garden.
Jesus told Pilate why His servants would not fight.
Herod Antipas and his soldiers mocked Jesus.
Pilate's soldiers mocked and beat Jesus on two separate
occasions.
Soldiers crucified Jesus and gambled for His cloak.
The Centurion and some of the soldiers who crucified Jesus
confessed Jesus deity and innocence.
The soldiers who guarded Jesus' tomb accepted bribes and
said that the disciples
stole Jesus' body.
148
Table 25
Chronological Reconstruction of Events Surrounding
the "Buy a Sword" Saying of Jesus
1. Luke 22:35-37 (Cf. Matt.
10:1-42); Mark 6:7-13;
Luke 9:1-6.
2. Luke 22:38
3. Matt. 26:26-46; Mark
14:22-46; Luke 22:39-46;
John 13:117:26
4. Matt. 26:47-49; Mark
14:34-45; Luke 22:47-48;
John 18:1-19.
5. Luke 22:49
6. Matt. 26:50-51; Mark
14:46-47; Luke 22:50;
John 18:10.
7.
During the Last Supper, Jesus asked the disciples if they had
lacked anything on previous missions in light of His
instructions to them to take no thought for the necessities of
life. After they replied that they had not lacked for anything,
Jesus told them they should now think about such things,
including the purchase of a sword.
The disciples produced two swords ( ), and
Jesus then replied, It is enough ( ).
Jesus and the disciples finished the supper, Jesus gave His
final teaching to the disciples, and they departed for the
Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus agonized in prayer.
Judas led a large armed force to the garden to arrest Jesus,
and kissed Jesus as a signal that Jesus was the one to be
arrested.
The disciples then realized Jesus was caught in a trap, and
asked Jesus if they should . . . strike with the sword
( ).
Apparently before Jesus had a chance to answer their
question, Peter slashed off Malchus ear with the sword.
The following statements of Jesus are difficult to precisely
chronologize, but in response to Peters attack on Malchus,
Jesus did and said the following:
149
a. Luke 22:51a
b. Luke 22:51b
c. Matt. 26:52a; John
18:11a
1) Matt. 26:52b
2) John 18:11b
3) Matt. 26:53
4) Matt. 26:54
8.
a. Matt. 26:55; Mark
14:48; Luke 22:52
b. Matt. 26:55; Mark
14:48; Luke 22:52;
c. Matt. 26:56; Mark
14:49; Luke 22:53
Jesus the apparently answered their question about using
the sword by saying, Stop! No more of this (
).
Jesus then healed Malchus ear.
Jesus then told them to sheath the sword for four reasons:
All those taking up the sword will perish by it;
The current events were the Fathers cup (will) for Jesus;
Jesus could have asked for and received from the Father
Angelic protection;
Jesus interpreted these events as a fulfillment of scriptural
prophecy.
Jesus then addressed those who were arresting Him with the
following:
Jesus asked them why they were treating Him like a robber
by using spears and clubs against Him.
He told them their conduct was the fulfillment of prophecy,
and
their behavior was in consort with Satans power and plan
(Cf. T 25:10 with Peters recollection of these events 30
years later at 1 Peter 2:21-23).
Table 26
Passages in Acts Regarding Soldiers and Government
1. 4:1-23; 5:12-42
2. 10:1--11:18
3. 12:1-23
4. 16:11-40
5. 21:17--23:35
6. 25:1-27
7. 27:1-44
The Temple guards were used to restrict the Apostles from
proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus.
Cornelius, a Gentile centurion, and his family became
Christians through Peter's proclamation.
Herod Agrippa directed his soldiers to kill the Apostle James
and imprison Peter, and in return received the judgment of
God upon himself.
God miraculously overruled the injustices of the Magistrates
of Philippi, and Paul and Silas led the Philippian jailer and his
family to faith in Christ.
A Roman chiliarch twice saved Paul's life.
Paul appealed to Caesar to hear his case.
Julius the centurion saved Paul's life.
150
Table 27
New Testament Letter References Commonly Cited as Apposite to War
1) Romans
13:1-7
2) I Timothy
2:1-7
3) Titus 3:1-7
4) I Peter 2:13-
17
5) Phil. 1:13;
4:22
6) Hebrews
11:30-34
God has established existing governments; Christians are
therefore to "submit" ( , hupotassestho)
to them, pay their taxes, and "respect" ( , phobon)
and "honor" ( , timen) them.
Christians are therefore to "pray" for authorities so that . . .
we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and
dignity."
Christians are to "submit" ( ,
hupotassethai) to governing authorities and be obedient
( , peitharchein).
Christians are to "submit" ( , hupotagete) to
and "honor" ( ,
timate) governmental authorities.
Paul apparently led some of "Caesar's household" and
members of the
Praetorian guard to Christian faith.

The faith of Old Testament warriors is eulogized.
Table 27b
Metaphorical Usage of War Terminology in the New Testament Letters
1. I Cor. 9:7; I Cor. 11:8;
II Cor. 10:1-5; Phil.
2:25; I Tim 1:18; I Tim.
6:12; II Tim. 2-3-4; II
Tim 4:7; Philemon v.
2.
2. Rom. 13:12; Eph.
The Christian life and ministry are likened to the life
and service of soldiers.
Various spiritual qualities and dimensions of the
Christian life are likened to pieces of a soldier's armor.
151
6:10-20; I Thess. 5:8.
3. II Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:7-
10.
4. Rom. 7:23; James 4:1-
2; I Pet. 2:11.
God and Christ are likened to victorious military
generals.
Internal and external sin and dissonance in the
Christian life and church are likened to war.
Table 28
War in the Book of Revelation
Passage Observation
1. 6:3-8
2. 9:13-19
3. 11:1-3
4. 12:1--13:10
5. 16:12-16
6. 17
7. 19:11-21
8. 20:7-15
Three of the four horsemen are revealed with warlike terminology.
One third of mankind is pictured as killed by a union of angels and
an army of two hundred million humans.
The Beast makes war on the two witnesses of God and kills them.
God brings them back to life after three and one half days and takes
them to heaven.
War in heaven between good angels and Satan and his demons is
described. Satan is cast out of heaven to earth and through the
Beast makes war on the saints and overcomes them.
Various armies of the East are gathered at Armageddon for the war
of the great day of God Almighty.
Babylon, the Beast and the nations unite to wage war against the
Lamb. The victory of the Lamb is predicted.
The kings of the earth and the Beast are defeated in a war against
Jesus and His army, after which Jesus and His followers reign for a
thousand years on Earth while Satan is bound.
After the thousand-year reign of Christ, Satan is released. Satan
deceives and gathers the nations for one final war against Christ and
His followers. Satan and his followers are defeated with a holocaust
that ends war for all time and which ushers in the eternal, peaceful
reign of God, Christ and their followers
152
ADDENDUM: CHRONOLOGICAL CHARTS OF THE BIBLE
A COMPREHENSIVE SYNTHESIS OF BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGIES
ERAS OF
BIBLICAL
HISTORY
CREATION
PRE-HISTORY
PATRIARCHS
2165-1805
EXODUS
REDEMPTION
REVELATION
REBELLION
1445-1405
POSSESSION
(CONQUEST)
1405-1380
JUDGES
1380-1050
KINGS
PROPHETS
1050-586
EXILE
605-537
RETURN
537-432-
6BC/E
GOSPELS
6BC/E-31 AD/CE
ACTS
&
LETTERS
31-68 AD/CE
PASSAGES
NEHEMIAH 9
444BC/E
9:5-6 9:7-8 9:9-22 9:23-25 9:26-28 9:29-37 9:29-37 9:3810:39
PSALMS 104 105:1-25 Ps 105:26-41
106:1-39
Ps 78:5-53
105:42-44
78:54-55
106:40-47;
107
78:56-64 78:65-72 79
JUDGES 2
CA. 1050
24:5-10 2:1-23
JOSHUA 24
CA.1380
24:2-4 24:5-10 24:11-27
153
CORRESPONDING
PORTIONS OF THE
BIBLE
Gen esis 1--2 Gen esis 1150
(2165-1805)
Exodus through
Deuteronomy
(1525-1405)
Joshua
(1405-1375)
Judges
(1375-1050)
I & II Chronicles
(Creation-537)
I & II Samuel
(1050-970)
I & II Kings
970-561)
Obadiah (850S-
840S)
Joel (840-795)
Jonah (800-770)
Amos (760-753)
Hosea (755-725)
Micah (755-725)
Isaiah (740-680)
Nahum (660-613)
Zephaniah (623-
622)
Jeremiah (627-
580S)
Jeremiah (627-
580S)
Daniel (605-530s)
Ezekiel (592-572)
Ezra (538-457)
Esther (483-473
Nehemiah (445-
432
Haggai (520)
Zechariah (520-
480)
Malachi (400s)
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Galatians: 48/49
James: late 40s-50s
1-2Thessalonians
51/52
I & 2 Corinthians
55
Romans: 57
Ephesians,
Colossians &
Philemon: 60
Philippians: 61
1 Timothy 63-65
Titus: 63-65
1 Peter: early 60s
2 Timothy67-68
2 Peter: late 60s
1-3 John: 80s
Jude: 60s-80s
Revelation: late
60s-90s
154
A SYNTHESIS OF OLDER TESTAMENT CHRONOLOGIES
READ ACROSS ROWS FOR CHRONOLOGICAL FLOW OF BIBLICAL HISTORY. READ DOWN COLUMNS FOR SPECIFIC CHRONOLOGIES AND PASSAGES. DATES ARE CA. AND BC/BCE
ERAS OF
BIBLICAL
HISTORY
CREATION
PRE-HISTORY
PATRIARCHS
2165-1805
EXODUS POSSESSION
(CONQUEST)
1405-1375
JUDGES
1375-1050
KINGDOM
&
PROPHETS
1050-586
EXILE
605-537
RETURN
537-432
REDEMPTION
1445
REVELATION
1445-44
REBELLION
1444-1405
PASSAGES
NEHEMIAH 9
444BC/E
9:5-6 9:7-8 9:9-12 9:13-15 9:16-22 9:23-25 9:26-28 9:29-37 9:3810:39
PSALMS 104 105:1-25 Ps 105:26-
38
106:1-12
Ps 78:5-16
105:39-41
106:13-39
78:17-53
105:42-44
78:54-55
106:40-
47;107
78:56-64
78:65-72 79
JUDGES 2
CA. 1050
2:1-23
JOSHUA 24
CA.1380
24:2-4 24:5-7a 24:7b-10 24:11-27
CORRESPONDING
PORTIONS
OF
THE TANAK
Genesis 1--
2
Genesis 12-
50
2165-1805
Exodus 1
15
1445
Exodus 16-
Leviticus
1445-1444
Numbers-
Deuterono
my
1444-1405
Joshua
1405-1375
Judges
1375-1050
I & II Chronicles
(Creation-537)
I & II Samuel
(1050-970)
I & II Kings
970-561)
Obadiah (850S-
840S)
Joel (840-795)
Jonah (800-770)
Amos (760-753)
Hosea (755-725)
Micah (755-725)
Isaiah (740-680)
Nahum (660-613)
Zephaniah (623-
622)
Jeremiah (627-
580S)
Jeremiah (627-
580S)
Daniel (605-530s)
Ezekiel (592-572)
Ezra (538-457)
Esther (483-473)
Nehemiah (445-
432)
Haggai (520)
Zechariah (520-
480)
Malachi (400s)
155
156
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE BOOKS OF MOSES (GENESIS - DEUTERONOMY, THE TORAH)
CREATION
Genesis
1-11
PATRIARCH ERA
Genesis 12--Exodus 11
EXODUS ERA
Exodus 12--Deuteronomy (Including events in Joshua 1-5)
1/1/14 means the first year, first month and 14th day of the Exodus Era.
Similarly, the other dates in this section are the dates given in the Bible for the Exodus Era, and all dates are BC/BCE.
Genesis
1--11
Pre-
History
Genesis
12--21
Abraham
25
years
2090-2065
Genesis
21:25--
26
Isaac
60
years
2065-2005
Genesis
25:26--
45
Jacob
130
years
2005-1875
Genesis
45--Ex.
11
Israel
in Egypt
430
years
1875-1445
Exodus
1215,
Nu. 33:1-9
Israel
Left
Egypt
1 month
1/1/14-
1/2/13
1445
Exodus
16--18,
Nu. 33:10-
15
Manna &
The Rock
1 month
1/2/14-
1/3/13
1445
Exodus1
9-
Leviticus
The Law,
Priestho
od,
Taberna
cle
8.5
months
1/3/14-
2/1/1
1445-1444
Numbers
7--8
Dedicati
on of
Taberna
cle
12 days
2/1/2-
2/1/13
1444
Numbers
9--10:10
2nd
Passover
7 days
2/1/14-
2/1/20
1444
Numbers
1--6
1st
Census
of Israel
18 days
2/2/1-
2/2/19
1444
Numbers
10:10-36
Departur
e
from
Sinai
3 days
2/2/20-
2/2/23
1444
Numbers
11--20,
33:16-39
Wanderi
ng
in Desert
38
years
2/2/23-
40/5/1
1444-1406
Numbers
21--36,
33:40-47
Moab
Experien
ce
5
months
40/6/1-
40/11/1
1406
Deut.--
Joshua 5;
Nu. 33:48-
56
Law
Review;
Israel in
Canaan
2.5
months
40/11/1-
41/1/14
1405
4) REDEMPTION FROM EGYPT AND REVELATION OF THE LAW COVENANT AT MT. SINAI
EXODUS 12-40, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS 1--10
1 YEAR, 1 MONTH, 20 DAYS (1445-1444 BC/E)
3) ENTIRE EXODUS ERA
FROM FIRST PASSOVER AND EXODUS FROM EGYPT (EXODUS 12) THROUGH FIRST PASSOVER IN CANAAN (JOSHUA 5)
40 YEARS (1445-1405 BC/E)
2) PATRIARCH ERA
FROM ABRAHAM'S CALL (GENESIS 12)
THROUGH EXODUS FROM EGYPT (EXODUS 12)
645 YEARS (2090-1445 BC/E)
1) THE PATRIARCH AND EXODUS ERAS
FROM THE CALL OF ABRAHAM (GENESIS 12) THROUGH THE FIRST PASSOVER IN CANAAN (JOSHUA 5)
685 YEARS (2090-1405 BC/E)
157
158
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE PATRIARCH-EXODUS ERAS: FROM THE ABRAHAMS BIRTH TO MOSES DEATH (GENESIS 11--EXODUS 1)
PASSAGES DATES (BC/BCE) EVENTS
FROM GENESIS
1) 11:26 CA. 2165 ABRAHAM BORN
2) 12:4 CA. 2090 ABRAHAM CALLED BY GOD AT 75 YEARS OLD
3) 16:16 CA. 2080-79 ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH; ISHMAEL BORN
4) 17:1; 17:24 CA. 2066 ABRAHAM CIRCUMCISED
5) 21:5 CA. 2065 ISSAC BORN IN ABRAHAM'S 100TH YEAR
6) 23:1-2 CA. 2028 SARAH DIED IN ABRAHAM'S 137TH YEAR
7) 25:20 CA. 2025 ISSAC MARRIED REBECCA IN ABRAHAM'S 140TH YEAR
8) 25:26 CA. 2005 ISSAC 60 YEARS OLD WHEN JACOB AND ESAU WERE BORN IN ABRAHAM'S 160TH YEAR
9) 25:7 CA. 1990 ABRAHAM DIED IN HIS 175TH YEAR
10) 28:35 CA. 1965 ISSAC 100 YEARS OLD WHEN ESAU MARRIED A HITTITE WOMAN AT AGE 40
11) 30:24 CA. 1914 JACOB 91 YEARS OLD WHEN JOSEPH WAS BORN
12) 37:2 CA. 1897 JACOB 108 YEARS OLD WHEN JOSEPH AT AGE 17 WAS SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS INTO SLAVERY
13) 35:27-28 CA. 1885 ISSAC DIED AT AGE 180 IN JACOB'S 120TH YEAR
14) 37:1--42:46 CA. 1897-1884 JOSEPH'S 13 YEARS OF SLAVERY IN EGYPT
15) 42:42 CA. 1884 JOSEPH EXALTED IN EGYPT
16) 42:52 CA. 1884-78 JOSEPH'S 7 YEARS OF PLENTY
17) 42:53--45:6 CA. 1877-1875 JOSEPH TESTED HIS BROTHER FOR TWO YEARS
18) 45:6-47:9 CA. 1875 JACOB (ISRAEL) 130 YEARS OLD WHEN HE ENTERED EGYPT TO LIVE. THIS MARKED THE BEGINNING OF
ISRAEL'S
430-YEAR SOJOURN IN EGYPT (EX. 12:40-41)
19) 47:10-49:33 (47:28) CA. 1858 JACOB DIED AT AGE 147 IN EGYPT
20) 50:22 CA. 1805/4 JOSEPH DIED IN EGYPT AT 110 YEARS OLD
FROM EXODUS
21) EX. 1 CA. 1700S THROUGH 1445 ISRAEL ENSLAVED IN EGYPT
22) EX. 2 CA. 1525 MOSES BORN IN EGYPT
23) EX. 2:11-25; ACTS 7:23 CA. 1485 MOSES' 40 YEAR SOJURN IN MIDIAN
22) 7:7 CA. 1445 MOSES BEGAN THE EXODUS AT AGE 80
FROM DEUTERONOMY
24) DEUT. 31:2; 34:7 CA. 1405 MOSES DIED AT 120 YEARS OLD ON MT. NEBO ON CANAAN'S BORDER
159
A DETAILED CHRONOLOGY OF THE EXODUS ERA: EXODUS 12--JOSHUA 5
The dates listed in this section are given in the order of year, month and day of the Exodus Era, e.g., 1/1/10 means the 1st year, 1st month, 10th day of the Exodus Era.
PASSAGE DATES EVENTS
1ST YEAR, 1ST MONTH REDEMPTION: ISRAEL'S EXODUS FROM EGYPT
1) Ex. 12:1-2, 13:4 1st month of Jewish Sacred Calendar
(Nisan/Abid) March-April, 1445
Preparation for First Passover
2) Ex. 12:3-5 1/1/10 (appx. March 25, 1445) Passover Lambs chosen
3) Ex. 12:6-30 1/1/14 (March 29, 1445) First Passover, Passover Lambs sacrificed
4) Ex. 12:31--13:16; Num. 33:3-4 1/1/15 (March 30, 1445) Exodus: Israel departed Egypt, 430 years after Israel entered Egypt in 1875 (Gen.
45)
5) Ex. 13:17-22; Num. 33:5-6 April, 1445 Israel led by Pillar of Fire
6) Ex. 14:1--15:27; Num. 33:7-9 April, 1445 Israel crosses the Sea, Marah waters made sweet
1ST YEAR, 2ND -3RD MONTH
7) Ex. 16-18; Num. 33:10-14 1/2/15 (April 30-May, 1445) Manna; Water from The Rock; Amalakites defeated, Jethro visited Moses.
1ST YEAR, 3RD MONTH -2ND YEAR REVELATION: ISRAEL RECEIVED TORAH (LAW) COVENANT AT MT. SINAI
8) Ex. 19:1-15 1/3/15-17 (May 30-June 2, 1445) Three-day preparation to receive The Law
9) Ex. 19:16--40:35; Leviticus 1/3/17 (June, 1445) through Revelation of The Law, The Priesthood and The Tabernacle;
2/1/1 (March, 1444) The Tabernacle was erected (Ex. 40:17) on 2/1/1 (March 15, 1444)
10) Lev. 8-9; Num. 7-8 March, 1444 Consecration of Aaronic Priesthood
11) Num. 9 2/1/14 (March 29, 1444) Celebration of 2nd Passover
12) Num. 1--6 2/2/1 (April 15, 1444) through
2/2/19 (May 4, 1444) 1st Population Census of Israel
13) Num. 10:11-36; 33:16 2/2/20 (May 5, 1444) Israel departed Mt. Sinai
1444-1406 REBELLION: ISRAEL IN THE DESERT
14) Num. 11--12; 33:16-17 May-June, 1444 Graves of Desire, complaining against Moses
15) Num. 13 May-June, 1444 40-day exploration of Canaan
16) Num. 14 May-June, 1444 Rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea: Israel refused to enter Canaan
17) Num. 15--19; 33:18-35 1444-1406 Israel wandered in The Desert
18) Num. 20:1-21; 33:36 March, 1406 Miriam died; Moses failed, Edom refused Israel passage
19) Num. 20:22--36:13; 33:37-56 March-Dec., 1406 Aaron died; Israel's experience in Moab
20) Deuteronomy 40/11/1 (Jan., 1406) Moses' Exposition of The Law; Moses died on Mt. Nebo on Canaan's border
1406-1405 REMOVAL OF REPROACH: ISRAEL IN THE PROMISED LAND OF CANAAN
21) Joshua 1--2 Jan.-Feb., 1406 Exploration of Canaan
22) Joshua 3-4 41/1/10 (March 25, 1405) Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan, The Promised Land
23) Joshua 5 41/1/14 (March 29, 1405) Israel celebrated their 1st Passover in Canaan, 40 years after the 1st Passover in
Egypt (Ex. 12:6-30)
160
161
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA
Caleb was 40 years old when he first entered Canaan with Joshua at Kadesh Barnea in 1444 (Cf. Joshua 14:7 and Numbers 13-14).
Caleb was 85 years old at Joshua 14:10 after he conquered Canaan with Joshua.
THUS, AN APPROXIMATE CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA IS AS FOLLOWS.
1) Caleb was born ca. 1485/44 in slavery in Egypt (1444 +40 = ca. 1485/84)
2) Caleb was 40 when he left Egypt in 1445 with Moses and Joshua (Cf. Ex. 12:40 and A DETAILED CHRONOLOGY OF THE EXODUS ERA: EXODUS 12--JOSHUA 5,
#4).
3) Caleb was 40 when he when he first entered Canaan with Joshua at Kadesh Barnea in 1444 (Cf. Joshua 14:7 and Numbers 13-14).
4) Caleb was 40-80 when he wandered in the desert for 40 years from 1444-1405.
5) Caleb was 80 when he entered Canaan a second time with Joshua in 1405
(Cf. Joshua 4:19, 5:10 and A DETAILED CHRONOLOGY OF THE EXODUS ERA: EXODUS 12--JOSHUA 5, #22-23).
6) Caleb was 85 years old at Joshua 14:10 after the events described in Joshua 6-12, the taking of Canaan with Joshua.
7) Thus, the events of Joshua 1-5 happened in 1405, and
8) The events of Joshua 6-12 happened 1405-1400.
9) If it is assumed that Joshua was about the same age as Caleb, then Joshua was also about 85 in 1400.
10) Thus, Joshuas death at 110 (Joshua 24) took place in C. 1375.
JOSHUA ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 15
JOSHUA TOOK THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 612
JOSHUA DIVIDED THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 1321
JOSHUA RENEWED COVENANT AND DIED
JOSHUA 2223
ca. 1406-1405
Joshua 12: Jan.-Feb, 1406
Exploration of Canaan
Joshua 34: 41/1/10 1/13 (March,
1405)
Entrance into Canaan
Joshua 5: 41/1/14 (March, 1405)
Israel celebrated their 1st Passover in
Canaan, 40 years after the 1st
Passover in Egypt (Ex. 12:6-30), 430
years after entering Egypt in 1875
(Ex. 12:40)
Caleb was 80 when he entered
Canaan
a second time with Joshua in 1405.
ca. 1405-1400
Caleb was 80-85 years old
when he took the land with Joshua
ca. 1400
Caleb was 85 years old at Joshua
14:10,
after the events described in Joshua
6-12,
the taking of Canaan with Joshua.
ca. 1375: Joshua Died
162
163
JOSHUAS CHRONOLOGY FROM ABRAHAM TO THE EVENTS OF JOSHUA 24

The Past The Then
Present & Future
JOSHUA 24:2-4
A REVIEW OF GENESIS 11
50
EXPECTATION:
ABRAHAM & THE
PATRIARCHS
MOVE FROM POLYTHEISM
AND UR
TO THE HOPE OF
THE PROMISE D LAND
JOSHUA 24:5-7
A REVIEW OF EXODUS 1
NUM. 20
REDEMPTION:
MOSES AND ISRAEL
MOVE FROM SLAVERY
VIA THE DESERT ON THE
WAY TO
THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 24:8-10
A REVIEW OF NUMBERS
2125
OPPOSITION:
MOSES AND ISRAEL
OPPOSED BY AMORITES &
MOAB
ON THE WAY TO
THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 24:11-13
A REVIEW OF JOSHUA 1
22
POSSESSION:
JOSHUA AND ISRAEL
CONQUER 7 NATIONS &
31 KINGS
AND POSSESS
THE PROMISED LAND
JOSHUA 24:14-27
A PROJECTION OF THE
FUTURE
EXHORTATION:
JOSHUA EXHORTED ISRAEL
TO FEAR, SERVE AND
YIELD TO
YAHWEH IN
THE PROMISED LAND
2165-1805 BC/BCE 1445-1407 BC/BCE 1407-1405 BC/BCE 1405-1400 BC/BCE 1400-1375?
164
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE ERA OF JUDGES (SHOPETIM)
THE COVENANT FAITHFULNESS OF YAHWEH DESPITE THE UNFAITHFULNESS OF ISRAEL
1) Aaron died in the 40th year after the Exodus (1445-40 =1406: Cf. Num. 20:22-29 with Num. 33:38-39). 2) Israel captured Heshbon soon after Aaron's death
in 1406 (Cf. Num. 21:21-35 & Num. 32).
3) Jephthah's Chronology at Judges 11:26 asserted that Israel had controlled Heshbon for 300 years. 4) Thus, 300 years from 1406 (1105) is the date of Num.
11:26. 5) Thus, the Book of Judges covers the years from Joshua's death (ca. 1375) to Samson's death (ca. 1050).
THE CYCLIC
PATTERN
OF JUDGES
KEY PHRASES IN THE CYCLIC PATTERN
THE SEVEN-FOLD PATTERN DEMONSTRATED
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6 Cycle 7
Othniel Ehud Deborah/
Barak
Gideon Jephtha Samson Samuel
2:11-13 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1 3:5-7 3:12a 4:1 6:1a 10:6 13:1a 1721
2:14-15 3:8, 4:2, 6:16, 10:7, 13:1
3:9, 3:15, 4:3, 6:7, 10:10
3::8 3:12-14 4:2-3 6:1-6 10:7-16 13:1b
2:16-18 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 13:24-25, 14:6, 15:14
3:11, 3:30, 5:31, 8:28
_____________________________________________
3:9-10 3:15-21 4:45:31 6:78:31 10:17
12:6
13:2
16:31
2:19 18:1, 19:1, 21:25 3:11 4:1 6:1 8:3210:5 12:7-15 1721
165
GOD'S SPIRITUAL PURPOSES FOR ISRAEL:
THE REDEMPTION & REGENERATION OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
ILLUSTRATED POSITIVELY BY RUTH IN THE BOOK OF RUTH ILLUSTRATED NEGATIVELY BY SAMSON IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES
HISTORICAL FACTS SYMBOLIC REALITIES HISTORICAL FACTS SYMBOLIC REALITIES
Ruths Nationality
1:4
The Source of Samsons Strength
Num. 6
Judges
13:2-5
13:25
14:6
14:19
15:14
Exodus 19:3-6
Nehemiah 9-20
Ruths Need
1:8-9
3:1-2
Num. 27:1-11
Lev. 25:25-28
Deut. 25:5-10
The Source of Samsons Weakness
14:1
16:1
16:4-20
Deut. 7:3-6
Num. 25:1-3
Jer. 3:6-10
Boazs Nationality
2:1
2:20
Boazs Actions
4:9-10
The Result of Samsons Weakness
16:21 2 Chronicles 15:21
Isa. 26:17-18
Result of Boazs Redemption
4:13-15
Matthew 1:5
Isaiah 26:17-18
166
THE BEGINNING OF THE KINGDOM ERA:
A CHRONOLOGICAL READING GUIDE TO 1 CHRONICLES & 1-2 SAMUEL
Read First Row Across for Chronological Overview. Read Second Row Down for Major Events in
Each Era.
CHRONOLOGY
OF
BIBLICAL HISTORY
1 CHRONICLES 1-9
Acts 13:16-20
Israel's
Genealogy
from Adam
(Prehistory)
to The Return
Era in 538
BC/BCE
1 SAMUEL 1-8
Acts 13:21
Israel's Rejection
of Theocracy f
or Monarchy
1067 1043
BC/BCE
1 SAMUEL 9-15
Saul's Rebellions
1043-1025
BC/BCE
1 SAMUEL 16-31
Acts 13:22;
Psalms 59; 56;
34; 57; 142; 52;
54
David's
Selection by God
and
Persecution by
Saul
1025-1011
BC/BCE
2 SAMUEL 1-10,
1 CHRONICLES 10-
19
Acts 13:23
Psalms 60, 18
Psalm 89
David's
Exaltation as
King
1011990
BC/BCE
2 SAMUEL 11-24,
1 CHRONICLES 20-
21
Psalms 51; 63
David's
Transgression
and
Chastisement
990-975 BC/BCE
1 CHRONICLES 22-
29
David's
Organization
of Israel &
The Completion
of His Reign
975-971 BC/BCE
167
MAJOR EVENTS
& THEMES
168
A CHRONOLOGICAL READING CHART FOR THE KINGS AND PROPHETS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL
ALL DATES ARE CA. AND BC/BCE
THE UNITED KINGDOM
1) SAUL (1050-1011, 1 SAMUEL 8--15; 1 CHRONICLES 8)
2) DAVID (1011-971, 1 SAMUEL 16--2 SAMUEL 24; 1 CHRONICLES 9--29)
3) SOLOMON (971-931, 2 CHRONICLES 1--9, 1 KINGS 111)
THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
KINGS OF JUDAH (SOUTHERN KINGDOM) KINGS OF ISRAEL (NORTHERN KINGDOM) PROPHETS OF JUDAH & ISRAEL FOREIGN POLITICOS
4) REHOBOAM (930-913; 2 CH. 10--12) JEROBOAM (1 KINGS 11:2614:31 ASSYRIAN KINGS
5) ABIJAH (913-910, 2 CH. 13) 1 KINGS 15:1-8
6) ASA (910-869, 2 CH. 14--16) 1 KINGS 15:9--22:50 ELIJAH AND ELISHA SHALMANESER III (859-825)
7) JEHOSHAPHAT (872-848, 2 CH. 17-20) 1 KI. 22:41--2 KI. 8:15
8) JEHORAM (852-841, 2 CH. 21) 2 KI. 8:16-24 OBADIAH (POSSIBLE TIME) 850-840
9) AHAZIAH (841, 2 CH. 22) 2 KI. 8:25--10:35 JOEL (POSSIBLE TIME) 840-795
10) JOASH (835-796, 2 CH. 23-24) 2 KI. 1113
11) AMAZIAH (796-767, 2 CH. 25) 2 KI. 14 JONAH: 800-770
12) UZZIAH (792-740, 2 CH. 26) 2 KI. 15:1-31 AMOS: 760-753; HOSEA: 755-725 TIGLATHPILESER (745-728)
13) JOTHAM (750-732, 2 CH. 27) 2 KI. 15:32-37 MICAH: 755-725: ISAIAH: 740-680 SHALMANESER (726-706)
14) AHAZ (735-715, 2 CH. 28) 2 KI. 17
ISRAEL TAKEN CAPTIVE BY ASSYRIA IN 722
10 NORTHERN TRIBES LOST FOREVER
MICAH: 755-725: ISAIAH: 740-680
15) HEZIKIAH (715-686; 2 CH. 29-32; 2KI. 18-
20)
MICAH: 755-725: ISAIAH: 740-680 SENNACHERIB (705-682)
16) MANASSEH (697-642, 2 CH. 33:1-20, 2 KI.
21:1-18)
NAHUM: 660-613 ASSURBANAPAL (669-627)
17) AMON (642-640, 2 CH. 33:21-25, 2 KI. 21:19-
26)
NAHUM: 660-613
18) JOSIAH (640-609, 2 CH. 34-35, 2 KI. 22:1-
23:30)
JEREMIAH: 627-580S; ZEPHANIAH: 623-622 ASSYRIA FELL TO BABYLON IN 609
19) JEHOAHAZ (609, 2 CH. 36:1-4, 2 KI. 23:31-
35)
JEREMIAH: 627-580S; HABAKKUK: 610-606 BABYLONIAN KINGS: 605-561
20) JEHOIAKIM (609-598, 2 CH. 36:4-8, 2 KI. 23:36-
24:7)
JEREMIAH: 627-580S; DANIEL: 605-530S NEBUCHADNEZZER (605-562)
21) JEHOIACHIN (598-597, 2 CH. 36:9-10, 2 KI.
24:8-17)
JEREMIAH: 627-580S; DANIEL: 605-530S
22) ZEDIKIAH (597-586, 2 CH. 36:11-21, 2 KI.
24:18-5:30)
JUDAH & JERUSALEM TAKEN
INTO CAPTIVITY BY BABYLON IN 586.
JEREMIAH: 627-580S
DANIEL: 605-530S
EZEKIEL: 592-572
BABYLON FELL TO MEDO-PERSIA IN 539
23) EXILIC ERA: IN BABYLON EZEKIEL: 592-572 MEDO-PERSIAN KINGS
24) RETURN ERA: EZRA: 538-457 HAGGAI: 520; ZECHARIAH: 520-480S
ESTHER: 483-473
CYRUS: 550-530
169
25) REBUILD ERA: NEHEMIAH: 445-432 MALACHI: 450S-440S DARIUS: 521-486
DAVID
1) THE TIME OF PERSECUTION (CA. 1023-1010 BC/E)
DATES PASSAGES MAJOR EVENTS
1023-1010
BC/E 1) I Sam. 16
2) I Sam. 17
3) I Sam. 18; Psalm 59
4) I Sam. 19
5) I Sam. 20
6) I Sam. 21:1-9
7) I Sam. 21:10-15; Psalms 34,
56
8) I Sam. 22:1-4; I Ch. 12:8-18;
Psalms 57; 142
9) I Sam. 22:5
10) I Sam. 22:6-23; Psalm 52
11) I Sam. 23:1-6
12) I Sam. 23:7-14; Psalm 63
should be
read in conjunction with 1B,
12-18.
13) I Sam. 23:15-18
14) I Sam. 23:19-23; Psalm 54
15) I Sam. 23:24-28
16) I Sam. 23:29--I Sam. 24
17) I Sam. 25
18) I Sam. 26
19) I Sam. 27:1-4
20) I Sam. 27:5-7; I Ch. 12:1-7
21) I Sam. 27:8-12
22) I Sam. 28:1-2; I Ch. 12:19-22
23) I Sam. 28:3-25; I Sam. 29:1-
11
1A) DAVIDS FIRST ANOINTING, BY GOD (CA. 1023
1
)
1) David's first anointing, by God
2) Confirmed by victory over Goliath.
3) Befriended by Jonathan, envied by Saul.
1B) DAVIDS PERSECUTION BY SAUL
4) David fled to Samuel.
5) David fled to Jonathan.
6) David fled to Ahimelech.
7) David fled to Achish in Gath.
8) David fled to the cave in Abdullam; some men defect from Saul to David.
9) David fled to forest of Hereth.
10) Saul killed Ahimelech and priests.
11) David delivered Keilah from Philistia.
12) David fled to wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
13) Jonathan visited David in Ziph and encouraged him in God.
14) Ziphites informed Saul of Davids position.
15) God delivered David from Saul in wilderness of Maon (Rock of Escape).
16) David spared Saul in Engedi.
17) David spared Nabal in Maon.
18) David spared Saul a second time in Ziph.
1C) DAVIDS EXILE IN PHILISTIA FOR 16 MONTHS
19) David fled a second time to Achish; Saul ceased his pursuit.
20) Achish gave Ziklag to David; more men defect to David from Saul.
21) Davids raids in Philistia.
22) Achish recruited David to fight for Philistia against Israel.
23) On the same day, Saul inquired of a medium and David was rejected by the Philistine war lords.
24) The next day, Saul was killed in war with Philistia; a historical and interpretive account of Sauls
death.
25) Two days after Sauls death, David rescued Ziklag from the Amalekites.
26) David sent gifts to leaders of Judah.
170
24) I Sam. 31; I Ch. 10;1-14
25) I Sam. 30:1-25
26) I Sam. 30:26-31
27) II Sam. 1
27) David learned of and mourned the deaths of Saul and Jonathan.
171
DAVID
2) THE TIME OF RECOGNITION (CA. 1010-1003 BCE)
28) ca. 1010
34) ca. 1003
28) II Sam. 2:1-7
29) II Sam. 2:8-11
30) II Sam. 2:12-3:1
31) II Sam. 3:2-5; I Ch. 3:1-4a
32) II Sam. 3:6-39
33) II Sam. 4
34) II Sam. 5:1-5; I Ch. 11:1-3,
12:23-40
35) II Sam. 5:6-10; I Ch. 11:4-9
36) II Sam. 5:11,12; I Ch. 14:1-2
37) II Sam. 5:17-21; I Ch. 14:8-
12
38) II Sam. 23:8-39; I Ch. 11:10-
47
39) II Sam. 5:22-25; I Ch. 14:13-
17
2A) DAVIDS SECOND ANOINTING, BY JUDAH
28) David anointed by Judah at the beginning of his 7-year, 6-month reign in Hebron.
29) Sauls son Ish-bosheth reigned in Israel.
30) Beginning of war between the houses of David and Saul for control of the kingdom.
31) Davids children born in Hebron.
32) Israels warlord Abner began process for transferring the kingdom to David, but Joab killed
Abner.
33) Ish-bosheth killed in a conspiracy.
2B) DAVIDS THIRD ANOINTING, BY ISRAEL (CA. 1003)
34) David anointed as king over Israel in fulfillment of Gods prophetic promise.
35) David conquered Jerusalem.
36) Hiram (King of Tyre) built David a house and David then realized truly was the king.
37) Philistia heard that David was king and attacked Israel; David won the victory.
38) Overview of Davids mighty men.
39) Philistia attacked David a second time; Davids victory brings him international fame.
172
173
DAVID
3) THE TIME OF EXALTATION (CA. 1003-990 BC/E)
CA. 1003-990
40) I Ch. 13:1-6; II Sam. 6:1-2
41) II Sam. 6:3-4; I Ch. 13:7
42) II Sam. 6:5; I Ch. 13:8
43) II Sam. 6:6-7; I Ch. 13:9-10
44) II Sam. 6:8; I Ch. 13:11
45) II Sam. 6:9; I Ch. 13:12
46) II Sam. 6:10; I Ch. 13:13
47) II Sam. 6:11; I Ch. 13:14
48) I Sam. 6:12a
49) I Ch. 15:1
50) I Ch. 15:2-14
51) I Ch. 15:16-25
52) II Sam. 6:12b; I Ch. 15:15
53) II Sam. 6:13
54) II Sam. 6:14,15
55) I Ch. 15:26
56) I Ch. 15:27-29; II Sam. 6:16
57) I Ch. 16:1-3; II Sam. 6:17-
19a
58) I Ch. 16:4-6
59) I Ch. 16:7: Cf. following
passages
I Ch. 16:8-22 & Psalm
105:1-15
I Ch. 16:23-33 & Psalm 96
I Ch. 16:34 & Psalm 106:1
I Ch. 16:35-36 & Psalm
106:47-48
60) I Ch. 16:37-42
61) I Ch. 16:43a; II Sam. 16:19a
62) II Sam. 6:20-23; I Ch. 16:43b
3A) DAVIDS INSTALLATION OF THE ARK IN JERUSALEM: THE FIRST DISOBEDIENT, FAILED ATTEMPT.
40) David inspired Israel for the task.
41) Transport of the ark by cart.
42) David, Israel sang before the ark.
43) Uzzah died because he touched the ark.
44) David in anger named the place Peraz Uzzah.
45) David feared to move the ark.
46) The ark was taken to Obed-Edoms house.
47) The ark remained for three months with Obed-Edom and God blessed his house.
THE SECOND OBEDIENT, SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT.
48) David told of Obed-Edoms blessedness.
49) David prepared a place for the ark.
50) David instructed the Levites on Biblical requirements for transporting the ark (Cf. Num. 3-4:20;
Deut. 10:8)
51) David instructed the Levites to sing before the ark.
52) Levites began to bear the ark properly.
53) After they had taken six steps, they offered a sacrifice.
54) David led the procession with singing and dancing.
55) A second sacrifice was offered.
56) David continued to lead the procession into Jerusalem with dancing, and was despised by his
wife Michal.
57) The ark was placed in the tent; more sacrifices and a feast followed.
58) David established the order of the ark.
59) David committed a Psalm to Asaph.

60) A listing of the individuals assigned by David to the Order of the Ark.
61) The people returned to their homes.
62) David returned to his house to bless them and had a confrontation with Michal.
174
175
DAVID
3) THE TIME OF EXALTATION, CONTINUED (CA. 1003-990 BC/E)
CA. 1003-990
63) II Sam. 7; I Ch. 17
64) Psalm 60
65) II Sam. 8:1; I Ch. 18:1
66) II Sam. 8:2; I Ch. 18:2
67) II Sam. 8:3-4; I Ch. 18:3,4
68) II Sam. 8:5-8; I Ch. 18:5-8
69) II Sam. 8:4-12; I Ch. 18:9-11
70) II Sam. 8:13-14; I Ch.
18:12,13
71) I Sam. 8:15-18; I Ch. 18:14-
17
72) II Sam. 9
73) II Sam. 10:1-5; I Ch. 19:1-5
74) II Sam. 10:6-14; I Ch. 19:6-
15
75) II Sam. 10:15-19; I Ch.
19:16-18
76) II Sam. 22; Psalm 18
77) II Sam. 5:13-16; I Ch. 14:3-7;
3B) THE DAVIDIC COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND DAVID
63) Note: The accounts are parallel except:
II Sam. 7:14 has more information than I Ch. 17:13.
II Sam. 7:23 has more information than I Ch. 17:21.
3C) DAVID THE WARRIOR KING: HIS REIGN OF JUSTICE AND KINDNESS
64) An overview and summary of this period.
65) David defeated Philistia.
66) David defeated Moab.
67) David defeated Zobah.
68) David defeated Syria.
69) David dedicated the spoils of war to God.
70) David defeated Edom in Valley of Salt.
71) Davids reign of justice with assistants.
72) David showed kindness to Jonathans house.
73) David tried to show kindness to Ammon, but was rebuffed.
74) Joab defeated Ammons alliance.
75) David again defeated Ammon.
76) Davids theme song.
77) Davids children born in Jerusalem.
Note: It is not possible to strictly chronologize the birth of David's children
176
I Ch. 3:4b-9
177
DAVID
4) THE TIME OF TRANSGRESSION (CA. 990-975 BCE)
4A) 990-975
The events of
4B occurred
about 11 years
after David's
sins of
adultery &
murder.
See 2 Samuel
13:23 (2
years),
13:38 (3
years),
14:28 (2
years),
15:7 (4 years)
78) II Sam. 11:1; I Ch. 20:1a,b
79) II Sam. 11:2-27
80) II Sam. 12:1-23; Psalm 51
81) II Sam. 12:24-25
82) II Sam. 12:26-29; I Ch. 20:1c
83) II Sam. 12:30; I Ch. 20:2
84) II Sam. 12:31; I Ch. 20:3
85) II Sam. 13:1-22
86) II Sam. 13:23-36
87) II Sam. 13:37-39
88) II Sam. 14:1-27
89) II Sam. 14:28-33
90) II Sam. 15:1-6
91) II Sam. 15:7--18:33; Psalms
3; 63?
92) II Sam. 19:1-39
93) II Sam. 19:40--20:2
94) II Sam. 20:3-26
95) II Sam. 21:1-14
96) II Sam. 21:15-17
4A) THE COMMISSION OF ADULTERY AND MURDER BY DAVID
78) Joabs campaign against Amnon and Rabbah.
79) Davids sins of adultery and murder.
80) Nathans exposure of Davids sins, and Davids confession of his sins to God.
81) The birth of Solomon.
82) Joab called David to claim victory at Rabbah.
83) David crowned himself with a gold crown.
84) Davids punishment of Amnon.
4B) THE CONSEQUENCES OF DAVIDS ADULTERY AND MURDER: CHASTISEMENT
85) Amnon raped his half -sister Tamar.
86) Two years later, Absalom killed Amnon.
87) Absaloms 3-year exile in Geshur.
88) Absalom brought back to Jerusalem, but David refused to see him for two years.
89) David finally received Absalom.
90) Absaloms 4-year policy of stealing the hearts of Israel.
91) Absalom led an armed rebellion against David, which ended in Absaloms death.
92) Davids restoration as king.
93) Beginning of hostility between Israel and Judah; Israel separated from Judah.
94) David crushed Israels rebellion led by Sheba.
95) David rectified Sauls sin against the Gibionites after a 3-year famine. Note: This could have
occurred earlier, any time after the events described in II Sam. 9.
96) Davids last battle.
97) Davids mighty warriors.
178
97) II Sam. 21:18-22; I Ch. 20:4-
8
179
DAVID
4) THE TIME OF TRANSGRESSION, CONTINUED (CA. 990-975 BC/E)
C. 990-975
98) II Sam. 24:1-4; I Ch. 21:1-4
99) II Sam. 24:5-8
100) II Sam. 24:9; I Ch. 21:5-6
(Cf. I Ch. 27:24)
101) I Ch. 21:7
102) II Sam. 24:10; I Ch. 21:8
103) II Sam. 24:11-12; I Ch.
21:9-10
104) II Sam. 24:13-14; I Ch.
21:11-13
105) II Sam. 24:15; I Ch. 21:14
106) II Sam. 24:16; I Ch. 21:15
107) I Ch. 21:16
108) II Sam. 24:17; I Ch. 21:17
109) I Ch. 21:18
110) II Sam. 24:18
111) II Sam. 24:19; I Ch. 21:19
112) I Ch. 21:20
113) II Sam. 24:20; I Ch. 21:21
114) II Sam. 24:21a
115) II Sam. 24:21b; I Ch. 21:22
116) II Sam. 24:22-23; I Ch.
21:23
117) II Sam. 24:24; I Ch. 21:24-
25
118) II Sam. 24:25; I Ch. 21:26
119) I Ch. 21:27
120) I Ch. 21:28-30
121) I Ch. 22:1
4C) THE COMMISSION OF NUMBERING ISRAELS WARRIORS (MILITARISM) BY DAVID (CF. EXODUS 30:11-16)
98) David commanded Joab to number Israel.
99) The 9-month, 20-day numbering process.
100) The numerical result of the census.
4D) THE CONSEQUENCES OF DAVIDS SIN OF NUMBERING ISRAEL
101) God was displeased; it was evil in His eyes.
102) David became guilty and confessed his sin.
103) God revealed three choices of chastisement to Gad the prophet for David to choose.
104) Gad gave Gods message to David; his choice.
105) Seventy thousand people died, thus reducing the number of Israelites.
106) God prevented Jerusalems destruction.
4E) THE COVERING OF DAVIDS SIN OF NUMBERING ISRAEL
107) David saw the angel of destruction.
108) David prayed that his people would be spared.
109) The angel of the Lord relayed Gods answer to Davids prayer to the prophet Gad.
110) Gad delivered Gods message to build an altar.
111) David went in obedience to Araunahs threshing floor.
112) Araunah saw the angel and hid in fear.
113) Araunah bowed in submission to David.
114) Araunahs question to David.
115) David requested to buy the floor.
116) Araunahs offer to give the floor freely.
117) David bought the threshing floor.
118) David offered the required sacrifice.
119) The angel of destruction returned the sword of chastisement upon seeing the sacrifice.
120) A theological interpretation of this sacrificial event.
121) David then announced this site to be the site of the then future House of God, to be built by
his son Solomon.
180
DAVID
5) THE TIME OF CONSUMMATION: DAVID'S GLORIOUS CONCLUSION
121) I Ch. 22:2-5
122) I Ch. 22:6-19
123) I Kings 1; I Ch. 23:1; Psalm
72
124)
I Ch. 23:2-32
I Ch. 24:1-19
I Ch. 24:20-31
125) I Ch. 25
126) I Ch. 26:1-19
127) I Ch. 26:20-28
128) I Ch. 26:29-32
129) I Ch. 27:1-15
130) I Ch. 27:16-24
131) I Ch. 27:25-31
132) I Ch. 27:32-34
133) I Ch. 28:1-8
134) I Ch. 28:9-10
135) I Ch. 28:11-21
136) I Ch. 29:1-9
137) I Ch. 29:10-20
138) I Ch. 29:21-25
139) I Kings 2:1-9
140) II Sam. 23:1-7
141) I Kings 2:10; I Ch. 29:28
142) I Kings 2:11; I Ch. 29:26-27
143) I Ch. 29:29-30
5A) DAVIDS PREPARATION FOR THE TEMPLE OF GOD
121) His preparation of temple materials.
122) His preparation of temple builder Solomon.
5B) DAVIDS ORGANIZATION OF GODS NATION ISRAEL
123) The first anointing of Solomon as king.
124) Organization of the Holy Orders.
The Levites.
The Aaronic priesthood.
The remaining Levites.
125) Organization of the music ministry.
126) Organization of the gatekeepers.
127) Organization of the guards of Gods treasures.
128) Organization of the officers and judges.
129) Enumeration of the military divisions.
130) Enumeration of the tribal officers.
131) Enumeration of the agricultural heads.
132) Enumeration of Davids counselors.
5C) DAVIDS FINAL EXHORTATIONS TO ISRAEL AND SOLOMON
133) Davids exhortation to Israel to obedience.
134) Davids exhortation to Solomon to obedience.
135) Davids revelation to Solomon of the temple pattern which God gave to David (Cf. Ex. 25:9,
25:40, 26:30, 27:8)
136) Davids exhortation to Israel for consecration for the task of building the temple (Cf. Ex. 25:1-9,
35:4-29)
137) Davids supplication to God for Israel.
138) Israels sacrificial celebration and the second anointing of Solomon, by Israel.
139) Davids final exhortation to Solomon.
5D) DAVIDS CONCLUSION AND DEATH
140) Davids last words.
141) Davids death.
142) A summary of Davids 40-year reign.
143) The literary sources for Davids account; Samuel, Nathan and Gad.
181
DIFFICULTIES IN CHRONOLOGIZING SOLOMONS LIFE
1) SOLOMONS CO-REGENCY WITH DAVID
Solomons co-regency with David was incorporated within the Davidic material (Cf. I Ch. 22:6-19; I Kings 1; I Ch. 23:1; I Ch. 28:9-21; I
Ch. 29:22-25; I Kings 2:1-9). The fact that David and Solomon co-reigned together for a period of time is perhaps a hermeneutical key that
serves as a precedent for understanding the co-regency dating system used to record the dates of the subsequent kings of Judah and
Israel. Understanding this co-regency dating system provides a source of resolution for the apparent discrepancies and difficulties in the
dates of the kings of Judah and Israel.
2) THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE, HIRAMS WORK ON THE TEMPLE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SOLOMONS PALACE AND THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.
The importance of achieving a strictly accurate chronology of these events is not critical, but it would be interesting for the sake of
reading the Bible in chronological order to have these events in proper historical order. The following foundational facts enable us to
achieve at least a broad chronological order of these events.
A) A total of twenty years was spent on the construction of the temple, Hirams work on the temple, and the construction of Solomons
palace (I Kings 9:10; II Ch. 8:1).
B) The temple was finished in the 11
th
year, eighth month of Solomons reign (I Kings 6:37-38).
C) The temple was dedicated in the seventh month of an unspecified year (I Kings 8:1-2; II Ch. 5:1-3).
D) Thus, the dedication of the temple took place either in:
1) The 12
th
year, 7th month of Solomons reign (before the palace was completed), the year following the temples completion,; or
2) The 24
th
year, 7th month of Solomons reign (after the palace was completed).
E) The second appearance of God to Solomon took place after the 20-year period of constructing the temple and palace,
and after the dedication of the temple and Solomons dedicatory prayer (I Kings 9:1; II Ch. 7:11).
3) THREE THEORETICAL MODELS OF THE ORDER OF SOLOMONS CONSTRUCTION ERA
1) The temple and Hirams work took 7 years to complete (I Kings 6:38). Solomons palace took another 13 years to complete (I Kings
7:1-12).
Solomon then dedicated the temple in the seventh month, 24
th
year of his reign (I Kings 8:1-2: II Ch. 5:1-3).
2) The temple structure took 7 years to complete (I Kings 6:38). Hirams artistic work and the 13-year palace project took place
simultaneously.
The temple was then dedicated in the 7
th
month, 24
th
year of Solomons reign.
182
3) The temple and Hirams work took 7 years to complete (I Kings 6:38). Solomon then dedicated the temple the following year,
in the 7
th
month of the 12
th
year of his reign (I Kings 8:1, 2; II Ch. 5:1-3). Solomon then spent another 13 years building his palace (I
Kings 7:1-12).
However, II Ch. 7:11 seems to imply that Solomons palace was completed before the temple was dedicated.
183
SOLOMON
1) THE TIME OF FOUNDATION: SOLOMON'S FIRST THREE YEARS (CA. 971-969 BC/E)
1) ca. 971-
969 1) I Kings 2:12--3:2; II Ch. 1:1
2) I Kings 2:13-25 (Cf. I
Kings1)
3) I Kings 2:26,27
(Cf. II Sam. 2:12-36; I Ki. 1:7-
27)
4) I Kings 2:28-35
(Cf. II Sam. 2: 3-19; I Ki. 2:5-6)
5) I Kings 2:36-46 (Cf. II Sam.
16:6-14;
19:15-23; I Ki. 2:8- 9)
6) II Ch. 1:1; I Kings 3:1-2
7) I Kings 3:3-4; II Ch. 1:2-6
8) I Kings 3:5; II Ch. 1:7
9) I Kings 3:6-9; II Ch. 1:8-10
10) I Kings 3:10
11) I Kings 3:11-13; II Ch. 1:11-
12
12) I Kings 3:14
13) I Kings 3:15; II Ch. 1:13
14a) I Kings 3:16-28
14b) I Kings 4:1-19
1 Kings 4:20-34
1A) SOLOMON ESTABLISHED SECURELY AS KING
1) Removal of Adonijah, his brother.
2) Removal of Abiathar, the priest.
3) Removal of Joab, the war lord.
4) Removal of Shimei, Davids enemy.
5) Resultant security of Solomon as King of Israel.
6) Solomons marriage alliance with Pharaoh's daughter.
1B) SOLOMON ENLIGHTENED WITH WISDOM BY GOD
7) Solomons sacrifice to God in Gibeon.
8) Gods appearance to Solomon in a dream.
9) Solomons request to God for wisdom.
10) Gods opinion of Solomons request.
11) Gods response to Solomons request.
12) Gods conditional promise to Solomon.
13) Solomons return to Jerusalem to reign with Gods wisdom.
14a) Solomons employment of Gods wisdom in matters of social justice
14b) Solomons employment of Gods wisdom in matters of civic organization
Note: 1 Kings 4:20-34 is probably a summary of the then future results of God enlightening
Solomon with wisdom. The problems
with placing I Kings 4:20-34 in this period are:
1
Such great financial prosperity as mentioned here did not begin until the gold business
enterprise was started with Hiram of Tyre, which was started after the 20-year
construction era (I Ki. 9:27-28; II Ch. 8:18).
A greater period would have been needed for Solomon to write so many songs and
proverbs.
A greater period would have been needed for Solomon to grow in international fame as a
184
great and wise king.
185
SOLOMON
2) THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION (CA. 968-948)

23) ca. 966
28) ca. 958
15) I Kings 5:1
16) II Ch. 2:1
17) I Kings 5:2-6; II Ch. 2:3-
10
18) I Kings 5:7-9; II Ch. 2:11-
16
19) I Kings 5:10-12
20) I Kings 5:13-16; II Ch.
2:17-18
21) I Kings 5:17-18
22) II Ch. 3:1
23) I Kings 6:1; II Ch. 3:2
24) I Kings 6:2-10; II Ch. 3:3-
7
25) I Kings 6:11-13
26) I Kings 6:14
27a) I Kings 6:15-22; II Ch
3:8-9
27b) I Kings 6:23-28; II Ch.
3:10-14
27c) I Kings 6:29-36
(Cf. Ex. 35:30-39:31)
28) I Kings 6:37-38
(Cf. Ex. 39:32-43)
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE
2A) THE PREPARATION FOR THE TEMPLE: SOLOMONS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL WISDOM
15) Hirams delegation to Solomon.
16) Solomons decision to build the temple for God and the palace for himself.
17) Solomons proposition to Hiram.
18) Hirams response to Solomon.
19) A theological interpretation of Solomons economic plan with Hiram.
20) Solomons organization of the work force for the temple.
21) The preparation of the foundation stones for the temple.
2B) THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE (966-960)
22) The location: Mt. Moriah.
23) The time: 480 years after Israels exodus from Egypt, in the 4th year, 2nd
month, and 2nd day of Solomons reign.
24) The exterior physical structure.
25) The prophetic spiritual promise of God to Solomon during construction.
26) The completion of the exterior temple.
27) The interior of the temple:
27a) The most holy place;
27b) The cherubim;
27c) The inner woodwork.
28) The completion of the physical structure in Solomons 11
th
year, the 8th month.
3
2C) THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE BY HURAM-ABI OF TYRE
4
29) The details of Hurams artistic work.
Note: It is possible that the dedication of the temple took place at this historical time.
However, this chronology placed the dedication after Solomon completed his own
186
29) I Kings 7:13-51; II Ch
3:15--15:1
(Cf. II Ch. 2:13-14)
palace. The rationale for this decision is in the introduction to Solomon, #2.
187
SOLOMON
2) THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION, CONTINUED (CA. 968-948)
(CA. 961-948)
30) I Kings 7:1-12
31) I Kings 8:1-2; II Ch. 5:2-3
32) I Kings 8:3-9; II Ch. 5:4-10
33) I Kings 8:10,11; II Ch. 5:11-14
34) I Kings 8:12-21; II Ch. 6:1-11
35)
35a) I Kings 8:22-26; II Ch. 6:12-17
35b) I Kings 8:27-30; II Ch. 6:18-21
35c) I Kings 8:31-32; II Ch. 6:22-23
35d) I Kings 8:33-34; II Ch. 6:24-25
35e) I Kings 8:35-36; II Ch. 6:26-27
35f) I Kings 8:37-40; II Ch. 6:28-31
35g) I Kings 8:41-43; II Ch. 6:32-33
35h) I Kings 8:44-45; II Ch. 6:34-35
35i) I Kings 8:46-53; II Ch. 6:36-39
35j) II Ch. 6:40-42
36) I Kings 8:54-61
37) II Ch. 7:1-3
38) I Kings 8:62-63; II Ch. 7:4-5
39) II Ch. 7:6
40) I Kings 8:64; II Ch. 7:7
41) I Kings 8:65; II Ch. 7:8-9
42) I Kings 8:66; II Ch. 7:10
43) I Kings 9:1; II Ch. 7:11
44) I Kings 9:2; II Ch. 7:12a
45a) I Kings 9:3a; II Ch. 7:12b
45b) II Ch. 7:13-15
45c) I Kings 9:3b; II Ch. 7:16
45d) I Kings 9:4-5; II Ch. 7:17-18
45e) I Kings 9:6-7; II Ch. 7:19-20
45f) I Kings 9:8-9; II Ch. 7:21-22
2D) THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PALACE OF SOLOMON (CA. 961-948)
30) SOLOMON constructed his palace
2E) THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE (PROBABLY 948, SOLOMONS 24
TH
YEAR; POSSIBLY 960, SOLOMONS 12
TH
YEAR).
31) The invitation of Solomon to Israel, in the 7th month of an unspecified year (note: temple completed in the
8th month).
32) Installation of the ark in the temple.
33) Glorification of the temple.
34) Interpretation of Solomon of the glorification: A fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (cf. II Sam. 7; I Ch. 17).
35) Petition of Solomon to God.
35a) Petition re the Davidic covenant
35b) Petition re the prayers of Israel.
35c) Petition re the sin and justice.
35d) Petition re the military affairs.
35e) Petition re the drought and confession.
35f) Petition re the disasters and confession.
35g) Petition re the foreigners.
35h) Petition re the war.
35i) Petition re the captivity and restoration.
35j) Petition re the priests and Gods love.
36) Exhortation and blessing of Israel.
37) Incineration of the sacrifice by God and glorification of the temple a second time.
38) Dedication sacrifices.
39) Celebration of priests and Levites.
40) Consecration of the middle court.
41) Celebration of feasts.
42) Departation of Israel with joy.
2F) THE SECOND REVELATION OF GOD TO SOLOMON
43) The time of the revelation.
44) The revelation of God to Solomon.
45) The communication of God to Solomon.
45a) Regarding Solomons petition at the temple dedication: The Palestinian Covenant (Cf. Deut. 11:8-17; Deut.
28-30)
45b) Gods conditional blessing of Israel.
45c) Gods consecration of the temple.
45d) Solomons relationship with God: The Davidic Covenant (Cf. II Sam. 7; II Ch. 17; Psalm 89)
Obedience leads to establishment of the Davidic convenant.
45e) Disobedience leads to exile and captivity among the nations.
45f) Regarding the temple Solomon built: Disobedience leads to ruination.
188
SOLOMON
3) THE TIME OF EXPANSION: THE FULFILLMENT OF THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
46) I Kings 9:10-11a; II
Ch. 8:1
47) I Kings 9:11b-14
48) II Ch. 8:2
49) II Ch. 8:3-4
50) I Kings 9:15-19; II Ch.
8:5-6
51) I Kings 9:20-21; II Ch.
8:7-8
52) I Kings 9:22-23; II Ch.
8:9-10
53) I Kings 9:24; II Ch.
8:11
8:12-16
55) II Ch. 8:17
56) I Kings 9:26
57) I Kings 9:27-28; II Ch.
8:18
3A) EXPANSION IN THE NORTH: CIVIC
46) The time: After the 20-year construction period.
47) Hirams return of 20 Galilean cities.
48) Solomons construction of the Galilean cities.
49) Solomons conquest and construction of the northern regions of Hamath
and Tadmor.
3B) EXPANSION IN THE CENTRAL REGION: CIVIC & SPIRITUAL
50) Solomons construction in central region.
51) The foreign work force.
52) The Israeli leadership.
53) Construction of the Millo, and Solomons Egyptian wife moved to her
palace.
54) The worship of Gods house was regulated by Solomons commission to
institute the Mosaic sacrifices (Cf. Ex. 23:14-17) and Davids ordinances
regarding the division of the spiritual orders (Cf. I Ch. 23-26:28). Thus,
God's house was "completed."
3C) EXPANSION IN THE SOUTH: ECONOMIC
55) Solomons economic expedition to Ezion-Geber and Eloth in Edom.
56) Solomon built a fleet of ships for import and export businesses.
57) Hirams fleet of ships joined Solomons and they engaged in a cooperative
gold importing business.
189
190
SOLOMON
4) THE TIME OF EARTHLY EXALTATION AND SPIRITUAL DEGENERATION (CF. DEUT. 17:14-20)
58) I Kings 10:11-12; II
Ch. 9:10-11; I Kings
10:14-22; II Ch. 9:13-21
59) I Kings 4:20-25
60) I Kings 4:26-28;
10:26-29;
II Ch. 1:14-17; 9:25-
28
61) I Kings 4:29-34
62) I Kings 10:1-10; II Ch.
9:1-9
9:12
64) I Kings 10:23-25; II
Ch. 9:22-24
4A) ECONOMIC EXALTATION
58) The result of Solomons and Hirams gold importing business (Cf. Deut.
17:17b)
4B) NATIONAL EXALTATION
59) Solomon was exalted in Israel
4C) MILITARY EXALTATION
60) Solomon expanded his military capacity (Cf. Deut. 17:16)
4D) PHILOSOPHIC EXALTATION
61) Solomon composed, gathered and recorded his songs, and what eventually
became the book of Proverbs.
5E) INTERNATIONAL EXALTATION
62) The visit of the Queen of Sheba.
63) The departure of the Queen of Sheba.
64) The visitors from all the nations.
191
192
SOLOMON
5) THE TIME OF TRANSGRESSION: SOLOMON'S APOSTASY
65) I Kings 11:1-2
66) I Kings 11:3-5
67) I Kings 11:6-8
68) I Kings 11:9-10
69) I Kings 11:11-13
70) I Kings 11:14-22
71) I Kings 11:23-25
72) I Kings 11:26-39
73) I Kings 11:40
74) I Kings 11:41-43; II
Ch. 9:29-31
5A) SOLOMON'S COMMISSION OF SIN BY MARRYING FOREIGN WOMEN
65) Solomon disobeyed God's instructions on marriage (Cf. Ex. 23:31-33;
34:12-16;Deut. 7:17-17). Solomon may have written
Ecclesiastes during this period and the preceding period of degeneration.
5B) THE SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES OF SOLOMONS SIN
66) Solomons heart turned from God to idolatry.
67) Solomon built centers of worship for his new gods.
68) God became angry with Solomon.
5C) THE NATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF SOLOMON'S SIN
69) God predicted a future division of Israel (Cf. I Kings 12 and II Ch. 10).
70) God raised up an adversary for Solomon: Hadad and the Edomites.
71) God raised up a second adversary for Solomon: Rezon of Aram.
72) God revealed to the prophet Ahijah the theological rationale for the division
of Judah and the ten tribes of Israel, as Jeroboam became the new King
over the ten tribes of Israel.
73) Solomon tried to then kill Jeroboam; Jeroboam fled to Shishak of Egypt
(Shishak reigned ca. 945-925; Cf. II Ch. 12:2-4 and I Kings 14:25 for later
developments.
5D) THE CONCLUSION OF SOLOMONS REIGN BY DEATH
74) Solomon died.
193
REHOBOAM
THE 1ST KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 931-914BC/E)

1) ca. 931
6) ca. 931
11) 930-928
17) 928/927
18) 927/926
24) ca. 914
1) II Ch. 9:31; I Kings 11:43;
14:21
2) II Ch. 10:1-5; I Kings 12:1-5
3) II Ch. 10:6-11; I Kings 12:6-11
4) II Ch. 11:12-15; I Kings 12:12-
15
5) II Ch. 11:16-19; I Kings 12:16-
19
6) I Kings 12:20
7) II Ch. 11:1; I Kings 12:21
8) II Ch. 11:2-4; I Kings 12:22-24
9) II Ch. 11:5-12; I Kings 12:25;
14:30
10) I Kings 12:26-33
11) II Ch 11:13-17
12) I Kings 13:1-10
13) I Kings 13:11-32
14) I Kings 13:33-34
15) I Kings 14:1-18
16) II Ch. 11:18-19
17) II Ch 12:1; I Kings 14:22-24
18) II Ch. 12:2-4; I Kings 14:25
19) II Ch. 12:5-8
20) II Ch. 12:9-11; I Kings 14:26-
28
21) II Ch. 11:20-23
22) II Ch. 12:13
23) II Ch. 12:14
1A) REHOBOAM'S ASSUMPTION AS KING AND BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
1) Rehoboam's assumption
1B) SEPARATION OF THE KINGDOM INTO KINGDOMS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL (ca. 931-930)
2) Israel, Jeroboam requested relief from the economic oppression of Solomons policies.
3) Rehoboam decided to continue oppression.
4) Rehoboams oppressive decision fulfilled Gods prediction by Ahijah (Cf. I Kings 11:26-39).
5) Oppressed Israel separated from Judah.
6) Israel anointed Jeroboam as their king
2
(Jeroboam reigned ca. 931-910 BC/E; Cf. I Kings 14:20).
1C) SEPARATION OF ISRAEL FROM GOD TO IDOLATRY
7) Rehoboam planned war to end the separation.
8) Shemaiah the prophet dissuaded Rehoboam from war by giving Gods interpretation of the
separation.
9) Judah and Israel built military fortresses; start of continuous war between Rehoboam and
Jeroboam during their reigns.
10) Jeroboam and Israel created a separate and idolatrous religion to prevent Israel's return to
Judah.
11) True priests and Levites returned to Jerusalem and Judah began a three-year period of
obedience (930-928) BC/E.
12) A man of God from Judah rebuked Israels idolatry and predicted the future reign of Josiah
(ca. 640-608 BC/E). Cf. 2 Ch. 34-35, II Kings 22-23.
3
13) The Man of God died because of disobedience.
14) Jeroboam still refused to repent of idolatry, the "sin of the house of Jeroboam.
15) Ahijah, the prophet, then predicted the death of Jeroboams son, Baashas future slaughter of
Jeroboams house
(Cf. I Kings 15:27-29) and the future captivity of Israel by Assyria, which was fulfilled in 722 BC/E
(Cf. II Kings17).
16) Rehoboams first marriage and sons.
1D) SEPARATION OF JUDAH FROM GOD TO APOSTASY
17) Rehoboam, Judah forsook God in the 4
th
year of his reign (ca. 928-27BC/E).
18) Consequently, Judah was invaded in Rehoboams 5
th
year by Shistak of Egypt (ca. 926-25
BC/E).
4
19) Shemaiah the prophet then interpreted the meaning of Shishaks invasion, leading Judah to
repent.
20) God then allowed Shishak to plunder Solomons temple to teach Judah a lesson on service.
1E) CONCLUSION OF REHOBOAMS REIGN
194
24) II Ch. 12:15-16; I Kings
14:29-31
21) Rehoboams other wives and sons (Cf. Deut. 17:17).
22) Rehoboams biographical review.
23) Rehoboams spiritual review.
24) Rehoboams death (ca. 914 BC/E) and biographers.
195
ABIJAH (ABIJAM)
THE 2ND KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 913-911 BC/E)
1) ca. 913
2) 913-911
10) ca. 911
1) II Ch. 13:1; I Kings 15:1
2) II Ch. 13:2a; I Kings. 15:2
3) I Kings 15:3
4) I Kings 15:4-5
5) II Ch. 13:2b; I Kings 15:6
6) II Ch. 13:2-12
7) II Ch. 13:13-19
8) II Ch. 13:20
9) II Ch. 13:21
10) II Ch. 13:22; I Kings 15:7-
8
2A) ABIJAHS ASSUMPTION AND EVALUATION AS KING
1) Biographical evaluation: he began reigning in Jeroboams 18
th
year (ca. 913).
2) Abijah reigned three years in Jerusalem (ca. 913-911). Micaiah was his mother (Cf. II
Ch. 11:20-22).
2B) ABIJAHS EVALUATION AS KING
3) Spiritual evaluation: Abijah followed in the sins of his father, Rehoboam.
4) Abijah was maintained as king because of Gods faithfulness to the Davidic covenant
(Cf. II Sam. 7; 1 Ch. 17).
2C) ABIJAHS CONTENTION AND WAR WITH JEROBOAM AND ISRAEL
5) A summary of their relationship: war.
6) Abijahs theological rationale for their war:
Jeroboams reign was invalid because it was not rooted in the Davidic covenantIsrael
had forsaken the true worship of God.
7) Abijah and Judah were victorious over Jeroboam and Israel because of their trust in
God.
8) Jeroboams defeat the beginning of his demise; he died a few years later, probably c.
910.
9) Abijahs powerful reign and offspring (Cf. Deut. 17:17).
2D) ABIJAHS CONCLUSION, DEATH AND BIOGRAPHERS
10) Abijah's conclusion
196
ASA
THE 3RD KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 911/10-870/69 BC/E)
1) ca. 911/910
2) ca. 910
3) ca. 909
6) ca. 900-898
7) ca. 897/96
8) ca. 886/85
12) ca. 886/85
13) 885/84-
885/84
14) ca. 885/84
15) ca. 885/84
16) 885/84-
880
17) ca. 880
18) ca. 874/73
19) ca. 872-
870
20) ca. 870
1) II Ch. 14:1; I Kings 15:9-11
2) II Ch. 14:2-8; I Kings 15:25-26
3) I Kings 15:27-32
4) I Kings 15:33-34
5) I Kings 16:1-4
6) II Ch. 14:9-15
7) II Ch. 15; I Kings 15:12-15
8) II Ch. 16:1; I Kings 15:16-17
9) II Ch. 16:2-6; I Kings 15:18-22
10) II Ch. 16:7-9
11) II Ch. 16:10
12) I Kings 16:5-7
13) I Kings 16:8
14) I Kings 16:9-14
15) I Kings 16:15-20
16) I Kings 16:21-22
17) I Kings 16:23-28
18) I Kings 16:29-34
19) II Ch. 16:11-12
20) II Ch. 16:13-14
3A) ASAS ASSUMPTION AND FIRST TEN YEARS OF PEACE
1
1) Biographical and spiritual overview;Asa began the 20
th
year of Jeroboam, reigned 41 years, did
good in Gods eyes.
2) Asas first reformation; in Asas 2
nd
year (ca. 910) Nadab began a two-year (ca. 910-909) evil
reign in Israel.
3) In Asas 3
rd
year (ca. 909), Baasha fulfilled Ahijahs prediction (Cf. I Ki.14:1-8) by killing Nadab
and Jeroboam's house.
4) Overview of Baasha, 3
rd
king of Israel: began in Asas 3
rd
year (ca. 909), reigned 24 years (ca.
909-886/5) did evil.
5) Jehu predicted Baashas destruction.
3B) ASAS EXALTATION IN WAR AND FAITH
6) Asa relied on God and overcame in war Zerah,
2
the Ethiopian, around 900-898.
7) Asa obeyed Gods exhortation from Azariah and began a second reformation that culminated in
the third month of his 15
th
year (ca. 897/96).
3C) ASAS DECLENSION FROM THE LORD: REVOLUTION AND CONFUSION IN ISRAEL
8) Baasha attacked Asa, probably in Asas 26
th
year (ca. 886/85).
9) Asa relied on Ben-Hadab I instead of God.
4
10) Hanani rebuked Asa for relying on Ben-Hadab.
11) Asa then jailed Hanani and oppressed Judah.
12) Baasha died in Israel (ca. 886/85).
13) Elah, 4
th
king of Israel, began a 2-year reign (ca. 886/85-885/84) in Asas 26
th
year.
14) In Asas 27
th
year (885/84), Zimri fulfilled Jehus prophecy (Cf. I Ki. 16:1-4) by killing Elah and
Baasha's entire house.
15) In Asas 27
th
year (885/84), Omri attacked Zimri; Zimri committed suicide in Asas 27
th
year.
16) Omri and Tibni divide Israels loyalty from ca. 885/84-880, and then Tibni died.
17) Omri became sole king in Israel in Asas 31
st
year (ca. 880), and had an evil 12-year reign (ca.
885/84-874/73). Omri died in 874/73.
18) In Asas 38
th
year (874/73) Ahab began his 22-year evil reign in Israel; overview of his idolatry.
5
19) In Asas 39
th
year (ca. .872), he developed foot disease. Asas son, Jehoshaphat, began to co-
reign with him at that time until ca. 870.
3D) ASAS CONCLUSION AND DEATH IN CA. 870
197
20) Asas Death
198
JEHOSHAPHAT
THE 4TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
(CO-REGENT WITH ASA CA. 873/72-870/69; SOLE KING CA. 870/69-853; CO-REGENT WITH JEHORAM CA. 853-848)
1) 870/69
3) 870/69-868
4) 868/67
7) 863/62
11) 856/55
14) 853
15) 853
22) 853/52
25) 853
1) II Ch. 17:1; I Kings 22:41
2) I Kings 22:42-43
3) II Ch. 17:2-6
4) II Ch. 17:7-9
5) II Ch. 17:10,11
6) II Ch. 17:12-19
7) II Ch. 18:1; I Kings 22:44
8) I Kings 17
9) I Kings 18
10) I Kings 19
11) I Kings 20
12) I Kings 21:1-16
13) I Kings 21:17-29
14) Cf. endnote
15) II Ch. 18:2; I Kings 22:1-3
16) II Ch. 18:3-4; I Kings 22:4-5
17) II Ch. 18:5-22; I Kings 22:6-
23
18) II Ch. 18:23-27; I Kings
22:24-28
19) II Ch. 18:28-34; I Kings
22:29-35
20) I Kings 22:36
21) I Kings 22:37-39
22) I Kings 22:40; 22:51-53
23) II Ch. 19:1-3
24) II Ch. 19:4-11
4A) ASSUMPTION: BIOGRAPHICAL AND SPIRITUAL OVERVIEW
1) Began sole reign in Ahabs fourth year (870/69).
2) Overview: 25 total years as King, which included co-regency with Asa; spiritually good.
3) First two years of reformation (870/69-869/68).
4) Third year commission to teach Gods law (868/67).
5) His protection by God from the nations.
6) His exaltation and administration in Judah.
4B) JEHOSHAPHATS FIRST UNION WITH ISRAEL: MARRIAGE
7) Jehoshaphat allied himself via marriage to the evil reign of Ahab.
8) ELIJAH: THE MANIFESTATION OF GODS POWER: Prediction of, provision for, during 3-year drought.
9) Elijah confronted and destroyed the prophets of Baal.
10) Elijah persecuted by Jezebel and illuminated by God.
11) AHABS TRANSGRESSIONS IN ISRAEL: Ahab's preservation of Hadad-ezer.
2
(ca. 856/55)
12) Ahab's destruction of Naboth.
13) Elijahs prediction of Ahab and Jezebels death.
14) Historical Note: In 853, the Battle of Qarqar was fought. This is an essential date in biblical
chronology because Ahab fought in this battle and was named on Shalmanesers Kurkh
Stele. This date places Ahabs reign in a solid historical context.
3
4C) JEHOSHAPHATS SECOND UNION WITH ISRAEL: IN WAR (CA. 853)
15) In the third year after Ahabs preservation of Hadad-ezer (ca. 853, Cf. I Kings 20), Jehoshaphat
visited Ahab.
16) Jehoshaphat agreed to fight with Ahab.
17) Micaiahs prediction of Israels defeat.
18) Ahab then imprisoned Micaiah.
19) Ahab killed in this battle (ca. 853).
20) Micaiahs prophecy of Israel's defeat was thus fulfilled (Cf. I Kings 22:17).
21) Elijahs prophecy of Ahab's death was thus fulfilled (Cf. I Kings 21:19).
22) In the 17
th
year of Jehoshaphats sole reign (ca. 853/52) Ahab's son Ahaziah began a 2-year evil
reign in Israel.
23) Jehu the prophet rebuked Jehoshaphat for helping Ahab in war (Cf. II Ch. 16:7-10).
24) Jehoshaphats Institution of Justice in Judah
199
25) II Ch. 20:1-30 (Cf. II Kings
1:1)
25) Jehoshaphats Salvation by God from Moab
4
(ca. 853)
200
JEHOSHAPHAT, CONTINUED
26) 853/52
28) 853
29) 853
30) 853/52
34-43) ca.
852-850
See note on
the next page.
46) 848
26) II Ch. 20:35-37; I Kings 22:48
27) I Kings 22:49
28) Inferred; no scripture
29) II Kings 1:1-18
30) II Kings 3:1-3
31) II Kings 1:1; 3:4-5
32) II Kings 2:1-25
33) II Kings 3:6-8
34) II Kings 3:9-27
35) II Kings 4:1-7
36) II Kings 4:8-17
37) II Kings 4:18-37
38) II Kings 4:38-41
39) II Kings 4:42-44
40) II Kings 5
41) II Kings 6:1-7
42) II Kings 6:8-23
43) II Kings 6:24-7:20
44) II Kings 8:1 -- Note:
Conclusion of this section is
recorded later.
45) II Ch. 20:31-34; I Kings
22:45-47
46) II Ch. 21:1; I Kings 22:50
4D) JEHOSHAPHATS THIRD UNION WITH ISRAEL: IN BUSINESS
26) Jehoshaphat's third union with Israel (a gold shipping business with King Ahaziah, ca. 853-52)
ended in failure and another rebuke from the prophet Eliezer for Jehoshaphat's tendency to
create unions with Israel.
27) Apparently, Ahaziah desired to continue the gold business enterprise, but Jehoshaphat
repented and declined.
28) Jehoshaphats institution of Jehoram as Co-Regent: In the 18
th
year of Jehoshaphats sole reign
(ca. 853), his son Jehoram was made co-regent. This co-regency lasted from 853-848. Cf. II
Kings 1:17 for cross synchronization of this event with the death of Ahaziah in Israel.
29) In the 18
th
year of Jehoshaphats sole reign (ca. 853) Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, died in Israel
according to the prophecy of Elijah. This was the second recorded year of Jehorams co-
regency, but the actual first year of co-regency. The difference is because Judah and Israel
were employing different dating systems.
30) In the 18
th
year of Jehoshaphats sole reign and the second recorded year of Jehorams co-
regency with Jehoshaphat, (ca. 853/52), Joram (Jehoram) began a 12-year evil reign in Israel
(ca. 852-841) in place of Ahaziah, who had no son. Joram was the grandson of Ahab.
5

4E) JEHOSHAPHATS FOURTH UNION WITH ISRAEL: IN WAR
31) Moabs rebellion against Israel after Ahabs death (ca. 853/52).
7
32) Assumption of Elijahs Prophetic Mantle by Elisha
6
33) Jehoshaphat again agreed to fight with Israel (Cf. II Ch. 18:2--19:3; I Kings 22:1-39).
34) Elishas advice provides victory over Moab:
8
The Manifestation of Elishas Miraculous Ministry
9
35) Miracle of the oil for Obadiahs widow.
10
(Cp. I Kings 18:1-16)
36) Miracle of barren woman bearing a child.
37) Miracle of resuscitation of the dead son.
38) Miracle of unpoisoning the pot of food.
39) Miracle of the multiplied loaves of bread.
40) Miracle of cleansing Naamans leprosy.
41) Miracle of floating ax head.
42) Miracle of peacefully disarming spies from Syria.
43) Miracle of repulsing Ben-Hadab of Syria and famine.
11
44) Miracle of predicting the 7-year famine.
4E) JEHOSHAPHATS CONCLUSION (ca. 848)
45) Jehoshaphats evaluation and biographers.
201
46) Jehoshaphat died in 848.
202
THE CHRONOLOGICAL TIME FRAME OF ELISHA'S MIRACLES
9
The prophetic ministry of Elisha extended from ca. 852 (Cf. II Kings 2:1--3:3) until ca. 795 (Cf. II Kings 13:14-21). Thus, his
prophetic influence touched the reigns of the following kings of Israel and Judah. The kings of Israel: Joram (Jehoram: 852-841);
Jehu (842/41-814/13); Jehoahaz (814/13-798); and Jehoash (798-782/1). The kings of Judah: Jehoshaphat (873/72-848); Jehoram
(853-842/41); Ahaziah (842-41); Athaliah, the usurper (841-835); and Joash (835-796).
The author of II Kings may have intended Elishas exploits recorded in II Kings 4-7 to be examples of the type of ministry
he had during these years. However, can these specific exploits be chronologically related to a specific king and period? If the
author(s) of II Kings was writing chronologically (not topically) and thus intended the events of II Kings 8:1-6 (the 7-year famine)
to be interpreted as happening prior to the events of II Kings 8:7-15 (Hazaels murder of Ben-Hadab, king of Damascus), the
answer is yes to the above question for the following reasons:
Hazael reigned as king of Damascus 844-801. Therefore, Hazael must have murdered Ben-Hadab and assumed his
throne in ca. 844. If the author of II Kings meant that the end of the 7-year famine occurred just prior to Hazaels assumption of
the throne in 844, then one can count backwards seven years and arrive at ca. 850 as an approximate date for the beginning of
the 7-year famine.
If the above reasoning and assumption it is built on is correct, then one can also infer that the events of II Kings 6:24-
7:20 (Ben-Hadabs attack on Israel and Samaria) must have happened at least a few years before Ben-Hadabs sickness and
murder in 844. Consequently, the events of II Kings 6:7-23 are seen to have logically preceded the events of II Kings 6:24-7:20.
Since Elisha assumed the prophetic ministry from Elijah right after Joram became king in Israel in 852 (Cf. II Kings 2:1--
3:3), and Elisha began his ministry shortly afterwards by helping Joram and Jehoshaphat overcome the attack by Moab right
after the death of Ahab in c. 853 (Cf. II Kings 3:4-27), it is plausible to conclude that the author(s) of II Kings were writing
chronologically.
Consequently, it seems logical to interpret the miracles of II Kings 4:1-6:7 as an initial granting of Elishas request of
Elijah for a double portion of Elijahs power through Gods spirit (Cf. II Kings 2:9-15). Therefore, if Elisha began his ministry in
ca. 852 (II Kings 2-3:3) and predicted the 7-year famine in ca. 850 (II Kings 8:1-15), and the author of II Kings is apparently
following a chronological schema, then the most logical place for the miracles of II Kings 4-7 is the years 852-50, during the
reigns of Joram of Israel and Jehoshaphat and Jehoram in Judah.
Consult the following sources for reports on the ca.844 starting date of the reign of Hazael, king of Damascus.
D. W. Thomas, Ed., Documents From Old Testament Times (London: Thomas Nelson, 1958), 48-50.
W. L. Langer, Ed., An Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Chronologically Arranged, Rev. Ed.
(Boston: Houghton & Mifflin, 1962), 34-35.
203
204
JEHORAM
JEHORAM CO-REIGNED WITH FATHER JEHOSHAPHAT, CA. 853-848 (CF. II KINGS 1:17; 3:1).
JEHORAM REIGNED ALONE, 848-843/42 (CF. II KINGS 8:16-17).
JEHORAM CO-REIGNED DURING HIS SICKNESS WITH SON AHAZIAH, CA. 843/42-841 (CP. II KINGS 9:29).
1) 848
8) 844
9) 844
11) 843/42
12) 841
1) II Ch. 21:1-3; II Kings 8:16-
17
2) II Ch. 21:4
3) II Ch. 21:5-7; II Kings 8:18-
19
4) II Ch. 21:8-11; II Kings
8:20-22
5) II Ch. 21:12-15
6) II Ch. 21:16-17
7) THE BOOK OF OBADIAH
8) II Kings 8:2-6
9) II Kings 8:7-15
10) II Ch. 21:18
11) II Kings 9:29
5A) ASSUMPTION AND BIOGRAPHICAL EVALUATION OF JEHORAM
1) In the fifth year of Joram of Israel (ca. 848), Jehoram at age 32 began an 8-year
reign in Judah.
5B) REBELLION AND OTHER EVENTS IN JEHORAMS REIGN
2) Jehorams rebellion and murder of his brothers.
3) Jehorams rebellion against God: idolatry.
4) Rebellion of Edom and Libnah against Judah because of Jehorams rebellion against
God.
5) Prediction of destruction and sickness for Jehoram and his family because of his
rebellion against God by a letter from Elijah or Elisha.
2
6) Invasion and plundering by Philistia and Arabians of Jehoram and Jerusalem.
7) PREDICTION OF EDOMS DESTRUCTION: THE BOOK OF OBADIAH
Cf. Obadiah 10-14 with II Ch. 21:16-17. In 605 BC/E, Jeremiah also prophesized
against Edom (Jer. 49:7-22).
8) Conclusion of 7-Year Famine in Israel, ca. 844. II Kings 8:1 recorded the prediction by
Elisha in ca. 850 of a 7-year famine. The famine ended ca. 844 and the conclusion
of the famine story was recorded in II Kings 8:2-6. Cf. THE CHRONOLOGICAL TIME FRAME OF
ELISHA'S MIRACLES.
9) Rebellion of Hazael of Damascus in ca. 844
5C) CONCLUSION OF JEHORAMS REIGN
10) Jehoram was stricken with predicted bowel disease in ca. 843/42.
11) In the 11
th
year of Joram of Israel (ca. 843/42).Jehorams son, Ahaziah, began co-
reigning with Jehoram during Jehoram's sickness
205
12) II Ch. 21:19-20; II Kings
8:23-24
12) Jehoram died after two years of bowel disease in ca. 841.
206
AHAZIAH (JEHOAHAZ)
THE 6TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 842-841)

(AHAZIAH CO-REIGNED WITH FATHER JEHORAM, 843/42-841)
1) 842
4) 841
14) 841
1) II Ch. 22:1-2; II Kings 8:25-
26
2) II Ch. 22:3-4; II Kings 8:27
3) II Ch. 22:5-6; II Kings 8:28-
29
4) II Kings 9:1-13
5) II Kings 9:14-20
6) II Ch. 22:7; II Kings 9:21-
22
7) II Kings 9:23-26
8) II Kings 9:27a,b,c,
9) II Kings 9:30-37
10) II Kings 10:1-11
11) II Ch. 22:8; II Kings
10:12-14
12) II Kings 10:15-17
13) II Kings 10:18-28
6A) ASSUMPTION: BIOGRAPHICAL AND SPIRITUAL EVALUATION
1) Ahaziah began his one-year reign in the 12
th
year of Joram of Israel (842) at 22 years
of age. Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri of Israel, was Ahaziahs mother (Cf. I
Kings 16:15-28).
2) Ahaziah followed Ahabs idolatrous ways.
6B) AHAZIAHS COOPERATION ISRAEL: IN WAR
3) Ahaziah followed Israels counsel to cooperate in a war against Hazael, King of
Damascus from 844-801.
2
Jehoram of Israel was wounded, and Ahaziah of Judah
went to visit him in Jezreel.
6C) THE RETRIBUTION OF JEHU ( CA. 841)
4) Jehu was anointed King of Israel by Elisha.
3
Jehu commissioned to avenge the death
of the prophets at Jezebels hands (Cf. I Kings 18:1-6; Hosea 1:1-5).
5) Jehu went to Jezreel to find Jehoram of Israel.
6) Jehu met Jehoram and Ahaziah on Naboths land (Cf. I Kings 21).
7) Jehu killed Jehoram on Naboths property, thus fulfilling Elishas prophecy (I Kings
21:17-24).
8) Jehu chased and wounded Ahaziah at Ibleam (Gur).
4
9) Jehu executed Jezebel back at Jezreel, thus fulfilling Elijahs prophecy (I Kings. 21:17-
24).
10) Jehu wrote from Jezreel and had 70 of Ahabs sons executed, thus fulfilling Elijahs
prophecy (I Kings 21:17-24).
11) On the way back to Samaria from Jezreel, Jehu executed 42 of Ahaziahs relatives at
Beth-Eked.
12) Jehu arrived in Samaria and executed the rest of Ahabs house, thus fulfilling I Kings
21:17-24.
13) Jehu executed the priests of Baal.
207
14) II Ch. 22:9; II Kings 9:27d
15) II Kings 9:28
6D) AHAZIAHS CONCLUSION AND DEATH: CA. 841
14) Jehu found Ahaziah hiding in Samaria and took him to Meggido and there executed
him.
4
15) Ahaziah was brought to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried.
See next page for events that occurred during Athaliah's usurpation of the throne in
Judah, ca. 841-835.
208
ATHALIAHS USURPATION OF DAVIDS THRONE IN JUDAH (841-835 BC/E):
THE INTERLUDE BETWEEN AHAZIAH (THE 6TH KING OF JUDAH) AND JOASH (THE 7TH KING OF JUDAH)
1) 841
4) ca. 840-
835
1) II Ch. 22:10-12; II Kings
11:1-3
2) II Kings 10:29-31
3) II Kings 10:32-33
4) THE BOOK OF JOEL
Athaliahs Usurpation of Davids Throne in Judah
1) After Jehu executed Ahaziah, Ahaziahs mother, Athaliah, killed all of the
royal offspring in Judah except for Joash, who was hidden by Ahaziahs
sister, Jehosheba. Athaliah then began a 6-year usurpation of the throne
in Judah while the rightful King Joash was in hiding from ca. 841-835.
JEHUS CONFRONTATIONS WITH ASSYRIA AND DAMASCUS (CA 841/40-814/13)
Note: King Shalmaneser of Assyria (reigned ca. 859-824) won a partial victory
over Hazael of Damascus in the 18
th
year of his reign (ca. 841-40).
However, Hazael held off the siege of Damascus by Shalmaneser.
5
In the same year (Shalmanesers 18
th
, ca. 841-40), Jehu was forced to pay
tribute to Shalmaneser of Assyria.
6
II Kings 10:29-31 (Jehus idolatry) and II Kings 10:32-33 (Jehus defeats by
Hazael) should be taken as a chronological overview of Jehus entire reign from
ca. 841-814/13.
2) Jehus spiritual evaluation: he followed the idolatrous ways of Jeroboam.
However, God promised him that four of his descendants would reign in
Israel because Jehu executed Gods judgment on the house of Ahab.
3) Jehu and Israel began to suffer continuous defeat and loss by the hands of
Hazael of Damascus, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Elisha to Hazael (Cf. II
Kings 8:7-15).
4) THE BOOK OF JOEL: CA. 840-835
Cf. Amos 4:9; Amos prophesied about 90 years after Joel.
209
210
JOASH, THE 7TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
(HIDDEN FOR SIX YEARS DURING ATHALIAHS REIGN, 841-835; REIGNED 40 YEARS AFTER HIS HIDING, 835-796).
7) 835
12) 814/813
14) 814/813
25) 803
26) 798
27) 796
1) II Ch. 23:1-3; II Kings 11:4
2) II Ch. 23:4-10; II Kings 11:5-
11
3) II Ch. 23:11; II Kings 11:12
4) II Ch. 23:12-15; II Kings
11:13-16
5) II Ch. 23:16-17; II Kings
11:17-18
6) II Ch. 23:18-19
7) II Ch. 23:20-21; II Kings
11:19-21
8) II Ch. 24:1; II Kings 12:1
9) II Ch. 24:2; II Kings 12:2-3
10) II Ch. 24:3
11) II Ch. 24:4-5; II Kings 12:4-
5
12) II Kings 10:34-36
13) II Kings 13:1-3
14) II Ch. 24:6-7; II Kings 12:6-
8
15) II Ch. 24:8; II Kings 12:9a
16) II Ch. 24:9
17) II Ch. 24:10; II Kings 12:9b
18) II Ch. 24:11; II Kings 12:10
19) II Ch. 24:12-14; II Kings
12:11-16
20) II Ch. 24:15-16
21) II Ch. 24:17-18
22) II Ch. 24:19
23) II Ch. 24:20-22
24) II Ch. 24:23-24; II Kings
7A) THE ASSUMPTION OF JOASH IN JEHUS 7
TH
YEAR (CA. 835) VIA JEHOIADAS INFLUENCE
1) Jehoiada revealed Joash to Judahs captains.
2) Jehoiada revealed the plan to enthrone Joash.
3) Jehoiada revealed and anointed Joash as king.
4) Jehoiada revealed Athaliahs death sentence.
5) Jehoiada renewed the covenant with God, and then Judah rid themselves of Baal.
6) Jehoiada reformed the temple service.
7) Joashs enthronement at 7 years of age (ca. 835).
7B) THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOASH UNDER JEHOIADAS INFLUENCE
8) Joashs biographical evaluation: Joash became king in the 7
th
year of Jehus reign in Israel
(835) when he was 7 years old, and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem over Judah (ca.
835-796).
9) Joashs good spiritual evaluation during the influence of Jehoiada.
10) Joashs marriages via Jehoiadas influence; Amaziah born ca. 820 (Cf. II Ch. 25:1; II Kings
14:2).
11) Joash commanded a collection for the repair of the temple some time before his 23
rd
year.
12) Jehu (king of Israel) died after a 28-year reign in ca. 814/13.
13) In the 23
rd
year of Joash (c. 814/13), Jehus son, Jehoahaz began a 17-year reign in
Israel. Jehoahaz suffered continuous defeat like his father, Jehu, from Hazael and his son,
Ben-Hadad III.
2
14) In Joashs 23
rd
year (814/13) he rebuked the priests for delaying the temple repair
project.
15) Jehoiada made a box for the collection.
16) A Proclamation of Mosaic levy was made in Judah (Cf. Ex. 30:11-16).
17) The collection was deposited in the box.
18) Daily county of the collection.
19) The restoration of the Temple and Temple services.
7C THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOASH WITHOUT JEHOIADAS INFLUENCE
20) Jehoiada, the spiritual mentor of Joash, died.
21) Joash abandoned God through the counsel and influence of Judahs officials.
22) Judah, Joash resisted prophetic influence.
23) Joash and Judah murdered Jehoiadas son, Zechariah, for his prophetic message from
Gods spirit (Cf. Mt. 23:35).
211
12:17-19
25) II Kings 13:4-7
26) II Kings 13:8-11
27) II Ch. 24:25-27; II Kings
12:19-21
24) Joash suffered invasion and loss because of his apostasy; he bought off Hazael of
Damascus.
3
25) Israel was given a temporary respite from Hazael in ca. 803 by a savior, probably Adad-
Nirari III
(Adad-Nirari III reigned in Assyria ca. 806-782).
26) In the 37
th
year of Joash (ca. 798) Jehoahaz died and his son, Jehoash began a 16-year
reign (ca. 798-782/81) in Israel.

27) The conclusion of Joash: Joash was killed in a conspiracy in ca. 796.
212
AMAZIAH
THE 8TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 796-767)
1) 797-796
15) 793/92
16) 792/91
17) 782/81
18) 782/81
21) 781-767
22) 767
1) II Ch. 25:1; II Kings 14:1-2
2) II Ch. 25:2; II Kings 14:3-4
3) II Ch. 25:3-4; II Kings 14:5-6
4) II Kings 13:14-21
5) II Kings 13:22-25
6) II Ch. 25:5-6
7) II Ch. 25:7-10
8) II Ch. 25:11-12; II Kings 14:7
9) II Ch. 25:13
10) II Ch. 25:14-16
11) II Ch. 25:17; II Kings 14:8
12) II Ch. 25:18-19; II Kings 14:9-
10
13) II Ch. 25:20-22; II Kings
14:11-12
14) II Ch. 25:23-24; II Kings
14:13-14
15) II Ch. 25:27a; II Kings 14:19a
16) II Ch. 26:1; II Kings 14:21
17) II Kings 13:12-13; 14:15-16
18) II Kings 14:23-24
19) II Kings 14:25-27
20) The Book of Jonah
21) II Ch. 25:25; II Kings 14:17
22) II Ch. 25:26-28; II Kings
14:18-20
8A) AMAZIAHS ASSUMPTION: HIS BIOGRAPHICAL AND SPIRITUAL EVALUATION
1) Amaziah began his reign in Jehoash of Israels second year, ca. 797/96.
2) Amaziah did what was right, but not with a whole heart.
3) Amaziah avenged Joashs death (Cf. Deut. 24:16).
The conclusion of Elishas prophetic ministry and other events in Israel: Elishas prophecy of victory
over Aram.
4) The fulfillment of Elishas prophecy of Arams domination of Israel during Jehoashs reign in
Israel.
2
In ca. 793/92 Jeroboam II began a co-reign with Jehoash in Israel (Cf. II Kings 15:1 for a
synchronization with the
beginning of Uzziahs (Azariah) sole reign in ca. 767).
3
8B) AMAZIAHS TRANSGRESSION: IDOLATRY WITH EDOMS IDOLS
5) Amaziahs war plan with soldiers from Israel.
6) Amaziah was rebuked by a prophet for this plan; dismissed Israel became enraged.
7) Amaziah defeated Edom in a war.
8) Enraged Israel then plundered Judah.
9) Amaziahs idolatry, and a prediction by a prophet of Amaziahs destruction because of his
idolatry.
8C) AMAZIAHS SUBJUGATION TO ISRAEL IN WAR (CA. 793/92)
10) Amaziah challenged Jehoash, Israel to a war (Cf. II Ch. 25:13 for the possible reason).
11) Jehoash urged Amaziah to stay home.
12) Amaziah refused Jehoashs warning and was defeated, fulfilling the prophets prediction in II
Ch. 25:7-10.
13) King Jehoash of Israel then injured, plundered Jerusalem.
4
8D) AMAZIAHS REJECTION BY JUDAH AS THEIR KING
14) In ca. 793/92 Judah began to conspire against Amaziah because he turned from God; Amaziah
then fled to Lachish.
15) In ca. 792/91 Judah made Uzziah (Azariah) co-regent in place of the absent Amaziah.
5
16) In ca. 782/81 Jehoash died in Israel.
17) In ca. 782/81 Jeroboam II began his sole reign in Israel, in Amaziahs 15
th
year.
6
18) Overview of Jeroboams restoration of Israels borders according to Jonahs prophecies (Cf.
Amos 6:12-14).
213
20) THE BOOK OF JONAH: EVENTS OF THIS BOOK COULD HAVE HAPPENED CA. 800-750.
21) Amaziahs last 15 years in exile (ca. 781-767).
Amaziah was killed in Lachish in Jerooboams 27
th
year (ca. 767). The 27 years included the co-
regency that began in ca. 793/92.
214
UZZIAH, THE 9TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 792/91-740/39)
UZZIAH CO-REIGNED WITH HIS FATHER, AMAZIAH, 792/91-767.
UZZIAH WAS SOLE REGENT FROM 767 UNTIL THE TIME OF HIS LEPROSY IN 752/51.
UZZIAH WAS CO-REGENT WITH HIS SON, JOTHAN, CA. 752/51 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN CA. 740/39.
1) 792
3) 767-
6) 760-753
8) 753
12) 752
1) II Ch. 26:3; II Kings 15:1-2
2) II Ch. 26:4-5; II Kings 15:3-4
3) II Ch. 26:2
4) II Ch. 26:6-8
5) II Ch. 26:9-15
6) Amos
2
: Read Amos with
the years 760-753 as
prophetic commentary.
7) Hosea
3
: Read Hosea with
the years 755-725 as
prophetic commentary.
7) II Kings 14:28-29
8) II Kings 15:8-9
10) II Kings 15:10-12
11) II Kings 15:13-15
12) II Kings 15:16-18
9A) Uzziahs Assumption as Sole Regent: Biographical and Spiritual Review
1) Uzziah was 16 when, in ca. 792/91, he began to co-reign in place of the absent Amaziah,.
In ca. 767 (Jeroboams 27
th
year from co-regency with Jehoash in 793/92) Uzziah began
sole reign.
2) He sought God during the days of Zechariah.
9B) Uzziahs Administration After Amaziahs Death
3) After Amaziahs death in ca. 767, Uzziah rebuilt and restored Eloth to Judah.
4) Uzziah conquered Philistia and Ammon.
5) Uzziah strengthened Jerusalem militarily and agriculturally.
9C) Degeneration and Confusion in Israel
6) In ca. 760-753 (two years prior to the earthquake) Amos prophesied during the reigns of
Jeroboam II and Uzziah of Judah (Cf. especially Amos 7:10-17 and 8:8 for this period of
Jeroboams reign).
7) Hosea began his prophetic ministry during the conclusion of Jeroboams reign and then
during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezikiah of Judah. Thus, Hosea should be
read as a prophetic commentary on the years ca. 755-725.
8) In ca. 753, Jeroboam II died in Israel
(in the 38
th
year of Uzziah, including Uzziahs co-regency which began in ca. 792/91).
9) In ca. 753 Zechariah became king in Israel for six months, in Uzziahs 38
th
year.
4

(Perhaps Hosea 4 applies to this period.)
5
10) In 753/52 Shallum killed Zechariah, fulfilling:
10a) Gods promise to Jehu (Cf. II Kings 10:30).
10b) Hoseas prediction in Hosea 1:2-6.
10c) Amos prediction in Amos 7:7-11.
11) In ca. 753/52 (Uzziahs 39
th
year) Shallum reigned for one month in Israel before being
assassinated by Menahem.
6
(Perhaps Hosea 5-7 applies to this period)
7
215
12) In ca. 752, Menahem began a 10-year evil, savage reign in Israel (ca. 752-742/1).
8
(Cf.
Hosea 13:16).
216
UZZIAH, CONTINUED
THE 9TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (CA. 792/91-740/39)
13) 752/51
18) 743/42
19) 742/41
20) 740/39
22) 740/39
13) II Ch. 26:16-20; II Kings
15:5a
15:5b
15) Micah: Read with the
years 751-725 as prophetic
commentary
17) II Kings 15:19-20
18) II Kings 15:21-22
19) II Kings 15:23-24
20) II Kings 15:25-28
21) II Ch. 26:22-23; II Kings
15:6,7;
Isaiah 6
22) Isaiah 1-35: Read in
9D) Uzziahs Transgressions: Pride and Unfaithfulness
13) In c. 752/51 Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for his unfaithfulness to God (Josephus
affirmed that the great earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5
happened at this time).
14) Uzziahs son, Jotham, then became co-regent with Uzziah because of this leprosy
(Jothams 20-year reign is to be dated from this 752/51 date of Uzziahs leprosy, II
Kings 15:30). Thus, Jotham co-reigned in place of Uzziah ca. 752/51-740/39; from
ca. 744-735, Jothams son Ahaz, was his helper; from ca. 735-732/31 Jothams son
Ahaz was a senior partner and co-regent.)
15) Micah began his prophetic ministry somewhere during Jothams reign, perhaps as
early as the beginning of Jothams co-regency in place of the leprous Uzziah in ca.
752/51. Micah continued during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezikiah in Judah. Thus,
Micah should be read as a prophetic commentary of the years ca. 751-725.
11
16) Ahaz may have become Jothams helper/co-regent in ca. 744 (Cf. II Kings. 17:1).
Hoshea was appointed king in ca. 732, which was Ahazs 12
th
year; 12+732=744).
9E) Continuation of Degeneration and Confusion in Israel
17) In ca. 743/42 Menahem paid tribute to Assyrias Tilgath-pilser III (Tilgath-pilser is the
Pul mentioned here in the biblical language, who reigned in Assyria ca. 745-727;
Cf. Hosea 8:8-10 and 12:2).
18) In ca. 742/41 Menahem died in Israel.
19) In ca. 742/41 Menahems son, Pekehiah began a two-year reign in Israel (in
Uzziahs 50
th
year).
20) In 740/39, Pekah assassinated Pekahiah in Uzziahs 52
nd
year (Pekah had an actual
reign of eight years. Apparently, the recorded 20-year reign of Pekah was Pekahs
attempt to have his reign encompass the years dating back to the end of the four-
generation reign of Jehus house, which ended ca. 752. Thus, Pekah probably
reigned in an actual sense from ca. 740/39-732/31).
9F) Uzziahs Conclusion and Death
217
conjunction with the years
740-715 as prophetic
commentary.
21) In ca. 740/39, Uzziah died in Judah.
22) In ca. 740/39 Isaiah received his call from God to enter into prophetic ministry. The
Book of Isaiah recorded the death of Sennacherib, which happened in ca. 681 (Isa.
37:37-38). Thus, Isaiahs ministry was at least 60 years long (from ca. 740-680 or
later) or a number of authors contributed to the Book of Isaiah.
218
JOTHAM, THE 10TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
JOTHAM CO-REIGNED IN PLACE OF LEPROUS UZZIAH FROM 751/50-740/39.
IN 744, HE PROBABLY MADE AHAZ HIS SON A TRI-REGENT.
AFTER AHAZ REACHED HIS MAJORITY AGE, JOTHAM MADE HIM A CO-REGENT/SENIOR PARTNER FROM CA. 740/39-732/31.
1) 749/39 1) II Ch. 27:1; II Kings
15:32-33
15:34-35a
3) II Ch. 27:3-4; I Kings
15:34b
4) II Ch. 27:5-6
5) I Kings 15:37
10A) Jothams Assumption after Uzziahs Death
1) In ca. 740/39 (the second year of Pekah) Uzziah died and Jotham became
king in his place. II Kings 15:30 recorded the comprehensive years of
Jothams reign as 20, which 20 years ended the same year as the death of
Pekah in ca. 732/31. Therefore, the 16 years mentioned in the texts at left
were computed from the beginning of Jothams co-reign with Uzziah in
752/51 until Ahaz became co-regent/senior partner with Jotham in ca. 736.
10B) Jothams Evaluation: His Spiritual Life
2) Jotham was a good King, but the people continued in corruption.
10C) Jothams Administration as King
3) Jothams architectual and military constructions.
4) Jothams subjugation and taxation of Ammon.
10D) The Institution of the Syro-Israelitish Confederacy
5) Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel began a confederacy about this time to
attack Judah. The verse at left is an overview of their preliminary activities.
Their mature attack on Judah and Ahaz is in the following sections.
219
AHAZ
FROM 744-736/35 (FROM HIS MAJORITY AT AGE 13 UNTIL HE WAS 20), AHAZ WAS HELPER/CO-REGENT WITH HIS FATHER, JOTHAM.
FROM 736/35-732/31, HE WAS SENIOR PARTNER/CO-REGENT WITH JOTHAM.
FROM 732/31-729/28, AHAZ WAS SOLE REGENT IN JUDAH.
FROM CA. 729/28-716/15 HEZEKIAH WAS AHAZS HELPER/CO-REGENT (FROM HEZEKIAHS MAJORITY AT 13 UNTIL HE WAS 25).
1) 736/35
3) 734
7) 733/732
8) 732
10) 732
15) 732-715
1) II Kings 16:1
2) II Ch. 28:1-4; II Kings 16:2-
4
3) Isaiah 7--12; II Kings
16:5
4) II Ch. 28:5-8; II Kings 16:6
5) II Ch. 28:9-15
6) II Ch. 28:16-19; II Kings
16:7-8
7) II Ch. 28:20-21; II Kings
16:9, 15:29
8) II Kings 15:30-31
9) II Kings 17:1-2
15:38
16:10-11
16:12-16
11A) AHAZS INSTITUTION AS SENIOR PARTNER/CO-REGENT WITH JOTHAM IN C. 736/35
1
1) Ahazs biography: he began a senior partner/co-regency in the 17
th
recorded year of
Pekah (17
th
based on Pekah dating his reign from the conclusion of Jehus four
descendant reign in 752, but the fourth actual year of Pekahs reign.
2) Ahazs spiritual evaluation: he was deemed evil.
11B) AHAZS TRANSGRESSIONS IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION AND TEMPTATION
3) In ca. 734 the Syro-Ephraiamic confederacy began to attack Ahaz and Israel in an
attempt to end the reign of Davids sons by replacing Ahaz with Tabeel (Cf. Isa. 7:
for Isaiahs sign and prediction to Ahaz.
3
).
4) The Syro-Ephraiamic confederacy killed many of Judah.
5) Obed rebuked Israel for this slaughter.
4
6) Ahaz then requested help from Assyria.
5
7) In ca. 733/32 Assyria responded to Ahaz and crushed Rezin and Damascus (thus
fulfilling Isaiahs prophecy in
Isa. 7; Cf. Amos 1). However, Assyria also weakened Judah.
8) In 732, Hoshea assassinated Pekah in Jothams 20
th
year (starting from Jothams co-
regency with Uzziah in 752/51), which was also Ahazs 12
th
year (starting from his
co-regency with Jotham in ca. 744).
9) Hoshea was then appointed king in Israel in ca. 732 by Tilgath-pilser; Hosheas
review.
6
10) In ca. 732, Jotham died in Judah.
11) Ahaz then visited Tilgath-pilser in Damascus and imported a foreign altar to
Jerusalem.
12) Ahaz then offered sacrifices on this altar.
13) Ahaz then removed the utensils of the Lord from the temple.
14) Ahaz then filled Jerusalem with idolatry.
220
16:17-18
14) II Ch. 28:25
15) Isaiah 13--14:27
(Babylon);
Isaiah 15-16:12
(Moab)
15) Note: Somewhere between 732 and 715, Isaiah probably delivered the prophecies
cited in #15 to Babylon and Moab.
AHAZ, CONTINUED
16) 729/28
17) 727
19) 724
20) 722
23) 716/15
25) 715
16) II Kings 18:1
17) II Kings 17:3
18) II Kings 17:4
19) II Kings 17:5, 18:9
20) II Kings 17:6, 18:10-11
21) II Kings 17:7-23, 18:12
22) II Kings 17:24-41
23) II Ch. 28:26-27; II
Kings 16:19-20
24) Isaiah 14:28-32
11C) AHAZS INSTITUTION OF HEZEKIAH AS HELPER/CO-REGENT IN CA.729/28
16) In ca. 729/28 (when Hezekiah turned 12 or 13), Ahaz made Hezekiah his
helper/co-regent. This was also the third year of Hosheas reign in Israel.
11D) THE CAPTIVATION OF ISRAEL BY ASSYRIA
17) In ca. 727, Shalmaneser V of Assyria (who reigned ca. 725-722)

made
Hoshea and Israel a tributary to Assyria.
18) Hoshea then began to conspire with So of Egypt against Assyria.
19) In ca. 724, Shalmaneser V invaded Samaria and began a three-year siege
of the city. This was in the 7
th
year of Hosheas reign and in the 4
th
year
of Hezekiahs co-regency with Ahaz, which began in ca. 729/28.
20) In ca. 722, Samaria fell to Assyria. This was the ninth year of Hosheas
reign and the seventh year of Hezekiahs co-regency with Ahaz. Hoshea
was thus the last King of Israel.
21) A theological interpretation of the fall and captivity of Israel to Assyria.
22) Assyria then resettled Samaria with foreign nations; this was the beginning
of the religious
syncretism and racial cross breeding that led to the Samaritan religion.
11E) THE CONCLUSION OF AHAZS REIGN
23) In ca. 716/15, Ahaz died in Judah.
221
25) Isaiah 20 (possibly
1819 also) 24) In the same year Ahaz died, Isaiah gave the prophecy recorded in Isaiah
14:28-32.
25) In ca. 715 King Sargon of Assyria (he reigned 722-705) began fighting with
Ashdod. In that same year, Isaiah began a three-year symbolic naked
ministry.
HEZEKIAH, THE 12TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
FROM 729/28-715, HEZEKIAH WAS HELPER/CO-REGENT WITH HIS FATHER, AHAZ.
FROM 715-696, HEZEKIAH WAS THE SOLE REGENT OF JUDAH. FROM 696-687, HEZEKIAHS SON MANASSEH WAS HIS HELPER/CO-REGENT.
1-10) 715
714-701?
1) II Ch. 29:1-2; II Kings 18:2-
3
2) II Ch. 29:3-11
3) II Ch. 29:12-19
4) II Ch. 29:20-36
5) II Ch. 30:1-9
6) II Ch. 30:10-12
7) II Ch. 30:13-14; II Kings
18:4
8) II Ch. 30:15-27
9) II Ch. 31:1
10) II Ch. 31:2-19
12A) THE REFORMATION OF HEZEKIAH IN JUDAH CA. 715-?
1) His assumption and overall evaluation.
2) In the first year, month and day of his sole reign after Ahaz died,
he commanded the priests to reconsecrate the temple Ahaz had
defiled (Hezekiah referred to Israels captivity in II Ch. 29:9-10 as
an accomplished fact).
3) On the 16
th
day of the first year and month of Hezekiah, the priests finished the
temple.
4) The reinstitution of Mosaic offerings.
5) Hezekiah invited all of the remaining Israelites who had escaped the Assyrian
captivity to return with Judah to the Lord.
6) Most of the Israelites mocked Hezekiahs invitation, but some of the northern
Israelites repented and came to Judah.
7) Hezekiah had the foreign altars removed from the city of Jerusalem.
8) From the 14
th
day, 2
nd
month of Hezekiahs first year until the 28
th
day of the 2
nd
month (i.e., two weeks) the Passover feast was celebrated in Judah.
9) Then the assembly removed the foreign altars from the surrounding cities of Israel.
(Note: How could this have been done during the corrupt reign of Hoshea in
Israel?)
10) From the third through the seventh month of Hezekiahs first year, the Levitical
priesthood was reorganized, and the reinstitution of financial support for the
priests was accomplished.
222
11) II Ch. 31:20-21; II Kings
18:5-6
12) II Kings 18:8; I Ch. 4:34-
43
12B) THE CONTINUATION OF HEZEKIAHS REFORMATION AND FAITHFUL ADMINISTRATION
11) An overview of how Hezekiah continued to seek God and his administration of
faithfulness.
12) Hezekiahs domination of Philistia and the expansion of Judah into surrounding
areas.
223
HEZEKIAH, CONTINUED, THE 12TH KING OF JUDAH DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
13-22) 701
Note:
Telescoped
to 681/80
23-31)
Probably ca.
701-700
13) Ch. 32:1; II Kings 18:13;
Isaiah 36:1
14) II Kings 18:14-16
18:7
16) II Ch. 32:9-15; II Kings
18:17-25; Isaiah 36:2-
10
17) II Kings 18:26-37; Isaiah
36:11-22
37:1-7
19) II Ch. 32:16-19; II Kings
19:8-13; Isaiah 37:8-13
19:14-19; Isaiah 37:14-
20
37:21-35
22) II Ch. 32:21a; II Kings
19:35-36; Isaiah 37:36-
37
Note: II Ch. 32:21b; II King
19:37;
Isaiah 37:38
23) II Ch. 32:24a; II Ki. 20:1;
Isa. 38:1
24) II Ch. 32:24b; II Ki. 20:2-
3;
Isa. 38:2-3
12C) THE INVASION OF SENNACHERIB OF ASSYRIA IN CA. 701
13) In 701 (the 14
th
year of Hezekiahs sole reign) Sennacherib of Assyria (he reigned
705-681) invaded Judah.
14) Hezekiah paid Assyria tribute.
15) Hezekiah, realizing that Assyria would not be content with tribute, strengthened
Jerusalem militarily and spiritually.
16) While Assyria was besieging Lachish, they sent a second embassy to mock Judah
and demand their surrender.
17) Judah requested that negotiations be conducted in Aramaic, but Assyria mocked
them in Hebrew.
18) In response to Hezekiahs request to Isaiah for prayer, Isaiah predicted Judahs
deliverance from Assyria.
19) Sennacherib then began to engage Libnah in battle that caused a temporary lifting
of the siege. However, he sent a threatening letter to Hezekiah promising to return.
20) Hezekiah and Isaiah brought the threats of Assyria to God in prayer.
21) Isaiah delivered Gods promise of salvation to Hezekiah in response to his prayer.
22) Jerusalem was then granted a miraculous salvation by God, causing Sennacherib to
return to Assyria.
Note: Sennacherib was not assassinated until ca. 681/80, so the reference to
Sennacheribs death in this context is to be taken topically, not chronologically.
2
This is (from one point of view) also internal evidence that Isaiah was still alive until
this date.
12D) THE AFFLICTION OF HEZEKIAH (PROBABLY IN C. 701/00)
23) Hezekiah fell ill and Isaiah told him to prepare for death.
24) Hezekiah prayed in bitterness to the Lord about his sickness.
25) Isaiah then predicted a healing of Hezekiahs sickness, and reaffirmed Gods
promise to protect Jerusalem from Assyria.
26) Hezekiah asked for a sign in response to this prediction.
224
38:4-6
26) II Kings 20:8; Isaiah
38:22
27) II Kings 20:9-10
28) Isaiah 38:7-8
29) II Ch. 32:24c; II Kings
20:11
38:21
31) Isaiah 38:9-20
27) Isaiah asked Hezekiah if the shadow should go forward or backward.
28) Isaiah then predicted that the shadow would return.
29) As Isaiah prayed the shadow returned.
30) Isaiah requested that figs be applied to Hezekiah and then Hezekiah recovered.
31) Hezekiahs writing after his affliction and recovery.
225
HEZEKIAH, CONTINUED
32) II Ch. 32:22-23; 32:25-
26
20:12;
Isaiah 39:1
39:2
35) II Kings 20:14-15;
Isaiah 39:3-4
36) II Kings 20:16-18;
Isaiah 39:5-7
39:8
38) II Ch. 32:27-29
20:20
40) Proverbs 25-29 were
copied and arranged
during this period.
21:1
42) Isaiah 40--66
12E) THE EXALTATION AND SUBSEQUENT PRIDE OF HEZEKIAH
32) Hezekiah gained renown among the nations for his rebellion against
Assyria, which led to Hezekiah becoming proud.
33) Envoys of Merodach-Baladan came from Babylon with gifts and a greeting
after Hezekiahs illness.
34) Hezekiah then foolishly showed them his treasures.
35) Isaiah then questioned Hezekiah about the Babylonian envoys.
36) Isaiah then predicted the future Babylonian captivity of Judah.
37) In response to this prediction, Hezekiah was glad for peace in his lifetime.
12F) HEZEKIAHS ADMINISTRATION IN HIS LATER YEARS
38) His economic activities.
39) His architectural activities.
40) His literary activities
41) In ca. 696, Hezekiah began to groom his son Manasseh for his regency by
being made Hezekiahs helper/co-regent. This co-regency continued until
Hezekiahs death in ca. 687.
5
42) The unitary or single authorship view of the Book of Isaiah has placed
Isaiah 40--66 during the last part of Hezekiahs reign, ca. 700-687.
12G) THE CONCLUSION OF HEZEKIAHS REIGN IN CA. 687
43) Hezekiahs biographers and death.
226
43) II Ch 32:32-33; II
Kings 20:21
227
MANASSEH, THE 13TH KING OF JUDAH
FROM 696-687, MANASSEH WAS HELPER/CO-REGENT WITH HIS FATHER HEZEKIAH. FROM 687-641, MANASSEH WAS SOLE REGENT IN JUDAH.
1) 687
11) 641
21:2-9
2) II Kings 21:16
21:10-15
4) II Ch. 33:11
5) II Ch. 33:12-13
6) II Ch. 33:14
7) II Ch. 33:15
8) II Ch. 33:16-17
9) THE BOOK OF NAHUM
10) II Ch. 33:18-19; II
Kings 21:17
21:18
13A) MANASSEHS ASSUMPTION (CA. 687) AND ADMINISTRATION OF SIN
1) His theological sins (Cf. Jeremiah 15:1-4)
2) His anthropological sins.
3) Gods communication of judgment to Manasseh for his sins.
13B) MANASSEHS DEPORTATION TO BABYLON
4) Somewhere between ca. 676-648, Manasseh was deported to Babylon as
chastisement for his sins.
13C) MANASSEHS SUPPLICATION AND RESTORATION TO JERUSALEM
5) Somewhere between ca. 676-648, God restored Manasseh to his throne in
Jerusalem.
13D) MANASSEHS RECONSECRATION TO GOD IN JERUSALEM
6) Manassehs reconstruction of Jerusalem.
7) Manassehs removal of idolatry from the city.
8) Manassehs restoration of the temple services.
9) NAHUM: Somewhere between ca. 660-613, Nahum predicted the fall of
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. This prediction came true in ca. 612.
3
13E) MANASSEHS CONCLUSION AND DEATH
10) Biographical sources for Manassehs reign.
11) In ca. 641, Manasseh died.
228
229
AMON
THE 14TH KING OF JUDAH (642-640BC/E)
1) 642
4) 640
5) 640
21:19
21:20-22
3) II Ch. 33:23
21:23
21:24
6) II Kings 21:25-26
14A) Amons Assumption and Evaluation
1) Amons biographical material.
2) Amons spiritual evaluation: his idolatry.
3) Amons refusal to repent.
14B) Amons Assassination
4) In 640, his own officials assassinated Amon.
14C) Execution of Amons Murderers: Josiahs Assumption
5) In 640, the people recognized Amon's son Josiah as King after his father was
assassinated.
14D) Amons Conclusion and Burial
6) Amon was buried.
230
JOSIAH, THE 15TH KING OF JUDAH (CA. 640-608)
1) 640
4) 633/32-
629/28
5) 629/28-
624/23
6) 628/27
7-19) 623/22
21) 612
22) 608
1) II Ch. 34:1; II Kings 22:1
2) II Ch. 34:2; II Kings 22:2
3) THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH
4) II Ch. 34:3a
6) II Ch. 34:3b-7
Jeremiah 1-6
7) II Ch. 34:8; II Kings 22:3-7
8) II Ch. 34:9-13
9) II Ch. 34:14
10) II Ch. 34:15; II Kings 22:8
11) II Ch. 34:16-18; II Kings
22:9-10
12) II Ch. 34:19; II Kings 22:11
13) II Ch. 34:20,21; II Kings
22:12,13
14) II Ch. 34:22-28; II Kings
22:14-20
15) II Ch. 34:29-30; II Kings
23:1-2
16) II Ch. 34:31-32; II Kings
23:3
17) II Ch. 34:33; II Kings 23:4-
20
18) II Ch. 35:1-19; II Kings
23:21-23
19) II Kings 23:24-27
15A) JOSIAHS ASSUMPTION IN CA. 640
1) Josiahs biographical evaluation.
2) Josiahs spiritual evaluation.
3) Zephaniah prophesied early in Josiahs reign, at least before the revival in 623/22.
15B) Josiahs Dedication: The Years of Seeking God
4) From the 8th through the 12
th,
years of his reign (ca. 633/32-629/28), Josiah began to seek
God (Cf. Zeph. 1:6; 2:1-3).
15C) Josiahs Purification: The Years of Removing Idolatry
5) From the 12
th
to 17
th
years of his reign (ca. 629/28-624/23), Josiah purged Jerusalem and
surrounding regions of idolatry.
6) In the 13
th
year of Josiahs reign (ca. 628/27), Jeremiah began a prophetic ministry that
lasted until shortly after Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 587. (Cf. Jer. 25:3; 25:1-6, which
may have been applicable in this historical context).
15D) Josiahs Revivification: The Year of Renewal
7) In the 18th year of his reign (ca. 623/22), Josiah began to repair the temple of the Lord.
8) A review of reconstruction workers.
9) During the repair of the temple, a scroll of Gods law was discovered (probably
Deuteronomy).
10) Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
11) Shaphan read the scroll to Josiah.
12) Josiah then tore his clothes.
13) Josiash commanded that inquiry be made of God regarding the contents of the scroll.
14) The prophetess Huldah then predicted Jerusalems destruction, but peace in Josiahs
reign.
15) Josiah then caused all Judah to hear Gods law.
16) Josiah and Judah then renewed the covenant.
17) Josiah then fulfilled prophecy (Cf. I Kings 13) by totally purging the land of idolatry.
18) In the 18th year of his reign (ca. 623/22), Josiah celebrated the greatest Passover since
Samuel.
19) A theological reflection on Josiahs revival.
15E) Josiahs Conclusion: The years 620-608
20) Jeremiah: It is possible that Jer. 7--20 fits in this period; some scholars put 7-17 in
Jehoiakims reign.
21) In 612, Nineveh fell to Babylon and Media, fulfilling the predictions of Nahum and
231
20) Jeremiah 7-20
22) II Ch. 35:20-23; II Kings
23:29
23) II Ch. 35:24-25; II Kings
23:30
24) II Ch. 35:26-27; II Kings
23:28
Zephaniah.
22) In 608, Pharoah Neco killed Josiash at Meggido.
23) Josiahs burial and mourning in Jerusalem.
24) Sources for Josiahs life.
232
JEHOAHAZ
THE 16TH KING OF JUDAH (608, FOR THREE MONTHS)
1) 608
Note: 600-
23:30-31
2) II Kings 23:32
23:33-34
Note: Jeremiah 22:11-
12
16A) Jehoahazs Ascension and Evaluation
1) Biographical evaluation: After Neco of Egypt killed Josiah in ca. 608,
Jehoahaz became king.
2) Jehoahazs spiritual evaluation.
16B) Jehoahazs Captivation
3) After Jehoahaz reigned for three months in 608, Pharoah Neco deposed,
fined and replaced Jehoahaz, as king with his brother Jehoiakim. Neco then
took Jehoahaz in captivity to Egypt.
Note: About 8-10 years later (ca. 600-597), Jehoahaz was still in captivity in
Egypt. At that time God predicted through Jeremiah that Jehoahaz would
die in Egypt (Cf. Jer. 22:11-12). Jer. 22:11-12 was delivered late in the reign
of Jehoiakim.
233
JEHOIAKIM (ELIAKIM)
THE 17TH KING OF JUDAH (CA. 608-597)
1) 608
4) 605
6) 605
7) 605
8) 605-603
9) 604
11) 603
12) 601/600
13) 598/597
14) 598
1) II Ch. 36:4; II Kings 23:34-35
2) II Ch. 36:5; II Kings 23:36-37
3) Jeremiah 26; perhaps
Jeremiah 7-10
4) Jeremiah 25; 46-49:33
5) THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK
6) Jeremiah 36:1-8; Jer. 45
8) Daniel 1; II Kings 24:1a
9) Jeremiah 36:9-32
10) Jeremiah 35
11) Daniel 2
12) II Kings 24:1b-4
13) Jeremiah 2223
14) II Ch. 36:6-8; II Kings 24:5-7
17A) JEHOIAKIMS ASCENSION AND FIRST FOUR YEARS (C. 608-605)
1) In 608, Pharoah Neco made Jehoiakim king,
2
and he immediately was forced to tax his people to
pay a fine to Neco.
2) Jehoiakims biographical and spiritual evaluation.
3) Early in Jehoiakims reign, Jeremiah predicted the destruction of the temple (some scholars
would place Jeremiahs Temple Sermon in Jeremiah 7-10 in this context also; others would
place 7-10 earlier, in Josiahs later years, ca. 620-608).
3
4) In Jehoiakims fourth year (ca. 605), just before the Battle of Carchemish in 605, God
commanded Jeremiah to predict Babylons domination to the surrounding nations. These
predictions were recorded in Jer. 46--49:33.
(Cf. Obadiah and Jer. 36:2, . all the nations.).
4
5) Just before or soon after the Battle of Carchemish, Habakkuk received and delivered his
prophecy regarding Babylon.
5
6) In Jehoiakims fourth year (605), probably just before the Battle of Carchemish, Jeremiah dictated
to Baruch the inclusive prophecies he had received up to that point in time. God also gave a
specific message to Baruch at that time.
7) In May or June of 605, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated Pharoah Neco of Egypt at the pivotal
Battle of Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar later ascended the throne of Babylon on September
6, 605, and reigned until ca. 561.
17B) Jehoiakims Subjection to Nebuchadnezzar in c. 605-603/2
8) After the Battle of Carchemish in 605, Nebuchadnezzar subjugated Jehoiakim and Jerusalem (the
beginning of three years of
forced servitude) and took some choice people of Judah to Babylon, among who was
Daniel.
(Note: The third year of Jehoiakim mentioned in Daniel 1:1 is the same as the fourth year of
Jehoiakim mentioned in Jer. 25:1, which is also the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, i.e. 605.
The difference is due to different computational or reckoning systems which were then
employed in Babylon and Judah.)
7
9) In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakims reign (ca. 604), Jehoiakim burned the scroll of
Jeremiahs prophecies.
10) Some time after Babylon had subjugated Jerusalem in 605, Jeremiah had a parabolic encounter
with the Racabites. (Cf. I Kings 21, II Kings 10)
11) In ca. 603 (the second year of Nebuchadnezzar according to the Babylonian system of
computation), Daniel interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
17C) Jehoiakims Rebellion Against Nebuchadnezzar
12) In ca. 601/600, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt but suffered a temporary loss and setback.
9
This may have inspired Jehoiakim to rebel against Babylon after three years of forced
servitude. Apparently, Nebuchadnezzar tried to deal with this rebellion by dispatching the
234
Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites to attack Jehoiakim.
13) Some time before Jehoiakims death in 598/97, Jeremiah gave a message of Gods judgment on
the kings and spiritual leaders of Judah.
17D) Jehoiakims Conclusion and Death
14) Late in ca. 598, Nebuchadnezzar took the matter of Jehoiakims rebellion into his own hands
and personally began a punitive invasion of Judah. During the invasion process, Jehoiakim died
(fulfilling Jer. 22:18-19 and 36:27-31), and was succeeded by
Jehoiachin early in ca. 597.
235
JEHOIACHIN (JECONIAH, CONIAH)
THE 18TH KING OF JUDAH (FOR THREE MONTHS IN JERUSALEM IN 597; HE SPENT THE NEXT 37 YEARS IN CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON)
1-3) 597 1) II Ch. 36:9; II Kings
24:8-9
2) II Kings 24:10-12
24:13-17
18A) JEHOIACHINS ASCENSION IN CA. 597
1) His ascension, biographical and spiritual reviews.
18B) JEHOIACHINS CAPTIVATION TO BABYLON
2) After reigning for three months and 10 days during Babylons siege of
Jerusalem, Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzars forces on March
15/16, 597. This was also the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzars reign.
Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon, where he spent the next 37 years in
captivity, thus fulfilling Jer. 22:24-30.(Cf. II Kings 25:27-30 and Jer. 52:31-
33).
3) Nebuchadnezzars forces then plundered the temple and the kings house,
deported the leaders and nobility of Judah to Babylon (among which was
Ezekiel
3
), and appointed Zedekiah as governor of the land under the
authority of Nebuchadnezzar.
236
ZEDIKIAH, THE 19TH KING (ACTUALLY A GOVERNOR UNDER NEBUCHADNEZZAR) OF JUDAH (597-586)
1) 597
3) 594/593
7) 592
8) 592
9) 591
10) 592-590
11) 590
12) 591/590
13) 590-588
1) II Ch. 36:11-12; II Kings
24:18-19; Jeremiah 37:1-
2; 52:1-2
2) Jeremiah 24
3) Jeremiah 27
(for the date, Cf. Jeremiah
28:1)
4) Jeremiah 28
5) Jeremiah 29
6) Jeremiah 50-51
(for the date, Cf. Jeremiah
51:59-63)
7) Ezekiel 1:1--3:15
8) Ezekiel 3:16--7
9) Ezekiel 8--11
10) II Ch. 36:13-16; II Kings
24:20; Jeremiah 52:3
11) Ezekiel 12--19
12) Ezekiel 20:1-44
19A) ZEDEKIAHS ASCENSION AND EVALUATION
1) Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah king (actually governor) after the fall of Jerusalem
to Babylon in ca. 597.
2) Some time after Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon, God revealed to Jeremiah the fig parable
(Jer. 29 may also fit
in this historical period, but probably fits better in Zedekiahs fourth year.)
3) In c. 594/93, Pharoah Neco died and was succeeded by his son, Psamtik II, a great warrior.
This development
led to a diplomatic meeting in Jerusalem early in the fourth year of Zedekiah between Judah,
Edom, Moab,
Ammon, Tyre and Sidon, probably to reassess their relationship with Babylon. God told
Jeremiah to put a yoke
on his neck and inform all those gathered at this meeting to submit to the yoke of Babylon.
2
4) In the 5th month of Zedekiahs 4th year, the false prophet Hananiah broke the yoke off
Jeremiahs neck and
predicted the soon return of the Babylonian exiles. Jeremiah then predicted Hananiahs
death, which happened
two months later.
5) Probably about this time, Zedekiah sent some diplomats to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
Jeremiah sent a letter
with them to the exiles, telling them to remain and prosper in Babylon until the 70-year
captivity was over (this
may have happened earlier in Zedekiahs reign).
6) Late in Zedekiahs 4th year he visited Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, perhaps as a result of
the diplomatic
meeting held in Jerusalem earlier that year. Jeremiah sent a prophecy along with one of the
envoys regarding the
future of Babylon (Jer. 49:34-39 could be possibly placed here; Jer. 49:1-33 could fit with this
time, or also with
Jer. 25 from an earlier time).
7) On the 5th day, 4th month and 5th year of Jehoiachins captivity (July 1, 592), Ezekiel was
called to the prophetic
ministry and given his first vision.
8) Seven days later (July 8, 592), Ezekiel was given parabolic instructions from God regarding
the future siege and
destruction of Jerusalem.
9) On the 5th day, 6th month and 6th year of Jehoiachins captivity (September 7, 591 or, by
the spring calendar,
237
13) Ezekiel 20:45--chapter
23
September 17, 592), Ezekiel was given a vision of the idolatry of Jerusalem.
19B) The Rebelliion of Zedekiah against Babylon
10) Some time between ca. 592-590, Zedekiah began to plan rebellion against Babylon in
league with Psamtik II of Egypt.
11) Some time after Zedekiah began to rebel against Babylon, and before September 1, 590,
Ezekiel gave a series of
prophecies, including a statement of Gods anger at Zedekiah for breaking allegiance with
Babylon, recorded in Ezek. 17.
12) On the 10
th
day, 5th month and 7th of Jehoiachins captivity (September 1, 590, or by the
spring calendar, August 13,
591), Ezekiel gave a prophecy to the elders on idolatry.
13) Some time between September 1, 590 and January 15, 588, Ezekiel gave a series of
prophecies on the coming judgment of Jerusalem by Babylon.
238
ZEDIKIAH, CONTINUED
THE 19TH KING (ACTUALLY A GOVERNOR UNDER NEBUCHADNEZZAR) OF JUDAH (597-586 BC/E)
14) 588
25) 587
28) 587/586
14) II Kings 25:1-2; Jer. 39:1;
52:4;
Ezekiel 24
15) Jeremiah 21
16) Jeremiah 37:3-10
18) Jeremiah 37:11-20
19) Jeremiah 37:21
20) Jeremiah 38:1-6
22) Jeremiah 38:14-28
23) Jeremiah 39:15-18
24) Jeremiah 52:5; II Kings
25:2
25) Jeremiah 32-33;
(possibly Jer. 3031 also)
26) Jeremiah 34:1-7
27) Ezekiel 29:1-16
(possibly Ezekiel 30:1-19 also)
28) Ezekiel 30:20-26
29) Ezekiel 31
19C) The Inception of the Siege of Jerusalem by Babylon: the result of Zedekiahs
rebellion
14) On the 10
th
day, 10
th
month, 9th year of Jehoiachins captivity (January 15, 588),
Nebuchadnezzar began to lay siege to Jerusalem.
8
15) While Jerusalem was being sieged, Zedekiah asked Jeremiah to inquire of God about the attack.
Jeremiah predicted the judgment of God.
16) In ca. 588, Pharoah Psamtik II of Egypt died and was succeeded by Hophra (also called Apries,
who reigned ca. 588-569). Apries then began a campaign to assist Jerusalem against
Babylon, which caused a temporary lifting of the siege of Jerusalem.
17) God expressed anger regarding the slaves who had been set free but then retaken as slaves
after the siege was temporarily lifted.
18) While the siege of Jerusalem was temporarily lifted, Jeremiah was accused of desertion to the
Babylonians and thus
imprisoned.
19) Jeremiah was then placed in the courtyard.
20) Jeremiah was then thrown into the cistern.
21) Ebed-Melech then pled for Jeremiahs life, and was allowed to rescue Jeremiah from the cistern.
21) Zedekiah again questioned Jeremiah about the Babylonians, and then
allowed Jeremiah to remain under house arrest in the
courtyard.
23) While Jeremiah was confined to the courtyard, God gave him a promise to give to Ebed-Melech.
19D) The Resumption of the Siege of Jerusalem by Babylon
24) Faced with the threat of Babylon, Egypt reconsidered its position and refused to continue
assisting Jerusalem. Consequently, Babylon returned to Judah and resumed the siege of
Jerusalem.
25) In the 10
th
year of Zedekiahs reign (587), God told Jeremiah purchase a field as a token of
Gods promise to restore the land to the exiles after the captivity. God then gave Jeremiah a
revelation of the future restoration of Jerusalem. (Jer. 30-31 may have been received at this
time also.)
26) Another message to Zedekiah during the siege.
27) On the 12
th
day, 10
th
month, 10
th
year of Jehoichins captivity (January 6, 587), Ezekiel
prophesied against Egypt and Pharoah Hophra (Apries).
11
(Ezek. 30:1-19 may have been
given at this time also.)
28) On the 7th day, 1st month and 11
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (April 19, 586, or by the spring
calendar April 29, 587), God asserted to Ezekiel that Egypt was broken.
12
29) On the 1st day, 3rd month and 11
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (June 11, 586, or by the spring
239
calendar, June 21, 587), Ezekiel gave a prophecy against Egypt.
240
ZEDIKIAH, CONTINUED
THE 19TH KING (ACTUALLY A GOVERNOR UNDER NEBUCHADNEZZAR) OF JUDAH (597-586 BC/E)
30) 586 30) II Ch. 36:17; II Kings
25:3-5;
Jeremiah 39:2-7,
52:6-11
31) II Chron. 36:18; II
Kings 25:13-17; Jeremiah
52:17-23
32) Jeremiah 39:11-14
33) Ezekiel 26--28
25:8-10;
Jeremiah 52:12-14,
39:8
35) II Ch. 36:20-21; II
Kings 25:11-12; Jeremiah
52:15-16, 39:9-10
36) II Kings 25:18-21; Jer.
52:24-29
19E) The Destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon
30) On the 9th day, 4th month and 11
th
year of Zedekiahs reign (July 19, 586),
the city of Jerusalem was broken into by the Babylonians. Zedekiah tried
to escape but was captured, tried, punished and then sent to Babylon in
captivity.
31) The temple was then plundered of valuables.
32) Jeremiah was then rescued from the courtyard.
33) On the first day (probably the 5th month) of the 11
th
year of Jehoiachins
captivity, Ezekiel prophesied against Tyre and Sidon. This prophecy was
probably given after the fall of Jerusalem, based on Ezekiels record of
Tyres joy at Jerusalems destruction (Ezek. 26:2).
34) From the 7th through the 10
th
day of the 5th month of the 11
th
year of
Zedekiahs reign (August 15-18, 586), the temple and the city of
Jerusalem were burned and destroyed.
35) The people whose lives were spared were then taken to Babylon in
captivity, but some of the poorest of the people were left to till the land.
This marked the beginning of the 70-year Sabbath rest of the land.
36) The chief officials of Jerusalem were then executed by the Babylonians; a
summary of the captives who were deported to Babylon.
241
THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY AND EXILE OF JUDAH: THE EXILIC MINISTRIES OF JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL AND DANIEL (586-538 BC/E)
1) 586
5) 586
1) II Kings 25:22
2) Jeremiah 40:1-6
3) Jeremiah 40:7-12; II
Kings 25:23-24
5) Jeremiah 41:1-3; II Kings
25:25
6) Jeremiah 41:4-10
8) Jeremiah 42
9) Jeremiah 43:1-7; II Kings
25:26
11) Jeremiah 44
12) Lamentations
A) The Exilic Ministry of Jeremiah
1) Gedaliah was appointed governor of the land under the authority of Babylon.
2) Jeremiah was given freedom by Nebuzaradan, captain of the Bablonian bodyguard,
and the choice to go to Babylon or remain in the land with the remnant. Jeremiah
chose to remain and minister to the remnant.
3) Gedaliah counseled the remnant to submit to Babylon and gather in the summer
fruit.
4) Johanan warned Gedaliah of Ishmaels plot against Gedaliah, but Gedaliah refused to
believe Johanan.
5) In the 7th month of the 11
th
year of Zedekiah (October 586), Gedaliah was killed by
Ishmael.
6) Ishmael then killed some other Jews.
7) Johanan then overcame Ishmael, but because he feared reprisal from Babylon, he
planned a flight to Egypt with the remnant.
8) The remnant, led by Johanan, asked Jeremiahs counsel about their plan to go to
Egypt. After 10 days, Jeremiah told them that God would bless them if they stayed
in the land of Israel, but they would be punished if they fled to Egypt.
9) The remnant chose to disobey Gods message through Jeremiah and they entered
Egypt as far as Tahpanhes, accompanied by Jeremiah.
10) At Tahpanhes, Jeremiah predicted the future invasion and defeat of Egypt by
Babylon. (This prediction came true in 568/67.)
11) Gods message of judgment to the Jews living in Egypt because of their idolatry.
12) Although there is no certain way of dating the composition of Lamentations,
Jeremiah probably wrote this book some time after the fall of Jerusalem.
242
243
THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY AND EXILE OF JUDAH: THE EXILIC MINISTRIES OF JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL AND DANIEL (586-538 BC/E), CONTINUED
13) 585
18) 582
20) 573/72
21) 571/570
23) 561
24) 559
25) 555/54
26) 553/52
27) 538
29) 538
13) Ezekiel 33:21-33; possibly
33:1-20
14) Ezekiel 3439
15) Ezekiel 32:1-16
16) Ezekiel 32:17-32
17)
18) Jeremiah 52:30
19) Daniel 3-4, possibly
20) Ezekiel 40-48
21) Ezekiel 29:17--30:19
22) Daniel 3--4, possibly
23) Jer. 52:31-33; II Kings
25:27-30
24)
25) Daniel 7
26) Daniel 8
27) Daniel 5
28) Daniel 6
29) Daniel 9
B) The Exilic Ministries of Ezekiel and Daniel
13) On the 5th day, 10
th
month and 12
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (January 8, 585), Ezekiel was
informed of the fall of Jerusalem. (Ezek. 33:1-20 may have been given about this period
also.)
14) Probably about this time, or between the years 585-573, Ezekiel began his ministry of
consolation, predicting the regeneration of Israel.
15) On the 1st day, 12
th
month and 12
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (March 3, 585), Ezekiel
lamented for Pharoah Hophra (Apries).
16) On the 15
th
day (probably the 12
th
month) of the 12
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity, Ezekiel
lamented over the nations in Sheol.
17) In 585, Nebuchadnezzar began a 13-year siege of Tyre (ca. 585-572).
18) In Nebuchadnezzars 23
rd
year (ca. 582), 745 more Jews were taken to Babylon in captivity.
19) The events regarding Nebuchadnezzar recorded in Daniel 3-4 may have occurred in this period
(i.e., ca. 580-570). Ancient traditions affirm that Nebuchadnezzar suffered an illness in the
later years of his reign (he reigned in Babylon ca. 605-562). However, these events may
have happened after Nebuchadnezzar invaded and defeated Egypt in 568/67 also.
20) On the 10
th
day, 1st month and 25
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (April 17, 572, or by the
spring calendar, April 28, 573), Ezekiel was given the vision of the new temple.
21) On the 1st day, 1st month and 27
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (April 16, 570, or by the spring
calendar, April 26, 571), Ezekiel predicted that Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon would invade
Egypt (this prediction came true in 568).
22) The events recorded in Daniel 3--4 may have occurred in this period (i.e., ca. 568-562).
23) On the 27
th
day, 12
th
month and 37
th
year of Jehoiachins captivity (March 21-23, 561), Evil-
Merodach of Babylon (he reigned ca. 562-60) elevated Jehoiachin and treated him with
honor and kindness. (Jer. 52:31 records that it was the 25
th
day; it may have been a 3-day
ceremony, or perhaps a scribal error).
24) In ca. 559, Cyrus the Great assumed power in Media.
25) In the first year of Belshazzars co-reign with his father, Nabonidus (ca. 555/54; Nabonidus
reigned in Babylon ca. 555-538, in conjunction with Belshazzar), Daniel received a vision of
the beasts and the Ancient of Days.
26) In the third year of Belshazzars co-reign with Nabonidus (ca. 553/52), Daniel received a vision
of the ram (Medo-Persia) and the goat (Greece).
27) In 538, Darius the Mede (Guburu) conquered Babylon under the direction of Cyrus the Great
and disposed of Belshazzar. This event ended the Babylonian kingdom and established
Cyrus as the ruler of Babylon and the world. Darius then began his reign as a sub-king of
the Chaldeans under the sovereignty of Cyrus.
28) In ca. 538, Darius the Mede (Guburu) appointed satraps to govern his new domain under Cyrus.
Daniel was appointed commissioner and then tested in the lions den.
9
29) Later that same year (538), Daniel learned from reading Jeremiahs prophecies (especially
244
chapters 25 and 29) that the captivity period would last 70 years. Daniel began to confess
the sins of Israel and then received the revelation of the 70 weeks.
245
THE RETURN (SHUVEE) ERA (539-432 BC/BCE): A CHRONOLOGICAL READING ORDER
READ FIRST ROW ACROSS FOR OVERVIEW OF ERA: READ SECOND ROWS DOWN FOR SPECIFIC DATES, PASSAGES AND EVENTS
1) RESTORATION
OF YAHWEH'S TEMPLE
(DESPITE OPPOSITION)
VIA JOSHUA & ZERUBBABEL
(539-515 BC/BCE)
2) PRESERVATION
OF YAHWEH'S PEOPLE
VIA ESTHER &MORDECAI
(485-473 BC/BCE)
3) RESTORATION
OF YAHWEH'S LAW
(DESPITE REJECTION)
VIA EZRA THE SCRIBE
(458-457 BC/BCE)
4) RESTORATION
OF YAHWEH'S CITY JERUSALEM
VIA NEHEMIAH
(455-444 BC/BCE)
5) RECONFIRMATION
OF YAHWEH'S COVENANT
WITH THE JEWS
VIA EZRA & NEHEMIAH
(444-432 BC/BCE)
1) 539-538: Dan. 9, Daniel Confessed
Israel's sin
2) 538: Ezra 1-2, 2 Ch. 36:22-23, Neh.
7:4-23:
Permission for Jews to return to
Jerusalem given by Cyrus of Persia
(Cyrus reigned 538-30 BC/E).
3) 537, Sept./Oct through 536,
Apr./May: Ezra 3:
Restoration of Sacrifices & Temple
Foundation
4) 536, April: Daniel 10--12: Revelation
of "Last Days" of The Jews given to
Daniel in Babylon
5) 536-520: Ezra 4:1-5, 4:24:
Opposition to Temple restoration lasts
for 15 years
6) 520, Aug./Sept.: Hag 1, Ezra 5:1--
6:13:
Resumption of Temple Restoration via
Haggai's Proclamations
7) 520, Oct. - Dec.: Hag 2:1-23, Zech
1:1-6:
Proclamations given to restorers via
prophets
8) 519, Feb: Zech 1:7--6:15:
Proclamations given via Zechariah
9) 518, Dec: Zech 7--8: Proclamations
given via Zechariah
10) 516, Mar-Apr: Ezra 6:14-22:
Completion, Dedication & Celebration
of Restored Temple
11) 516-470s: Zech 9--14: Predictions
12) 485: Ezra 4:6
Accusation written against the
Jews
in beginning of Ahasuerus' Reign
(Ahasuerus reigned 485-65BC/E)
13) 483-479: Esther 1-3:6
Selection of Esther as Ahasuerus'
Queen:
Promotion of Mordecai
14) 474, Apr. through 473, Mar.
Esther 3:7-10:3
Preservation of Jews from
persecution
via Esther's & Mordecai's courage
Ezra 4:7-23
This is one possible time for the
accusation written against the
Jews sometime in Artaxerxes I
reign, which began in 465 and
ended in 424 BC/E.

470s-450s: First possible time for
the undated proclamations &
predictions
of Malachi.
15) 458: Ezra 7:
Permission from Artaxerxes I of
Persia
given to Ezra to return to
Jerusalem
and teach the Jews Yahweh's Law
(Artaxerxes I reigned in Persia
465-424 BC/BCE)
16) 458, Apr. through Aug: Ezra
8:
Transportation of Ezra &
returnees
From Babylon to Jerusalem
17) 458, Dec. through 457, Mar:
Ezra 9-10
Purification of Yahweh's people
from "mixed" marriages by Ezra.
450s: Another possible time for
predictions
of Malachi.
Ezra 4:7-23
This is one possible time for the
accusation written against the
Jews sometime in Artaxerxes I
reign, which began in 465 and
ended in 424 BC/E.
18) 446, Nov/Dec through 445,
Mar/Apr.:
Nehemiah 1--2: Permission from
Artaxerxes I given to Nehemiah to
rebuild Jerusalem.
19) 445, Aug. -Oct.2: Neh. 3:1--
7:72:
Restoration of Walls of Jerusalem
completed during 52 days of
opposition.
20) 445, Oct.: Neh 7:73--10:39
Reconfirmation of The Covenant
of Law (Torah) with Yahweh
21) 445 (Oct-Nov):
Neh. 11:1--13:3, 1 Ch. 9:1-34.
Rededication of Jerusalem to
Yahweh
22) 432: Neh 13:4-31
Purification of Yahweh's people
from Violations of The Law
440s: Another possible time for
predictions
of Malachi.
246
of
"Last Days" of the Jews given to
Zechariah
247
THE RETURN ERA: THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF GODS NATION (CA. 538-420)
1) THE RESTORATION OF GODS TEMPLE (CA. 538-515)
1) 538
3) 537
4) 536
1) Ezra 1; II Ch. 36:22-23
2) Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7:4-72;
12:1-9; (Cf. Ex. 25:1-9,
35:4-29 for historical
precedent, and 1 Esdras 5:4-
46 in the Apocrypha)
3) Ezra 3:1-6, and for
historical precedent, Lev. 8--
9, Num. 9 and 2 Ch. 29:3-36
4) Ezra 3:7-13 (Cf. I Ki. 5:17-
18)
Daniel 10-12
6) Ezra 4:1-4; 4:24
1A) The Inception of the Exiles Return
1) Proclamation: Cyrus the Great reigned in Persia ca. 559-530. In 538, Cyrus conquered
Babylon (see Daniel, chapters 5--6and 9). In the first year of his victory over
Babylon (538), Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could return to their land. He also
returned their treasures taken by Nebuchadnezzar, thus fulfilling Jer. 25 and 29
(Cf. also Isaiah 44--45 for information on Cyrus the Great).
2) Enumeration: A listing of the exiles who returned by the decree of Cyrus, under the
leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
1B) The Restoration of the Sacrifices and the Foundation of the Temple
3) Restoration: In September/October 537 (the 7th month of the year the exiles
returned to Palestine) the returnees restored the temple altar and the sacrifices
according to the law of Moses.
4) Foundation: In April/May 536 (the 2nd month of the 2nd year of the exiles' return)
they laid the foundation of the new temple.
5) Conclusion: In the 3rd year, 1st month and days 4-24

of Cyrus' victory over Babylon
(April 536), Daniel received his final visions and revelations.
6) Opposition: The Samaritans came soon after the returnees laid the foundation of the
temple and hindered the completion of the temple. Thus, work on the temple
ceased until the 1st day, 6th month and 1st year of Darius I (ca. 520).
Note: Ezra 4:5-23 is a historical overview which recounts the various oppositions the
exiles faced in the years following this first opposition. The following outline
places in correct chronological order these different oppositions, and these
passages are cited later in their correct chronological order.
Ezra 4:5 summarizes opposition in the years ca. 535-520.
248
Ezra 4:6 occurred ca. 485 in the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes, who reigned ca. 485-465).
Ezra 4:7-23 occurred somewhere between ca. 455-445 in the reign of Artaxerxes
(reigned ca. 464-24),
3
before the reconstruction of Jerusalem.
1) THE RESTORATION OF GODS TEMPLE, CONTINUED (CA. 538-515)
7) Aug. 29,
520
8) Sept. 21,
520
10) Oct. 17,
520
11) Oct.-Nov.,
520
12) Dec. 18,
520
13) Dec. 18,
520
14) Feb. 15,
519
16) Dec. 7th,
518
7) Haggai 1:1-11
8) Haggai 1:12-15; Ezra 5:1,2
9) Ezra 5:3-6:13 (possibly)
10) Haggai 2:1-9
11) Zechariah 1:1-6
12) Haggai 2:10-19
13) Haggai 2:20-23
14) Zechariah 1:7-6:15
15) Ezra 5:3-6:13 (possibly)
16) Zechariah 7-8
17) Ezra 6:14-15(for historical
precedent, Cf. II Ch. 3--5, I Ki.
6, II Ch. 34:8-13)
18) Ezra 6:16-18 (Cf. Ex. 40:1-
35, Num. 9:15-23, II Ch. 5--7, I
Ki. 8)
19) Ezra 6:19-22 (Cf. Num.
9:1-19)
1C) THE COMPLETION OF REBUILDING THE TEMPLE (CA. 520-515)
7) Exhortation: From ca. 535-520, work on the temple ceased because of opposition and
fear. Then, on Aug. 29, 520 (the 1st day, 6th month and second year of Darius I of
Persia; Darius I reigned 522-486),
4
Haggai began his ministry of exhortation to resume
building the temple.
8) Resumption: 23 days later, on Sept. 21, 520 (the 24
th
day, 6th month and 2nd year of
Darius) the people began to obey Gods message through Haggai and resume work on
the temple, while Haggai continued to encourage them.
9) Opposition: Note: Because Ezra 5:3-6:13 is undated, it is difficult to determine if Tattenais
investigation of the resumption of work on the temple occurred immediately after
rebuilding began, or if a few months passed before he began to offer opposition.
Probably some time passed before he began his investigation. Thus, Ezra 5:3-6:13
could be read here, but probably fits better later (Cf. 1C, #15, below).
10) Proclamation: On Oct. 17, 520 (the 21
st
day, 7th month and 2nd year of Darius I), Haggai
gave a message of encouragement and promise from God.
11) Proclamation: In October-November, 520 (the 8th month of Darius 2nd year), Zechariah
began his ministry with a message of returning to God.
12) Proclamation: On Dec. 18, 520 (the 24
th
day, 9th month and 2nd year of Darius I), Haggai
gave a message of Gods blessing despite the uncleanness of the people.
13) Later that same day (Dec. 18, 520), Haggai gave Gods personal message to Zerubbabel.
14) Proclamation: On Feb. 15, 519 (the 24
th
day, 11
th
month and 2nd year of Darius I),
Zechariah had eight night visions, and received Gods command to crown Joshua the
high priest.
15) Note: Alternative reading of the opposition recorded in Ezra 5:3-6:13.
16) On Dec. 7, 518 (the 4th day, 9th month and 4th year of Darius I, Zechariah was consulted
regarding the months of fasting; he answered with a message of repentance and
blessing.
17) Completion: On March 12, 516 (the 3rd day, 12
th
month and 6th year of Darius I, which
was four years and six months after the Jews resumed work on the temple, they
completed the temple according to the command of God and the decree of the Persian
kings. This event marked the formal completion of the 70-year captivity (Cf. Jer. 29,
Zech. 1).
18) Dedication: Some time between March and April of that same year, the temple was
249
20) Zechariah 9--14
21) Malachi (earliest possible
date)
formally dedicated and priests were appointed to serve in the temple according to the
Law of Moses.
19) Celebration: On April 19-25, 515 (the 14
th
day of the 1st month), the Passover feast
was celebrated.
20) Zechariah 9-14 is not dated; this section of Zechariah has been conservatively dated as
having been given anywhere from c. 516-470. Thus, this section of Zechariah should be
read against the backdrop of the years 516-470.
6
21) The prophecies of Malachi are undated, but were given some time after the temple was
rebuilt and the restoration of sacrifices, i.e., some time after ca. 515. The period
suggested by scholars for Malachi is anywhere from the 470s (before the ministry of
Ezra) to the ministry of Nehemiah in the 430s. Malachi can be read with profit against
the historical events of the years 460-432; more specific suggestions of Malachis
potential chronological position will be included in later sections.
250
2) THE PRESERVATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE: PERSECUTION AND SALVATION IN THE REIGN OF AHASUERUS (XERXES), 485-465 BC/E
1) 486-85
2) 484-83
4) 479-478
5) 479-475
6) 474
12) 473
1) Ezra 4:6
2) Esther 1
3) Cp. footnote 2
4) Esther 2
5) Esther 3:1-6
6) Esther 3:7-15
7) Esther 4
8) Esther 5
9) Esther 6
10) Esther 7
11) Esther 8
12) Esther 9
13) Esther 10
2A) THE PERSECUTION OF GODS PEOPLE
1) In the beginning of Ahasuerus reign in Persia (ca. 486-485), an accusation
was written against the Jews who lived in Judea and Jerusalem.
2) In the third year of Ahasuerus (ca. 483/82), Queen Vashti was removed as
queen by Ahasuerus.
3) Historical sources indicate that from 483-480 Ahasuerus was engaged in
military efforts to subjugate Greece. However, he was defeated by the
Greeks in September 480 at Salamis.
2
4) In Dec., 479 or Jan., 478, (the 10
th
month and 7th year of Ahasuerus reign,
Esther was selected and made queen by Ahasuerus. Some time after this
event, Mordecai prevented a coup against Ahasuerus.
5) Some time between the seventh and 11
th
year of Ahasuerus reign (ca. 479-
475), Haman was promoted by Ahasuerus and refused homage by
Mordecai.
6) In April-May, 474 (the 1st month and 12
th
year of Ahasuerus, Haman began
a plot to kill the Jews which was scheduled to begin 11 months later, on
March 7th, 473 (the 13th day of the 12th month).
2B) THE PRESERVATION OF GODS PEOPLE
7) Having learned of Hamans plot, Mordecai urged Esther to save her people
from destruction.
8) After a three-day fast, Esther tested her influence with Ahasuerus by
seeking an audience with him without having been summoned by him.
9) Ahasuerus discovered Mordecais prevention of the attempted coup (Cf.
Esther 2:21-23) and greatly honored him.
10) Esther accused Haman to Ahasuerus, and Haman was hung.
11) On June 25th, 474 (the 23
rd
day, 3rd month and 12th year of Ahasuerus,
Ahasuerus gave Mordecai authority to prevent Hamans murderous plot.
12) On March 7-8, 473, (the 13
th
and 14
th
day of the 12
th
month), the Jews
251
killed their enemies that were scheduled to kill them on that very same day.
13) A review of Mordecais career in the Persian government and among his
people.
252
3) THE RESTORATION OF THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW OF GOD
1) ca. 465-
459
6) April 8th
-Aug. 4th, 458
8) April 8th-
10th, 458
12) Aug., 458
Note: Malachi (possibly)
1) Ezra 4:7-23
2) Ezra 7:1-5 (Cf. I Ch. 6:1-30)
3) Ezra 7:6
4) Ezra 7:11-26
(Cf. II Ch. 17:1-11, 19:4-
11)
5) Ezra 7:27-28
6) Ezra 7:8-10
7) Ezra 8:1-14
8) Ezra 8:15-20; 7:7
9) Ezra 8:21-23
10) Ezra 8:24-30
11) Ezra 8:31-3 2
12) Ezra 8:33-36
13) Ezra 9:1-2
14) Ezra 9:3-15
15) Ezra 10:1-4
16) Ezra 10:5-8
17) Ezra 10:9-15
18) Ezra 10:16-17
19) Ezra 10:18-44
Note: This is a possible period for the prophecies of Malachi (c. 460-450).
3A) ACCUSATION
1) Sometime in Artaxerxes I Longimanus' reign between ca. 465-459 (Artaxerxes I reigned over the
Persians ca. 465/64-424), a letter of accusation written against the Jews caused the
restoration work in Jerusalem to cease.
3B) THE SUPPLICATION OF EZRA TO ARTAXERXES I: ARTAXERXES PERMISSION
2) Qualification: Esras priestly genealogy.
3) Supplication: Some time prior to ca. 458, the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezra requested and
received permission from Artaxerxes I to return to Jerusalem and teach the law of
Moses.
4) Permission: A record of the permissive decree and economic support given by Artaxerxes I to
Ezra, allowing them to return to Jerusalem and restore the ministry of Gods law and the
temple.
5) Exaltation: Ezras praise to God for Artaxerxes favor.
3C) THE TRANSPORTATION OF EZRA TO JERUSALEM: GODS PROTECTION
6) Summarization: From April 8th through Aug. 4th, 458 (the 1st day, 1st month through the 1st
day, 5th month and 7th year of Artaxerxes I) Ezra led a contingency of Jews from Babylon to
Jerusalem. He was successful because of his devotion to The Law of God.
7) Enumeration: Family heads who returned with Ezra.
8) Preparation: From April 8th-10th, 458 (starting the 1st day, 1st month and 7th year of
Artaxerxes I, Ezra assembled the people and obtained priests to serve the temple in
Jerusalem (Cf. Ezra 7:9 for these dates).
9) Supplication: Ezra then led the congregation in a time (April 11th -?) of fasting and prayer for
Gods protection.
10) Distribution: Ezra distributed the temple valuables among the priests for protection on the
journey.
11) Transportation: On April 20th, 458, Ezra and his people began the journey from Babylon to
Jerusalem.
12) Organization; They arrived in Jerusalem on Aug. 4th, and rested for 3 days (Aug. 5th-8th, 458).
After the three-day rest, the temple articles were numbered, burnt offerings were made, and
the permissive decrees of Artaxerxes I were given to the appropriate governmental
authorities.
3D) THE RECTIFICATION BY EZRA OF FOREIGN MARRIAGES: GODS SEPARATION
13) Transgression: In early Dec., 458, Ezra was told of mixed marriages among the people (Cf.
Deut. 7, Mal. 2:10-16).
14) Confession: Ezras mourning and priestly confession of the peoples disobedience.
15) Confession: Ezras confession led the people themselves to confess and renounce their sin.
253
16) Proclamation: While Ezra continued to mourn, a proclamation was issued to all the exiles to
report to Jerusalem.
17) Confrontation: On Dec. 19, 458 (the 20
th
day, 9th month and 7th Artaxerxes I), Ezra confronted
the people who assembled with their sin of foreign marriages.
18) Investigation: After the assembly agreed to rectify their sin, an investigation took place of the
unlawful marriages, from Dec. 29th, 458 - March 27th, 457 (the 1st day, 10
th
month through
the 1st day, 1st month and 8th year of Artaxerxes I).
19) Enumeration and Rectification: A listing of men who engaged in and rectified unlawful
marriages.
254
4) THE RESTORATION OF GODS CITY, JERUSALEM
2) 446
4) 445
6) Aug.,
445
Malachi (possibly)
1) Ezra 4:7-23
2) Nehemiah 1:1-3
3) Nehemiah 1:4-11
4) Nehemiah 2:1-8
5) Nehemiah 2:9,10
6) Nehemiah 2:11-16
7) Nehemiah 2:17-18
Note: A possible position for the prophecies of Malachi; after 457 and before
445.
4A) THE PREPARATION FOR JERUSALEMS RESTORATION
1) Opposition: Some time after Ezra had rectified the foreign marriages, and
before Nehemiah came to Jerusalem (thus, after 457 and before 445), the
Jews began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. However, opposition
brought the rebuilding to a halt.
2) Communication: In Artaxerxes 20
th
year (November/December 446),
Nehemiah was informed of the distressful situation in Jerusalem.
3) Confession and Supplication: In November/ December 446, Nehemiah
confessed Israels sins and requested that God would grant him favor with
Artaxerxes to return and rebuild Jerusalem.
4) Supplication: Four months later, in March/April 445, God granted
Nehemiahs request for favor with Artaxerxes. Consequently, Artaxerxes
granted Nehemiah permission and resources to rebuild Jerusalem.
5) Permission: Nehemiah delivered Artaxerxes permissive letter to the
governing authorities.
6) Inspection: Nehemiah inspected the walls of Jerusalem that he intended to
rebuild.
7) Exhortation: Nehemiahs exhortation to rebuild the wall was received by the
people, and work began.
255
256
4) THE RESTORATION OF JERUSALEM, CONTINUED
19) Oct. 2,
445
8) Nehemiah 2:19-20
9) Nehemiah 3
10) Nehemiah 4:1-3
11) Nehemiah 4:4-6
12) Nehemiah 4:7,8
13) Nehemiah 4:9-13
14) Nehemiah 4:14-23
15) Nehemiah 5:1-5
16) Nehemiah 5:6-13
18) Nehemiah 6:1-14
19) Nehemiah 6:15
21) Nehemiah 7:1-3
22) Nehemiah 7:4-72
4B) THE RESTORATION OF PHYSICAL JERUSALEM: AUGUST-OCTOBER, 445
8) Opposition: Soon after the work began, the political authorities began to mock the
Jews.
9) Reconstruction of the gates of Jerusalems wall.
10) Opposition: Mockery by the political authorities.
11) Supplication and Continuation: Nehemiah's prayer to God, and the Jews continuation
of work on the wall.
12) Opposition: The authorities began to plot a violent conspiracy against the Jews to
hinder the work.
13) Supplication and Preparation: To meet the violent threat of the authorities, the Jews
prayed and armed themselves while they worked on the wall.
14) Exhortation and Continuation: Nehemiah's exhortation and strategy led to the
resumption of work and the frustration of their enemies.
15) Oppression: Internal economic oppression among the Israelites led to an outcry
from the oppressed.
16) Confrontation and Resolution: Nehemiah confronted the oppressors and they agreed
to cease the economic injustice against their brothers.
17) Summarization: Of Nehemiahs economic policies during his 12-year term as
governor, from 444-432.
18) Opposition: Various accusations and plots against Nehemiah from his enemies.
19) Completion: On Oct. 2, 445, 52 days after beginning the wall in August, the Jews
completed the wall
20) Recognition and Opposition: The swiftness of the completion of the wall led the
enemies of the Jews to recognize Gods help had led to the completion, but some
opposition continued against Nehemiah.
257
21) Protection: Nehemiah appointed various guards on Jerusalems walls to protect the
city from enemies.
22) Registration and Enumeration: After the wall was completed, God put into the heart
of Nehemiah to restore and update the genealogical records of the people of
Israel, beginning with the people who returned from captivity in ca. 538 with
Zerubbabel and Joshua (Cf. Ezra 2, Neh. 12:1-9). This work of Nehemiah formed
the basis of his ability to record the genealogies of those people who later
volunteered to repopulate Jerusalem, as recorded in Nehemiah 11:1--12:26.
5) THE RECONFIRMATION OF GODS (THE MOSAIC) COVENANT
1) Oct. 8th,
445
2) Oct. 9th,
445
3) Oct. 30th,
445
1) Nehemiah 7:73-8:12
(Cf. II Ch. 30:15-27, 24:14--
35:19)
2) Nehemiah 8:13-18
(Cf. II Ch. 30:1-12)
3) Nehemiah 9:1-37
(Cf. II Ch. 34:14-33)
4) Nehemiah 9:38-10:39
(Cf. Ex. 30:11-16; II Ch. 24:6-
14;
II Ki. 12:4-16; II Ch. 31:2-19)
5A) THE RECONFIRMATION OF THE MOSAIC COVENANT: SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 444
1) Congregation and Exposition: On Oct. 8th, 445 (the 1st day, 7th month and 20th year
of Artaxerxes I), the people who lived in the various cities of Israel assembled in
Jerusalem. On this specified holy day (Cf. Lev. 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1-6), the
people heard Ezra read and teach from the Law of God. Ezra, Nehemiah and the
Levites exhorted the people not to mourn but rejoice because of the holiness of
the day.
2) Celebration: On Oct. 9th, 445 (the next day, the 2ndday of the 7th month), Ezra read
from the law the instructions for the Feast of Tabernacles (Cf. Lev. 23:33-43, Deut.
16:13-15). A proclamation was then issued that called all the people living in
Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. Then, from Oct. 22nd-28th, 445 (the 15
th
through
the 21
st
day of the 7th month), the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated while Ezra
continued the daily exposition of Gods law.
3) Confession, Exposition and Recollection: On Oct. 30th, 445 (the 24
th
day of the 7th
month), the Jews confessed their sins, read from the law, and recollected the
great acts of God recorded in the Bible from the creation until the then present
time.
4) Reconfirmation: A listing of those leaders who reconfirmed the Mosaic covenant, and
258
7) 432
5) Nehemiah 11:1-12:26; I
Ch. 9:1-2
6) Nehemiah 12:27-13:3
7) Nehemiah 13:4-31
Malachi (possibly)
a recording of the details of the reconfirmed covenant (Cf. Ex.19; Ex. 34; Lev. 26;
Deut. 27--30).
5B) THE REPOPULATION OF JERUSALEM
5) A listing of those who began the repopulation of Jerusalem, and various genealogies.
5C) THE DEDICATION OF THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM
6) The celebration of Jerusalem's restoration
5D) THE RESUMPTION AND RECTIFICATION OF COVENANT TRANSGRESSIONS
7) In 432, Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes. Apparently, while he was away, various
violations of the recently reconfirmed covenant began to appear. Some time after
432, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and rectified the violations of the recently
reconfirmed covenant.
This is a possible period for the prophecies of Malachi.
259
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
The purpose of the following charts based on Lukes Gospel and Acts is not intended to replace or duplicate the many
fine Gospel harmonies and chronologies already in print. An excellent starting point for students who wish to study in
chronological detail the Life of Christ is A Harmony of the Gospels: with Explanations and Essays by R. L. Thomas and S. N.
Gundry (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978). Thomas and Gundry preface their Gospel harmony with a series of fine essays that
explore such subjects as the history of Gospel harmonies, theological and factual difficulties associated with chronologizing the
life of Christ, and specific fixed dates derived from extra-biblical sources by which the life of Jesus can be placed in a firm
historical context.
The introduction to Luke that follows (The Literary and Chronological Concerns of Luke in his Two Volume History of
Christianity (Lukes Gospel &Acts) is an explanation of why Lukes work was selected as the chronological baseline for the New
Testament era. Accordingly, the first two charts that follow (Acts 1:1-8: The Literary Scheme of Lukes Gospel and Acts and A
Chronology of the New Testament Era based on Luke-Acts) are based on Lukes chronological survey of the origin and history of
the first century Christian movement.
THE GOOD NEWS MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST IN CHRONOLOGICAL CONTEXT
The chart titled A Synthesis of Past Old Testament Chronologies as Prefaces to the Present New Testament Good News
(Kerygma) about Jesus Christ:
The Proclamations of Peter, Stephen and Paul in the Book of Acts is intended to represent how the first century proclaimers of
the Good News message of Jesus Christ placed that message in a historical and chronological context. Kerygma ( ) means
what is preached, a message, a proclamation. Apostolic kerygma recorded in the Book of Acts have as their central focus the
death, resurrection and consequent exaltation of Jesus as Lord and Savior in fulfillment of the chronological promises found in
the Tanak (The Older Testament). Faith in this kerygma leads to forgiveness and the promise of new life in the present and the
future. Consequently, Kerygma means the proclamation of the biblically defined message of and about the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF PAUL IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Finally, The Life and Writings of Paul in Chronological Order is a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the life of Paul
that takes the reader through the birth of Paul through the conclusion of his ministry in 67-68 AD/CE. The writings of Paul were
placed in chronological context with his activities so the chronological reader of the Bible can read the entire Book of Acts and
Paul's letters in sequential context.
260
261
THE LITERARY AND CHRONOLOGICAL CONCERNS OF LUKE IN HIS TWO-VOLUME HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY (LUKES GOSPEL &ACTS)
LUKES LITERARY CONCERNS: Luke was a physician (Colossians 4: 14) and the composition of both Luke and Acts reflects the style of a highly
educated, historically sensitive person. In the Prefaces to both Luke (1:1-4) and Acts (1:1-8), Luke stated his his thesis of describing the
history of the first century Christian movement. The stated purpose of his work was so that Theophilus and others could know the historical
certainty of the things they had been previously taught about Jesus via oral testimony. Luke provided some references and chronological
indicators to help Theophilus and other readers understand the chronological scope of his work.
LUKES REFERENCES. In his Preface to his two-volume work (Luke 1:1-4), Luke claimed that he had investigated everything (he was
comprehensive) before he wrote his account. Luke had access to the following people as he comprehensively investigated and collected data
on the history of the Christian movement.
1. Himself as an eyewitness (Compare the "we" sections of Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-15, 21:1-18, 27--28 with Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11 and
Philemon 24).
2. Paul: Luke was a friend and companion of Paul (see we sections above).
3. Written letters from Jerusalem leaders (Acts 15, esp. 15:22-31, 21:25).
4. Manean, brought up in Herod's house (Acts 13:1).
5. Philip the Evangelist, and an early actor in the beginning of Acts (Acts 21:8, 6:1-6, 8:26-40).
6. Manson, a very old & early disciple (Acts 21:16).
7. James, the half-brother of Jesus and a source for information on Jesus birth and youth (Acts 21:15-26, 15).
8. Many others he may have interviewed or had access to their written material (Luke 1:1-2).
LUKES CHRONOLOGY. After collecting the information from his sources, Luke claimed he wrote the accounts of both Luke and Acts
1) From the beginning (anothen, ), that is, with a definite chronological starting point in mind, the events surrounding the birth of Jesus.
2) Carefully (akribos, ), that is, with factual and chronological accuracy.
3) In order (kathexes, ), that is, a chronological ordering of events from the birth of Jesus in 6-4 BC/E to the ministry of Paul in Rome in
62 AD/CE.
Luke was careful to provide a solid historical and chronological framework to back up these claims by citing at least 14 well-known historical
figures. Dates associated with these figures can be corroborated with extra-biblical historical sources.
1) Luke 1:5: King Herod the Great, 37 4 BC/E, who attempted to kill Jesus.
2) Luke 2:1: Caesar Augustus, 31BC/E-14 AD/CE (Lk. 2:1).
3) Luke 2:2: Quirinius, Governor .of Syria, 6-4 BC/E, and Governor during the census at the time of Jesus birth. (Lk. 2:2).
4) Luke 3:1: Caesar Tiberius 15th year, 26 AD (Tiberius began co-regency in 11 AD and ruled alone 14-37 AD/CE, Lk. 3:1).
5) Luke 3:1: Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judea, 26-36 AD/CE, who sentenced Jesus to death.
262
6) Luke 3:1: Herod, Teterarch of Galilee, 4 BC-39 AD (Luke 3:1).
7) Luke 3:1: Philip, Teterarch of Iturea and Traconitis, 4 BC-34AD (Lk. 3:1)
8) Luke 3:2: High Priests Annas & Caiaphas (before whom Jesus was tried)
9) Acts 12: Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea, 37-44 AD/CE, who killed James the brother of John (Herod Agrippa died in 44 AD; Acts 12;
Josephus, Antiquities, 19.8.2)
10) Acts 18:12: Gallio, Procounsel of Achaia, 51-52 AD/CE, and brother of Seneca, the then well known Roman philosopher.
11) Acts 32:2: Ananias, High Priest in Jerusalem, 47-59AD/CE.
12) Acts 2324: Felix, Governor of Judea, 52-59/60 AD/CE.
13) Acts 2425: Festus, Governor of Judea, 59-61 AD/CE?
14) Acts 25-26: Herod Agrippa II, King of Judea, 52-? AD/CE.
ACTS 1:1-8: THE LITERARY SCHEME OF LUKES GOSPEL AND ACTS
1) ACTS 1:1-2
IS A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE:
THE ACTS & TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST
6-4 BC/E 31 AD/CE
Details Below
2) ACTS 1:3-5
IS A SUMMARY OF THE APPEARANCES OF JESUS
TO HIS DISCIPLES AFTER HIS RESURRECTION:
THE CONFIRMATION OF JESUS CHRIST
AND COMMISSION TO THE DISCIPLES.
Spring 31 AD/CE
Details Below
3) ACTS 1:6-8
IS A SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF ACTS:
THE ACTS & TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES
31-62 AD/CE
Details Below
1A) THE INCARNATION & BIRTH OF JESUS
(LUKE 13)
1B) THE MINISTRY OF JESUS
(LUKE 421)
1C) THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
(LUKE 22-23)
2A) ANGELIC PREPARATION FOR JESUS' APPEARANCES
1) Mt 28:2-4
2) Mk. 16:2-5, Lk 24:1, Jn. 20:1
3) Mk 16:6-8, Mt. 28:5-8, Lk. 24:5-8
4) Lk 24:9-11, Jn 20:2
5) Lk 24:12, Jn 20:3-10
2B) THE CHRONOLOGICAL APPEARANCES OF THE
RISEN CHRIST OVER A 40 DAY PERIOD
1) To Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9-11, Jn.
3A) IN JERUSALEM & JUDEA (ACTS 2--7)
3B) IN SAMARIA (ACTS 8)
3C) IN AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (ACTS 9--
28)
1) Damascus, 35 AD (Acts 9)
2) Caesarea, 35-44 AD (Acts 10-11:18)
3) Antioch, 43-45 AD (Acts 11:18-12)
263
1D) THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
(LUKE 24:1-49)
1E) THE ASCENSION OF JESUS
(LUKE 24:50-53)
20:11-18)
2) To the other women (Mt. 28:9-10)
3) To Peter (I Cor. 15:5)
4) To Cleopas & another (Mk. 16:12-13, Lk.
24:13-15)
5) To 10 of the Apostles (Lk. 24:36-49, Jn.
20:19-25)
6) To 11 of the Apostles (Mk. 16:14; Jn.
20:26-31)
7) To 7 of the Apostles (Jn. 21:1-25)
8) To 500 Disciples (I Cor. 15:6, Mk. 16:15-
18, Mt. 28:16-20)
9) To James (I Cor. 15:7)
10) To the Apostles (Acts 1:3-12, Lk.
24:50-53, Mk. 16:19-20)
4) Galatia, 46-49 (Acts 1315)
5) Greece, 50-52 AD (Acts 16-18)
6) Asia Minor, 53-57 AD (Acts 19-20)
7) Jerusalem, 57-59 AD (Acts 2126)
8) Rome, 59-62 AD (Acts 27-28)
9) And, for the last 1900 years, the good
news message
of Jesus Christ has gone throughout
the world,
taken by those who obey Jesus' Great
Commission.

THE INCARNATION OF JESUS

THE CONFIRMATION OF JESUS

THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA BASED ON LUKE-ACTS
CATEGORIES
JESUS
INCARNATION AND LIFE
BEFORE MINISTRY
JESUS
MINISTRY
JESUS
CRUCIFIXION
JESUS
RESURRECTION
JESUS
COMMISION & ACCENSION
PROCLAMATION
OF JESUS IN JERUSALEM &
JUDEA
PROCLAMATION
OF JESUS
IN SAMARIA
PROCLAMATION
OF JESUS
IN THE WORLD
DATES &
HISTORICAL FIGURES
ALL DATES LISTED AS BC ARE
BC/BCE.
ALL DATES LISTED AS
AD ARE AD/CE
6-4 BC/E
through
26 AD/CE
1) King Herod the Great
(37 4 BC, Lk. 1:5)
2) Caesar Augustus
(31BC-14 AD, Lk. 2:1)
3) Quirinius, Gov. of
Syria (6-4 BC, Lk. 2:2)
26 AD/CE
through
30 AD/CE
4) Caesar Tiberius 15th
year , 26 AD (began co-
regency in 11 AD ruled
alone 14-37 AD, Lk. 3:1)
5) Pontius Pilate,
Gov. of Judea
(26-36 AD, Lk. 3:1)
6) Teterarchs Herod
(4 BC-39 AD &
7) Teterarch Philip,
(4 BC-34AD)
8) High Priests
Annas & Caiaphas
7 Days in
30 AD/CE
Spring, 31 AD/CE Spring 31 AD/CE 31-35 AD/CE 35 AD/CE 35 AD-62AD
9) Herod Agrippa I
(died in 44 AD; Acts 12;
10) Gallio, Procounsel of
Achaia (51-52 AD,
Acts 18:12)
11) Ananias, High Priest
(47-59AD, Acts 23:2)
12) Felix, Gov. of Judea
(52-59/60 AD,
Acts 23-24)
13) Festus, Gov. of Judea
(59-61 AD?; Acts 24-25)
14) King Agrippa II
(52-? AD, Acts 25-26)
264
LUKE-ACTS
Luke 12 Luke 319:27 Luke 19:2823:56 Luke 24:1-49 Luke 24:50-53
Acts 1:1-8 Acts 1:98:3 Acts 8:4-40
Acts 928
1) Damascus, 35 (Acts 9)
2) Caesarea, 35-44
(Acts 10-11:18)
3) Antioch, 43-45
(Acts 11:18-12)
4) Galatia, 46-49
(Acts 13--15)
5) Greece, 50-52
(Acts 16-18)
6) Asia Minor, 53-57
(Acts 19-20)
7) Jerusalem, 57-59
(Acts 2126)
8) Rome, 59-62 (Acts 27-
28)
OTHER GOSPELS
Mt. 12
Jn. 1:1-18
Mt. 320
Mk. 110
Jn. 1:1912:11
Mt. 2127
Mk. 1115
Jn. 12:1219:42
Mt. 28:1-15
Mk. 16:1-18
Jn. 20--21
Mt. 28:16-20
Mk. 16:19 Mk. 16:20 Mk. 16:20 Mk. 16:20
NT Letters
Galatians: 48/49
James: late 40s-50s
1-2Thessalonians 51/52
I & 2 Corinthians 55
Romans: 57
Ephesians, Colossians &
Philemon: 60
Philippians: 61
1 Timothy 63-65
Titus: 63-65
1 Peter: early 60s
2 Timothy67-68
2 Peter: late 60s
1-3 John: 80s
Jude: 60s-80s
Revelation: late 60s-90s
265
A SYNTHESIS OF PAST OLD TESTAMENT CHRONOLOGIES AS PREFACES TO THE PRESENT NEW TESTAMENT GOOD NEWS (KEREGMA) ABOUT JESUS CHRIST:
THE PROCLAMATIONS OF PETER, STEPHEN AND PAUL IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
PETER: TO ISRAEL (CA. 31 AD/CE, ACTS 2)
2:14-21
Review of
Prophetic
Prediction of
Joel 2:28-32
2:22
Review of Jesus
Ministry
2:23
Review of Jesus
Death
2:24-32
Review of Jesus
Resurrection
2:33-36
Review of Jesus
40 Day
Resurrection
Ministry &
Accension
2:37-41
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
PETER: TO ISRAEL (CA. 31 AD/CE, ACTS 3)
3:17-25
Review in reverse Chronological Order of Prophets to Abraham
3:13-14
Review of Jesus
Death
3:15-16
Review of Jesus
Resurrection
3:17-26
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
PETER: TO THE ROMAN GENTILES (CA. 43-44 AD/CE, ACTS 10)
10:34-35
Review of Gods Impartial Treatment of the Nations from the Creation to the Time
Prior to Jesus Christ
10:36-37
Review of
Johns Ministry
10:38-39a
Review of Jesus
Ministry
10:39b
Review of Jesus
Death
10:40
Review of Jesus
Resurrection
10:41-42
Review of Jesus
40 Day
Resurrection
Ministry &
Great
Commission
10:43-48
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
STEPHEN: TO ISRAEL (CA. 34-35 AD/CE, ACTS 7)
7:1-44
Review of the
Torah:
Abraham
Patriarchs
Joseph
Moses
7:45a
Review of
Joshua
7:45b-52a
Review of
Kings
(David-
Solomon)
&
The Prophets
7:52b-53
Review of Jesus
Death
7:54-7:60
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
PAUL: TO ISRAEL, CA. 46 AD/CE, ACTS 13)
13:16-18
Review of the
Torah: Genesis-
Deut.
2165 BC/E-1405
13:19
Review of
Joshua
1405-1375 BC/E
13:20
Review of
Judges
1375-1050 BC/E
13:21-22
Review of
Kings,
David
1050-400s BC/E

13:23
Review of
Jesus Birth, a
descendent of
David
6-4 BC/E
13:24-25
Review of
Johns Ministry
26 AD/CE
13:26-27
Review of
Jesus Ministry
&
Rejection
26-30 AD/CE
13:28-29
Review of Jesus
Death
30 AD/CE
13:30
Review of Jesus
Resurrection
31 AD/CE
13:31
Review of Jesus
40 Day
Resurrection
Ministry &
Great
Commission
13:32-41
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
PAUL: TO THE GREEK GENTILES (CA. 51/52 AD/CE, ACTS 17)
17:22-29 (Cf. Acts 13:15, Romans 1:182:16)
A Review of Gods Revelations to the Gentile Nations via Creation and Conscience from the beginning of Humanity until the then Present
17:30-31
The Present
Good News
about Jesus
267

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