Creation Or A Universe Without God?
Eventually, Man will ask where he came from. The answer for this question will have profound
implications not only on his thoughts of his origins, but also on his thoughts of his significance
and his destiny.
The Bible has a simple answer for the origin of the universe and the origin of man.
“In the Beginning, God Created the heavens and the earth. … God created Man in His own
image”.
These simple phrases are pregnant with meaning and implication. It states that time had a
beginning; that an Eternal God was its Designer and Creator; that into this expanse of the spacetime continuum that He created, He added the heavens and the earth. On this earth, He created Man to be some sort of reflection of
Himself. It requires faith to believe that God created the universe as we know it and that He created Man in His own image.
Man’s best attempt to answer the origin of man and the universe without God currently goes something like this:
“There was no beginning (space and time is eternal), but there was this one dot. This dot contained all the ingredients necessary to
create the universe. We don’t know where this dot came from, but obviously it existed or we wouldn’t be here. About 20 billion
years ago, it exploded in a big bang. We don’t know how this dot blew up or who lit its fuse, but obviously it did blow up or we
wouldn’t be here. Out of this amazing explosion spun matter and gasses that eventually collected into what we know today as the
galaxies. On one particular rock planet, it rained for millions and millions of years. One puddle happened to form a primordial soup
and a simple protein accidentally formed in that soup and began the struggle for life, mutating frequently. It happened to create an
offspring. And then more offspring. Due to the mutations, its descendents eventually grew into a worm and eventually into a fish
and eventually into a lizard. After millions and millions of years, somewhere along the line, one of its descendents eventually
formed into some sort of primate and eventually into man. If we can just find that missing link between man and prehistoric man, it
will prove our whole point.”
In other words, man came from a rock. For now, we’ll assume that despite the staggering odds against it, this amazing unending series
of lucky events actually did take place. The problem is that it still leaves much unanswered. Despite Darwin’s “Origin of the Species”,
there are quite a few “origins” outside of the species that must also be explained. Attempts to answer these questions without a God
invariably brings us to one of two conclusions: simple denial or a chicken-and-egg problem. So no matter how you slice it, faith or denial
is required to deal with life and the universe as we know it today.
Origin of the Space/Time Continuum: Creation ex-nhilio (something out of nothing) violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Carl Sagan said it best: “It [the universe] is all that ever was and ever will be”. In other words, it is eternal. It had no beginning, will
have no end, and its presence doesn’t violate the Second Law of Thermodynamics, therefore we don’t need to ask the question.
The problem is that this doesn’t answer the question of where space, time and matter came from. Who or what designed the laws
that governs them and taught all its members to obey those laws? Space is ‘nothing’, but every single object in that ‘nothing’ is
subject to certain laws that can be measured and reproduced time and time again. Man has never observed the violation of the
Second Law of Thermodynamics, yet this violation is a prerequisite for man’s attempt to explain the origin of the universe.
Origin of the Chemical Elements: Where did the basic elements of the periodic table come from? Some try and say that the elements
were created as a natural result of the fission activity of the stars.
The problem is that the stars themselves are made up of elements too. The chicken-and-egg has reared its ugly head again.
Organic evolution: How exactly did the first life form begin? The current answer is that a spontaneous action mysteriously let an
accidental arrangement of protein suddenly come to life.
The problems are manifold. The best theories cannot account for the complexity of the simplest life form we know of today.
Assuming the first life form accidentally formed without a Creator, what did that life form feed upon? How did it know to feed? How
did it reproduce? How did it know to reproduce? Eventually asexual reproduction turned to sexual reproduction, but how did the
first sexual creature find the second sexual creature that was of a different sex? How did it know that it was to reproduce in this
radically different fashion?
Macro evolution: What mechanisms drive the change of one species to another? Evolution teaches that it is random mutations and
natural selection over long periods of time.
The problems are too numerous to list. If millions and millions of years are required, millions of species would have left trillions of
fossils. The fossil record simply doesn’t support this. Reasons to suspect the earth is not billions of years old: Orbital lunar decay;
cooling of the earth’s interior; rate of land erosion into the sea.) Beneficial mutations, even on the microscopic level, have never
been observed. Macro evolution has never been directly observed in the history of man.
Micro evolution: What mechanisms drive the changes within species? Adjustment to environment, minor mutations and breeding
account for this. This is the only form of evolution that has been directly observed by man.
Matters of the heart and soul: Where did beauty, love, morality and justice come from? Animals can respond to things they like or
dislike, but that’s a far cry from beauty, love, morality and justice. Science has no answer for this.
Noteworthy Differences between Creation and Evolution
Creation
Evolution
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God created
Deliberate Design
Purpose
God created life
Man is made in God’s image
Man is distinct from animal
By one man, sin entered the world
Man brought about death
Matter created by God
Earth before sun and stars
Oceans before land
Atmosphere between two water layers
Land plants are first life forms created
Fruit trees before fish
Fish before insects
Land vegetation before sun
Marine mammals before land mammals
Birds before land reptiles
Each reproduces after its own kind
Accidents happen
Random mutations
Emptiness (purpose is figment of the imagination)
Life happened “magically” from dead matter
Man is a fancy worm
Man is just another animal
Entropy happens (no such thing as sin)
Death (survival of fittest) brought about man
Matter always existed. (Don’t ask)
Sun and stars before earth
Land before oceans
Atmosphere above a water layer
Marine organisms are first forms of life (accident)
Fish before fruit trees
Insects before fish
Sun before land plants
Land mammals before marine mammals
Reptiles before birds
Beneficial random mutations (never observed)
A Review of Things Created
Subject
Space-time continuum
Universe, Matter & Energy
Bible
God created it in “the Beginning”
God spoke it into existence; created
it from nothing
Laws of the Universe
Life
Propagation
Diversity of species
Diversity within species
God spoke it into existence
God created it
God ordered it
God ordered it
God allowed it
“Science”
Don’t ask!
It was a small dot with an undetermined prior
existence. Then one day, for unknown reasons, it
blew up
Comes with the territory. Can’t ask that question
Lucky accident
Lucky result of lucky accident
Lucky mutations over time
Lucky mutations over time
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The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the
Giza Necropolis bordering what is now Cairo, Egypt in Africa, and is the only
remaining member of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is believed to have been
built as a tomb for Fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu and constructed over a 20
year period concluding around 2560 BC. It remained he tallest structure in the world
for over 3,800 years, and puzzles many scientists today due to its craftsmanship and
the logistics required to construct a structure of this magnitude within the allotted
timeframe.
A variety of estimates and studies have been made regarding the time, manpower and logistics required to create the
pyramids. Most time-motion studies and conclusions regarding its construction focus on the labor aspects of construction
and do not take into consideration the location and source of materials, nor the precision of the construction. The pyramid
consisted of over 2.4 million stones, each stone weighed anywhere from 1.5 to 80 tons, some stones were transported
from as far away as 500 miles, the precision of the construction of the Great Pyramid was of the highest order.
Conservative estimates would require that the stone blocks were laid at a rate of one every 55 seconds.
The precision of the pyramid's workmanship is nothing short of astonishing. Each of the four sides (230.4m, or 755.8 ft
each) of the 13-acre base have a mean error of only 58mm in length, and 1 minute in angle from a perfect square. The
base is horizontal and flat to within 15mm. The sides of the square are closely aligned to the four cardinal compass points
to within 3 minutes of arc and is based not on magnetic north, but true north. The design dimensions, as confirmed by
Petrie's survey and all those following this, are assumed to have been 280 cubits in height by 4x440 cubits around
originally, and as these proportions equate to 2 x Pi to an accuracy of better than 0.05%, this was and is considered to
have been the deliberate design proportion. The pyramid was constructed of cut and dressed blocks of limestone, basalt
or granite. The core was made mainly of rough blocks of low quality limestone taken from a quarry at the south of Khufu’s
Great Pyramid. These blocks weighed from two to four tons on average, with the heaviest used at the base of the
pyramid. An estimated 2.4 million blocks were used in the construction. High quality limestone was used for the outer
casing, with some of the blocks weighing up to 15 tons. This limestone came from Tura, about 14 km away on the other
side of the Nile. Granite quarried nearly 800 km away in Aswan with blocks weighing as much as 60-80 tons, was used for
the King's Chamber and relieving chambers.
At completion, the Great Pyramid was surfaced by white 'casing stones' - slant-faced, but flat-topped, blocks of highly
polished white limestone. These caused the monument to shine brightly in the sun, making it visible from a considerable
distance. Visibly all that remains is the underlying step-pyramid core structure seen today, but several of the casing
stones can still be found around the base. The casing stones of the Great Pyramid and Khafre's Pyramid (constructed
directly beside it) were cut to such optical precision as to be off true plane over their entire surface area by only 0.5 mm.
The stones were fitted together so perfectly that the tip of a knife cannot be inserted between the joints even to this day.
The passages inside the pyramid are all extremely straight and precise, such that the longest of them, referred to as the
descending passage, which is 107 m long, deviates from being truly straight by less than 6 mm, while one of the shorter
passages with a length of just over 15 m deviates from being truly straight by a mere 0.5 mm.
There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. These are arranged centrally, on the vertical axis of the
pyramid. The lowest chamber (the "unfinished chamber") is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built. This
chamber is the largest of the three, but totally unfinished, only rough-cut into the rock. The middle chamber, or Queen's
Chamber, is the smallest, measuring approximately 5.74 by 5.23 meters, and 4.57 meters in height. Its eastern wall has a
large angular doorway or niche, and two narrow shafts, about 20 cm wide, extending from the chamber towards the outer
surface of the pyramid.
At the end of the lengthy series of entrance ways leading into the pyramid interior is the structure's main chamber, the
King's Chamber. This chamber was originally 10 x 20 x 11.2 cubits, or about 5.25 m x 10.5 m x 6 m, comprising a double
10x10 cubit square, and a height equal to half the double square's diagonal.
Ötzi the Iceman is a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC
found in 1991 in the Schnalstal glacier in the Ötztal Alps, near Hauslabjoch on the
border between Austria and Italy. The nickname comes from Ötztal, the region in which
he was discovered. He is Europe's oldest natural human mummy, and has offered an
unprecedented view of Chalcolithic (Copper Age) Europeans.
The body has been extensively examined, measured, X-rayed, and dated. Tissues and
intestinal contents have been examined microscopically, as have the items found with
the body.
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By current estimates, at the time of his death, Ötzi was approximately 165 cm (5 ft. 5 in.) tall, weighed about 38 kg (84
lbs.), and was about 45 years of age. Because the body was covered in ice shortly after his death, it only partially
deteriorated. He spent his childhood near the present village of Feldthurns (Velturno), north of Bolzano, but later went to
live in valleys about 50 km further north.
Ötzi's clothes were quite sophisticated. He wore a cloak made of woven grass and a vest, a belt, a pair of leggings, a
loincloth and shoes, all made of leather. He also wore a bearskin cap with a leather chin strap. The shoes were
waterproof and wide, seemingly designed for walking across the snow; they were constructed using bearskin for the
soles, deer hide for top panels, and a netting made of tree bark. Soft grass went around the foot and in the shoe and
functioned like warm socks. The vest, belt, leggings, and loincloth were constructed of vertical strips of leather sewn
together with sinew. His belt had a pouch sewn to it that contained a cache of useful items: a scraper, drill, flint flake, bone
arrow, and a dried fungus to be used as tinder.
The shoes have since been reproduced by experts, and found to constitute such excellent footwear that there are plans
for commercial production. Other items found with the Iceman were a copper axe with a yew handle, a flint knife with an
ash handle, a quiver of 14 bone-tipped arrows with viburnum and dogwood shafts and flint heads (two arrows were
finished, twelve were not), and an unfinished yew longbow that was 3 feet 2 inches (one metre) tall.
Among Ötzi's possessions were two species of polypore mushrooms with leather strings through them. One of these (the
birch fungus) is known to have antibacterial properties, and was likely used for medicinal purposes. The other was a type
of tinder fungus, included with part of what appeared to be a complex firestarting kit. The kit featured pieces of over a
dozen different plants, in addition to flint and pyrite for creating sparks.
Otzi died from a head wound and was quickly buried in ice, preserved for 5,000 years.
Ur was an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, located near the mouth (at the time)
of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers on the Persian Gulf and close to Eridu. It is
considered to be one of the earliest known civilizations in world history. Because of
marine regression, the remains are now well inland in present-day Iraq, south of the
Euphrates on its right bank, and named Tell el-Mukayyar, near the city of Nasiriyah
south of Baghdad. It is considered by some to be the same city that Abraham came
from (Gen 12). Some consider Ur to be located to the north of Mesopotamia, near
Huran.
The southern site is marked by the ruins of a ziggurat, still largely intact, and by a
settlement mound. The ziggurat is a temple of Nanna, the moon deity in Sumerian mythology, and has two stages
constructed from brick: in the lower stage the bricks are joined together with bitumen, in the upper stage they are joined
with mortar. The Sumerian name for this city was Urim, and it dates to approximately 2500 BC.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire,
about 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous prehistoric sites in
the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of
large standing stones. Archaeologists believe the standing stones were erected around
2200 BC and the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the
earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. As a point of
reference, Abraham was born in 2166 BC.
Stonehenge is a place of pilgrimage for neo-druids and those following pagan or neopagan beliefs. The midsummer sunrise began attracting modern visitors in the 1870s, with the first record of recreated
Druidic practices dating to 1905 when the Ancient Order of Druids enacted a ceremony. Despite efforts by archaeologists
and historians to stress the differences between the Iron Age Druidic religion and the much older monument, Stonehenge
has become increasingly, almost inextricably, associated with British Druidism, Neo Paganism and New Age philosophy.
After the Battle of the Beanfield in 1985 this use of the site was stopped for several years, and currently ritual use of
Stonehenge is carefully controlled.
The Hyksos were an Asiatic people who invaded the eastern Nile Delta, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of
Ancient Egypt. They rose to power in the 17th century BC, (according to the traditional chronology) and ruled Lower and
Middle Egypt for 108 years, forming the Fifteenth and possibly the Sixteenth Dynasties of Egypt, (c. 1648-1540 BC). This
108-year period follows the Turin Canon, which gives the six kings of the Hyksos 15th Dynasty a total reign length of 108
years. Some scholars maintain that the Hyksos reign lasted 150 years.
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Traditionally, only the six Fifteenth Dynasty rulers are called "Hyksos". The Hyksos had Canaanite names, as seen in
those which contain the names of Semitic deities such as Anath or Ba'al. They introduced new tools of warfare into Egypt,
most notably the composite bow and the horse-drawn chariot.
Some scholars, as early as Josephus, have associated the Semitic Hyksos with the ancient Hebrews, seeing their
departure from Egypt as the story retold in the Exodus. The Biblical chronology does not align the Children of Israel with
the dating of the Hyksos.
The rule of these kings overlaps with that of the native-Egyptian pharaohs of the 16th and 17th dynasties of Egypt, better
known as the Second Intermediate Period. The first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, Ahmose I, finally expelled the Hyksos
from their last holdout at Sharuhen in Gaza by the 16th year of his reign.
Nuzi Tablets, discovered in 1935, are a collection of over 4,000 ancient Mesopotamian
clay tablets written in Akkadian cuneiform. Located southwest of Kirkuk in modern Iraq,
the tablets provided invaluable insights into the legal, commercial and military activities
of the city. Although they date between 1500 BC to 1300 BC, they shed much light on
the culture of the ancient Near East, including early versions of the stories of the
characters Laban and Jacob found in the Book of Genesis.
The following examples may serve as illustrations of possible relationships between
Nuzi and the Bible.

In Nuzi a childless wife could give her handmaid to her husband so that the maid could bear children in the name of
the wife. This practice was followed by Sarai, who gave her maid, Hagar, to her husband, Abram (Genesis 16:1-4).
Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob (Genesis 30:1-8). Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob (Genesis 30:9-13). In such a case, the
father had a responsibility to rear the child as the offspring of his legal wife, and the wife could not drive away the
child. According to this rule, Sarai had no right to drive out Hagar’s son, Ishmael (compare Genesis 16:4-6).

In Nuzi there was a law against the sale of property outside one’s own family. Several schemes were used to get
around this prohibition, including adoption and the exchange of property. In return for a guarantee of lifelong care
and burial costs, a wealthy landowner would have himself "adopted" by landholding peasants so that he received
their property. The records indicate that the very same man could be adopted by 300 or 400 peasants.

A couple without children could legally adopt someone to provide for them in their old age and for their burial. The
adopted person would be the heir to the property of his adopting parents. This may have been the relationship
between Abram and his servant Eliezer (Genesis 15:2). One could also exchange property of little value for
valuable property. In some instances, the difference in value could be made up in money. At Nuzi a man named
Tehip-tilla sold his inheritance rights in a grove to his brother, Kurpazah, in exchange for three sheep. This parallels
Esau’s sale of his birthright to Jacob for a serving of stew (Genesis 25:27-34).

In Nuzi an oral will or blessing given on one’s deathbed was legally binding and could not be undone. A man named
Huya was lying on his sickbed at the point of death. He took the hand of his son, Tarmiya, and gave to him a
woman, Sululi-Ishtar, to be his wife. Tarmiya’s two brothers challenged his claim in court, but the court recognized
the truth of Tarmiya’s case. Although Jacob obtained the blessing of his blind and aged father by deception, Isaac
had to stand by what he had done (Genesis 27:33).

The Nuzi tablets also indicate that the person who had possession of the teraphim, or household gods, was the heir
to the property of the owner of the idols. For this reason, Rachel took the teraphim of her father Laban (Genesis
31:19), who was very disturbed over their disappearance (Genesis 31:30-35).

Another case of adoption parallels the relationship between Jacob and Laban. Nashwi adopted Wullu and gave his
daughter, Nuhuya, to him in marriage. If Wullu married another wife, he would have to forfeit the property he had
received from Nashwi. Laban also made a covenant with Jacob that he would not take a wife other than Laban’s
two daughters, Leah and Rachel (Genesis 31:50).
The Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt (1550-1292 BC) is perhaps the best known of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt. As
well as a number of Egypt's most powerful pharaohs, it included Tutankhamun, whose tomb, uncovered by Howard Carter
in 1922, was one of the greatest of all archaeological discoveries, being completely undisturbed by tomb robbers. It is
sometimes known as the Thutmosid Dynasty because all four of the Thutmosis pharaohs ruled during this period.
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Hatshepsut, and perhaps two others of a handful of native women known to be crowned king of Egypt, ruled during this
dynasty, as did Akhenaten (also known as Amenophis IV), the "heretic Pharaoh" who with his wife, Nefertiti, instituted
what may be the first monotheistic state religion.
This dynasty often is combined with the Nineteenth and Twentieth dynasties under the group title, New Kingdom.
Ahmose I was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the founder of the Eighteenth dynasty. He was a member of
the Theban royal house, the son of pharaoh Tao II Seqenenre and brother of the last pharaoh of the
Seventeenth dynasty, King Kamose. Sometime during the reign of his father or grandfather, Thebes
rebelled against the Hyksos, the rulers of Lower Egypt.
During his reign he completed the conquest and expulsion of the Hyksos from the delta region, restored
Theban rule over the whole of Egypt and successfully reasserted Egyptian power in its formerly subject
territories of Nubia and Canaan. He then reorganized the administration of the country, reopened quarries,
mines and trade routes and began massive construction projects of a type that had not been undertaken
since the time of the Middle Kingdom. This building program culminated in the construction of the last
pyramid built by native Egyptian rulers. Ahmose's reign laid the foundations for the New Kingdom, under
which Egyptian power reached its peak. His reign is usually dated to about 1570-1564 BC.
Hatshepsut, meaning “Foremost of Noble Ladies”, was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of
Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful female
pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty. Her reign is in
dispute, but likely from about 1504 to 1483BC. Only a handful of other women were considered to be
pharaohs, including Nefertiti, Meritaten, Neferneferuaten, and Twosret. The most famous was
Cleopatra VII, a non-Egyptian and the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
Many Biblical scholars believe there is credible support to assume she is the pharaoh's daughter that
drew Moses from the Nile. The basis for this assumption has to do with the timing of the birth of Moses, the rule of
Hatshepsut and other convincing similarities between Egyptian history and the Biblical account. There are more than a
few students of Egyptian history that add more to her story.
Hatshepsut & Senmut (the following story is based largely on historical fact, with unconfirmed assumptions added. It is a
popular opinion among many Muslim students of Egyptology.)
According to ancient Egyptian mythology, one of the first pharaohs to rule Egypt was Osiris. He married his ½ sister, Isis, and
ruled over all of Egypt. As was the custom, his son would become pharaoh after his death. But in a fit of envy, his brother, Set,
killed Osiris and tried to seize the throne. Isis was not about to let her ½ brother / brother-in-law rule, so she consulted with the
temple priests and had them resurrect her husband long enough to impregnate her. Her son was named Horus and was
declared to be Osiris reincarnated. This made Horus her son/husband/brother. Isis convinced her people that because the
gods smiled favorably upon her, she, a female, should control Egypt and rule it while Horus was being prepared to assume
rule of pharaoh. It worked, and she became Egypt’s first female pharaoh. Or so the legend goes.
Fast-forward to 1525BC. Thutmose I is the pharaoh and he has dilemma on his hands. He has two daughters and no sons.
Royal succession of the pharaohs requires that the title be passed to the first-born son or the husband of the first-born
daughter. Neither of his daughters are married, so he begins to search for a suitable husband for his ~15yr old daughter,
Hatshepsut. He chooses another son of his, Hatshepsut’s ½ brother. But Hatshepsut had plans of her own. She didn’t
particularly care for the idea of being married off, in fact, she had greater plans: She wanted to be pharaoh herself. But in order
to pull that off, she needed the gods to smile favorably upon her.
One day while bathing at the Nile river, Hopi, the god of the Nile, decides to show a blessing on Hatshepsut by sending her a
young boy in a basket through crocodile-infested waters. She draws the boy out of the water and names him Senmut, which
means “mother-brother”. She convinces her father that, like Isis, the gods have shown her favor by sending her a son to raise
to be pharaoh. In the meantime, her husband assumes the throne as Thutmose II, but lives a short and ineffective life and
produced no offspring with Hatshepsut. But he does have a son through one of his concubines. After Thutmose II dies,
Hatshepsut gains control not as queen, but as pharaoh. When Thutmose II’s illegitimate son becomes old enough, he
becomes pharaoh of the northern ½ of Egypt under the title Thutmose III. Hatshepsut retains control of the southern ½ of
Egypt, with Senmut at her side. She was Egypt’s first “real” female pharaoh, and was often depicted as a male (and, according
to some Egyptologists, even dressed as a male). As we might expect, Thutmose III bitterly hated his step-mother and Senmut.
(Many Egyptologists believe that Senmut s Hatshepsut’s lover, not adopted son. What’s not in dispute is that Senmut and
Hatshepsut shared a very close and unusual relationship. The statue of Senmut holding Hatshepsut’s daughter has been
interpreted by some to be Hatshepsut holding Senmut.)
While Hatshepsut strengthened Egypt’s might by new trade to foreign lands, Thutmose III was a mighty warrior, suppressing
Egypt’s enemies and gaining new territory for Egypt. Senmut rose through the ranks very quickly and was the architect and
builder of many of Hatshepsut’s projects, including her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri, just outside of Luxor.
Page 6
Shortly before Hatshepsut’s death, Senmut suddenly disappeared. Egyptologists have no record of his disappearance, and the
two burial tombs he built for himself were never used. After Hatshepsut’s death, Thutmose III vandalized her tomb, historical
accounts, statues and sarcophagus. By defacing her works and removing her name from the chest of her sarcophagus, he
believed he was preventing her soul from finding her body in order reincarnate her.
Statues of Senmut and Hatshepsut are on display in several museums around the wolrd, including the Cairo Museum.
The Exodus There have been a number of dates proposed for the Exodus. Of the two
most popular dates, conservative Biblical scholars usually go with 1446 BC (also
known as “the early date view”) for several reasons. A) The date for Solomon’s reign is
widely accepted to have begun in 970 BC. B) 1 Kings 6:1 says that the construction of
Solomon’s temple began in the fourth year of his reign, 480 years after the Exodus.
This places the exodus at 1446 BC, and Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, after 40 years
of wilderness wandering, at 1406 BC. This would mean that the pharaoh of the
oppression would be Thutmose III and the pharaoh of the Exodus would be Amenhotep
II.
Some scholars embrace the “late date view” of the Exodus by downplay the accuracy
of the 480 years mentioned in 1 Kings 6:1. Some have suggested that it is a figurative
number representing “a long time” of 40 years of trials multiplied by 12 tribes. There is
some evidence that widespread destruction in Canaan did not take place in 1400 BC,
but rather 1230 BC (which would make the Exodus in 1270 BC under Ramses the
Great, as depicted in most movies about the Exodus). Conservative Biblical scholars
counter this argument by pointing out that Joshua slated only 3 cities for destruction:
Jericho, Ai and Hezor. The rest were ‘taken over’ and assimilated, and would therefore not leave huge signs of
destruction. Additionally, Merneptah, the successor to Ramses, wrote in 1209 BC (60 years after the “late date” Exodus)
about Israel, implying that it was an established nation. If the Exodus took place in 1270 BC, Israel could not have been
an established nation for at least 40 years past the Exodus (due to the wilderness wanderings) plus at least another 60
years of conquest by Joshua and the Judges.
Regardless of the exact date of the Exodus, matching the pharaoh to the Biblical account is not very difficult. The
narrative in the book of Exodus suggests that the pharaoh of the oppression ruled for approximately 40 years. From 1700
BC to 1000 BC, this stipulation only applies to two pharaohs: Thutmose III and Ramses II.
There are several other dates that have been proposed, but are minority views and lack solid archaeological or Biblical
support:
 In a documentary called “Exodus Decoded”, director Simcha Jacobovici suggested, among other things, that
Pharaoh Ahmose I was the pharaoh of the Exodus, the Hyksos and the Jews are one and the same, and that the
Ten Plagues were triggered by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Santorini in about 1500 BC. This is a novel view, but
ignores many hints and statements in the Bible and discards established timelines for the chronology of ancient
Egypt.
 Siegmund Freud suggested that Moses and Pharaoh Akenaten were one and the same. He based this on
Akenaten’s obsession with monotheism and the fact that Akenaten had a brother named Thut-moses. Embracing
this view ignores both the Biblical account and Egyptian history in ways too numerous to list. It should be
sufficient to note that Akenaten’s coffin is in Egypt, not some unknown hill or cave overlooking the Promised Land.
 Others have suggested that the 480 years listed in 1 Kings 6:1 should be 1,480 years. This would make the
oppressed Hebrews the builders of the pyramids. This view does not enjoy scholarly support.
The Ten Plagues (c. 1446 BC) It is quite plausible that God designed the ten plagues as deliberate affronts to the
Egyptian religion.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may
do these miraculous signs of Mine among them, and so that you may tell your son and grandson how severely I dealt with
the Egyptians and performed miraculous signs among them, and you will know that I am the LORD." (Exo 10:1-2 HCSB)
1. Nile turned to blood: Hapi, god of the Nile; Isis, goddess of the Nile; Khnum, guardian of the Nile
2. Frogs: Heqet, goddess of birth (usually depicted with the head of a frog)
3. Gnats: Set, the god of the desert
4. Flies: Re, the sun god, his symbol may have been the fly
5. Death of Livestock: Hathor, goddess with cow's head; Apis, the bull god, also a fertility symbol
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Boils: Sekhmet, had power over diseases; Sunu, god of pestilence; Isis, goddess of healing
Hail: Nut, goddess of the sky; Osiris, god of crops and fertility; Set, god of storms
Locusts: Nut, goddess of the sky; Osiris, god of crops and fertility
Darkness: Re, the sun god; Horus, the sun god; Nut, goddess of the sky; Hathor, sky goddess
Death of Firstborn: Min, god of reproduction; Hequet, goddess associated with childbirth; Isis, goddess
protecting children; Egyptians believed that Pharaohs (and their first-born sons) were gods.
Ipuwer Papyrus ("Dialogue of Ipuwer and the Lord of All") is an ancient Egyptian poem
preserved on a single papyrus, Leiden Papyrus I 344, which is housed in the National
Archeological Museum in Leiden, Netherlands. It dates to about 1450 BC, the same
time as Moses' exodus from Egypt. Ipuwer describes Egypt as afflicted by natural
disasters and in a state of chaos, a topsy-turvy world where the poor have become rich,
and the rich poor, and warfare, famine and death are everywhere. Many scholars reject
that idea that the Egyptian is describing the events of the Ten Plagues, while others
see too many references for it to be a coincidence:
1. The Plague of Blood
Ipuwer Papyrus 2:5-6 - "Plague is throughout the land. Blood is everywhere."
Ipuwer Papyrus 2:10 - "The River is Blood, men shrank from tasting, and thirst for water."
Exodus 7:21 - "There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt."
Exodus 7:20, 24 - All the waters that were in the river were turned to blood and wells had to be dug.
2. The Plague of Hail
Ipuwer papyrus 4 - "Indeed, trees are felled and branches are stripped off."
Ipuwer papyrus 9:23 - "The fire ran along the ground. There was hail, and fire mingled with the hail."
Exo 9:24 - "And there was hail, and fire flashing in the midst of the hail, very heavy, which never had been in all the land
of Egypt since it became a nation."
3. The Plague of Darkness
Ipuwer Papyrus 9:11 - "The land is not light."
Exodus 10:22: "And there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt."
4. The Plague of Egyptian Cattle
Ipuwer papyrus 5:5 - "All animals, their hearts weep. Cattle moan."
Exodus 9:3 - "Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon
the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be grievous murrain (disease)."
5. The Plague of the Firstborn of Egypt
Ipuwer Papyrus 2:13 - "He who places his brother in the ground is everywhere."
Ipuwer Papyrus 4:3 - "Forsooth, the children of princes are dashed against the walls."
Ipuwer Papyrus 6:12 - "Forsooth, the children of the princes are cast out in the streets."
Exo 12:29 - "And it happened at midnight. Jehovah struck every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of
Pharaoh, the one sitting on the throne, to the first-born of the captive who was in the prison house, and every first-born of
animals."
6. Response of the Egyptians to the Loss of their First born
Ipuwer Papyrus 3:14 - "It is groaning that is throughout the land, mingled with lamentations."
Exodus 12:30 - "There was a great cry in Egypt."
And more…
1. the tribes of the desert have become Egyptians everywhere.
2. Indeed, poor men have become owners of wealth, and he who could not make sandals for himself is now a
possessor of riches.
3. barbarians from abroad have come to Egypt.
4. Indeed, gold and lapis lazuli, silver and turquoise, carnelian and amethyst, Ibhet-stone and [. . .] are strung on the
necks of maidservants.
5. Indeed, every dead person is as a well-born man. Those who were Egyptians [have become] foreigners and are
thrust aside.
6. Indeed, the hot-tempered man says: "If I knew where God is, then I would serve Him."
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7. Behold, the possessors of robes are now in rags, while he who could not weave for himself is now a possessor of
fine linen.
8. Behold, the poor of the land have become rich, and the [erstwhile owner] of property is one who has nothing.
9. Behold, a man is happy eating his food. Consume your goods in gladness and unhindered, for it is good for a man
to eat his food; God commands it for him whom He has favored.
Thutmose III (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis III) was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth
Dynasty. During the first 22 years of Thutmose's reign he was co-regent with his stepmother,
Hatshepsut. While she is shown first on surviving monuments, both were assigned the usual royal
names and insignia and neither is given any obvious seniority over the other. After her death and his
subsequent gain of power over his kingdom, he created the largest empire Egypt had ever seen; no
less than seventeen campaigns were conducted, and he conquered from Niy in north Syria to the fourth
cataract of the Nile in Nubia. After his years of campaigning were over, he established himself as a
great builder pharaoh as well. Thutmose III was responsible for building over fifty temples in Egypt and
building massive additions to Egypt's chief temple at Karnak. New levels of artistic skills were reached
during his reign, as well as unique architectural developments never seen before and never again after his reign. When he
died he was buried in the Valley of the Kings like the rest of the kings from this period in Egypt, and was succeeded by his
son Amenhotep II, with whom he had a short 2 year co regency. Thutmose III officially ruled Egypt for almost 54 years,
and his reign is sometimes dated from April 24, 1479 to March 11, 1425 BC; however, the first 22 years of his reign was
dominated by the presence of Hatshepsut--his step-mother and the senior king of Egypt.
Many Biblical scholars believe Thutmose III is the pharaoh of the oppression of the Children of Israel. (see Exodus)
Amenhotep II (sometimes read as Amenophis II) was the seventh Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of
Egypt. Amenhotep inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few
military campaigns in Syria; however, he fought much less than his father, and his reign saw the
effective cessation of hostilities between Egypt and Mitanni, the major kingdoms vying for power in
Syria. His reign is usually dated from 1450 to 1419 BC.
Many Biblical scholars believe Amenhotep II is the pharaoh of the Exodus of the Children of Israel.
History tells us that he had an older brother that died in infancy. This explains why he did not die when the Tenth Plague
struck the firstborn of Egypt. (see Exodus)
Thutmose IV (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis I) was the 8th Pharaoh of
the 18th dynasty of Egypt, and son of Amenhotep II. The length of his reign is not
clear. He is usually given about nine or ten years of reign, though some historians
give him a reign as long as 35 years (1419 to 1386 BC).
Dream Stele. Thutmose IV is best known for the Dream Stele, a stone engraving
that sits between the paws of the Great Sphinx. In the Dream Stele, Thutmose IV
describes a dream he had while napping in the shade of the head of the great sphinx.
He dreamt that a god approached him and revealed to him the need to uncover the sphinx, and if he would do so, the god
would make him king. In relaying this dream, Thutmose IV essentially confessed that he was not the heir-apparent to the
throne. Some historians believe Thutmose IV killed his older brother in order to become king and later concocted the story
of the dream in an effort to legitimize his kingship.
Many Biblical scholars believe that Thutmose IV’s oldest brother was killed by the Angel of the Lord during the Tenth
Plague.
Akhenaten, first known as Amenhotep IV, was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. An avid
student of politics, art, history and religion, Akhenaten dropped the name Amenhotep IV and introduced
the monotheistic religion of Atenism in the fourth year of his reign, raising the previously obscure god
Aten to the position of supreme deity, and attacking the power of the Amen-Ra priestly establishment.
Some speculate that his study of religion and history prompted him to imitate the One God of Moses,
who brought Egypt and its polytheistic religion to its knees about 100 years prior (see Ten Plagues and
Ipuwer Papyrus). Akhenaten was the first pharaoh to depict himself realistically (including his odd facial
features, and saggy, unflattering body shape), depict his wife as being his equal, and depict himself and his wife in loving,
playful relationships with their children. He was apparently reluctant to provide military support for the inhabitants of
Palestine so they could fight off the “habiru”. (See the Amarna Tablets)
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Akhenaten succeeded his father after Amenhotep III's death at the end of his 38-year reign, possibly after a coregency
lasting between either 1 to 2 or 12 years. Suggested dates for Akhenaten's reign (subject to the debates surrounding
Egyptian chronology) are from 1353-1336 BC or 1351-1334 BC. Akhenaten's chief wife was Nefertiti, made world-famous
by the discovery of her exquisitely molded and painted bust, now displayed in the Altes Museum of Berlin, and among the
most recognized works of art surviving from the ancient world.
Nebkheperure Tutankhamun was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty (ruled 1334 - 1325BC in the
conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. His original
name, given to him by his monotheistic father-in-law, Pharaoh Akhenaten, was Tutankhaten ("Living
Image of Aten"). After his father-in-law's death, Tutankhamun (which means "Living Image of Amun")
dropped the name Tutankaten, abolished the monotheistic religion of Atenism and converted Egypt
back to polytheism. In order to prevent the return of his father-in-law's monotheistic religion,
Tutankhamun destroyed many of Akhenaten’s images and removed Akhenaten’s name from his
sarcophagus (Egyptians believed this would prevent the spirit from finding and re-entering the body).
The "Boy King" died of gangrene at the age of 19 after a brief nine-year reign. His reign was relatively
insignificant except for the fact that his small tomb (KV62 in the Valley of the Kings) was discovered in 1922 and was
completely intact, full of spectacular wealth. His tomb received worldwide press and he is the only pharaoh to receive a
nickname: King Tut. Nebkheperure Tutankhamun is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters.
Amarna Tablets An archive of several hundred correspondence tablets, mostly diplomatic, between
the Egyptian administration and its subjects in Canaan and Amurru. The letters date between 1480 and
1300 BC and were primarily from the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, better known as Akhenaten.
These tablets shed much light on Egyptian relations with Babylonia, Assyria, the Mitanni, the Hittites,
Syria, Canaan, and Alashiya (Cyprus).
They are important for establishing both the history and chronology of the period. In many of the letters,
kings of various Canaanite cities request money and military support in order to fend off the "Habiru", a
group of people that were attacking various cities in the region. It is during this time that Joshua and
the Children of Israel were taking the Promised Land for their own. Some speculate that Pharaoh
Akhenaten was slow to respond to the plight of his subjects because he feared the God of the 'Habiru'. See Akhenaten.
Menmaatre Seti (better known as Seti I) was a Pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. He was
the father of Ramses II (The Great). As with many dates in Ancient Egypt, various historians claim
different dates for his reign, with 1290 - 1279 BC being the most commonly used by scholars today.
Some scholars consider his son, Ramses The Great to be the pharaoh of the Exodus, so Seti I is
depicted in several movies as the pharaoh of the Israelite oppression (Charlton Heston's "The Ten
Commandments", etc.). There are a number of reasons to reject Ramses The Great as the pharaoh of
the Exodus. (See Ramses II)
Seti was a military leader and conquered the north-east corner of the Egyptian Nile Delta along the
northern coast of the Sinai peninsula ending in the town of Canaan in the modern Gaza strip. The traditional view of Seti’s
wars was that he restored the Egyptian empire after it had been lost in the time of Akhenaten.
On his temple at Redesieh, Seti is represented holding some captives by the hair and threatening them with a club.
These captives are named, amongst others, Shashu (Bedouins), Megiddoites, and Asuru, the last (it is generally agreed)
being none else than the Hebrew tribe of Asher. This is the earliest mention of a Hebrew tribe by name outside the Bible.
Ramses II (also known as Ramses the Great) was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth
dynasty. He is often regarded as Egypt's greatest and most powerful pharaoh. He was born as the
second child to Seti I in approximately 1303 BC. At the age fourteen, Ramses was appointed Prince
Regent by his father Seti I. He is believed to have taken the throne in his early 20s and to have ruled
Egypt from 1279 BC to 1213 BC for a total of 66 years and 2 months, according to the Egyptian
historian Manetho. Some historians believe that Ramses had as many as 8 wives and 40 - 100
children.
During his reign, Ramses built a vast array of temples, monuments and cities. Many of his monuments
are well preserved, and still intact today. He established the city of Per- Ramses in the Nile Delta as his
new capital and main base for the Hittite war. This city was built on the remains of the city of Avaris, the capital of the
Hyksos during the 15th Dynasty. Ramses believed that this proximity to the Temple of Set enabled him to harness the
power of Set, Horus, Re, Amun, and his father Seti. By some estimates, there are more statues of Ramses in existence
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than any other pharaohs, a testament to his strength and the length of his reign. Only one other pharaoh ruled longer than
Ramses the Great: Pepi II in the sixth dynasty.
Movies often depict Ramses the Great as the pharaoh of the Exodus because many scholars believe the Exodus took
place in 1270 BC. However Biblical chronology favors an Exodus of 1446 under the reign of Amenhotep II. (See Exodus)
Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He ruled Egypt
for almost 10 years between late July/early August 1213 to May 2 1203 BC according
to contemporary historical records.[2] He was the thirteenth son of Ramses II[3] and
only came to power because all his older brothers had predeceased him, by which
time he was almost sixty years old.
Merneptah is most famous for an account of his military against the Sea Peoples and
Libu. This account is described in prose on a wall beside the sixth pylon at Karnak
and in poetic form in the Merneptah Stele, widely known as the Israel Stele, which
makes reference to the supposed utter destruction of Israel during campaign in his 6th year in Canaan:
"Israel has been wiped out...its seed is no more." This is the first recognized ancient Egyptian record of the existence of
Israel as a nation. Suffice it to say, he was wrong. Not only was Israel not wiped out, but they continue even to this day.
The same cannot be said for Egyptian dynasties.
Shishak (also known as also known as Shoshenq I, Sheshonk or Sheshonq I) was a Meshwesh Libyan
king of Egypt and founder of the Twenty-second Dynasty from approximately 950-924 BC. A majority of
archaeologists and Egyptologists believe he is mentioned in the Bible as Shishaq (the first pharaoh
mentioned by name in the Bible) though adherents of the so-called New Chronology have questioned
this identification.
Shortly after Shishak the throne in 950 BC, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, of the tribe of Ephraim, whom Solomon had
promoted but afterward had cause to suspect, fled from Solomon’s kingdom and took refuge in the court of Shishak (1
Kings 11:26). After the death of Solomon, Jeroboam returned to Canaan, and, on Rehoboam's returning an unsatisfactory
answer to the people's demands for relief from their burdens, headed the revolt of the Ten Tribes, over whom he was
chosen king with his capital at Shechem (1 Kings 12:25). Once Jeroboam became king of the northern Ten Tribes,
Shishak attacked cities in the southern tribes and raided the temple in Jerusalem. His military campaign is listed both in 2
Chronicles 12:1-9 and on the temple of Karnak in Egypt. The details of the towns and districts conquered by Shishak are
listed in detail at Karnak. This is the first Egyptian military campaign described in detail in both the Bible and in nonBiblical sources.
Moabite Stone (also known as the Mesha Stele) is a black basalt stone, bearing an inscription by the
9th century BC Moabite King Mesha, discovered in 1868. The inscription of 34 lines, the most extensive
inscription ever recovered from ancient Israel, was written in Paleo-Hebrew alphabet. The stele was
installed by Mesha in about 850 BC as a record and memorial of his victories in his revolt against the
Kingdom of Israel, which he undertook after the death of his overlord, King Ahab. (2 Kings 3:4)
The stone is 124 cm (4 ft) high and 71 cm (2 ft 4 in) wide and deep, and rounded at the top. It was
discovered at the ancient Dibon now Dhiban, Jordan, in August 1868, by Rev. F. A. Klein, a German
missionary in Jerusalem. "The Arabs of the neighborhood, dreading the loss of such a talisman, broke
the stone into pieces; but a squeeze had already been obtained by Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau,
and most of the fragments were recovered and pieced together by him".[1] A squeeze is a papier-mâché impression. The
squeeze (which has never been published) and the reassembled stele (which has been published in many books and
encyclopedias) are now in the Louvre Museum.
was discovered in
2Pe 3:3-7 First, be aware of this: scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, following their own lusts, saying, "Where is
the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the
beginning of creation." They willfully ignore this: long ago the heavens and the earth existed out of water and through
water by the word of God. Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded by water. But by the
same word the present heavens and earth are held in store for fire, being kept until the Day of Judgment and
destruction of ungodly men.
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Ancient Mesopotamia (Sumeria, Babylon, Chaldees)
If we start in the United States and head east, across the Atlantic, past the Mediterranean and further east a little more,
we would eventually come to a place called Tall al-Muqayyar (Moo Hair): arid, dry and desolate. Southeast Iraq, actually.
But wind the clock back 4,000 years and we see a very different place. It was called Mesopotamia (or Sumeria), and it
was neither arid, desolate nor silent. In fact, it was the very cradle of civilization. If the Euphrates River had not changed
course over the past few millenia, we would see it today for the beauty that it was 4,000 years ago.
The city we now call Tall al-Muqayyar was a city surrounded by lush gardens with groves of figs and dates and tall palms
standing by mathematically straight irrigation canals, a city of temples to every god under the sun (and moon).
Warehouses, workshops, libraries and schools, spacious villas and towers called ziggurats, all within a great wall
overlooking the waters of the Euphrates. Even to this day, some of their royal tombs have survived in good condition.
Small wonder that the Mesopotamia was called the "Cradle of Civilization". This is the city is Ur. The year is 2166BC.
Although it's one of the oldest civilizations known to man, the Sumerian culture was anything but primitive.
 They developed the first writing system, cuneiform script. For centuries, it was one of the dominant forms of writing.
Over 250,000 cuneiform tablets exist today, dating from 3200BC to about 100AD.
 They invented the wheel.
 In architecture, they invented the arch, dome and vault. Their 100+ foot ziggurats stand even to this day! (This is the
same area, Shinar, where the tower of Babel was built)
 At the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, an artificial stone often regarded as a forerunner of concrete was in use at
Uruk (160 miles south-southeast of modern Baghdad), but the secret of its manufacture apparently was lost in
subsequent years.
 [TEMPLE] It was a highly religious culture, with temples and altars to a wide variety of gods. Their main god was
Nanna or Sin, the god of the moon. The largest ziggurat temples were built for worshiping the moon god Nanna.
 In math, they invented the sexagesimal numbering system (base 60 instead of our base 10) for the calculation of time
and angles, which is still practical because of the multiple divisibility of the number 60.
 Pythagoras' law, although not directly formulated, was in use as early as the 18th century in Sumeria
 They were the first to divide the day into two periods of 12 hours.
 They were the first to develop the zodiac and its signs.
 Irrigation was in wide use, and very elaborate.
 Although not as sophisticated as their Egyptian contemporaries, art was held in high regard and featured prominently
in their culture.
 Legal theory flourished and was quite sophisticated. The most popular collection of legal edicts was the Code of
Hammurabi. Throughout these codes recurs the concern of the ruler for the weak, the widow, and the orphan.
Nuzi Tablets
In the northern region of Mesopotamia, we gain further insights into the Sumerian culture by way of baked clay tablets
inscribed with Sumerian cuneiform writing. The Nuzi tablets are a collection of legal codes and contracts wherein we find
the following:







It was normal for childless parents to adopt a servant as a son; he would serve them until they died and became their
heir.
In the case of a childless couple, the wife could locate another woman as a surrogate for the husband to produce an
heir. If the childless woman eventually had her own child, she could opt to have her natural son become heir instead
of the adopted son.
A man could adopt a woman as a sister and agree to find a husband for her.
Fathers were not required to select the first-born son as the family heir. He could select any of his sons as he pleased.
(Jacob)
A father was required to find a wife for his sons, (Genesis 24:4), and arrange marriage contracts for the daughters. If
the parents died, the heir was required to arrange the marriage of his sisters.
Wills referred to the family gods as symbols of ownership and authority and were highly valued. This explains why
Laban was so concerned that Rachel had taken the images when Jacob was fleeing Laban (Genesis 31:19, 34, 35).
Heirs could legally sell their birthright to a brother. This supports when Esau exchanged his birthright for a bowl of
soup in a time of need (Genesis 25:29-34).
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
Also found were tablets recording blessings pronounced by aging men just before an expected death. As Jacob did in
Genesis 48-49.
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11.
Page 14
Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus Christ
There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the nature, actions, ministry, life, persecution, death,
resurrection and eternity of Jesus Christ. While on earth, Jesus Christ claimed to be the fulfillment of those prophecies. A
few of them are listed here.
Prophecy
Old Testament
New Testament
(between 1450 BC and 430BC)
(between 45 and 95 AD)
Offspring of a woman
Gen 3:15
Galatians 4:4
Descendant of Abraham
Gen 12:3; 18:18
Acts 3:25,26
Descendant of Judah
Gen 49:10
Matt 1:2 and Luke 3:33
Prophet like Moses
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
Acts 3:22,23
Son of God
Ps 2:7
Matt 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22
Raised from the dead
Ps 16:10,11
Matt 28:5-9; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:4-7; John 20:1116; Acts 1:3 and 2:32
Crucified
Ps 22 (11 prophecies)
Matt 27:34-50 and John 19:17-30
Sneered and Mocked
Ps 22:7
Luke 23:11,35-39
Pierced through hands and
Ps 22:16
Luke 23:33 and 24:36-39;John 19:18 and 20:19feet
20,24-27
Bones will not be broken
Ps 22:17; 34:20
John 19:31-33,36
Men will gamble for His clothes Ps 22:18
Matt 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John
19:23,24
Accused by false witnesses
Ps 35:11
Matt 26:59,60 and Mark 14:56,57
Hated without a cause
Ps 35:19; 69:4
John 15:23-25
Betrayed by a friend
Ps 41:9
John 13:18,21
Ascend to heaven
Ps 68:18
Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9; 2:33-35; 3:20-21; 5:31,32;
7:55-56; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20,21;
Colossians 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; etc
Given vinegar to drink
Ps 69:21
Matt 27:34; Mark 15:23; John 19:29,30
Kings will pay homage
Ps 72:10,11
Matt 2:1-11
Rejected stone becomes
Ps 118:22,23; Is 28:16
Matt 21:42,43; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1
cornerstone
Peter 2:6-8
Descendant of David
Ps 132:11; Jer 23:5,6; 33:15,16 Luke 1:32,33
Born of a virgin
Is 7:14
Matt 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35
Begin ministry in Galilee
Is 9:1-7
Matt 4:12-16
Make the blind see, deaf hear,
Is 35:5-6
Many places. Also see Matt 11:3-6 and John
etc
11:47
Beaten, mocked and spat upon Is 50:6
Matt 26:67 and 27:26-31
The Gospel according to Isaiah Is 52:13-53:12
Matt, Mark, Luke, John
People will hear and not
Is 53:1
John 12:37,38
believe
Rejected
Is 53:3
Matt 27:20-25; Mark 15:8-14; Luke 23:18-23;
John 19:14,15
Killed
Is 53:5-9
Matt 27:50; Mark 15:37-39; Luke 23:46; John
19:30
Silent in front of accusers
Is 53:7
Matt 26:62,63 and 27:12-14
Buried with the rich
Is 53:9
Matt 27:59,60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:52,53; John
19:38-42
Crucified with criminals
Is 53:12
Matt 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:32,33
New and Everlasting Covenant Is 55:3-4; Jer 31:31-34
Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; Heb 8:6-13
Will intercede for us
Is 59:16
Heb 9:15
Two missions
Is 61:1-3
First mission: Luke 4:16-21; Second mission: to
be fulfilled at the end of the world
Will come at a specific time
Daniel 9:25-26
Galatians 4:4 and Ephesians 1:10
Born in Bethlehem
Micah 5:2
Matt 2:1 and Luke 2:4-7
Enter Jerusalem on a donkey
Zechariah 9:9
Matt 21:1-11
Sold for 30 pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:12,13
Matt 26:15 with Matt 27:3-10
Forsaken by His disciples
Zechariah 13:7
Matt 26:31,56
Enter the Temple with authority Malachi 3:1
Matt 21:12 and Luke 19:45
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Given what the Bible and secular historians (Josephus, Pliny, etc) say about Jesus and what He says about Himself, we
must conclude one of three things about Jesus: He is either a liar, lunatic or Lord.
If he is a liar or lunatic, we can dismiss Him. The world is full of liars and lunatics who make similar claims that Jesus did.
But none of the liars or lunatics could perform miracles time and again, raise the dead or be raised from the dead. And
none of them fulfilled prophecy like Jesus did. Furthermore, why would God grant miraculous power to a liar and raise
Him from the dead?
The only reasonable conclusion is that He is exactly whom He claimed to be: the Son of God Almighty, in the flesh.
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List of Covenants
Eternal covenant, Heb 13:20—The redemptive covenant before time began, between the Father and the Son. By this
covenant we have eternal redemption, an eternal peace from the ‘God of peace’, through the death and resurrection of
the Son.
Edenic covenant, Gen 1:26-28—The creative covenant between the Triune God, as the first party (Gen 1:26), and newly
created man, as the second party, governing man’s creation and life in Edenic innocence. It regulated man’s dominion
and subjugation of the earth, and presented a simple test of obedience. The penalty was death.
Adamic covenant, Gen 3:14-19—The covenant conditioning fallen man’s life on the earth. Satan’s tool (the serpent) was
cursed (Gen 3:14); the first promise of the Redeemer was given (3:15); women’s status was altered (3:16); the earth was
cursed (3:17-19); physical and spiritual death resulted (3:19).
Noahic covenant, Gen 8:20-9:6—The covenant of human government. Man is to govern his fellowmen for God,
indicated by the institution of capital punishment as the supreme judicial power of the state (Gen 9:5-6). Other features
included the promise of redemption through the line of Shem (9:26).
Abrahamic covenant, Gen 12:1-3; confirmed, 13:14-17; 15:1-7; 17:1-8—The covenant of promise. Abraham’s posterity
was to be made a great nation. In him (through Christ) all the families of the earth were to be blessed (Gal 3:16; Jn 8:5658).
Mosaic covenant, Ex 20:1-31:18—The legal covenant, given solely to Israel. It consisted of the commandments (Ex
20:1-26); the judgments (social) - (Ex 21:1; 24:11) and the ordinances (religious); (Ex 24:12-31:18); also called the law. It
was a conditional covenant of works, a ministry of ‘condemnation’ and ‘death’ (2 Cor 3:7-9), designed to lead the
transgressor (convicted thereby as a sinner) to Christ.
Palestinian covenant, Deut 30:1-10—The covenant regulating Israel’s tenure of the land of Canaan. Its prophetic
features include dispersion of disobedience (v1), future repentance while in dispersion (v2), the Lord’s return (v3), the
restoration (v4-5), national conversion (v6), judgment of Israel’s foes (v7), national prosperity (v9). Its blessings are
conditioned upon obedience (v8, 10), but fulfillment is guaranteed by the new covenant.
Davidic covenant, 2 Sam 7:4-17, 1 Chr 17:4-15—The kingdom covenant regulating the temporal and eternal rule of
David’s posterity. It secures in perpetuity a Davidic ‘house’ or line, a throne, and a kingdom. It was confirmed by divine
oath in Ps 89:30-37 and renewed to Mary in Lk 1:31-33. It is fulfilled in Christ as the World’s Saviour and Israel’s coming
King (Acts 1:6; Rev 19:16; 20:4-6).
New covenant, Jer 31:31-33; Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24; Lk 22:20; Heb 8:8-12—The covenant of unconditional blessing based
upon the finished redemption of Christ. It secures blessing for the church, flowing from the Abrahamic covenant (Gal 3:1320), and secures all covenant blessings to converted Israel, including those of the Abrahamic, Palestinian, and Davidic
covenants. This covenant is unconditional, final and irreversible.
The New Unger’s Bible Handbook, Merrill F. Unger, Revised by Gary N. Larson, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984, p. 595
Ur was an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, located near the mouth (at the time) of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers
on the Persian Gulf and close to Eridu. It is considered to be one of the earliest known civilizations in world history.
Because of marine regression, the remains are now well inland in present-day Iraq, south of the Euphrates on its right
bank, and named Tell el-Mukayyar, near the city of Nasiriyah south of Baghdad. It is considered by some to be the same
city that Abraham came from (Gen 12).
The site is marked by the ruins of a ziggurat, still largely intact, and by a settlement
mound. The ziggurat is a temple of Nanna, the moon deity in Sumerian mythology,
and has two stages constructed from brick: in the lower stage the bricks are joined
together with bitumen, in the upper stage they are joined with mortar. The
Sumerian name for this city was Urim.
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