CHAPTER VI.

DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY.

1. Mr. Cuninghame’s application of the Lunisolar cycles and Septenary periods to the settlement of chronological questions—The Septuagint proved to be the _exact truth_ by a complex harmony of scientific time—His “Synopsis of Chronology” recommended.

In his “Synopsis of Chronology,” Mr. Cuninghame very fully developes the nature of the Lunisolar Cycles and Septenary Periods, settles several important chronological questions by means of this touchstone of accuracy, and gives a great many remarkable series of historical events, whose intervals are all measured by complete cycles from the era of Creation, from the births and deaths of the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs, and from the Exodus and occurrences in the life of David the King. In this manner, he shows that the Septuagint chronology “is proved to be the exact truth by such a complex harmony of scientific time, or in other words, of great astronomical periods, which do, as the web and the woof, intersect and intertwine each other with multiplied and variegated harmony of arrangement, knitting together all the great eras of the world, and the most ancient antediluvian periods with the events of our times, as to make it manifest that it is the workmanship, not of a finite mind, but of Him who set forth the sun and moon in their courses;”[38] see page 25. The author next recapitulates the series of great periods to the birth and death of Christ, shows the use of the scientific chronology in refuting false dates, &c.; and gives astronomical evidence of the near approximation of the larger lunisolar cycles to the exact truth. He then terminates this work with a series of the most valuable tables of chronology from Creation to A. D. 1837, including a curious table of the great periods which expire in that year.

2. Evidence in favour of the Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies compared and tested by Mr. Cuninghame—His detection of the Scheme of Fraud invented by the Jewish Rabbis for shortening the chronology of the Scriptures—His exposition of this Scheme in _three distinct Acts_, and the result of the whole.

In his work, entitled “The Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried,” he very carefully sifts the evidence in favour of both systems, by a minute analysis of the Jubilean series from the Greek era of Creation B. C. 5478, and from the Hebrew era, B. C. 4004, and demonstrates, by a comparative estimate of both series, that the former must be the true chronology; he then applies the test of the lunisolar cycles to the same era in both systems, and to other eras of marked importance, illustrating the whole in a tabular form; establishes the accuracy of the Greek series in the most irrefragable manner; and, finally, detects the scheme adopted by the Jewish Rabbis in shortening the chronology of the Scriptures, showing that, though it be one of deep and artful contrivance, it will not stand the test of scientific investigation. The following is their scheme of fraud which the author has detected, and which they have employed for this nefarious purpose. The _first_ act of the Rabbis in corrupting the chronology, was to determine the total sum of years to be annihilated. The _second_ act was to divide it among the great subdivisions of the Mundane Times. The _third_ act was to distribute it among the reigns and administrations so as most effectually to conceal the fraud. They _first_ determined to place the Mundane era at the birth of Lamech B. C. 4005. This comes out at the 1st of Nisan, of his first year B. C. 4004. Thus they annihilated 1474 years. Their _second_ act was to divide this sum of 1474 years, by abstracting periods equal to the following from the great subdivisions of the Mundane ages:—

I. Before the Deluge; 1st, A period equal to that from Noah’s birth B. C. 3817, to the flood B. C. 3217, namely 600 years: 2nd, From the death of Methusaleh to the Deluge, six years; making the total curtailed from the Creation to the Flood, 606 years.

II. From the Flood to Abraham; a period equal to the interval from the death of Noah B. C. 2867, to the year before the birth of Abraham B. C. 2146, (“Fulness of the Times,” p. 138), 721 years.

III. From the Exodus to the foundation of Solomon’s Temple; a period equal to the interval from the Exodus B. C. 1639, to the administration of Ehud B. C. 1506, 133 years.

IV. From the foundation of Solomon’s Temple to the Captivity; a period equal to the interval from the Captivity of Jehoiachin B. C. 598, to the carrying away the last remnant of the people B. C. 584, (Jer. lii. 30; “Dissertation on the Apocalypse,” p. 504,) 14 years.

The total sum of all the years thus abstracted in these four periods is 1474; for in the

1st Period are 606 years. 2nd „ 721 „ 3rd „ 133 „ 4th „ 14 „ ———— Total sum 1474 „

and the effect is, as above stated, to make the era of Creation, B. C. (5478–1474) = B. C. 4004.[39]

3. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame’s “Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried”—His description and Table of the Great Periods of 1838—His table of both Chronologies—His appeal to the disciples of Usher—His view of their chronological difficulties and paradoxes—His call to them to produce their evidence in favour of their system.

This work concludes with a description and Table of the Great Periods which terminate in and mark the year 1838, as the point of time which sums up and concentrates, as in a focus, the chronology of past ages. These he divides into four great classes, viz., Mundane, Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Intermediate Eras, illustrating the whole with tables and arguments, and ending with “A Comparative Table of the Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies from the Creation to the accession of Uzziah, B. C. 810, showing their Jubilean difference to the Christian era at each date.” The inconceivable labour which the author has undergone to find out the true system of chronology, and his triumphant success in establishing it on the double evidence of Scripture testimony and Mathematical and Astronomical Science, entitle him to make the following decided appeal to the disciples of Usher, “Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried,” pp. 88, 89.

“They, it seems, possess the true chronology! incumbered indeed with a few awkward difficulties and paradoxes; as that the people, whose sins St. Paul declares to have been filled up, who had crucified the Messiah, and were the persecutors of his Church, and are the chronological forgers who have corrupted the times of Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks, telling us in their almanacs, as I see from that of their year of the world 5598, answering to 1837–8, now open before me, that from the destruction of the first temple by Nebuchadnezzar, to that of the second by the Romans, were only 490 years, the true chronology being 657 years, are yet more worthy of credit than the apostles of the Lord, and the first churches, and the text of St. Luke!—As that Abraham was born only two years after the death of Noah, and was the contemporary of Shem, Arphaxed, Salah, Eber, the last of whom actually survived him; and thus that there were different and discordant economies of the world co-existent and co-etaneous!—As that, it is better to twist, and crucify, and reject the chronological testimony of the whole book of Judges, than expressly to admit that the immaculate Rabbis have interpolated in a single text, 1 Kings vi. 1., a single false number!—Yet, notwithstanding these few and awkward difficulties,—we repeat it—the disciples of Usher can have no difficulty, seeing they possess _the truth!_ in producing from their _hidden treasures_, greater and more stupendous concentrations of the true chronology, at some given point of time, than has now been evolved from the Septuagint!”

4. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame’s later works—Summary of the remarkable and original subjects of which they treat—His remarks on the Theories of modern Geologists recommended—Their large demands upon time not warranted by the simplicity of the Mosaic narrative—The authority and authenticity of the Inspired Record endangered by their speculations—Another mode of solving Geological difficulties recommended—A boon of 1500 years additional granted to Geologists—Recommendation of Mr. Morison’s “Religious History of Man”—Mr. Cuninghame’s discoveries concentrated in his “Chart of Chronology” and “Essay,” and in the Appendices to the fourth edition of his “Dissertation on the Apocalypse.”

The views developed by Mr. Cuninghame, in the preceding work, are still more fully exemplified and applied in his later works. In these, he gives, 1st, A Table, accompanied with numerous cyclical demonstrations, of the great periods which expire in 1839; a further elucidation of the four great classes of Eras, the Mundane, the Patriarchal, the Ecclesiastical, and the Prophetical; and remarks on the great periods which expire in 1840 and 1841. 2nd.—Tables of the whole Eras from Creation to the last year of Christ’s personal ministry, and of years subsequent to that event, from which simple Trinal Fractions being reckoned, terminate in 1839. 3rd.—Table of the Great Periods which expire in 1840, with remarks and illustrations; Division of the Mundane period from Creation to 1840, into eleven subordinate periods or ages, marked by perfect cycles of scientific time; the arrival of the time of the End, and of the Restoration of Israel.[40] To the latter work, he prefixes some pertinent and pungent remarks on the modern Theories of Geology as opposed to the Scriptures, in which we entirely coincide; and, though our space will not permit us to enter into any discussion, we cannot avoid remarking, that the principle of interposing, between the first and second verses of Genesis, chap. i.—“_millions of ages_”—“_unlimited drafts upon antiquity_”—“_an unutterable period_”—“_unnumbered ages_,” &c.,—is wholly unwarranted by the truth and simplicity of the Mosaic narrative, and extremely dangerous to the authority and authenticity of the Inspired Record. Instead of demanding “millions of ages,” therefore, we would seriously advise Geologists—Christian Geologists, at least,—to be content with the extraordinary rapidity of chemical operations and electrical developements, within a very limited period of time, and to endeavour to explain their Geological phenomena in a manner more in accordance with the known chronology of the world, to the common estimate of which _must now be added_ nearly 1500 years on the authority of Scripture! But on this subject we must refer to the author’s work, “Season of the End,” pp. viii-xiii., and to Morison’s “Religious History of Man,” ch. ii. pp. 25–46. In fine, we observe, that the results of Mr. Cuninghame’s labours and discoveries are concentrated in the “Chart of Chronology” and “Essay,” and in the fourth edition of the “Dissertation on the Apocalypse.”

NOTE A.

The number and variety of the author’s proofs of this general proposition are so great, that we can scarcely dip into a page of his chronological works without meeting them; the following are some of the most remarkable instances.

_From Creation_ B. C. 5478,—to the birth of Enoch B. C. 4357, are 1121 years, _a number_ which is 59 times the cycle of 19 years,—to the Deluge B. C. 3217, are 2261 years, which is 119 times or 17 weeks of the cycle of 19,—to Noah’s Egression from the Ark B. C. 3216, are 2262 years, which is a Lunar cycle, the moon fast 15 hours,—to the birth of Arphaxad B. C. 3215, are 2263 years, which is the product of the Trinal Fractions 31 and 73,—and _from the death of Adam_ B. C. 4548, to the birth of Arphaxad, are 1333 years, which is the trinal fraction of 36, and the product of the trinal fractions 31 and 43.

_To the Dedication of Solomon’s Temple_ B. C. 1019,—from Creation, are 4459 years, which is 91 Jubilees or 13 cubes of 7, or the product of the cube of the trinal fraction of 2 by the trinal fraction of 3; otherwise, it is 13 weeks of the Jubilee, 91 and 13 being both trinal fractions, as well as 343 the week of the Jubilee,—from the birth of Arphaxad, are 2196 years, which is 12 times the trinal fraction 183,—from the birth of Abraham B. C. 2145, are 1126 years, which is the sum of the trinal fractions 993 and 133,—from the birth of Isaac B. C. 2045, are 1026 years, which is 54 times the cycle of 19,—from the birth of Ishmael B. C. 2059, are 1040 years, which is a perfect Lunar cycle,—and from the Exodus B. C. 1639, are 620 years, which is 20 times the trinal fraction 31.

_From Creation_,—to the foundation of Rome B. C. 753, are 4725 years, which is 15 times the Lunar cycle of 315 years,—to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus B. C. 538, are 4940 years, which is 260 times the cycle of 19,—to the taking of Jerusalem by Pompey B. C. 63, are 5415 years, which is 15 times the square of the cycle of 19,—to the death of Christ A. D. 33, are 5510 years, which is 290 times the cycle of 19,—and from the Deluge to the death of Christ, are 3249 years, which is 9 times the square of the cycle of 19, or the product of the squares of 3 and 19.

_From the death of Noah_ B. C. 2867, to that of Shem B. C. 2715, are 152 years, which is 8 times the cycle of 19; thence, to that of Arphaxad B. C. 2677, 38 years, which is 2 times the cycle of 19; and thence, to that of Cainan II. B. C. 2620, 57 years, which is 3 times the cycle of 19,—to the birth of Abraham, are 722 years, which is 2 times the square of the cycle 19,—to the death of Joseph B. C. 1784, are 1083 years, which is 3 times the square of the cycle of 19,—to the birth of David B. C. 1100, are 1767 years, which is 93 cycles of 19,—and to the French Revolution of A. D. 1789, are 4655 years, which is 245 cycles of 19, or 95 Jubilees. From the flood to the death of Salah B. C. 2517, are 700 years; and from the death of Noah to the same, are 350 years.

From the birth of Judah B. C. 1903, to the attempt to establish a Christian church at Jerusalem A. D. 1842, are exactly 3744 years, which is two times the square of 12, added to 3 times the cube of 12. From the capture of Jerusalem by David B. C. 1063, to A. D. 1842, are exactly 2904 years, or 2 times the square of 11, added to 2 times the cube of 11. Hence, from the birth of Judah to the capture of Jerusalem, are 840 years, which is the product of 70 and 12, or of 7 and 120. From the Exodus B. C. 1639, to the capture of Jerusalem, are 576 years, which is 4 times the square of 12, and to A. D. 1842, are 3480 years, which is 2 times 12 added to 2 times the cube of 12; and from the entrance of Israel into Canaan B. C. 1599, to A. D. 1842, are 3440 years, which is 8 times 430, (see Exodus xii. 40.)

NOTE B.

It is utterly impossible to give our readers any correct idea of the extraordinary labour which the author must have had in the construction of these Tables, or of the astonishing coincidences which he has discovered in the cyclical periods of time which connect remote events in the history of the world with those which are passing under our own eyes in these latter days; we must positively refer our readers to the works themselves, particularly the “Season of the End.” We shall take however one event from this work, as an example of the rest, namely, the “Accession of Victoria,” A. D. 1837, and show how he connects it with past history in the true system of Chronology. From the birth of Seth, B. C. 5249, are 7085 years, which is the sum of the trinal fractions 6973, 91, and 21; the corresponding epochs being a Grand conjunction of the Planets in A. D. 1725, the first year of General Peace in A. D. 1816, and the Accession; or, the sum of the trinal fractions 6963, 91, and 31, the corresponding epochs being the Rebellion of A. D. 1715, the fall of Prussia in A. D. 1806, and the Accession.

From the birth of Enos B. C. 5044, are 6880 years, which is the sum of the trinal fractions 6807 and 73. From the death of Seth B. C. 4337, are 6173 years, which is the sum of 5932, or 4 times the fraction 1483, and the fraction 241; the corresponding epochs, being the Divine defeat of the Spanish Armada in A. D. 1596, and the Accession. From the birth of Methuselah B. C. 4192, are 6028 years, which is the sum of the fractions 6007 and 21, the corresponding epochs being the General Peace in A. D. 1816, and the Accession. From the birth of Japhet B. C. 3317, are 5153 years, which is the sum of 4820, or 20 times the fraction 241, and 333, or 3 times the fraction 111. From the Egression of Noah from the Ark B. C. 3216, are 5052 years, which is the sum of 4995, or 45 times the fraction 111, and the fraction 57 or 3 times the cycle of 19.

From the death of Eber B. C. 2416, are 4252 years, which is the sum of the fractions 4161 and 91, the corresponding epochs being the defeat of the Pretender at Culloden in A. D. 1746, and the Accession. From the Call of Abraham B. C. 2070, are 3906 years, which is the sum of 3885 or 35 times the fraction 111 and the fraction 21, the corresponding epochs being the General Peace in A. D. 1816, and the Accession. From the beginning of the 3rd servitude of Israel B. C. 1426, are 3262 years, which is the sum of 3219, or 29 times the fraction 111, and the fraction 43, the corresponding epochs being the fall of Robespierre A. D. 1794, and the Accession. From the captivity in Babylon B. C. 606, are 2442 years, which is 22 times the fraction 111, and terminates at the epoch of the Accession. From the birth of Christ B. C. 3, are 1839 years, which is the sum of 1776, or 16 times the fraction 111, and 63, or 3 times the fraction 21, the corresponding epochs being the Accession of Louis XVI. in 1774, and the Accession of Victoria I. But we must stop here, having cited only 12 instances out of 30 given by the author, in which the latter event is shown to be linked to great events in the former history of the world by curious and remarkable cycles of time.

A

DISSERTATION

ON

THE TRUE AGE OF THE WORLD.

=Part II.=