March 8th - Age Five from Moses to the birth of Jesus - Exodus through Malachi

After Israel became slaves in Egypt God prepared a plan to deliver them. Moses was born in a time when the Egyptian Pharaoh had ordered all male Israelite children be killed at birth. He was delivered from death by the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh and raised in the palace. When he was about 40 years old he tried to help the slaves, and in the process killed an Egyptian. To avoid the wrath of Pharaoh he fled to the land of Midian where he became a shepherd of the flocks of a man named Jethro, who became his father-in-law.

"As for Moses, he had become a shepherd of the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian." (Exodus 3:1)

At the age of 80, God appeared to him and told Him to return to Egypt and tell the new Pharaoh to release  Israel from their slavery. Moses was to bring them to Mount Sinai to meet with Yahweh. Moses argued that he was not a good speaker so God sent Aaron, Moses's brother, to help do the talking.

"Is there not Aaron, the Levite, your brother? I know that he can speak, yea speak...You will speak to him and place the words in his mouth. And I shall come to be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will direct both of you as to what you shall do." (Exodus 4:14-15)

After many plagues from Yahweh upon the Egyptians, Pharaoh let Israel leave Egypt. Shortly after they left, Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army to bring them back. God parted the Red Sea to allow Israel to cross over to the other side, and then destroyed the Egyptian army when they tried to follow.

"When the horses of Pharaoh had entered with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, then Yahweh returned the waters of the sea over them. Yet the sons of Israel, they had gone on dry ground in the midst of the sea!" (Exodus 15:19)

When Israel arrived at Mount Sinai Yahweh gave them ten commandments. Yahweh promised He would bless them if they obeyed those commandments and they all agreed to obey.

"So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words which Yahweh had instructed him. Now all the people responded together and said: All that Yahweh speaks we shall do." (Exodus 19:7-8)

Despite their promise, Israel disobeyed the first commandment in less than 40 days. Yahweh then gave Moses more laws for them to obey including the laws regarding how disobedience was to be dealt with. Jewish rabbis identify 613 laws given Moses for Israel to obey which included animal sacrifice to atone for their sins. Aaron and his sons were made priests to administer the law.

After Moses died, Joshua became the leader of Israel. Under his leadership Israel took possession of some of the land Yahweh had promised and divided it among twelve tribes. 

Yahweh raised up Samuel as both a judge and prophet to speak for Him. In time Israel demanded that Samuel appoint a King to rule over them. Their first King was Saul but because of his sin Yahweh took the kingdom away from Saul and Yahweh Himself chose a young sheperd named David to be king.

"And he sends, and brings him in (David), and he is ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and of good appearance; and Yahweh said, `Rise, anoint him, for this is he. And Samuel takes the horn of oil, and anoints him in the midst of his brethren, and prosper over David does the Spirit of Yahweh from that day and onwards." (1 Samuel 16:12-13)

King David made Jerusalem the capital of the united tribes of Israel. His son Solomon became King after David and built a Temple for God in Jerusalem. There was 480 years from the exodus from Egypt to the building of the Temple.

After the death Solomon, Israel split up and became two nations, ten of the tribes if Israel retained the name Israel (sometimes called Ephraim) and the other two tribes were called Judah 

During the reign of their Kings God raised up prophets to speak the word of God to the people. but the people rarely did what they were instructed. Over and over their enemies would enslave them because of their disobedience to the laws given Moses. Then they would cry out to Yahweh and in His mercy He would deliverer them.

The kings of Israel and Judah reigned over the promised land for a total 419 years from the start of the construction of the Temple, but because of their continued unfaithfulness God allowed the Assyrians to conquer the ten tribes of Israel, and some years later the Babylonians attacked Judah, and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The Assyrians and the Babylonians removed most of the people out of the promised land, scattering them across their empires. 

The Babylonian captivity lasted 70 years. During the later part of that 70 years the prophet Daniel lamented their unfaithfulness to Yahweh while he was in Babylon reading from the words of the prophets...

"We have sinned, and we have been depraved: we have acted wickedly and have revolted; we have withdrawn from your instructions and from Your ordinances, and we have not hearkened to your servants the prophets...all the people of Israel, the near and the far, in all the lands where you have expelled them for their offenses with which they offend You. With You, O Yahweh, is righteousness, yet with us is shame of face: with our kings, with our chiefs, with our fathers, since we have sinned against you." (Daniel 9:5-7)

After his prayer, Yahweh told Daniel that there would come a time when He would put an end to Israel's sin and give them a faithful leader. Daniel was told that it would happen over a period of seventy sevens beginning when they were allowed to return to Jerusalem. After those severity sevens their sin would come to an end and their Messiah would be anointed.

"Seventy sevens are segregated for your people and for your holy city: to detain transgression, to make sin come to an end, to make a propitiatory shelter for depravity; to bring the righteousness of the eons, to seal the vision and the prophetic word, to anoint the holy of holies." (Daniel 9:24)

Many people today believe the seventy sevens are 490 years which began with the end of the Babylonian captivity when a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem and its Temple. Daniel was told that after sixty-nine of those sevens (483 years) the Messiah would be born and rejected.

"Now you should know and be intelligent: From the going forth of the word to cause a return and to rebuild Jerusalem - from then until Messiah the Governor is seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens...After the sixty-two sevens, Messiah shall be cut off, and there will be no adjudication for Him." (Daniel 9:25-26)

The final seven is yet to be fulfilled. Daniel was told that it would begin with a covenant negotiated by a world leader between many, most likely including an agreement between Israel and its enemies.

"Then he will master a covenant with many for one seven..." (Daniel 9:27)

When the final seven years of Daniel's prophecy ends it will bring Age Five to a close.

March 7th - Age Five from Jacob to Egyptian slavery - Genesis 25 through Genesis 50

Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob to confirm the covenant He had made with Abraham and Isaac when He spoke to him in a dream...

"He dreamed, and behold, there was a stairway set earthward, with its top touching the heavens...And behold, Yahweh was standing up over him and said: I am Yahweh Elohim of your Father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac...the land on which you are lying down, to you I shall give it and to your seed. And your seed will become like the soil grains of the land...All the families of the ground will be blessed in you and in your seed." (Genesis 28:12-14) 

God later changed Jacob's name to Israel.

"Elohim appeared to Jacob again...and Elohim blessed him.  Elohim said  to him: Your name is Jacob; yet your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather Israel, it shall be your name." (Genesis 35:9-10)

Jacob's sons became the leaders of twelve tribes who together form the nation of Israel. Their names, in the order of their age, are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. 

Joseph was Jacob's favorite. That angered his older brothers so they sold him into slavery and Joseph was taken to Egypt. However, God blessed him there, and in time he became second in line to the Egyptian Pharaoh after interpreting a dream Pharaoh had about a great famine that was coming upon the land.

"Pharaoh further said to Joseph: See! I have set you today over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:41)

Eventually, Jacob moved to Egypt with his family because of the great famine. There were about seventy of them at that time. They were welcomed by Pharaoh and given some of Pharaoh's best land to live on and tend to his livestock. Joseph forgave his older brothers when he realized that what they had done was part of Elohim's plan to save them from the famine.

"Then Joseph said to his brothers...I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold to Egypt.  And now do not be grieved nor let it be hot in your eyes that you sold me hither...Elohim sent me on before you to set up for you a remnant on earth and to preserve lives for you in a great deliverance...So now, not you sent me here, but the One Elohim..." (Genesis 45:4-8)

During their time in Egypt their numbers increased greatly until they had become a great nation of more than a million people. Because of their great numbers, another Egyptian Pharaoh feared them and made them his slaves.

"Then a new king rose over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph...Hence they placed over them chiefs of tributary service that they might humiliate them with their burdens." (Exodus 1:8-11)

March 6th - Age Five From Babel to Abraham and Isaac - Genesis 7:25 to Genesis 21:2-3

Age Five began with God scattering humanity over the Earth and we are still living in Age Five today.

Although the bible gives the genealogical records of the three sons of Noah - Ham, Shem and Japheth - most of the Old Testament is the history of only one family from the line of Shem, the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. Twelve sons of Jacob became the nation of Israel.

Abraham was born in a place called Ur, east of the modern land of Israel. After his father died Abraham moved into the land called Canaan where God told him he would become a great nation and be a blessing to all other nations.

"Then Terah died in Charan.  Yahweh said to Abram: Go by yourself from your land, from your kindred and from your Father's house to the land that I shall show you.  I shall make you into a great nation, and I will bless you...In you shall all the families of the ground will be blessed." (Genesis 11:32-12:3)

Abraham and Sarah had their son Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarai was 90 years old.

"So Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which Elohim had spoken to him.  And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore for him, Isaac." (Genesis 21:2-3)

Because Abraham believed God could do the impossible, Abraham is referred to as the father of everyone who has faith in what God says.

"Abraham believes God, and it is reckoned to him for righteousness.  Know, consequently, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham. Now the scripture, perceiving before that God is justifying the nations by faith, brings before an evangel to Abraham, that in you shall all the nations be blessed." (Galatians 3:6-9)

Jesus is  the descendent who blesses all people by taking away the sin of the world.

"The scroll of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1)

"Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

"For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all..."  (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

March 5th - Age Four - From the Ark to Babel - Genesis 8:15 to Genesis 11:9

After the waters of the flood subsided, Noah, his family, and the animals came off the boat to begin Age Four.  

"All flesh that had been moving on the earth had deceased, of the flyer, of the domestic beast, of the wild animal, of every swarming thing swarming on the earth, and every human."  (Genesis 7:21)

God promised Noah He would never again destroy the earth by a flood of water, even though the heart of humanity would continue to be evil. Rainbows are a reminder of that promise.

"Yahweh Elohim said in His heart: Not anymore will I maledict again the ground on account of humanity, for the bent of the human heart is evil from its youth. And not anymore will I smite again every living flesh, just as I have done. In the future, for all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and warmth, summer and winter, day and night, they shall not cease." (Genesis 8:21-22)

"My rainbow have I set in the a cloud, and it will be for a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth." (Genesis 9:13)

The names of the three sons of Noah on the boat with him are Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

"...the sons of Noah who came forth from the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth...These three were Noah's sons, and from these the entire earth became inhabited." (Genesis 9:18-19)

God told Noah and his sons to fill the earth. Instead they stayed in the area where the Ark came to rest. Eventually a man named Nimrod built the first cities and started the first government and religion of humanity in the city known as Babel. He began to build a great tower into heaven instead of spreading over the Earth. So God forced them to spread over the earth by confusing their language.

"And saying is Yahweh, "Behold! One people is it. And one language is for them all. And this they started to do! And now nothing will be defended from them of all that they will plan to do. Therefore, We will descend and there disintegrate their language, that they may not hear each man the language of his associate. And scattering them is Yahweh thence on the surface of the entire earth. And lthey stopped building the city and the tower. Therefore its name is called Babel, for there Yahweh changed the language of the entire earth. And thereafter Yahweh Elohim distributed them over the surface of the entire Earth." (Genesis 11:6-9)

The distribution over the whole earth began in the days of a man named Peleg. 

"And to Eber two sons are born. The name of one is Peleg, for in his days the land was distributed." (Genesis 10:25; 1 Chronicles 1:19)

"From one human He made every nation of humanity, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands." (Acts 17:26)

The judgment from God upon Babel and the spreading of humans over the earth according to their separate languages ended Age Four

March 4th - Ages Two and Three - From Adam to Noah - Genesis 1:2 to 7:24

The creation of Adam and Eve began Age Two. They only had one rule to obey in their garden paradise, they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

"Then Yahweh Elohim took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to serve it and to keep it. And Yahweh Elohim instructed the human, saying:  From every tree of the garden you may eat, yea eat.  But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying." (Genesis 2:15-16)

The serpent deceived Eve into disobeying that rule. 

"...the serpent said to the women: Not to die shall you be dying; for Elohim knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be unclosed, and you will become like Elohim, knowing good and evil...So she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate."  (Genesis 3:4)

The judgment for that first sin was severe. It included banishment from the garden paradise, hard work to survive, and a decaying process of their bodies which would end in death. This judgment has passed through to all their descendants - and in the end, we all die. 

"Because you hearkened to your wife's voice and ate from the only tree that I instructed you, saying you must not eat from it, cursed is the ground on your account...By the sweat of your brow shall you eat your bread, until you return to the ground, for from it were you taken.  For soil you are, and to soil you shall return." (Genesis 3:17-19)

"Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all humanity..." (Romans 5:12)

Adam and Eve were mortal yet they had access to another tree in that garden called the tree of life.

"Then Yahweh Elohim said:  Behold, the human has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil.  Now lest they should stretch out their hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for the eon, Yahweh Elohim set him out of the garden of Eden to serve the ground from where he was taken." (Genesis 3:22-23)

After they were banished they had twins named Cain and Abel. 

"Now the human knew Eve his wife.  She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, saying: I have acquired a man through Yahweh. Then she proceeded to give birth to his brother Abel." 

(Genesis 4:1-2)

When grown Cain brought an offering of his crops to Yahweh which was rejected. Abel brought an offering of his flock and it was accepted. Cain got mad and murdered Abel. Banishment from the garden paradise and the murder of Abel ended Age Two.  

Age three began when Eve gave birth to another son named Seth. He was born 130 years after the creation of Adam. Over the next 1526 years humanity became a multitude of men and women who populated the earth. As humanity grew in number they became very evil.

"Yahweh saw that the evil of humanity was multiplying on earth, and every form of the devisings of its heart was surely evil all the day...So Yahweh said:  I shall wipe out humanity that I have created off the surface of the ground, from human unto beast, unto the creeper and unto the flyer of the heavens." (Genesis 6:5-7)

God brought a great flood upon the earth and with the exception of Noah and his family, humanity and most other animal life, died in that flood. Yet Noah is said to have found grace in the eyes of God.

"Yet Noah, he found grace in the eyes of Yahweh."  (Genesis 6:8)

God instructed Noah to build a large boat to save he and his family, and to preserve a male and female of land based animals and birds.

"Now behold, I Myself am about to bring a deluge of water on the earth to wreck all flesh under the heavens which has the spirit of life in it.  All that is in the earth, it shall decease. Yet I will set up My covenant with you..." (Genesis 6:17-18)

The judgment of the flood brought an end to Age Three.  The flood occurred 1656 years after the creation of Adam.

March 3rd - The Beginning of Age Two: The Restoration of the Earth - Genesis 1:2 - 2:9

Age two began with the Father and Son, the Elohim, restoring the earth to its original perfection over a six day period of time. 

"And the spirit of Elohim was vibrating over the surface of the waters. And Elohim said: Let light come to be! And light came to be.  Elohim saw the light that it was good. Then Elohim separated the light from the darkness.  And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And evening came to be, and morning came to be: day one."  (Genesis 1:2-5)

"And Elohim saw all that He had made; and behold, it was very good. And the evening came to be, and morning came to be: the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31)

During the first next five days Elohim adjusted the atmosphere around earth so that the sun, moon, stars and planets could be seen from earth. He also separated the seas from the land and caused all plant life to spring up from the earth which indicates the seed was already in the earth. He then created fish and birds and large animals that live in the ocean. On the sixth day he created Adam, a man and after himr he made Eve for Adam as his mate. Together they would have dominion over the restored Earth.

"And Elohim said:  Let the earth bring forth the living soul, each according to its kind: domestic beast, creeper and land animal, each according to its kind.  And it came to be so...And Elohim said: Let Us make humanity in Our image and according to our likeness.  Let them hold sway over the fish of the sea and over the flyer of the heavens, over the domestic beast, over every land animal and over every creeper that is creeping on the earth.  So Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:24-27)

Humanity was originally given vegetables and fruit for their food. All the other animals were given other plants as their food. When Elohim looked at all that was made it was very good. Then the Father and Son stopped from their work and the next day, the seventh day, has come to be known as the Sabbath (a day of stopping from work).

"On the sixth day Elohim finished His work that He had made; and He ceased on the seventh day from all His work that He had made.  And Elohim blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, for in it He ceased from all His work that Elohim had created by making it." (Genesis 2:2-3) 

"For in six days Yahweh dealt with the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He stopped on the seventh day.  Therefore, Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:10-11)

Humanity started with one human, Adam, who became a living soul when Yahweh Elohim formed his body from the soil of the earth and breathed life into him. The formal name of Elohim is Yahweh which most English translations render LORD. The term "Yahweh Elohim" refers to both the Father and Son. When Yahweh is used without Elohim I think it generally is referring to the Son.

"Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of soil from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)

"Yahweh Elohim planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the human whom He had formed...with the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and also the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...Then Yahweh Elohim took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to serve it and to keep it." (Genesis 2:8-9)

Biblical time starts with the day Adam was created. The evening and the morning is one biblical day. A biblical year is the number of evenings and mornings it takes for the Earth to travel around the sun. It is my view that humanity, in its present mortal state, will be allowed to have dominion over the present Earth for six thousand biblical years - and it is obvious to me that we have to date failed miserably in that role.

March 2nd - The Beginning of the Ages - Genesis 1:1

"...God, speaking to the fathers in the prophets, in the last of these days speaks to us in a Son, Whom He appoints enjoyer of the allotment of all, through Whom He also makes the ages..." (Hebrews 1:1)

The Son of God made the ages of time. The Bible tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, is the Word of God.

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and God was the word....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

"Who is the image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature, for in Him all is created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him, and He is before all, and all has its cohesion in Him." (Colossians 1:13-17)

"There is one God, the Father, out of Whom all is, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is, and we through Him..." (1 Corinthians 8:6-7)

Before the world was created God brought forth out of Himself His Son. Together they created everything.

"In a beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth. As for the earth, it came to be a chaos and vacant, and darkness was over the surface of the abyss." (Genesis 1:1)

"For thus says Yahweh, Creator of the heavens; He is the Elohim, and Former of the earth, and its Maker, and He, He established it. He did not create it a chaos. He formed it to be indwelt. "I am Yahweh, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18)

"Elohim" means mighty ones. "Yahweh" is the formal name for the Elohim. In the beginning of age one everything in our universe that was needed to accomplish the plan of Elohim (mighty ones) came into existence - Science calls this event a singularity, or the "Big Bang". 

"For thus says Yahweh, Creator of the the heavens; He is Elohim, the Former of the earth and its Maker, He established it; He did not create it a chaos; He formed it to be indwelt. I am Yahweh, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:15)

The original earth was created to be inhabited, yet the Bible says it became a vacant chaos. 

“As for the earth, it came to be a chaos and vacant, and darkness was over the surface of the abyss." (Genesis 1:2)

That is all we are told about the first age. Apparently some Celestial beings were created after the Big Bang and some lived on the original earth and rebelled against Yahweh. The result was this earth became a vacant chaos and probably all of the other planets in the heavens. I think this is the disruption of the world (cosmos) spoken of in the book of Ephesians. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the Celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world (cosmos)..." (Ephesians 1:3-4)

The Earth becoming a vacant chaos brought an end to the first age.

March 1st - God's Plan For Humanity

During March I try to summarize in writing my understanding of the plan of God for humanity - reminding myself that His plan is really good news!

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, is saying the Lord God, Who is and Who was and Who is coming, the Almighty...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Origin and the Consummation." (Revelation 1:8; 22:13)

"..there is one God, the Father, out of Whom all is, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is, and we through Him..." (1 Corinthians 8:6-7)

There is one Father God and there is only one LORD,  the Father's only begotten Son - Jesus Christ. The Son of God made the ages and has cleansed our sins.

"...through Whom He also makes the ages; Who, being the Effulgence of His glory and Emblem of His assumption, besides carrying on all by His powerful declaration, making a cleansing of sins, is seated at the right hand of the Majesty in the heights." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

The LORD made the ages as the stage from which He would reveal the Father God to His creation. To do so evil was needed as a contrast to good. Evil humbles humanity so they may be taught about righteousness.

"I applied by heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: It is an experience of evil God has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it." (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

"Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore, He shall direct sinners in the way; He shall cause the humble to tread in right judgment, and He shall teach the humble His way." (Psalm 25:8-9)

The Father sent the LORD Jesus, His Son, to ransom humanity from evil. 

"The Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14-15)

"In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and dispatches His Son, a propitiatory shelter for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

As a sinless Man, the LORD Jesus gave His life not only to ransom humanity from evil, but to reconcile them to His Father.

"There is one God, and one mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent ransom for all..." (1Timothy 2:5)

"...to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens." (Colossians 1:20)

This reconciliation will be finished at the end of the ages when God has become "All in all" of His creation.

"Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28)

Most of humanity has lived and died without hearing about God's plan and purpose for the ages. Even those who hear usually deny the truth of the salvation and reconciliation of all. Nevertheless, God has planned it and the "LORD, Jesus Christ" made the ages so that the will of the Father and Son could come to pass.

"...to head up all in the Christ - both that in the heavens and that on the earth - in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will." (Ephesians 1:11-12)