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#5j BIBLICAL TIME - CONCLUSION

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We have examined two methods of calculating scriptural time; inclusive reckoning and righteous reckoning. We have seen a number of examples where inclusive reckoning was definitely not used. We have also seen some that people claim to be inclusive reckoning, but which can easily be explained as righteous reckoning. Again we have also seen some examples where inclusive reckoning was used, but the only ones that we have not disputed are the ones to do with the regnal years of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, after the kingdom was divided. Every king of the northern kingdom after the division was corrupt, so that none of them followed the law of God. Their method of reckoning is therefore no example for us to use as a standard for biblical truth. On the other hand, it is obvious that the southern kingdom of Judah did not use inclusive reckoning for the regnal years of their kings, but rather the accession method, which would come in line with our method of righteous reckoning. Therefore, when it comes to the New Testament and Jesus' method of reckoning, which one would he follow? Obviously the reckoning method of the more righteous line of Judah into which he himself was born. Our conclusion is a general rule, that righteous reckoning is the correct way to calculate biblical time. The only exception was in the non-accession method of calculating the regnal years of the kings of the divided kingdom of Israel, which is equivalent to inclusive reckoning. Some think that it was used in the southern kingdom of Judah when under the influence of the wicked queen Athaliah, who was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel from the northern kingdom. While it is possible to dispute this, such an exception would not change our conclusion. Let us illustrate the different methods of calculation for the two kingdoms with a scriptural calculation based on the the regnal years of the kings of Israel from king Jereboam to Ahaziah.

NORTHERN KINGDOM of ISRAEL
KING	REIGN in YEARS	REGNAL YEAR of JUDAH'S KING	Scripture Reference
Jereboam	22		1 Kings 14:20
Nadab	2	2nd of Asa	1 Kings 15:25
Baasha	24	3rd of Asa	1 Kings 15:25, 33
Elah	2	26th of Asa	1 Kings 16:8
Omri	12	27th of Asa	1 Kings 16:15, 16, 23
Ahab	22	38th of Asa	1 Kings 16:29
Ahaziah	2	17th of Jehosaphat	1 Kings 22:51
Joram		18th of Jehosaphat	2 Kings 3:1
TOTAL	86 years

We have ended the count at the end of Ahaziah's reign, which was during the 18th regnal year of Jehosaphat.

SOUTHERN KINGDOM of JUDAH
KING	REIGN in YEARS	REGNAL YEAR of ISRAEL'S KING	Scripture Reference
Rehoboam	17		1 Kings 14:21
Abijah	3	18th of Jeroboam	1 Kings 15:1-2
Asa	41	20th of Jereboam	1 Kings 15:9-10
Jehosaphat	18+	4th of Ahab	1 Kings 22:41
TOTAL	79 years

Here we have ended the count with the 18th year of Jehoshaphat's reign, which was the 4th of Ahab. Now these are the same time period for the northern and southern kingdoms, but the regnal years for the northern kingdom add up to 86 years, 7 more than the southern kingdom. During this period there were 7 kings counted in Israel, so they were reckoning one extra year for each king compared to Judah. This shows that the northern kingdom of Israel used inclusive reckoning, the non-accession year system, while the southern kingdom of Judah did not. We have chosen to miss out Zimri, who reigned for only 7 days (1 Kings 16:15), between Elah and Omri, but this would not affect our calculation. If we included him this would mean we would have to attribute a year to him as 'any part of a year counts as a year' with inclusive reckoning. Then we would have one extra year, and one extra king, so it would make no difference.
This bible study proves that inclusive reckoning is not the universal method for calculating biblical time. With the exception of the regnal years of the corrupt kings of Israel during the divided kingdom we have disputed it in every place. We have fulfilled the scriptural condition, "Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses" where possible, but we have not investigated every case in the bible. So if anyone can find any examples that they would like us to include in this study, please contact Logos Apostolic Bible College and we will be pleased to look at them.