Who came first, Noah, Abraham or Moses?

The principal events stand thus: B.C. 4004 Adam created. 2948 Noah born. 2348 The Flood. 1996 Abraham born. 1921 Call of Abraham. 1896 Isaac born. 1836 Jacob born. 1706 The Israelites enter Egypt. 1491 The Exodus. The law given. 1451 The Israelites cross the Jordan. 1444 The division of the land. (See JUDGES.) 1095 Saul anointed king: the kingdom begins. 1055 David, king. 1015 Solomon, king. 1005 Dedication of the Temple. 975 Division of the kingdom. (See KINGS.) (776 Era of the Olympiads begins.) (753 Rome built: era of A.U.C. begins.) 740 Captivity of the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan. 721 End of the kingdom of Israel. 658 Manasseh carried to Babylon. 606 Jerusalem taken: first captivity of Judah. 605 Nebuchadnezzar reigns alone. Time of the Gentiles begins in the first great empire — Babylon. 599 Jerusalem re-taken: the great captivity. 588 Jerusalem re-taken and destroyed. 538 Belshazzar slain: the second great empire commences. The Medes and Persians. 536 Cyrus reigns alone. The 70 years of Jer. 25:11-12 end. The Jews return. Ezra 1, 2: (See PERSIA.) 475 Artaxerxes succeeds Xerxes. 455 Artaxerxes commissions Nehemiah to build Jerusalem. The Seventy Weeks of Daniel begin. 336 Alexander the Great, head of the third great empire — The Greek. 323 Death of Alexander the Great: his four Generals divide the kingdom, but it mainly merged into two kingdoms: Egypt, 'kings of the South,' and Syria, 'kings of the north.' (See ANTIOCHUS.) 191 All Asia Minor on the west of Mount Taurus delivered to Rome. 166 to about 65 The times of the Maccabees. In 166 Jerusalem was recovered and the temple re-dedicated. 65 Rome, the fourth great empire, rapidly gains ascendancy. Syria becomes a Roman province. In 63 Judaea is subjected to Rome. In 30 Egypt becomes a Roman province. 40 Herod is appointed by Rome king of Judaea. 20 Herod begins to rebuild the temple 6 Birth of John the Baptist. 5 Birth of Christ. (See NEW TESTAMENT.)

YEARS. 1656 … From Adam to the Flood … (Arrived at by adding the ages of the patriarchs, when the sons named were born.) 427 … From the Flood to the Call of Abraham … (This is found in the same manner, and putting Terah's age at 130 when Abraham … was born, that is, adding 60 years to Gen. 11:26: where only one date is given … for Terah's three sons. Abraham may not have been the eldest, and may have been … born long after. Compare Gen. 11:32; Gen. 12:4, with Acts 7:4.) 430 … From the Call of Abraham to the Exodus … (This is obtained from Ex. 12:40 and Gal. 3:17.) 479 … From the Exodus to the Temple … (This is stated in 1 Kings 6:1 as in the 480th year, or 479 complete years.) 37 … From the commencement of the Temple to the division of the kingdom … (Solomon reigned 40 years, 1 Kings 11:42 and the Temple was begun in his 4th year.) 388 … From the division of the kingdom to the destruction of Jerusalem … (Stated in Ezek. 4:4-6 to be 390 years, or 388 complete years.) 52 … From the destruction of Jerusalem to the return of the captives … (They were captives 70 years, Jer. 25:11-12; Jer. 29:10. This began in the 1st year … of Nebuchadnezzar, and Jerusalem was destroyed in his 19th year: 70 - 18 = 52.) … From the 1st year of Cyrus to the 20th year of Artaxerxes, 81 … when the 70 weeks of Daniel commenced … (Not given in scripture. Cyrus, 7 years; Cambyses, 7; Pseudo-smerdis, 1; … Darius, 36; Xerxes, 11; Artaxerxes, 19.) 454 … From the 20th of Artaxerxes to the Era A.D. … (From the 20th of Artaxerxes to the crucifixion is, according to Dan. 9, … 69 weeks = 483 years; from which deduct 29, the date of the crucifixion: … 483 - 29 = 454). See SEVENTY WEEKS. ____ 4004 TOTAL

From the Call of ABRAM to MOSES at Sinai was some four hundred and thirty years, an age of Promise and Testimony. (Ex. 12:40-41.)

The second period on the Chart lasting from the "Flood" to the "Call of Abram," opens the story of a new era for mankind. It was characterised by The institution of Civil Government; The Peopling of the earth; The judgment of Babel; and The introduction of Idolatry into human history. Taken together these warrant us in calling this the Age of Public Governmental dealing by God.

The third period, like the preceding one, was roughly four hundred years, and extends from the Call of Abram to Moses the Lawgiver. Man is here placed upon a new ground, namely, that of Promise (Gen. 12; Gal. 3:16; Rom. 11); and Abram becomes the root of GOD's testimony on earth. This period therefore may properly be called the Age of Promise and Testimony.

Chronological Arrangement of Some Leading Persons and Events in Genesis B. C.

The creation of Adam 4004 The birth of Seth 3874 Enos born 3769 Cainan born 3679 Mahaleel born 3609 Jared born 3544 Enoch born 3382 Methuselah born 3317 Lamech born 3130 Adam's death 3074 Enoch's translation 3017 Noah's birth 2948 The Flood 2348 Peleg born 2247 Nahor born 2155 Terah's birth 2126 Noah's death 1998 Abraham's birth 1996 Abraham's call in Ur 1945 Terah's death 1921 Second call to Abraham 1921 Abraham in Egypt 1920 His return 1912 Abraham takes Hagar 1911 The birth of Ishmael 1910 The Covenant sign given 1897 Birth of Isaac 1896 Sarah's death 1859 Isaac's marriage 1856 Jacob born 1836 Abraham's death 1821 Marriage of Esau 1796 Death of Ishmael 1773 Jacob's flight 1759 His marriages 1752 Jacob's flight 1739 Meets his brother 1738 Jacob at Bethel 1731 Death of Rachel 1728 Joseph sold 1727 Joseph in Egypt 1717 Death of Isaac 1716 Joseph interprets dreams 1715 Egyptian famine 1707-01 Jacob's death 1689 Joseph's death 1635

Then we go on to Terah. Abram comes first, not because he was oldest, but because he was the important one. All that we have got thus far is the fact that the whole world is parcelled out into nations, and this comes from the judgment of Babel because man would not be scattered. And you hear nothing of Noah in all this: his power is gone, though he was alive all the time. He lived to Abram's time if you take the Hebrew computation. Shem lived to Isaac's time, who was twenty-eight when Shem died. Noah died a few (twelve) years before Abram's time.

The Law. — In entering upon this subject a few remarks about the law may here not be out of place. Its introduction was subsequent to patriarchal times, four hundred and thirty years having elapsed between the promise to Abraham of the land for an inheritance (Gen. 12:7) and the giving of the law to Israel by Moses at Mount Sinai (Ex. 20). The purpose in giving it was that the offence might abound (Rom. 5:20), being added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise had been made (Gal. 3:19).

The next period, marked as the Age of Public Governmental Dealing, extending from the "FLOOD" to the Call of ABRAM is a far shorter one comprising approximately some four centuries. Its special features are the Covenant made with NOAH on behalf of every living thing on the earth; the building of BABEL; the rise of nations; and the call of ABRAM.

About 360 years after the deluge the Patriarchal Age was begun by the call of Abraham, a new and sovereign dealing of God; but this was confined to Abraham and his descendants.

Job lived to the age of 140 years, and Jacob to 147 years. The ages of men, as recorded in the Book of Genesis, decline from Noah, who lived for 950 years, Shem, his son, died at 600, Shelah, the grandson of Shem, at 433, and Peleg, the grandson of Shelah, at 239. After three generations comes Abraham, who lived to be 175 years old, and after another three there is Joseph, who died at 110. Moses and Joshua, who died at 120 and 110 years respectively, seemed to have lived longer than their contemporaries, for Moses, in Psalm 90 writes, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten," showing that by his time the normal span of human life had been brought down to what it is now.