Ancient History Refined

By Jeff Walling

Ancient History Refined combines the study of creation, secular science, and the Bible to present a groundbreaking theory that reconciles ancient historical records with events in the Holy Book.
Jeff Walling presents the Barnes & Humphreys theory related to C-14 dating, which has proved to be accurate in calculating the measured values for the existence, strength, and the decay rate of the magnetosphere.
Up until now, creationists and Bible scholars have neglected to consider this science when dating historical events, and they’ve failed to make the necessary alignment/synchronizations of time periods from Biblical chronologies with secular chronologies.
Walling avoids that mistake, applying his B&H theory to the Egyptological chronologies based on the C-14 dates given to artifacts of associated time periods (see appendix B). While researching, he observed strict adherence to the scientific method.
Whether you’re a historian, Bible scholar, archeologist, pastor, or student, you’ll enjoy finding out how creation science solves mysteries of the past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664210707

Jeff Walling

Jeff Walling has spent the last twenty years preaching and teaching about Jesus. His passionate style and dramatic delivery have made him a sought-after speaker, lecturing to tens of thousands annually at Christian universities, evangelism seminars, and conferences worldwide. He has written such books as Daring to Dance with God, Hugs for Grads, and Until I Return. Jeff lives in Charlotte, NC, with his wife, Cathryn, and their three sons, Taylor, Riley, and Spencer, where he has served as a minister since 1984.

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Copyright © 2020 Jeff Walling.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1071-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1070-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020921357

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/20/2020

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1 The First Global Empire

Chapter 2 Sodom and Gomorrah

Chapter 3 King David to the Flood Timeline in Sync

Chapter 4 King David to Jesus Timeline in Sync

Chapter 5 The El-Amarna Letters

Chapter 6 Further Historical Synchronizations

Appendix A: The Magnetosphere and C-14 Dating

Appendix B: The 3-Step C-14 Dating Method

Credits and Permissions

PREFACE

M atthew Maury (1806-1873), an oceanographer and meteorologist, " trembled at the privilege of uncovering the logic God carefully built into His creation, noting that scientific discovery is discovering God’s own mind " as Dr. Johnson of ICR put it.

Maury - As a student of physical geography, I regard earth, air, and water as parts of a machine, pieces of mechanism, not made with hands….And when, after patient research, I am led to the discovery of one of these (mechanisms), I feel, with the astronomer of old (Johannes Kepler), as though I had thought one of God’s thoughts, and tremble. Thus, as we progress with our science, we are permitted now and then to point out here and there in the physical machinery of the earth a design of the Great Architect when He planned it all.¹

Ancient History Refined brings together all the different fields of interest (creation and secular science, secular and biblical history, biblical chronologies) like no endeavor has before this! Most biblical timelines are isolated works that rarely align with the majority of extraneous historic benchmarks found inside or outside of the Bible. In my continuing research over the past several decades, in both formal learning and personal research, I ended up finding a scientific theory that I call the Barnes & Humphreys theory (B&H theory) related to C-14 dating, that could be applied to the secular chronicles in an attempt to reconcile the ancient historical records with the biblical timeline. The B&H Theory (see appendix A) had already proven to be 100% accurate in calculating the measured values for the existence, strength, and decay rate of the magnetosphere (MP) about large astrological bodies (planets, sun, moon, planetesimals, etc.). The B&H Theory also made predictions regarding the effect that the strength of the MP had on the C-14/C-12 ratios and its influence on C-14 dating as we go back in time. All of the material from creationists and Bible scholars that I have studied neglect to consider this science when dating historical events, consequently failing to make the necessary alignment/synchronizations of time periods from the biblical chronologies with the secular chronologies. The theory advocated that the further back in time, the stronger the gauss strength of the MP about the earth. In turn, this provided greater protection from the cosmic rays entering the atmosphere, which resulted in a lower percentage of C-14 in the C-14/C-12 ratios. These C-14/C-12 ratios are used to date ancient artifacts (cloths, seeds, wood, etc.) as related to a particular person, place, or thing, which would give a false (older) date based on the current two-step C-14 dating method. I applied the B&H theory to the Egyptological chronologies based on the C-14 dates given to artifacts of the associated time periods (see appendix B). While researching, I observed strict adherence to the scientific method and trusted that, for the most part, the historical records from secular sources were derived from earnest intentions and candid research and integrity of the authors, therefore, all comparisons between the secular sequence of events and the chronology of the Bible were taken as relatively close events after quantitatively shifting the secular timelines. The theory would have proof of concept if the adjusted C-14 dates of these ancient artifacts, especially in the area where Israel and Egypt intertwined, had matching histories (patterns of evidence) of the major events recorded in the Bible. When put to the test, it was discovered that both the biblical and Egyptological records were found to have exact matching benchmark histories (prodigious patterns of evidence) of the major instances recorded in the Bible (Joseph being made treasurer in Egypt, Israel’s entry into Egypt, Moses’s birth, Moses’s Egyptian mother, the Exodus, Joshua’s campaigns in Jericho, Ai and Hazor, and the battle of the kings during Deborah’s time). Many new connections and discoveries were made during this research that should be critically reviewed by biblical scholars and historians alike. This quantitative validation through scientific analysis along with many other biblical, historical, and archeological records matching precisely (to a magnitude not equaled by any other timeline) demands a fair review and place at the table of competing timeline models. This timeline is also favored by conditional probability for the number of historical records that matched-up over such a great interval of time from so many different sources. Ultimately, this shows how creation science can be used practically to help solve some of the mysteries of the past and advance our knowledge in the uncertainties of history and the universe.

Ancient History Refined is a history book based on three key elements:

1. a validated timeline,

2. a biblically-based generation constant value, and

3. the B&H theory regarding the gauss strength of the earth’s magnetosphere and its influence on C-14 dating,

where the proof of concept is the alignment and synchronization of most all historical subject matters of interest (biblical chronologies, C-14 dating, dendrochronology, archaeology, Egyptology, Ipuwer Papyrus, Josephus, Newtonian timeline, Amarna Letters, etc.). Ancient History Refined is a game-changer in league with Darwin’s Doubt by Stephen Meyers and Carved in Stone by Timothy Clarey.

INTRODUCTION

T he research conducted for this work has been ongoing over the past several decades. I tried my best to maintain an unbiased interpretation of the evidence and leaned heavily on the science of conditional probability as a central methodology. Ultimately, I examined how closely the events and evidence synchronized with the literal interpretation of the scriptures. Credit has to go to archeologist David Rohl and filmmaker Timothy P. Mahoney ( Patterns of Evidence: Exodus ) for initially finding patterns of evidence in Egyptian chronologies in a qualitative measure. However, Rohl, Mahoney, and many other scholars base their biblical timeline on I Kings 6:1, which has no corroborating scriptures or historical references to support this time period. One thing we learn in bible college is that we do not establish doctrine based on a single scriptural reference alone. The word of God clearly mandates that every word be established by two or three witnesses. Many scholars, who base their timelines on I Kings 6:1, try to use I Chronicles 6:31-38 as their second witness; however, this verse is a very subjective witness. Some use an arbitrary 25 years as a generational value based on we all agree ² because it works for their model rather than the biblically-based nominal 37 (+ 2 years). (See chapter 6 for the biblical generation = 37 years analysis). First Chronicles 6:31-38 counts from Kohath son of Levi, first-generation in Egypt, to the completion of Solomon’s Temple in about 958 BC (21 generations). Using 25 years per generation will get you to their I Kings 6:1 model’s time of the Exodus but will not work for the remaining 6 generations that include 4 generations for the time in bondage (145 years) and 2 generations back to Israel’s (Levi’s/ Kohath) entry into Egypt (70 years), or provide enough time for the Joshua and Judges period (462 years); whereas, the 37 years biblically-based generation fits reasonably well in the Walling Biblical Timeline (WBT) for all benchmark times including the 450 years for the period of the Judges that Paul estimated in Acts 13:18-22.

Fig%20I-1.jpg

Figure I-1. I Chronicles 6:31-38 comparing the use of 37 yrs/gen to the use of 25 yrs/gen.

Based on the I Kings 6:1 model, the Exodus took place in 1438 BC (958 + 480 = 1438). Jephthah became judge 300 years after the settlement, after the Joshua era, which I believe was in reference to the start of the Judges period after Joshua’s time. However, to justify the condensed time periods proponents for the I Kings 6:1 model have to work with, they claim that was from the time of the start of Josiah’s campaign (some believe from the Exodus). Giving them the benefit of the doubt, that would be 1393 B.C (1438-40) – 300 = 1093 BC (from Exodus to Jephthah). If we then subtract Saul’s, David’s, and Solomon’s consecutive reigns of 92 years (40 + 40 + 12), that will leave 43 years to fit in 6 of the judges whose consecutive reigns equal 144 years. We know that the next four judges were consecutive according to the Bible.

Judges 12: 8: And after him (Jephthah) Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel (7 yrs).

Judges 12:11: And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel (10 yrs).

Judges 12:13: And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. (8 yrs)

Judges 13:1: And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

Their time adds up to 65 years. Consider that we also have Eli and Samuel whose time we must account for (Eli, 40 years, and Samuel, 39 years, based on the WBT.). To accommodate for this condensed time, proponents claim that several of the judges may have served their time in parallel rather than consecutively, even though many of those they target are specifically said to have started their time After Him in reference to their predecessor (in summary - Jephthah, Elon, Abdon, Eli, and Samuel’s time periods total 144 years that has to be condensed to fit into 43 years to support their 480 year timeline and claim that some must have been in parallel). And on the other end, if the Exodus happened in 1438 BC, that leaves three generations back to the time of Israel’s entry into Egypt. Three generations at 25 years per generation = 75 years, yet we know they were in Egypt 215 years. Looking at Figure I-1, the biblical based 37 yrs/Gen is a very close fit for all benchmark time segments whereas the arbitrary 25 yrs/Gen only works for the time from the completion of building the Temple to the Exodus and does not align with any other benchmark date. To base a timeline solely on I Kings 6:1 means you have to:

A. Base your timeline on a single scriptural reference contrary to the guidelines of the bible mandating that every word be established by 2 or 3 witnesses.

B. Ignore the specific time values Paul the Apostle (a Pharisee who studied under Gamaliel) outlined in Acts 13:18-22 from King David back to the Exodus.

C. Ignore the biblically-based nominal 37 (+ 2) years per Generation and how well it works in the biblical chronologies of I Chron: 6:31-38 timeline, Matthew 1:17 BET, Gen 15:16, and Judges 11:26 for all benchmark dates.

D. Take away from God’s word, making assumptions that deny the authority of the Bible as the literal word of God (ignoring the vernacular term after him (אַֽחֲרָיו֙, ’a-ḥă-rāw,….and after him so-and-so judged Israel…) to accommodate their model’s condensed time without justifying it.

Without initially referencing any other author’s timeline, I based my timeline, the Walling Biblical Timeline (WBT) on Acts 13:18-22. The book of Acts gives time values of interim periods between events from David’s inauguration to the Exodus, except for Joshua’s time. I assumed this was common practice; however, I later found that most of the preeminent scholars are stuck on the I Kings 6:1 time interval. The time period for Joshua’s leadership is not well defined. Due to a lack of definite information from the Old Testament scriptures, Paul does not give that time period a value, and he also gives the time of the judges an about time value (about 450 yrs) due to the uncertainty of that period’s sequence. The time period for Joshua’s leadership can be deduced from two definite and well-attested dates: the Exodus in 1552 BC (confirmed by seven separate historical resources) and the completion of Solomon’s Temple in 958 BC (confirmed by several historical records and consensus of renowned scholars/historians). By taking the time between the Exodus and the completion of Solomon’s Temple (1552-958 = 594 years) and subtracting the known time periods (Solomon’s, David’s and Saul’s reigns, the period of the judges and the time in the wilderness), we are left with 12 years attributed to Joshua’s leadership (5-year campaign and 7 years judging Israel).

The Walling Biblical Timeline (WBT)

The Bible gives specific times, generations, and landmark events from the creation of Adam down to the birth of Christ. Developing a timeline is possible if one is diligent in their research. The key to determining the time of major events in the Bible is to find a key event that can be reasonably verified somewhere along that timeline to start with, and then work up or down the timeline based on the definitive ages found throughout certain passages given in the Bible. This author has chosen to start with the reign of King David as outlined in Acts 13:18-22. This event is close enough in time to have a good amount of supporting archeological evidence and is just within the period where Carbon-14 dating can be used as a qualitative method with some reasonable bit of confidence.

The WBT Timeline (WBT)

Flood / Abraham / Isaac / Jacob / Egypt / Desert / Joshua / Judges / Saul / David / Solomon

290……100…………60…….130…….215…….40……….12………450…….40……..40

2347….2057………1957……1897…..1767.. ..1552……1512……1500…..1050…1010….970 BC

The flood year was 2347 BC, Abraham was born 290 yrs later in 2057 BC, Isaac was born in 1957 BC, Jacob was born in 1897 BC and went into Egypt at 130 years old in 1767 BC. Israel was in Egypt for 215 years and left in the Exodus in 1552 BC. After 40 years in the wilderness, the Joshua campaigns began to take the promised lands in 1512. In 1500 BC the lands were settled and the 450 years of the judges began. In 1050 BC Saul became king of Israel. Forty (40) years later David became king in 1010 BC. Forty (40) years later Solomon became king in 970 BC.

The WBT is validated by two separate unrelated extraneous sources per the Biblical principle to let every word be established by 2 or 3 witnesses.

Source (1) is archeology (ARC) where the dating methods used (typology datum lines) have found (3) sites that naturally align with this timeline without arbitrarily rearranging periods. The first is the fall of Jericho that dates to 1550 BC by Kathleen Kenyon and the start and end of the first occupation of Avaris in Egypt by Palestinians from 1783 to 1550 BC as established by Manfred Bietak. The WBT date for the fall of Jericho is 1512 BC and the dates Joseph was elevated to the treasurer of Egypt living in Avaris (Goshen) and the Exodus are from 1777 to 1552 BC. Both the places and times are concurrent with the Biblical narrative and chronologies within an acceptable margin of error.

1. Fall of Jericho: WBT: 1512, ARC: 1550 (3512/3550 = ~ 99%)

2. Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Avaris end of 1st occup.): WBT: 1552, ARC: 1550 (3550/3552 = ~100%)

3. Joseph elevated to the treasurer of Egypt (Avaris start of occup.): WBT: 1777, ARC: 1783 (3777/3783 = ~100%)

Source (2) are the chronological dates given by Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews that are within 2 years of the WBT benchmark dates.

Biblical