The Nettles Chronology of Mankind has thus far covered 17 epochs for a total of 5,831 years. Here are the last two epochs that cover 150 years.
Epoch 18: The Age of Progress – AD 1871 – AD 1914 = 43 years
Dwight L. Moody, the American evangelist, travels to England to hold evangelistic meetings. Year 5833 from creation – AD 1873. Moody preached to 2.5 million people throughout England during the next two years. He founded Moody Church, Moody Bible Institute, Moody Publishers, and Northfield Mount Hermon School.
William Booth and his wife, Catherine, found the Salvation Army in London, England. Year 5838 from creation – AD 1878.
Dwight L. Moody begins the first of his annual Northfield (Massachusetts) Conferences, training laypeople with in-depth Bible training and a time of spiritual renewal. Year 5840 from creation – AD 1880. The conferences promoted dispensational premillennialism.
Massive migration of Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe to America begins – Year 5841 from creation – AD 1881. The next year, 1,882 Jews began the first of six migrations to Palestine (which was then ruled by the Ottoman Turks). The Hebrew word for these migrations is “Aliyah,” meaning “going up.”
William (Billy) Sunday, formerly a professional baseball player with the Chicago White Stockings, begins his evangelistic ministry, which lasted for 10 years. Year 5855 from creation – AD 1895. Sunday preached to more than 100 million people during his career, with over 1 million people converted to Christ.
The Jewish-Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud publishes his first work on psychoanalysis, which he titled Studies on Hysteria. Year 5855 from creation – AD 1895
Theodor Herzl, a Hungarian of Jewish descent, publishes The Jewish State after witnessing anti-Semitism in France. In The Jewish State, Herzl called for the establishment of a Jewish state. Year 5856 from creation – AD 1896. In 1897, Herzl coordinated the First Zionist Congress, held in Basel, Switzerland. The movement defined the purpose of Zionism for obtaining a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, guaranteed by public law.
The second Aliyah to Palestine begins as thousands of Jews flee the persecution in Russia. Year 5864 from creation – AD 1904
Cyrus Ingerson Scofield publishes the Scofield Reference Bible, in which he acted as the editor for the book. The Bible was focused on Bible prophecy and popularized dispensationalism, a theology that divides history into 7 distinct eras or dispensations. Year 5869 from creation – AD 1909
Jewish settlers found the all-Jewish community of Tel Aviv. Year 5869 from creation – AD 1909
World War I begins in AD 1914 – Year 5874 from creation
5,831 years (Epochs 1-17) + 84 years (Epoch 18) = 5,915 years
Epoch 19: The Age of Ideology – AD 1914 – AD 2021 = 107 years
World War I begins on June 28, 1914, when the Hungarian crown prince in Serbia was assassinated. This was the first war to be fought on land, by sea, and in the air. Year 5874 from creation – AD 1914. The war ended on November 11, 1918. More than 12 million people died as a result of this “war to end all wars.”
The Pentecostal movement that had begun in the early 20th century believed in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which was evidenced by speaking in tongues. The Assemblies of God were organized in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in April 1914. Year 5874 from creation – AD 1914
Christian Armenians are massacred (approximately 1 million) by Turkish forces during World War I. Year 5875 from creation – AD 1915
Woodrow Wilson leads America into World War I after the Germans sank five American vessels in the Atlantic Ocean. Year 5877 from creation – AD 1917
David Lloyd George, prime minister of England, and his foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, issued the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917. It promised that England would support and help facilitate the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in the land of Palestine. Year 5877 from creation – AD 1917. Chaim Weizmann, a Jewish chemistry professor and Zionist, influenced George and Balfour in regard to the Zionist cause.
The British capture Jerusalem from the Turks during World War I. The capture of Jerusalem by England proved to be a major step toward Israel becoming a nation. Year 5877 from creation – AD 1917. The same year the Russian Revolution began, in which the Communists came to power.
Vladimir Lenin, the first Communist dictator of Russia, bans churches from owning property and outlaws teaching any religion to those under 18. Year 5878 from creation – AD 1918
The third Aliyah to Palestine occurs in 1919. Most of the migration came from Poland. Year 5879 from creation – AD 1919
Following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, the British are given a mandate to govern and have oversight over the land of Palestine until a self-sustaining Jewish government could be formed. Year 5881 from creation – AD 1921 (100 years from our current year of 2021). The mandate was accepted by the League of Nations in 1922.
After Albert Einstein, the German Jewish genius, migrated to the US to escape Nazism, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his theory of relativity. Year 5881 from creation – AD 1921
Dallas Theological Seminary is founded by Lewis Sperry Chafer in AD 1924 – Year 5884 from creation. The nondenominational seminary has always been a strong proponent of dispensational theology.
Adolf Hitler publishes his autobiography and political manifesto Mein Kampf (My Struggle) in AD 1925 – Year 5885 from creation.
On October 24, 1929, the New York Stock Market crashed. It triggered the Great Depression that lasted until World War II. Year 5889 from creation – AD 1929
Clive Staple (CS.) Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was raised in the Church of England, but as a teenager, he became an atheist. He was converted into the Christian faith at the age of 33. Year 5891 from creation – AD 1931. In 1933, he wrote an autobiographical novel titled The Pilgrim’s Regress. C.S. Lewis wrote extensively regarding Christianity, including fiction, apologetics, theology, children’s books, and poetry. Some of his most famous works are: The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
The fifth Aliyah begins in AD 1932 – Year 5892 from creation. This wave of persecuted Jews came mostly from Germany and other parts of Europe.
Adolf Hitler is elected the new German Chancellor of Germany, and the boycott against Jews in Germany begins. Year 5893 from creation – AD 1933
In AD 1935, the German Reichstag adopted the Nuremberg Laws on Race and Citizenship. This began the racial discrimination against Jews in Germany. Year 5895 from creation – AD 1935
On November 9, 1938, Jews were attacked, and their establishments were destroyed throughout Germany. The night became known as Kristallnacht or the “night of broken glass.” The Jews were blamed and had to pay for the damage, and their children were removed from German schools. Some of the Jews were sent to concentration camps. Year 5898 from creation – AD 1938
World War II begins between the Axis powers in Germany and Italy (and later Japan and others) and the Allied powers in the United Kingdom and France (and later the US and others). On September 1, 1939, German armies invade Poland, which drew Europe into World War II. Year 5899 from creation – AD 1939. The Nazis in Poland tortured and killed the Jews living there. The persecutions/pogroms were so violent that more than 250,000 Jews were killed before the end of the year. The sixth Aliyah took place at this time. Ghettos were established in Poland in 1940, and Jews were used as slave labor before they were eventually sent to the concentration camps.
Many important historical events happened before the end of World War II in 1945. Here are a few of them:
AD 1941 – Jews are prohibited from emigrating from Germany. The Nazi, Adolf Eichmann, initiates his “final solution to the Jewish problem,” where Jews were rounded up and sent to death camps. More than 6 million Jews were killed before the end of the war in these camps. Germany invades the Soviet Union. The United States enters World War II after the Japanese air force attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.
AD 1942 – Mass Transports to Auschwitz begin, where Jews were killed in gas chambers. Approximately two and a half million Jews were murdered there. AD 1943 – Germany is declared free of Jews. AD 1945 – Liberation of concentration camps by the Soviets and Americans. England, appointed by the League of Nations to rule Palestine, outlawed the immigration of Jew into the region. The British had restricted large numbers of immigration into Palestine since 1939. On August 6, 1945, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, and on August 9, 1945, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. On August 15, 1945, the Japanese army unconditionally surrendered to the Allies, and World War II was over.
AD 1945 – End of World War II – Year 5905 from creation
On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states, one for the Jews and one for the Arabs. Jerusalem was designated as an international city. Year 5907 from creation – AD 1947. The motion was denounced by the League of Arab States, which supported the cause of the Palestinian Arabs. The US and the Soviet Union supported the motion.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are discovered on the northwestern side of the Dead Sea in Israel. Year 5907 from creation – AD 1947. The ancient scrolls are believed to have been written by the Essenes, a Jewish priestly sect living at Qumran. The scrolls are dated during the period between 250 BC and AD 68. The complete book of Isaiah was included in the scrolls. Many scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls to be the most important archaeological discovery of all time.
On November 29, 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations endorsed a plan to create separate Jewish and Arab states in Palestine. The British mandate over Palestine was scheduled to end on May 15, 1948, but on May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion called a historic meeting and read Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Year 5908 from creation – AD 1948. For the first time in more than 2,000 years, there was an independent Jewish state of Israel. Israel’s war of independence begins on May 15, 1948, after it was attacked by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
By the end of the year, Israel had defeated the Arab nations and had gained territory that was originally planned for the new Arab nation. The other half was divided between Jordan and Egypt. Jordan controlled the eastern half of Jerusalem, including the Old City and the Temple mount, and Israel controlled the western half of the city.
The World Council of Churches is formed where 147 mainline denominations from 44 nations gathered in Amsterdam for the event. Year 5908 from creation – AD 1948
William (Billy) Franklin Graham Jr, an ordained Southern Baptist minister and Wheaton College graduate, hosts his first crusade in Los Angeles. Year 5909 from creation – AD 1949
On November 29, 1947, Israel was recognized as a sovereign state by the United Nations and was admitted as a member of the General Assembly. The United States and the Soviet Union supported the act. Year 5909 from creation – AD 1949
The Assumption of Mary is declared to be an article of faith in the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Pius XII, which the Protestants do not accept. Year 5910 from creation – AD 1950. This Assumption of Mary is a RCC tradition that believes when the Virgin Mary died, she was bodily raised and glorified as a prefigurement of the resurrection awaiting all Christians.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is founded by Don McClanen, a basketball coach in Norman, Oklahoma. Year 5914 from creation – AD 1954
The author of this article, Randy Nettles, is born. Year 5915 from creation – AD 1955 (I just wanted to insert this here to see if anyone would notice, Lol).
Adolf Eichmann is captured and brought to trial in Israel for committing crimes against humanity. Year 5920 from creation – AD 1960. Eichmann was found guilty and was hanged in 1962.
Seventeen African nations are set free from colonial domination. Year 5920 from creation – AD 1960
Israel’s Six-Day War begins after Egypt and Syria send troops to the Sinai Peninsula. On June 5, 1967, Israel responded with a preemptive strike and demolished the Egyptian air force in just three hours. They also captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai, then conquered the Old City of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights in just six days. Year 5927 from creation AD – AD 1967
Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist preacher and civil rights leader, is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Year 5928 from creation – AD 1968. King was Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1963 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
The US Supreme Court supports abortion with its Roe vs. Wade decision. Year 5933 from creation – AD 1973. It has been estimated that over 60 million abortions have occurred in the US since 1973.
The Yom Kippur War begins when Syria and Egypt attack Israel during Yom Kippur, a religious holiday observed by most Jews. Once again, the Jews are victorious in battle. Year 5933 from creation – AD 1973
The Camp David Accords lead to a peace agreement in which Israel surrendered the Sinai region to Egypt in exchange for Egypt’s political recognition of Israel and a more stable alliance between the two nations. The peace talks were held in Camp David, Maryland, under the urging of President Jimmy Carter of the US. Israel was represented by Menachem Begin and Egypt by Anwar Sadat. Year 5939 from creation – AD 1978
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes general secretary of the communist party of the Soviet Union. Year 5945 from creation – AD 1985. Gorbachev became president of the USSR in 1989. In 1991, he resigned as president of a USSR that had been largely broken up.
The Berlin Wall, which divided Berlin into East Berlin (under the control of the Russians) and West Berlin (under the control of the Allies) is dismantled after standing for nearly three decades. Year 5949 from creation – AD 1989. In 1990, Jewish Emigration from the Soviet Union peaks to record highs. Most immigrated to the US or Israel.
The Oslo (peace) Accords are signed between the Israeli government (represented by Yitzhak Rabin) and leaders from the Palestine Liberation Organization (represented by Yasser Arafat), where they meet in Oslo, Norway. Year 5951 from creation – AD 1991
Israel signs a peace treaty with Jordan on October 26, 1994. Year 5954 from creation – AD 1994. King Hussein I represented Jordan, and Yitzhak Rabin represented Israel. Rabin was assassinated on November 4, 1995, by a Jewish fanatic.
Events of AD 2001 – Year 5961 from creation:
George W. Bush is elected 43rd president of the U.S. Al-Qaeda terrorists crash two planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and one plane into the Pentagon in Washington, DC on September 11, 2001. The US invades Afghanistan and topples the Taliban regime. This resulted in a long-term war in the region. China becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.
Events of AD 2002 – Year 5962 from creation: The Euro enters circulation in Europe as a currency. Switzerland joins the United Nations as the 190th member. SpaceX is formed by Elon Musk.
Events of AD 2003 – Year 5964 from creation: The United States invades Iraq and ousts Saddam Hussein, resulting in an 8-year war.
Events of AD 2004 – Year 5965 from creation: NATO and the European Union incorporates most of the former Eastern Bloc countries. Facebook is formed by Mark Zuckerberg and four others. Events of AD 2005 – Year 5966 from creation: Angela Merkel becomes Germany’s first female Chancellor. YouTube is founded.
Events of AD 2006 – Year 5967 from creation: Google buys YouTube for 1.65 billion dollars. Saddam Hussein is executed in Iraq by US forces. Twitter is launched.
Events of AD 2008 – Year 5969 from creation: The stock markets plunge around the world, signaling the start of the Great Recession. Barack Obama is elected president of the US. Google Chrome is released. The Large Hadron Collider is completed as the world’s largest and most powerful particle collider.
Events of AD 2009 – Year 5970 from creation: Barack Obama takes office as the first African-American president (44th) of the U.S. Joe Biden is his vice-president. The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is launched. Swine flu pandemic begins in North America.
Events of AD 2010 – Year 5971 from creation: Arab Spring starts. The iPad is introduced. Instagram is launched.
Events of AD 2011 – Year 5972 from creation: World population reaches 7 billion. Osama bin Laden is shot dead by United States Navy SEALS in Pakistan. Snapchat is launched. Syrian civil war begins. A 9.0 earthquake in Japan triggers a tsunami, and the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant begins to melt down. Iraq War ends.
Events of AD 2012 – Year 5973 from creation: Xi Jinping is elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.
Events of AD 2013 – Year 5974 from creation: Pope Benedict XVI resigns (the first Pope to do so since 1415, and Pope Francis is elected, becoming the first Pope from Latin America. Edward Snowden releases a classified document concerning mass surveillance by the NSA.
Events of AD 2014 – Year 5975 from creation: Ebola epidemic occurs in West Africa, resulting in the deaths of over 11,000 people. King Juan Carlos I of Spain abdicates his throne, and his son becomes King Felipe VI. The people in Scotland vote to remain in the United Kingdom.
Events of AD 2015 – Year 5976 from creation: China announces the end of its one-child policy after 35 years. European migrant crisis. The Supreme Court of the US determines that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.
Events of AD 2016 – Year 5977 from creation: Pope Francis and Patriarch Krill sign the Ecumenical Declaration, the first meeting between Catholic and Orthodox heads since their split in 1054. The people of the United Kingdom vote to leave the European Union. Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election in an upset against Hillary Clinton.
Events of AD 2017 – Year 5978 from creation: Donald Trump takes office as the 45th president of the US with Mike Pence as his vice-president.
Events of AD 2018 – Year 5978 from creation: China’s National People’s Congress vote to abolish presidential term limits, allowing Xi Jinping to rule for life. Xi is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the highest position without term limits.
Events of AD 2019 – Year 5979 from creation: US President Donald Trump is impeached by the House of Representatives. The Covid-19 pandemic begins in Wuhan, China, the start of an ongoing global pandemic. The United States Space Force is announced by Vice-President of the U.S. Mike Pence and is created in December. Avengers: Endgame was released in theaters, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time.
Events of AD 2020 – Year 5980 from creation: The Covid-19 pandemic claims 4 million lives and infects 185 million people worldwide. Donald Trump is acquitted by the US Senate in his first impeachment trial. The United Kingdom formally withdraws from the European Union. China’s National People’s Congress grants itself sweeping powers to curtail civil liberties in Hong Kong. Joe Biden wins the 2020 US presidential election with Kamala Harris as his Vice-President.
Events of AD 2021 – Year 5981 from creation: Joe Biden takes office as the 46th president of the US, and Kamala Harris becomes the first female vice president in American history.
As I stated in the first part of this article, we are now (AD 2021) 19 years away from 6,000 years of recorded history for mankind according to my calculations, as I have just demonstrated with this chronology. However, it may be possible we are even closer than that due to a possible rounding off of the recordings of the ages of the antediluvian and Jewish patriarchs at the time of their son’s birth, as recorded in the Bible. For example, take this verse In Genesis 5:6, “And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos.”
What if Seth was actually 105 years and 1 month old when Enos was born? He was still 105 years old, as he had not yet turned 106 years old, but when you are counting total chronological years in sequence, you must add the exact total of years and months. In reality, Moses probably did not record that precise and exact of a chronology (years +months + days) when he wrote Genesis, although it’s absolutely amazing all the information that God gave him while he was on Mount Sinai; and that he could retain it until he was able to write it all down in a book (scroll).
In my opinion, this discrepancy could amount to 7 to 10 years, which would bring us even closer to the benchmark 6,000 years for mankind. If you believe, as I do, that Jesus Christ will return to the earth after 6 days (6,000 years) of recorded history to establish his Millennium Kingdom, then that means the Rapture of the Church is near indeed.
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Randy Nettles