chronology of significant events

The following chronological listing is provided in order to show the general flow of major events. Although the events recorded by divine revelation are anchored in history, it is not always possible to ascertain precisely when each event occurred.

Where dates are less certain—particularly in the earlier centuries— approximate dates are given in order to maintain a frame of reference for added understanding.

 

The Beginning

 

Creation

 

 

750 B.C.

 

Uzziah and Jotham in Judah

 

 

The Beginning

 

Adam and Eve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3000-2500 B.C.

 

Noah and the flood

 

 

740 B.C.

 

Isaiah begins ministry

 

 

2400 B.C.

 

Tower of Babel

 

 

735 B.C.

 

Micah's prophecy

 

 

2091 B.C.

 

Call of Abraham

 

 

723-721 B.C.

 

Israel falls to Assyria

 

 

2066 B.C.

 

Isaac born

 

 

701 B.C.

 

Sennacherib invades Judah

 

 

2006 B.C.

 

Jacob and Esau born

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1885 B.C.

 

Joseph in Egypt

 

 

650 B.C.

 

Nahum's prophecy

 

 

1876 B.C.

 

Israel settles in Egypt

 

 

639 B.C.

 

Josiah king of Judah

 

 

1526 B.C.

 

Moses born

 

 

635 B.C.

 

Zephaniah's prophecy

 

 

1446 B.C.

 

Ten plagues

 

 

626 B.C.

 

Jeremiah begins

ministry

 

1446 B.C.

 

Exodus from Egypt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1445 B.C.

 

Ten Commandments

 

 

621 B.C.

 

Book of Law found

 

 

1445 B.C.

 

Tabernacle built

 

 

610 B.C.

 

Habakkuk's

questioning

 

 

1445 B.C.

 

Israelites numbered

 

 

 

 

 

 

1445-1406 B.C.

 

Laws of Moses

 

 

604 B.C.

 

Daniel taken captive

 

 

1406 B.C.

 

Joshua crosses Jordan

 

 

601 B.C.

 

Nebuchadnezzar

has dream

 

1406-1400 B.C.

 

Promised land

conquered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

597 B.C.

 

Great Deportation

 

 

1400-1380 B.C.

 

Period of the elders

 

 

592 B.C.

 

Ezekiel prophesies

in exile

 

 

1380 B.C.

 

Rise of the judges

 

 

 

 

 

 

1100 B.C.

 

Ruth the Moabite

 

 

588 B.C.

 

Jerusalem under

siege

 

1090 B.C.

 

Samson the

strongman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

587 B.C.

 

Jeremiah confined

 

 

1050 B.C.

 

Samuel brings

transition

 

586 B.C.

 

Babylonia captures

Jerusalem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1043 B.C.

 

Saul anointed king

 

 

586 B.C.

 

Jeremiah's

Lamentations

 

1004 B.C.

 

David becomes king

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

971 B.C.

 

Solomon made king

 

 

584 B.C.

 

Shadrach, Meshach,

Abednego

 

967-960 B.C.

 

Solomon's temple built

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

572 B.C.

 

Ezekiel's temple

vision

 

931 B.C.

 

The kingdom divides

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

870 B.C.

 

Elijah the prophet

 

 

562 B.C.

 

Nebuchadnezzar ' s insanity

 

 

852 B.C.

 

Elisha begins ministry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

845 B.C.

 

Obadiah's prophecy

 

 

552 B.C.

 

Daniel's apocalyptic

visions

 

835 B.C.

 

Joash in Judah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

825 B.C.

 

Prophecy of Joel

 

 

542 B.C.

 

Writing on the wall

 

 

781 B.C.

 

Jeroboam II in Israel

 

 

541 B.C.

 

Daniel in the lions' den

 

 

775 B.C.

 

Jonah preaches in Nineveh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

539 B.C.

 

Cyrus' decree

 

 

770 B.C.

 

Prophecy of Hosea

 

 

538 B.C.

 

Return to Jerusalem

 

 

765 B.C.

 

Prophecy of Amos

 

 

536 B.C.

 

Daniel's last vision

 

 

 

520 B.C.

 

Haggai and

Zechariah

 

 

A.D. 30

 

Holy Spirit on

Pentecost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

516 B.C.

 

New temple

completed

 

 

A.D. 32-37

 

Stephen martyred

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 32-37

 

Saul (Paul) converted

 

 

 

480 B.C.

 

Esther and Mordecai

 

 

A.D. 34-38

 

Gentiles become

Christians

 

465 B.C.

 

Malachi's prophecy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

458 B.C.

 

Ezra returns from

exile

 

A.D. 45-47

 

Paul's first journey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 48-50

 

Jerusalem conference

 

 

444 B.C.

 

Nehemiah rebuilds wall

 

 

A.D. 50

 

Letter to Galatians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 50-51

 

Paul's second

journey

 

425 B.C.

 

Dedication of the

wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 51

 

Letters to

Thessalonians

 

424 B.C.

 

Artaxerxes dies in Persia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 53

 

Paul's third journey begins

 

 

330 B.C.

 

Persia falls to

Alexander

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 55-57

 

Letters to the

Corinthians

 

323 B.C.

 

Rise of the Ptolomies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

201 B.C.

 

Rome defeats

Hannibal

 

A.D. 58

 

Letter to the Romans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 50-60

 

James' letter

 

 

190 B.C.

 

Antiochus Epiphanes

 

 

A.D. 58

 

Paul arrested

 

 

163-143 B.C.

 

Maccabeans revolt

 

 

A.D. 58-60

 

Paul before Felix

and Festus

 

135 B.C.

 

Jewish rule under

Hyrcanus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D.60

 

Paul's voyage to

Rome

 

63 B.C.

 

Pompey invades

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Palestine

 

 

A.D. 61-63

 

Paul under house

arrest

 

47 B.C.

 

Caesar appoints

Antipater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 61-63

 

Letter to Colossians

 

 

37 B.C.

 

Herod king of Judea

 

 

A.D. 61-63

 

Letter to Philemon

 

 

27 B.C.

 

Augustus Caesar,

Pax Romana

 

A.D. 61-63

 

Letter to Ephesians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 61-63

 

Letter to Philippians

 

 

6-4 B.C.

 

Messiah's birth

announced

 

A.D. 50-64

 

Peter's two letters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 63-64

 

Paul's last travels

 

 

5-3 B.C.

 

Jesus is born

 

 

A.D. 63-64

 

First letter to

Timothy

 

4-2 B.C.

 

Wise men worship Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 63-64

 

Letter to Titus

 

 

4-2 B.C.

 

Flight into Egypt

 

 

A.D. 64-67

 

Paul's final

imprisonment

 

3-1 B.C.

 

Return to Nazareth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 27

 

John the Baptist

 

 

A.D. 64-67

 

Second letter to

Timothy

 

A.D. 27

 

Jesus begins ministry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 28

 

Opposition to Jesus

 

 

A.D. 60-80

 

Jude's letter

 

 

A.D. 29

 

Feeding of 5000

 

 

A.D. 65-70

 

Writing to the

Hebrews

 

A.D. 30

 

Jesus' crucifixion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D. 30

 

Jesus' resurrection

 

 

A.D. 90-95

 

John's three letters

 

 

A.D. 30

 

Ascension of Jesus

 

 

A.D. 95,96

 

Revelation to John