Alleymom
What I am trying to say is that the historical sources and all of the documentary materials pertaining to the Neo-Babylonian period present a twenty year difference between the secular and Bible chronology. The Jonsson hypothesis as published in the Gentile Times Reconsidered does a excellent job in collating all of the evidence which as I understand from the authoe himself amounts to seventeen lines of evidence. However this evidence is subject to a correct methodology and interpretation and it is to this task that Witness scholar Rolf Furuli is applying himself to. Jehovah's Witnesses are fully cognizant of all of these matters and are deeply interested in such research but one must remember that these texts, clay tablets, histories are not infallible or inspired of God. It is the Bible alone that is true and inspired of God and it is to the historical record, king lists, prophecy contained in the Sacred Writings that should be sole arbiter in chronology.
WT scholars from the time of Russell have long championed Bible chronology with a interpretation of the seventy years which provides a simple and direct chronology for all of the major events in the OT. I firmly believe that Holy Spirit has revealed to His people a correct chronology which is the bedrock of Bible prophecy. If such a chronology clashes with the secular chronology accepted by the scholarly community then that is too bad. I believe that in so many other areas of scholarship that the Witnesses will be vindicated in their position on 607 and the seventy years.
My postings on chronology are not to convert you or anyone else but simply to provide a defence of our position according to my time and personal circumstances. Whenever I make a contribution on this subject I am bombarded by sarcasm and have to contend with multiple points and multiple posts much of the opposition manifests a fear or desperation because a lone voice simply offers a different perspective. Please be assured that I will continue to post on this board on chronology and that I am up to speed with current scholarship on this subject and that I amm very familiar with the Jonsson hypothesis which I totally reject. It is impossible but a clever piece of deception.
scholar
BA MA Studies in Religion