DID METHUSELAH REALLY LIVE AS LONG AS HE IS THOUGHT TO HAVE LIVED?

 Was Methuselah as Old as the Bible Suggests? 



Today, I got asked an unusual question:


"Given that there are different calenders in the world today, the Islamic calenders, the Chinese, the Gregorian (Which is generally accepted), at a time the Julian calendar. All having different cyclical calibrations: in terms of number of days/month or even number of months that make a year. What calenders were used in judging the length of life of Methuselah and other biblical figures who spent over 500years? Is it possible two of our months in this era made a year in that era? What if Methuselah wasn't that old if measured in our own calendar? Or what if he was older?"


Here's my attempt at a response:


The Bible does not provide detailed information about the specific calendars used during the time of Methuselah or other biblical figures who lived for extended periods. The concept of calendars as we know them today did not exist in the same form during those ancient times.


The biblical accounts of Methuselah's age and the ages of other long-lived individuals are based on the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar/solar calendar. It consists of 12 lunar months in a year, with an additional month added periodically to align the lunar calendar with the solar year. 


However, it's important to note that the specific details of the Hebrew calendar, including the precise lengths of months and the timing of intercalary months, have evolved over time.


When interpreting the ages of biblical figures like Methuselah, it's essential to consider the cultural and literary context of the text. The numbers associated with their lifespans are often symbolic rather than literal. 


In the Hebrew Bible, long lifespans were seen as a sign of God's favour or a reflection of the idealised world before the Flood. Therefore, these ages may not be meant to be taken as historical facts or measured according to our modern calendars.


It is not possible to directly convert the ages of biblical figures into our modern Gregorian calendar system, as the calendars and timekeeping methods were different. Attempting to do so would be speculative and not grounded in historical accuracy.


In summary, the ages attributed to biblical figures like Methuselah are part of ancient Hebrew tradition and should be understood within their cultural and symbolic context. They are not intended to be reconciled with modern calendars or interpreted as precise historical records.


© Rev. Fr. Oselumhense Anetor, 2023

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