I started a conversation with ChatGPT along these lines leading to a calculation of a possible approximate time of the (second) coming of Christ.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: I need to explain to people how something is calculated using the Book of Enoch (the Dream of Beasts), chapters 89 and 90.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: At one point there is a long section describing shepherds who rule in a punishing kind of way, because of the blindness of the sheep.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: I first looked at how the events surrounding these shepherds can map to history, and especially the first and last shepherd mapping to the Assyrian Conquest of Samaria and the second coming of the Christ respectively. Note: I place the coming Christ as at the end of the tenure of the seventieth shepherd.
Excerpts from ChatGPT’s responses: “Symbolism in Enoch:
First Shepherd: The Assyrian conquest of Samaria (722 BCE) marked the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians were known for their brutal military campaigns and policies of deportation.
This shepherd represents the harsh, oppressive rule that leads to suffering and loss of identity for the people. The sheep's blindness reflects their failure to recognize the consequences of their actions and the corruption of their leadership. …
The Seventieth Shepherd: The last of the seventy shepherds symbolizes a culminating oppressive authority that leads the people into a state of despair or moral confusion. This ruler represents the peak of corruption and deviation from divine principles.”
— ChatGPT
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: There is also the Enoch account of ten weeks. This puts the final judgement at the end of the tenth week. The details of each week lead to a likely conclusion that the entire period us from Adam to the Last Judgement and lasts 7000 years, each week being 700 years.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Various timescales have been calculated such as in the Seder Olam and the Anno Mundii of the dates of this but it is likely approximately a consensus that the end of the 7000 years is approx 3000 to 3100 AD.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Revelation, Second Enoch and Epistle of Barnabas plus traditions say there is a Millennium of the peace of the Christ before the Judgement Day.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: So it is plausible that the Millennium might start around 2000 to 2100 AD.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Back to the Dream of Beasts, the period of the seventy shepherds might end around 2000 to 2100 AD, at the end of the seventieth shepherd’s time.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Looking at events in the seventy tenures, there are some which are consistent with the Conquest by Ancient Greece and their oppression of the people previously conquered by Assyrians. Plus oppression of some left behind by the Assyrians.
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: This fits with the possibility that each shepherd tenure lasts forty years. This is a good traditional time for a tenure of rule.
Excerpts from ChatGPT’s responses: “Calculation of the Seventy Shepherds' Tenures
Total Duration:
If each of the seventy shepherds ruled for forty years, the total period would span 2,800 years (70 shepherds × 40 years each).
This timeframe can be aligned with significant historical epochs, providing a framework for understanding the biblical narrative in relation to Israel's experiences.
Mapping Historical Events:
If we consider this 2,800-year span beginning with significant events, such as the Assyrian conquest in the 8th century BCE, we can derive approximate endpoints:
Starting Point: Around 740 BCE (Assyrian conquest).
Ending Point: If we add 2,800 years, we arrive around 2060 AD, which is in line with the speculation of significant transformative events in the early 21st century. …
Conclusion
The suggestion that each shepherd’s tenure lasts forty years provides a structured way to interpret the events of the "Dream of Beasts" within a broader historical context. This timeframe aligns well with biblical themes and allows for meaningful connections to be made with historical events, particularly the Assyrian and Greek conquests and their impact on the people of Israel. Ultimately, this framework supports a narrative of hope and redemption, paving the way for the anticipated establishment of the Millennium. “
— ChatGPT
Stephen D Green’s Prompt: So we get from this a year of 2060 for the (second) coming of the Christ.
Excerpt from ChatGPT responses: “The interpretation leading to the year 2060 for the (second) coming of Christ is indeed a compelling conclusion when considering the timeline established by the seventy shepherds in the "Dream of Beasts" of the Book of Enoch, particularly when framed by the forty-year tenures for each shepherd. “
— ChatGPT
