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Phillip Mauro gives a concise and readable chronology of the Bible in his book, The Wonders of Bible Chronology. Mauro references two other works on Bible chronology that are worth consulting when studying this important subject–one that is neglected in many churches.  The first is Dr. Martin Anstey’s, The Romance of Bible Chronology, c. 1913 by Marshall Bros, London. Two volumes.  Anstey’s work can be found online and is downloadable for free.  Anstey’s work rests upon the statements in the Bible alone.  The Bible gives a complete and consistent source of chronology that does not need outside sources to confirm it.  The Bible is the only infallible book in the world. The chronology is given in close association with the genealogies in Scripture.  The genealogies have one primary purpose, i.e. to record the lineage of the Messiah who would be the savior of the world.  The second work is that of James Ussher, The Annal’s of the World.  Ussher’s work was widely accepted until the mid 1800’s when the three-pronged attack of evolution (Darwin, c. 1859), higher criticism and textual criticism attacked the credibility of the Bible and attempted to change drastically the chronology given in the Bible.  I would like to add a third resource that of Dr. Floyd Nolan Jones, The Chronology of the Old Testament (Master Books Publisher) that has been reprinted several times.
Chronology is the science of dividing time into regular intervals and assigning dates to historic events in their proper order (Jones, p. 2).  The Bible does this rather remarkably.  Gen. 1:1, states thatthe history of the heaven and the earth had an initial beginning at the behest and power of God.  From this beginning of the history of the world, only six days pass until God creates Adam and Eve (Matt. 19:4; Gen. 1:26-27).  With the creation of Adam, the history of man begins.  The genealogy given in Gen. 5, gives a chronology of the history of man from the time of Adam until the time of Noah.  The time that passes during this period is 1656 years. There are two individuals that connect Adam to Noah, namely, Methuselah and Shem.  Mauro states, “…Adam was for 243 years the contemporary of Methuselah, that Methuselah’s life overlapped that of Shem for 98 years, and that Shem was, for 150 years, the contemporary of Abraham” (p. 28).  This means that specific knowledge of the creation and of the flood would have been passed down to the people of Abraham’s day through a direct line of descent from Adam. 
From Adam to Abraham, 2008 years pass.  By the time a reader of Genesis gets to Genesis chapter twelve, he has reached one-half of the history of the Old Testament.  The next approximately 2000 years will bring us to the time of Jesus Christ’s birth.  We live in the year A.D. 2016.  This means that the history of man encompasses around 6,000 years!

The English word apostasy is not found in the KJV. However, the concept/idea certainly is:  “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (II Pet. 2:20).
Apostasy means “abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; total desertion of principles or faith.”  Many deny the possibility of apostasy, but Peter specifically addresses the possibility of apostasy in the verse cited above.
There are three words that begin with the letter “e” in this passage that we want to consider:  escaped, entangle, and end.
Escaped
One has to escape sin and its consequences before there can be a return to sinful living.  The word escape means: “to flee away from as a fugitive.”  The Christian has escaped several things:  (1) Corruption.  II Pet. 2:19, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage.”  Lust is the means of corruption.  “…having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II Pet. 1:4).  The avenues of lust are the eye, the flesh and the pride of life (I John 2:15).  (2) The Christian as escaped from “old sins.”  “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (II Pet. 1:9).  (3) The Christian has escaped “worldly pollutions.”  II Pet. 2:20.  Evil pollutes the mind and body of all people.  The escape from sin is the work of God through His plan of redemption provided in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to atone for man’s sin.  When we obey the truth, we are purified (I Pet. 1:22).  We escape the hold that sin has on us.  Before there can be apostasy, there must be an escape from sin.  Then, apostasy involves a return to a life of sin and disobedience to God.
Entangle
The word entangle means, “to be ensnared, trapped, or woven in,” as fish are entangled in the fabric of a net.  There are several ways that this can occur:  (1) A Christian could return to the Old Covenant forsaking the law of Christ.  Gal. 5:1.  “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  Those who do so are characterized by Paul as “fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4).  (2) A Christian could return to sinful living.  II Pet. 2:10.  Alexander Pope said, “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien.  As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”    Apostasy begins in the heart.  When love for God grows cold, iniquity abounds (Matt. 24:12).  Love for the Lord is manifested in resisting temptation, faithfulness in attendance at the worship assemblies, willingness to work for the Lord, pursuit of holiness and many other good things that God directs us to pursue.
End
Peter states, “…the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”  There are several reasons for this.  First, the apostate has turned his back on the holy commandment (II Pet. 2:21).  The words of Jesus Christ will judge us in the last day (John 12:48).  The apostate has rejected his only hope.  Second, the apostate has hardened his heart in sin and is difficult to restore (Heb. 3:12 and 6:4-6).  One study of those who have fallen away reveals that only about 10% are recovered and restored to faithfulness.  Third, the apostate has known the best but chosen the worst.  He has sinned in the full knowledge of what he was doing and will bear greater responsibility because of it.  Fourth, the apostate brings greater shame and guilt upon himself/herself.  In II Pet. 2:22, Peter describes the apostate as a dog eating its own vomit and a sow that has been washed returning to the mire.  The pictures are startling.  Every Christian should consider the “end” of apostasy before ever starting down that road.
The antidote to apostasy is Christian faithfulness and growth (II Pet. 1:10-11). After listing eight of the Christian virtues, Peter states, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

In Isaiah 58, God tells Israel the virtues which would prepare them to be covenant-keepers and to carry out His Messianic plans.  But, in chapter 59, Isaiah reveals that these people are so entrenched in sin and rebellion against God’s program of righteousness that they must be constantly warned of the judgment of God to come upon those who despise God’s covenant laws.  The time is 687 B.C.  Manasseh, a very wicked king, sits upon the throne in Judah.  Manasseh outstripped his predecessors in wickedness.  He reintroduced idolatry.  He persecuted God’s prophets.  The pathway of rebellion now chosen would eventually lead to Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C.
Significantly, Isaiah describes the times with the phrase, “truth has fallen in the streets” (Isa. 59:9-15).  The prophet declares, “For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them.  In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.  And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”
What are the consequences of the practical aspect of the death of truth?
First, iniquity abounds.  When there is no respect for truth, there is no righteousness.  Isaiah states that sin interrupted relationship with God (Isa. 59:1-2).  God is not weakened by man’s sin.  He still retains fullness of all powers of His perfections.  The sins of the people separated them from God and stayed God’s blessings while inviting God’s wrath.  Isaiah names several sins:  hands defiled with blood (murder); fingers with iniquity; lips speak lies, tongue murmurs wickedness (59:3); no justice, no faithfulness, men trust in vanity (destitute of truth); men speak with deception, they conceive trouble and bring forth ruin, feet run to evil (make haste to shed blood); and thoughts of iniquity.  If you look closely, you will see that every part of their being was tainted by sin: hands, fingers, lips, tongue, feet and thoughts.  When truth dies, iniquity abounds!
Second,  when truth dies, chaos results.  Where there is no truth there can be no peace.  Isaiah states, “the way of peace they know not” (Isa. 59:8).  Ignorance of the truth obscures the pathway of peace.  Where there is no peace, there is violence and the land is marred by the shedding of blood.  Where there is no truth, there is no judgment or spiritual discernment.  The distinction between good and evil,  truth and error is lost.  Individuals begin to call evil good and good evil (Isa. 5:20).  If there is no truth, there is no light.  Isaiah describes this condition, “We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men” (Isa. 59:10).  When there is no truth, there is no safety (Isa. 59:7).  Finally, if there is no truth, there is no hope.  God is cast off.  His word is no longer heeded. Hope vanishes when truth dies.
Third, God’s judgment comes.  In Isaiah 59:18, the prophet says, “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies, to the islands he will repay recompence.”   You reap what you sow (Gal. 6:8-9).  God sees all and will recompense evil.  Ultimately, God’s truth will vindicate the righteous and punish the unrighteous.  God’s justice will prevail and His truth will go marching on!
Fourth, where there is truth, there is redemption.  Isaiah foretells of future salvation through the promised Messiah. “And the redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD” (Isa. 59:20).  Truth holds forth hope again.  Redemption comes to those who turn from their transgressions and honor God’s Word–the truth.  God’s truth will endure forever.  When people reject God’s truth, then, for them it dies.  Its power is lost to them because of their unbelief.  Where there is truth, there is a foundation for faith and where there is faith, there is hope in the sure word of the LORD.