Just follow the numbers: 490 years From God's first dealings with Abraham until the final establishment of Israel in the millennial kingdom there appear to be four 490 year cycles totaling 1,960 years. These years do not include years when the relationship was suspended by disobedience.  These years were lost and not counted. Cycle #1:  Abraham was 75 in Gen.12: 4 plus 430 years until the giving of the law on Mount Sinai (Gal.3:17) TOTAL:    505 years Minus years of disobedience:  15 years between going to Hagar until promised Son was born is 15 years (Gen.21:5) Subtract:       15 years    Length of Cycle #1:  490 years Cycle #2:  Years from giving of the Law until the Temple TOTAL:   601 years (add 40 years in wilderness, 20 under Joshua, 450 under the judges and Samuel, 40 under David, 11 under Solomon (Acts 13:18, 13:20;13:21;1 Kings 2:11; 6:1, 38; 8:1-11) Minus years of disobedience: Subtract:     111 years Judges 3:8. . . . . . . . . 8 years Judges 3:14. . . . . . . . 18 years Judges 4:3 . . . . . . . .  20 years Judges 6:1. . . . . . . . .   7 years Judges 10:8. . . . . . . . 18 years Judges 13:1. . . . . . . . 40 years Length of Cycle #2:  490 years Cycle #3: Years from the dedication of the temple in 1005 BC until Artaxerxes commanded it to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 BC         TOTAL:     560 years Minus years of captivity in Babylon: Subtract:     70 years Length of Cycle #3:        490 years Cycle #4: Daniel's 70 weeks (70 - 7's) that began in 445 BC and will end when Jesus sets up his kingdom. Minus the years of Israel's setting aside for the Church age. Length of Cycle #4:  490 years (God is building towards judgment but is patient and is forgiving for a full term of 490 years.  "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?"   Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven." Mt.18:21 So, be like God in being patient for the full 490 times.)