The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).

With these words, open the pages of the New Testament.  Some 4,000 years had taken place since the events of Genesis 1:1.  2,500 years were lived under the Patriarch age and 1,500 years under the Mosaic age which was coming to a close with the penning of these words.