Prehistoric Era (c. 2.5 million BC – c. 3000 BC)
Prehistoric Era (c. 2.5 million BC – c. 3000 BC)
Overview:
Main World Developments:
The Stone Age divides into the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle), and Neolithic (New Stone Age).
Early humans used stone tools, discovered fire, developed language, and began forming small hunter-gatherer societies.
The Neolithic Revolution introduced farming, animal domestication, and permanent settlements.
Biblical Context:
Corresponds to Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and early Genesis narratives.
The story of Noah and the Flood may parallel early agricultural and flood myths recorded in ancient Mesopotamia.
Notable People: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah.
Overview:
Main World Developments:
Rise of the first civilizations: Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Indus Valley peoples.
Invention of writing (cuneiform and hieroglyphics), mathematics, early governments, and trade systems.
Biblical Context:
Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) and the birth of nations.
Patriarchal Age: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (c. 2,000–1,700 BC).
Exodus from Egypt under Moses (c. 1,300–1,200 BC).
Judges and Kings of Israel and Judah (c. 1,200–500 BC).
Prophets arise: Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and others.
Cultural Context:
Egypt’s New Kingdom, Babylonian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Persian Empire.
Hebrew people formed a theocratic nation under Yahweh’s covenant.
Main World Developments:
Golden ages of Greece and Rome; philosophy, democracy, architecture, and art flourish.
Alexander the Great spreads Hellenistic culture.
Roman Republic becomes the Roman Empire (27 BC).
Biblical Context:
The Exile and Return of the Jews under Persian rule.
Intertestamental Period (400 “silent years”).
Birth of Jesus Christ (c. 4 BC).
Life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus (c. AD 27–33).
Early Church and Apostolic Age: Peter, Paul, and the spread of the Gospel throughout the Roman world.
Notable Events:
Paul’s missionary journeys and epistles.
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (AD 70).
Formation of the New Testament writings (1st century AD).
Main World Developments:
Fall of Rome leads to feudalism and the rise of kingdoms in Europe.
Spread of Christianity through Europe and parts of Africa and Asia.
The rise of Islam (7th century) and the Crusades (11th–13th centuries).
Growth of universities, monasteries, and early scholastic theology.
Biblical & Church Context:
Preservation and translation of Scripture by monks and scholars.
Formation of the Catholic Church and later the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Missionary work by figures such as St. Patrick and St. Augustine.
Spiritual Significance:
The Word of God continued to shape civilizations during “dark” centuries of war and plague, keeping the light of faith alive through the Church.
Main World Developments:
Revival of art, science, and learning in Europe.
Printing press invented (c. 1450) — Scripture becomes accessible to the common people.
The Protestant Reformation begins with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses (1517).
Biblical & Church Context:
Translation of the Bible into vernacular languages (Luther, Tyndale, Geneva Bible).
Division between Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity.
Global exploration and missionary expansion.
Spiritual Significance:
Emphasis on grace, faith, and Scripture alone (sola scriptura).
Birth of personal devotional life and Bible study among lay believers.
Main World Developments:
Rise of reason, science, and philosophy.
Industrial Revolution transforms economies and societies.
Expansion of education, technology, and urbanization.
Biblical & Church Context:
Great Awakenings and missionary movements.
Growth of new denominations and evangelistic revivals (John Wesley, Charles Finney, Jonathan Edwards).
Modern biblical scholarship and translation projects.
Spiritual Significance:
Renewed focus on personal conversion and holiness.
Christian engagement with social reform, abolition, and human rights.
Main World Developments:
Two World Wars, global political shifts, and rise of digital technology.
Advancements in science, communication, and globalization.
Increasing secularism and religious diversity.
Biblical & Church Context:
Rise of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements (Azusa Street Revival, 1906).
Growth of global Christianity, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Continued translation of the Bible into thousands of languages.
The Church engages issues of justice, reconciliation, and unity.
Spiritual Significance:
Emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and end-time revival.
Believers called to walk in the Spirit and embody Christ’s love in a divided world.
The global Church now reflects the multicultural kingdom vision of Revelation 7:9.
“Understanding the history and timeframe of an era is key to grasping the mindset, culture, and way of life reflected in its literature and people.”