Why would the eternal God embark on a temporary project, our world history? The Bible states that God's character can best be described as love, giving love. It is out of that love that He decided to call us into existence, so that He could share in His beautiful and everlasting covenant of love. That, in a nutshell, is what life is all about. World history didn't begin with a chaotic or random event. It all began, no more than 6,000 years ago, with God's loving and intelligent choice.
There's a common thread running through the timeline. God is gathering a community of people, across all generations, peoples, languages, and places. In the coming world He will forever live with His people in a perfect covenant of love.
The world as we know it today will pass away. We are currently on our way to the consumation of world history. This world will make way for an eternal future in which temporality, death, fear and sin will no longer play any role. It will be a world full of love, joy, and shalom (true, deep peace). Jesus wants this good news of His coming Kingdom to be proclaimed among all peoples and made a promise: "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Today is such a day, on the way to the great harvest at the end of world history. Will you join us on this journey?
The purpose of the timeline is to show that the Bible testifies of a very real story. It's not beautiful sentiment or religious fantasy, but a reliable account of our world. This is the story of us all.
World history moves from A to B. There are beautiful and important things to say about both A and B, and everything in between. There's much to say, yet, there are developments and events that stand out. They have had a significant impact on the course of events. What do you think are the most important events and milestones?
In books, films, documentaries, and museums, choices are made about what to highlight. However, the Bible offers quite a different perspective on many points. There are other events, people, and turning points that deserve our attention. They provide us with the framework for reflecting on the true meaning of world history. On the timeline, you will find the events that are decisive from a biblical perspective.
Join us, click on each event, and discover what world history looks like through the crystal clear lens of the Bible.
If there's one thing we've discovered over the past fifty years, it's that life is teeming with information. In an information society full of big data, algorithms, and analytics, we're increasingly aware that information never arises spontaneously. NEVER. Organized and complex thing just never come out of thing air. Let alone the dazzling complexity in the building blocks of life. "Not even one mutation has been observed that adds a little information to the genome," states Dr. Lee Spetner in "Not by Chance." And Dr. Werner Gitt adds: "There is no known law of nature, no known process, and no known sequence of events which can cause information to originate by itself in matter" (Theorem 28, "In the Beginning Was Information"). Think about that.
The most common argument for evolution is that spontaneous development may be highly unlikely, but given enough opportunities, it will happen eventually. If there are infinite possibilities, then this possibility will eventually materialize. It seems like ironclad logic. But the hidden assumption beneath this logic is that complex organizations CAN arise spontaneously. If that's not the case, you could wait billions of years and have an infinite number of multiverses at your disposal, and it would still never happen. This reasoning is therefore flawed. An evolutionist would have to provide concrete examples of how a complex organism can arise (and let's not forget, continue to exist!) without any form of guidance, information, or intelligence. Just a single example would be helpful. But there isn't one. Because such a thing simply doesn't exist.
World-renowned evolutionist Richard Dawkins also implicitly admitted that life without intelligence is inconceivable. But instead of considering whether God might exist, he found it more plausible that life was created by aliens. Check out this wonderful introduction, especially for teenagers, to the credibility of the Bible, including when it comes to the beginning of our lives. And be amazed by Dawkins' contribution, starting at the 11-minute mark.
Ken Ham: How Science Proves the Bible | Answers in Genesis – YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CFYswvGoaPU
Have you ever heard the evolutionary myth that life started out simple and then became increasingly complex? Then there's news for you. There's no such thing as "simple" life. Even the simplest cell is incomprehensibly complex. Listen to what James Tour, a world-renowned scientist in microbiology, has to say about this. Tour is not only a leading scientist (he's listed among the 50 most influential scientists of our time - https://thebestschools.org/magazine/most-influential-scientists/), he's also a passionate follower of Jesus. In this talk, he first introduces the practical applications he and his teams are working on. After eight minutes, he delves into the topic itself, including several thought-provoking quotes:
“The origin of life becomes more and more complex each day”
“Time is actual your enemy, when it comes to life”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU7Lww-sBPg
This contribution by Dr. Robert Carter on the extraordinary 4-dimensional design of DNA also provides an intriguing glimpse into life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=fXFKJhUGNS8
In his book "Replacing Darwin: The New Origin of Species," Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson argues that it has only recently become possible to assess the theory of evolution on its merits. Inheritance and trait changes are regulated by genetic processes. Since our knowledge of these processes is relatively recent, we can only now truly verify whether they are consistent with evolutionary development via random mutations.
And what are the results? It's precisely the opposite. Life isn't becoming increasingly complex, and information isn't constantly accumulating. Instead, distinct, defined species arise precisely because certain information disappears within the family. In other words, the potential inherent in the genetic makeup of a particular family (such as that of dogs or cats) develops in one particular direction, giving rise to all sorts of distinct versions. In this process the variety of information does not increase but decrease. Processes of adaptation and selection are present, but they point in the opposite direction of evolution as a comprehensive theory. You can order Jeanson's book and get a first impression here through one of his lectures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WjZZXxaEhpY
The existence of the vast fossil record in the soil layers of our world is usually cited as evidence of a long, drawn-out evolution. But think about it.
First, the existence of a massive fossil record is exactly what you'd expect following a global catastrophe. In fact this works as a huge testable prediction. The account of the flood has been around for thousands of years while the fossil record during this time was not exposed like it is today. In other words, the world wide flood is not a theory created after the fact to account for the fossil record, but unearthing the massive fossil record testifies to the credibility of what our ancestors already knew: the world is a massive burial place due to this catastrofic world wide event. There's a significant difference between the data and its interpretation. Don't confuse the two.
Secondly, if evolution were true, it implies that there would have to be countless intermediate forms from one species to another. This, after all, is what evolutionary theory claims. In small steps, and over an enormously long time, one thing changes into another. This in itself has enormous complications. No one has ever credibly explained IN DETAIL how such gradual changes work. The only things provide are simplistic images, lines between one specie and another, and a lot of assumptions. For example, how do you build a lung from scratch, divided over, say, two thousand steps? Only the final product functions. In the 1999 steps before the final stage, it is merely evolutionary baggage and therefore a reason to reject it. An evolutionary scientist should be able to explain in detail (not in general terms!) what the value of a development is in EACH of the thousands of steps, or else explain why all those unusable half-finished products weren't filtered out during selection. That has never been done. The alternative would be to claim that a complete lung suddenly appeared from nothing. Is that reasonable science?
Both options, the slow, gradual development of complex functions or the sudden origin of end products, are problematic when you consider them in detail. But beyond that, this concept also has an impact on the fossil record, which should be chock-full of intermediate forms. In fact, you'd expect >99% of fossils to consist of transitional forms and <1% of more or less complete species. But that's not the case. On the contrary, the number of transitional forms found by thousands of scientists worldwide after 150 years of fieldwork is practically zero. Ironically, the discovery of an intermediate form is still front-page news. That's how rare it is! And even those examples turn out to be debatable. This is reluctantly acknowledged by various evolutionists, but unfortunately, the consequences of this massive falsification are not drawn. In the lecture below, around the 31-minute mark, you'll find a few telling quotes.
Rock Layers and Fossils Prove a Worldwide Flood! - YouTube
For many, it's a given that the history of dinosaurs can only be explained within an evolutionary framework. That alone seems enough reason to dismiss a recent creation. But unfortunately, this is a huge misunderstanding. Despite the multitude of popular films, books, museum signs, and scientific theories based on the belief in evolution, there is plenty of concrete and credible evidence for a very recent history of these remarkable animals. Think of telling excavations with intact tissue, art and murals from long before archaeological digs began, eyewitness accounts, and remarkable descriptions in the Bible. If you'd like to learn more, listen to and watch this insightful lecture by Dr. Jason Lisle.
Dinosaurs and The Bible || Guest Speaker Dr. Jason Lisle - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zEwXbEyi28I
Quite a few Christians today advocate a hybrid of creation and evolution. While often well-intentioned, it doesn't hold water. It creates insurmountable theological problems. It's no wonder, then, that younger generations who have come to believe in evolution are increasingly feeling distanced from the church. After all, what are you supposed to do with a story that turns out to be untrue?
The Bible doesn't fit into such a combination model. The authors unequivocally present their material as historical. For example, in Genesis 5, you find a family tree that follows the line from Adam to Noah, which emphasizes that Adam was not a fictional figure. Luke (chapter 3) gives a lineage of Jesus al the way back to Adam, the very first person. Per which generation is Luke shifting from real people to mythological people? Internally, there are also references to the first humans as a historical fact. Paul, for example, compares Jesus to Adam (in the letter to the Romans). Could he be comparing apples and oranges here?
Another popular theory is that millions of years elapsed between the beginning and the subsequent creation. Or that the days of creation actually represent long periods of time. In other words, it is claimed that the Bible says nothing about the age of the earth. However, Jesus unequivocally states that Adam and Eve were created from the beginning of creation (Mark 10:6 and Matthew 19:4). Or do we need to assume as Christians that the Creator Himself doesn't know what He's talking about?
Here are some reading tips from the Bible: Genesis 1-12 / Psalm 19 / Romans 5 / Hebrews 11.
Dr. Jason Lisle, an astrophysicist, gives a well-thought-out interview about the relationship between science and faith in the Bible. It's a strange myth that belief in God makes objective science impossible. In fact, it's the other way around: belief in God as Creator provides us with the very reason why science is even worthwhile.
Pure Talk – Answering atheist with Dr. Jason Lisle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzKY1pzZECA
In the book "Dat had je niet gedacht" the author examines the workings of the human mind. He argues that our minds are designed to serve within God's great covenant of love. He also addresses the cultural-philosophical context. There are other perspectives on the market, such as the evolutionary explanation of our brain. A comparison with this can be very illuminating. Moreover, if the theory of evolution is true, then our brain is also a product of chance, time, and probability. Why, then, should we take the results it produces—such as the claim that the theory of evolution is true—seriously? The book currently is available in Dutch only...The Part relating to this topic are III, Section 5.1 ("Evolution: The Abolition of Intelligence") and in IV Section 2.2 ("Explore Faith, Science & Certainty").
There's a remarkable coherence in the Bible. It begins with God's purpose: to form a great community of people with whom He can live forever in an eternal covenant of love. That purpose remains the same from beginning to end. The path to that goal, however, varied: a fresh start with Noah, a new nation with Abraham, a law for Moses, external structures like kingship, charismatic leaders, prophets, harsh consequences, and new opportunities. Yet, it didn't work. Why did everything eventually come to a standstill?
Through all these changes, an overarching story is told. This larger story coheres all the parts. Step by step, it becomes clear that the problem lies not in external structures, failed plans, fragmented politics, or fanatical groups. The heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Humanity has chosen to live a lie and is unable to pull itself out of this quagmire. The Bible thus tells the story of human inability and of God's love that makes it all possible. God Himself sets the tone for His covenant of love. He pierces through the lie of a self-made life. In the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, He Himself lays the foundation for the future. In the life of Jesus, everything comes together. He is the focal point of the Bible and the cornerstone of God's future world.
Besides the (theological) coherence found in the Bible, numerous remarkable prophecies about the Messiah Jesus were written down hundreds of years before He was born. A book that describes what will happen in such detail so far in advance can't simply be dismissed, can it? Here are some examples of texts written long before the start of our era:
Isaiah 7:14 → He was born of a virgin
Micah 5:1 → He is born in Bethlehem
Hosea 11:1 → The Flight into Egypt
Isaiah 40:3 → A forerunner is coming (John the Baptist)
Zechariah 9:9 → He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey
Zechariah 11:12 → He is betrayed for 30 coins
Daniel 9:25-26 → Here even the exact year of Jesus' death is foretold
Psalm 22 → Describes His death by crucifixion and clothes being gambled away
Isaiah 53 → Pierced and buried in a rich man's grave
Jason Lisle wrote the book "Keeping Faith in an Age of Reason." In it, the author addresses numerous "problems" and perceived "contradictions" in the Bible. He demonstrates that each one stems from a lack of logic, historical awareness, or proper reading. The Bible is, in every respect, a solid foundation to stand on. If you have any questions about this topic, this book is highly recommended.
https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/product/keeping-faith-in-an-age-of-reason/
The Bible is a reliable book. It is based on countless manuscripts. However, throughout the history of its transmission, some questionable versions have emerged. Walter Veith discusses this (dubious) history of biblical manuscripts.
Why So Many Bible Versions? The UNTOLD Dark History of Bible Translations | Battle of the Bibles - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tNv-zzpIwBs
If history goes from A to B, then there must have been an A. A beginning...That's remarkable. The universe and the history we live in have a beginning. Because this is difficult to imagine, many traditions assume that the world is eternal in itself. But that idea is completely alien to the Bible. Remarkably, modern science has also concluded that it all began somewhere. Aside from the explanations and times usually associated with this, it is consistent with the Bible: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
Once you know there was a beginning, the question arises: what came before? The Bible's answer to this is that there was no "what," but a "who." Only God Himself is eternal. "Before the mountains were born, or you formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God" – Psalm 90:2. Therefore, God's personal name in the Bible is Yahweh, which means He who is. We cannot imagine that something or someone exists eternally and infinitely. Our minds function with the material they have at their disposal, and they can create order within it, but they have no absolute grasp on these things. Our minds therefore start to creak and squeak as soon as we think about infinity. For where does God Himself come from? You can sing and talk about it, but fully understanding it is impossible.
Yet God's eternal existence isn't illogical. If you ask what existed at the very beginning, you could give an answer. But the question will always arise: what existed before that? Because to imagine something coming from nothing is completely contrary to logic. So you can go on forever, searching for an ultimate beginning. In reality, the only meaningful conclusion is that there must be an infinite beginning. Understanding that there is Someone who has always existed is far beyond our grasp, but it's not illogical.
A beautiful example of God's infinite insight and the limits of our human understanding can be found in mathematics. For many people, math is a boring and difficult subject. But did you know that it holds immense beauty and harmony? In this story, Dr. Jason Lisle explains the Mandelbrot equation. With stunning visualizations, he demonstrates how incredibly beautiful it all works. Even numbers, therefore, are a guide to God's infinite wisdom.