Biblical History

A historical timeline from prehistory and the patriarchs of Israel, to the New Testament and the growth of the church to the present day.

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Jump to: 1. Primeval History 2. Patriarchs 3. Exodus 4. Kingdom 5. Exile 6. Foreign Rule 7. New Testament 8. Post-Biblical
Primeval Times / Creation

1. The Primeval History (Prehistoric Time)

"The foundational narrative of God and humanity"

Key Events

This is the foundational narrative of the Bible that sets the framework for the relationship between God and humanity.

Key Accounts

  • • Creation and Fall: God creates the universe, the earth, and the first humans (Adam and Eve). Humanity breaks God's command (the Fall), and evil enters the world.
  • • Noah's Ark and the Flood: The world is marked by moral decay. God sends a great flood to cleanse the earth, but spares Noah and his family to start anew.
  • • The Tower of Babel: Humans attempt to build a tower reaching to heaven to make a name for themselves. God confuses their languages and scatters them across the earth.
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Key Scripture Genesis 1-11
C. 2000 – 1600 BC

2. The Patriarchal Era

"The story of the founding fathers of Israel"

Key Events

This is the epoch in which God enters into a special covenant with chosen patriarchs to raise up a holy people.

Key details

  • • Abraham's Calling (c. 1800 BC): God commands Abraham to leave his homeland, promising him a new land (Canaan) and that his descendants will become a great nation.
  • • Isaac and Jacob: The covenant is passed down through Abraham's son Isaac and grandson Jacob (who is named Israel). Jacob's 12 sons become the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel.
  • • Joseph in Egypt: Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, is sold as a slave to Egypt by his brothers. He rises to become Pharaoh's second-in-command, saving his family from famine. The entire nation settles in Egypt.
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Key Scripture Genesis 12-50
C. 1300 – 1200 BC

3. Exodus and the Wilderness Wanderings

"From slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land"

Key Events

An era marked by dramatic rescues, covenant-making, and preparation to enter the land of Canaan.

Key details

  • • Moses and the Exodus: The Israelites have grown numerous and have sunk into slavery. God calls Moses, sends the ten plagues upon Egypt, and leads the people through the Red Sea.
  • • The Giving of the Law at Sinai: God enters into a covenant with the people, giving Moses the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law (the Torah).
  • • 40 Years in the Wilderness: Due to unbelief, the people must wander in the wilderness for 40 years before a new generation is allowed to enter the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership.
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C. 1200 – 930 BC

4. The Era of the Judges and the United Kingdom

"The golden age of Israel's national history"

Key Events

The transition from a loose tribal confederation under spiritual leaders to a centralized kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital.

Key details

  • • The Judges (c. 1200–1050 BC): Before Israel had kings, they were led by charismatic military and spiritual leaders (judges) like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah when attacked by neighboring peoples.
  • • King Saul (c. 1050 BC): The Israelites demand a king. Saul is anointed as the nation's first king.
  • • King David (c. 1010–970 BC): David makes Jerusalem his capital, unites all the tribes, and significantly expands the kingdom. God promises that his royal line will last forever.
  • • King Solomon and the First Temple (c. 970–930 BC): David's son, Solomon, builds the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. The kingdom experiences extreme wealth and peace, but also growing discontent.
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C. 930 – 538 BC

5. The Divided Kingdom and Exile

"Fall, prophets, and Babylonian captivity"

Key Events

Crisis of faith, political dissolution, and deportation from the homeland after repeated warnings from the prophets.

Key details

  • • The Kingdom Splits (930 BC): After Solomon's death, the kingdom splits in two: the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
  • • The Fall of the Northern Kingdom (722 BC): The Northern Kingdom is conquered and scattered by Assyria. The tribes from here disappear from history ("The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel"). Prophets like Elijah and Amos warned in vain against social injustice and idolatry.
  • • The Fall of the Southern Kingdom and Babylonian Captivity (586 BC): The Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar conquer the Southern Kingdom, burn Solomon's Temple, and lead the elite into exile in Babylon. Here, prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel minister.
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C. 538 BC – Year 0

6. Persian, Greek, and Roman Rule

"Rebuilding, Hellenism, and Roman occupation"

Key Events

Rebuilding of the Temple in a land occupied by shifting empires, creating a tense atmosphere of expectation.

Key details

  • • The Return and the Second Temple (538 BC): The Persian king Cyrus conquers Babylon and allows the Jews to return home. The Temple and Jerusalem's walls are rebuilt under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah.
  • • The Hellenistic (Greek) Period: Alexander the Great conquers the Middle East. The Jews fight for their religious identity, culminating in the Maccabean Revolt (160s BC).
  • • Roman Occupation (63 BC): The Romans take control of Judea. King Herod the Great is installed as client king. It is in this tense, occupied atmosphere that the New Testament begins.
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C. 4 BC – 100 AD

7. The New Testament and the Early Church

"The birth of Christianity and the spread of the Gospel"

Key Events

The life and ministry of Jesus on earth, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and the sending of the Spirit upon the apostles.

Key details

  • • Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection (c. 4 BC – 30 AD): Jesus is born in Bethlehem. He is baptized, preaches the Kingdom of God, performs signs, and challenges the religious leaders. He is crucified under Pontius Pilate, but his disciples testify that he rose again three days later.
  • • Pentecost and the Birth of the Church: The Holy Spirit falls upon the disciples, and the first Christian congregation is formed in Jerusalem.
  • • Paul's Missionary Journeys and NT Writings (c. 45–100 AD): The Gospel spreads to non-Jews in the Roman Empire. Paul and the other apostles write the letters and gospels that today make up the New Testament.
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C. 100 AD – Present

8. Post-Biblical Era to the Present Day

"History continues after the biblical canon"

Key Events

How the church grew through persecution and schism to become the world's largest religion.

Key details

  • • The Destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD): The Jews rebel against the Romans, leading to the burning of the Second Temple and the Jews being driven into diaspora (scattered across the world).
  • • Christianity Becomes the State Religion (380 AD): Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Theodosius. The 66 books of the Bible (canon) are finalized.
  • • The Great Schism (1054) and The Reformation (1517): The Church splits into East/West (1054), and later Martin Luther challenges the Catholic Church (1517), leading to the formation of Protestant churches.
  • • Modern Era and Israel (1948): After nearly 2000 years in diaspora, the modern state of Israel is established in 1948, an event many read in light of biblical prophecies of return.
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Historical Context

Church history and the global church today (over 2.4 billion believers)

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God's Plan of Redemption Through History

Through every historical era—from creation, through the covenants and Israel's kings, to the birth of Jesus and the growth of the early church—we see a continuous thread. The Bible tells the story of God's faithfulness and His pursuit of relationship with humanity.

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