The Bible is a historical document dealing with God’s wonderful plan as it has been revealed through the ages. Because of its historical setting, a comparison of Bible history and secular history will help us to understand the peoples, lands and messages of each Testament in the Bible. The Jews through whom God worked, lived in a land which was influenced by the nations around it, and many are mentioned in the Scriptures. We want to compare the world powers and the rise and development of God’s Kingdom as they happened.
After the flood, the world was populated by the descendants of Noah. No trustworthy records of world history, outside of the Bible, exist to cover the period of the Creation to 2348 BC. About 2000 BC God called Abraham and initiated that chain of events which culminated in Christ’s death at Calvary, the establishment of his Kingdom and the revelation of his gospel.
Through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God developed a nation of people which were called Israelites (Hebrews - Jews). The Israelites were formed into a nation by Moses at Mount Sinai when they received the Law and later the Promised land, as recorded in Exodus and Judges in the Old Testament. Beginning with 1st & 2nd Samuel we trace the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon in the Kingdom of Israel from 1000 BC to the last prophet Malachi, 400 BC. During much of this time the Kingdom was divided and the Israelites oppressed by the various world powers whom God used to punish his disobedient people.
As God was forming the nucleus of the Jewish Kingdom, the early Babylonian Empire was the dominant force in that area. Assyria became important to Jewish history during the latter times of the United Kingdom. The latter Babylonian - Chaldean, and Persian Empire governed the Middle East during 625 to 330 BC. These powers are often spoken of through the prophets of Israel. From 587 to 535 BC Judah was enslaved in Babylon. From 330 BC to the birth of Christ, the Jewish nation served under other nations: Alexander’s Macedonian Empire, the Selucian kings of Syria and the Ptolemy Kings of Egypt, successors to Alexander. The Maccabean period covers the Jewish revolts against their captors which the Maccabean family led during this period. In 63 BC, the Jews were conquered by the Roman Empire. Herod appointed King of Judea by the Romans from 37 to 4 BC.
In 4 BC both John and Jesus were born, approximately six months apart. Some 30 years later they began their ministries to the Jewish nation. In Christ’s ministry He prophesied the Destruction of the Jewish nation, Matthew 23 & 24. This occurred in 70 AD at the hand of the Roman General Titus, son of Vespacian the Emperor.
At Christ’s death, the entire Old Testament system was fulfilled and abolished, Luke 24:44-48; Hebrews 9:15-17; Colossians 2:14; and the apostles began their work of evangelizing the world (Mark 16:15-16). From the year 33-100 AD the New Testament gospel message was fully given, recorded, and preached unto the world (Jude 3; Colossians 1:23). At Jerusalem the church was first established and spread into the world (Acts 2). The apostolic period with the miraculous powers Christ gave to the twelve apostles ended at the death of John, about 100 AD. †
After the flood, the world was populated by the descendants of Noah. No trustworthy records of world history, outside of the Bible, exist to cover the period of the Creation to 2348 BC. About 2000 BC God called Abraham and initiated that chain of events which culminated in Christ’s death at Calvary, the establishment of his Kingdom and the revelation of his gospel.
Through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God developed a nation of people which were called Israelites (Hebrews - Jews). The Israelites were formed into a nation by Moses at Mount Sinai when they received the Law and later the Promised land, as recorded in Exodus and Judges in the Old Testament. Beginning with 1st & 2nd Samuel we trace the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon in the Kingdom of Israel from 1000 BC to the last prophet Malachi, 400 BC. During much of this time the Kingdom was divided and the Israelites oppressed by the various world powers whom God used to punish his disobedient people.
As God was forming the nucleus of the Jewish Kingdom, the early Babylonian Empire was the dominant force in that area. Assyria became important to Jewish history during the latter times of the United Kingdom. The latter Babylonian - Chaldean, and Persian Empire governed the Middle East during 625 to 330 BC. These powers are often spoken of through the prophets of Israel. From 587 to 535 BC Judah was enslaved in Babylon. From 330 BC to the birth of Christ, the Jewish nation served under other nations: Alexander’s Macedonian Empire, the Selucian kings of Syria and the Ptolemy Kings of Egypt, successors to Alexander. The Maccabean period covers the Jewish revolts against their captors which the Maccabean family led during this period. In 63 BC, the Jews were conquered by the Roman Empire. Herod appointed King of Judea by the Romans from 37 to 4 BC.
In 4 BC both John and Jesus were born, approximately six months apart. Some 30 years later they began their ministries to the Jewish nation. In Christ’s ministry He prophesied the Destruction of the Jewish nation, Matthew 23 & 24. This occurred in 70 AD at the hand of the Roman General Titus, son of Vespacian the Emperor.
At Christ’s death, the entire Old Testament system was fulfilled and abolished, Luke 24:44-48; Hebrews 9:15-17; Colossians 2:14; and the apostles began their work of evangelizing the world (Mark 16:15-16). From the year 33-100 AD the New Testament gospel message was fully given, recorded, and preached unto the world (Jude 3; Colossians 1:23). At Jerusalem the church was first established and spread into the world (Acts 2). The apostolic period with the miraculous powers Christ gave to the twelve apostles ended at the death of John, about 100 AD. †