What is the biblical history of early humanity?

Quick answer

The biblical history of early humanity begins with God’s creation, humanity’s fall, and God’s work to redeem and restore what sin has destroyed. Throughout early humanity, God’s grace is evident, pointing toward His ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible is the story of God and His interaction with His creation. Specifically, it is the story of how mankind fell with no hope of redeeming itself and how God provided Jesus as the way of redemption. God's redemptive work in early humanity begins with creation, where He made Adam and Eve in His image and gave them dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:27–28). Despite their sin in the garden of Eden, God promised a future Redeemer who would crush the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). Even in their rebellion, God showed mercy by clothing Adam and Eve and protecting them from eternal corruption (Genesis 3:21–24). When humanity's wickedness reached its peak, God spared Noah and his family, preserving a remnant through the flood to restart humanity (Genesis 6:9—9:19). Throughout these events, God’s grace and justice were evident, continually pointing toward His ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The time recounted in early Genesis has many lessons for us, but one of the most significant is how quickly people can turn their backs on God. Adam and Eve walked with God and spoke to Him directly, yet their son committed the first murder. Going by the genealogies given in Genesis, Adam was still alive during the time of Methuselah and Lamech; Noah was born about 130 years after Adam's death. Yet the people were so evil that God had to destroy them. Noah was still alive when Abraham was born. Yet during that time, God had to divide the languages and the tribes to mitigate the people's reach of evil. While Noah was still alive, new religions were created, assigning powers and authorities to gods that didn't exist, and lasting into the ages of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans (it's believed the goddess Ishtar, found in the Epic of Gilgamesh , went on to inspire Venus and Aphrodite). Although the story of the flood spread with the tribes of Babel, it was often distorted beyond easy recognition.

Despite humanity’s rebellion and continued sin, God’s plan of redemption and restoration that was promised in Genesis 3:15 continued. His faithfulness and lovingkindness led to clothing Adam and Eve, to protecting them from living in a continued state of sin and the curse of sin, showing grace to Cain, saving people from themselves, saving Noah and his family, promising never to flood the earth again, etc. The biblical history of early humanity is full of assurances of God’s character—especially His goodness and sovereignty—which give us hope for now and for eternity. The same God who created the universe, sustains us. The same God who clothed Adam and Eve provided the covering we need to be saved from our sins. The same God who saved Noah calls us to find our salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The same God who promised to restore and redeem all that sin destroyed is still at work until the day where all will be made new (Revelation 21:1–5).

UNDERSTAND

REFLECT

ENGAGE