Historical thinking

Question

How could a chronology of prehistory and the basics of cosmology be explained to a audience that lived during biblical times?

Answer 1

Great question Damien!

I am going to provide a little bit of a different answer from the previous two instructors by highlighting how an audience in the Ancient Near East (ANE) would have understood some of the Biblical writings concerning Prehistory--before written records (Gen. 1-11) & and Cosmology--how we view and interpret the larger world around us (Specifically Gen. 1-2:4).

First, lets discuss Cosmology:

In the ANE worldview, the world was not only physical, but it was controlled and dominated by gods, spiritual beings, and even monsters. In the Babylonian creation account, the Enuma Elish, the Gods create the world via a series of wars which highlighted the superior God, Marduk, over other gods in Babylonian pantheon. This was important because the kings of Babylon were said to be incarnations and "divine images" of Marduk.

Another theme that was common in ANE cosmology was the existence of chaos and its connection to water. The earliest documented philosopher was Thales. He was attracted by ANE cosmology and as such, he held that all things came from a chaotic mixture of water, which was organized by its inner spinning. The association of water with life was not unusual or odd, especially for an arid climate. The order from spinning water probably came from the fact that in purifying water, if one were to take a pan and sift it around, the sediment, depending on mass, would begin to separate. Also, monsters and unfamiliar creatures of the "deep" were said to be at war with the gods (cf. the Hittite fable of Illuyanka, or the slaying of Tiamat in the Enuma Elish).

The Genesis narrative of Creation draws from these themes and yet, quite brilliantly, deviates drastically from them. Unlike the gods of the ANE, Elohim does not have to war or fight to create, he simply speaks things into existence ("And Elohim said..." Gen. 1:3). The audience is told that, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth. Now the Earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:1-2)." This reads similar to ANE Cosmological assumptions and themes. What happens next is fascinating, God separates the waters and designates their place in the Cosmos (Gen. 1:6), dividing and organizing them. This imagery would have recalled to a Hebrew audience at Sinai the Red Sea event in which God's Spirit hovered over the water and separated it. Furthermore, Genesis adds two more themes: the theme of Filling and Ruling. God creates these "spheres" where he then fills them and designates things/people which rule them (cf. Day 1 is filled/ruled by things created on Day 4; Day 3 is filled on Day 5 and ruled on Day 6).

Another difference between the Genesis account/cosmology and ANE cosmology is in the creation of the Imago Dei (image of God) in Genesis 1:26-27. Kings aren't said to be created in God's image, but all of humanity is created in God's image. The use of "Image" here holds both religious as well as kingly significance. Whenever a kingdom was conquered by another kingdom, a king would traditionally place an image of himself in center of the city to remind the people who is in control of their lives. Likewise, Elohim makes his own image and places him with a Garden, set to rule over creation. The religious significance was that in temples, images of the deity were present and were said to manifest the presence of the deity. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, Eden is also described as a Holy Mountain (cf. Ezekiel 28:13-14) and it is clear from the description of the four rivers that boundaries are set up like a holy temple, only able to enter from the East (cf. the placement of the Cheribum & Sword in Gen. 3:24 in the East suggest a singular entrance). Thus, God not only places his image to rule, but also to listen to the Words of YHWH and instruct creation on his laws (cf. consider the presence of the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil).

In summary, Genesis provides and engages with themes that were common in the ANE. This should not be surprising or troubling to Jewish and Christian audiences today. God speaks and instructs in ways that humans can understand; thus, it is no surprise that He would adapt imagery and symbols from the ANE to instruct his audience. Nevertheless, God's ability to create in peace and to separate the chaotic waters would have been perceived as a challenge to the "weaker" gods of the ANE, who were dependent upon conflict and strife to create. The sea creatures which represented the Chaotic/Evil forces of the world were simply created and controlled by the voice of God (side note: consider Revelation 21:1 "...and the seas were no more." In Genesis 1, God divides and organizes the chaotic waters and reveals his dominance over them; nevertheless, the waters/chaos remains. Only in the eschaton is chaos truly removed, i.e. the seas are no more.). Kings aren't alone as God's Image but all humanity is created in God's Image and therefore have inherent worth and value.

Now we can talk about Prehistory:

If your still tracking with me, let's discuss Genesis 3-11, the Prehistory of the Biblical narrative. In general, the major thematic similarities and imagery employed in these chapters focus on Man's inability to "hold and keep" God's creation and their wickedness as a consequence. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve are promised a "seed" which would destroy the Serpent (Serpent or Guardian Cherubim? cf. Ezekiel 28) and remove evil from this world. At the birth of Cain Eve proclaims, "With the help of the Lord, I have brought forth a man! (Genesis 4:1)," perhaps out of an expectation that this was the future seed promised. Cain kills Abel (spoiler alert, not the Seed) and Eve bears another son named Seth (again she exclaims, "God has granted me another seed.."; spoiler alert, not the Seed). Cain's descendants are contrasted with the descendants of Seth. The former build cities, forge weapons, and take on multiple wives. These were all characteristics of Kings in the ANE. The latter, act as prophets and priests, highlighted by their longevity and their devotion to God and his laws. They listen to Elohim and proclaim his judgement (i.e. Noah and the Flood). Man continues in their rebellion. After the flood, God once again blesses them and tells them to be "fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 9:1)," and yet, future descendants opt to stay in one place and build a monument to the heavens, in order to "make a name for themselves (Gen. 11:4)." The tower was apparently so small, God had to "come down" to even see the tower (Gen. 11:5)! Irony.

All of this to say, the Prehistory is dominated by themes of promise (i.e. future seed) and a continued struggle between Good and Evil. The pre-flood narrative in which heavenly beings take on human wives reveals the Serpents attempts as polluting the lineage of promise and also man's attempt to subvert God's blessing for longevity (such is the interpretation of Gordon Wenham). What comes after the Prehistory though is God calling men, giving them a name, and promising to bless them and providing a hope for humanity in the form of a future seed.

I know this answer is long winded; however, these themes are important for the Meta-Narrative of the Old Testament and also the whole Bible.

~Cameron Brock

Answer 2

You could start by saying one thing—Genesis 1:1.

In the beginning God created. That is the start of History, light, time, everything except for God. The earth is not billions of years old. Only 6000. The earth was created in 6 literal days of creation. No gap, no evolution, no slow changes over millions of years. God created the world in 6 days as the Bible says.

an audience that lives in Biblical times would look at the world around them and know that they were not there by chance or random mutations—but by our Intelligent Creator God.

Answer 3

Great question! By basics of prehistory, I assume you mean a theory that the earth is several billions of years old. By cosmology, I assume that you are referring to the concept of light years. Both of those two concepts are theories that have a lot of evidence supporting them but cannot be proved scientifically, i.e. using the scientific method, because they relate to the past. Since all those folks had was the Bible as their source, and paleontology was Greek to them, maybe you might start by asking them why there are accounts of dinosaurs (or dragons, which they were called before 1842) living in the Bible as well as, if some of them were learned, why there are accounts of such creatures elsewhere in history. You might also ask them why they believe while there is obviously evolution within a species or kind (cocker spaniel plus poodle equals cockapoo) that all the various kinds were created by a Creator and absent any complete fossil record of transitional forms they think that sometime in the future such fossils will be found which would support an alternative theory of creation. Their answers would help you formulate a response to them.