-
3500 BCE
Mesopotamia; Invention of Cuneiform
Cuneiform is a system of writing developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia and is the first type of written language.
Source: https://www.ancient.eu/cuneiform/https://www.ancient.eu/cuneiform/ -
Period: 2000 BCE to 400 BCE
Mesopotamia to Egypt; Events of the Old Testament
The Old Testament was written over a period of more than 1500 years. It tells the story of the ancient Israelites in modern-day Middle East. The Old Testament is made of different types of literature such as history books, poetry, and more.
Source: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldtestament/context/ -
1958 BCE
Ur; God Makes Covenant With Abram
God made his first covenant with Abram and told him to move to leave his home and country and move to the land of Canaan.
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/firstcovenant.shtml -
1953 BCE
Egypt; Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Believed to be the Pharaoh that briefly took Sarah as a concubine since Abraham said she was his sister. Ruled during Abraham's lifetime in Egypt.
Source:
https://www.quora.com/Abraham-biblical-figure-What-is-the-approximate-time-period-during-which-Abram-most-likely-visited-Egypt-and-who-was-likely-the-Pharaoh-during-Abrams-visit
https://www.harpscrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Timeline-From-Abram-to-Exodus.pdf -
1950 BCE
Canaan; God Renews Covenant With Abraham
As Abraham began to lose faith, God renewed his covenant with him, saying he would give Abraham land.
Source:
https://www.harpscrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Timeline-From-Abram-to-Exodus.pdf
http://www.alfredplacechurch.org.uk/index.php/sermons/the-life-of-abraham/god-renews-his-covenant-with-abraham/
http://www.biblicalcalendarproof.com/Timeline/AbrahamBirthDate -
1948 BCE
Canaan; Birth of Ishmael
Abraham sleeps with Sarah's maidservant Hagar because Sarah was unable to have children and has a son named Ishmael with Hagar, even though God had promised Sarah would have a son.
Source:
https://www.harpscrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Timeline-From-Abram-to-Exodus.pdf -
1934 BCE
Sodom and Gomorrah; Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were sinful and God decided to destroy them, but saved Abraham and Lot.
Source:
https://www.harpscrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Timeline-From-Abram-to-Exodus.pdf -
1921 BCE
Mount Moriah; Abraham Almost Sacrificing Isaac
Isaac was born in 1933BC and is described to be a boy when Abraham almost sacrificed him. Thus, he must be younger than 13, according to Jewish customs. In Genesis 22, we see God advancing His mission to reflect His glory through a test of Abraham's trust. Abraham proved himself faithful, showing he loved God above all, even Isaac. Abraham reflected God in His righteous characteristics and followed God's will without doubts. Many came to know God through God's work in him and were blessed. -
1921 BCE
Egypt; Joseph Typology Part 1
When Joseph's family came to Egypt during the famine, Joseph forgave them and showed grace. In Genesis 45, Joseph tells his brothers not to be afraid since they thought he would get revenge on them, but that it was God's plan all along. Joseph welcomes them with loving open arms, offering for them to stay in Egypt, although they sold him into slavery all those years ago. Similarly, when Jesus died, all our sins were forgiven. God doesn't hold grudges but instead shows mercy to us everytime. -
1899 BCE
Canaan to Egypt; Joseph Sold Into Slavery
Joseph's brothers were jealous of him because he was Jacob's favorite and had been bragging about dreams where his brothers all bowed down to him. So they sold Joseph into slavery and he ended up in Egypt.
Source:
http://www.bible.ca/d-bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-Joseph-types-Christ-Shadows-Antitypes-similarities-comparisons-2166-1876BC.htm -
Period: 1899 BCE to 1891 BCE
Egypt; Joseph Works for Potiphar
Joseph works for Potiphar who promotes him to be the head of all the servants. However, when Potiphar's wife tries to sleep with Joseph and refuses, she accuses him of sexual assault and he ends up in prison.
Source:
http://www.bible.ca/d-bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-Joseph-types-Christ-Shadows-Antitypes-similarities-comparisons-2166-1876BC.htm -
Period: 1891 BCE to
Egypt; Joseph in Prison
Joseph is put in prison because Potiphar's wife accused him of sexual assault. He becomes a prison guard since the other guards trust him but is unable to get out of prison because the cupbearer forgets about him.
Source:
http://www.bible.ca/d-bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-Joseph-types-Christ-Shadows-Antitypes-similarities-comparisons-2166-1876BC.htm -
1879 BCE
Egypt; Joseph Becomes 2nd in Command
Joseph helped Pharaoh interpret one of his dreams and became second in command of Egypt. When the famine struck, Egypt was prepared and millions were saved. Joseph's family also eventually came to Egypt for food and they reunited.
Source:
http://www.bible.ca/d-bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-Joseph-types-Christ-Shadows-Antitypes-similarities-comparisons-2166-1876BC.htm -
Period: 1873 BCE to 1726 BCE
Beersheba, Harran, Egypt; Jacob's Lifetime
Jacob was born and moved from Beersheba in Canaan to the land of Harran (Padam Aram) to live with Rebekah's brother Laban. Later in his life to Egypt because he found out his son Joseph was also still alive in Egypt.
Source:
http://www.biblicalcalendarproof.com/Timeline/EsauJacobBirth -
1850 BCE
Israel and Judah; Invention of Hebrew Alphabet
Early Hebrew was the alphabet used by the Jewish people before the Babylonian exile. It has only 22 letters with repeated consonants.
- known as Semitic scripts: aleph bet
- pictographic
- written from right to left
- no punctuation/capitalization/spaces
- different grammar rules
- no verses in the Bible
- had to be written before 1000 BC
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hebrew-alphabet -
1792 BCE
Babylon; Hammurabi develops the Code of Hammurabi
Hammurabi was the King of Babylon at that time and the Code of Hammurabi, which he wrote, is the oldest existing code of laws. He developed it during the time period of the Old Testament.
Source: http://www.millingtonumconthefox.org/oldtest_files/oldtestrev7.html -
1445 BCE
Fertile Crescent; Genesis is Written
Moses compiled the book of Genesis which was a collection of stories from different sources.
- chapter 1-11 which are the creation, fall, flood, Babel are impossible to "date" but Abraham is born around 2166 BC
- chapter 12-50 are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
- 2 historical narratives and a few passages of poetry and genealogy
- themes and structure: creation, death, flood, covenant, providence
Sources: https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_678.cf -
Period: 5 BCE to 98
Roman Empire; Events of the New Testament
The New Testament follows the birth and death of Jesus on the cross, as well as the spread of the Gospel after that. First are the Gospels, followed by the Pauline Epistles and General Epistles which are letters to different early churches and believers.
Source:
- https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/chart_40_00_nt_timeline/#chart_40_00_nt_timeline-star-1
- https://www.lds.org/ensign/1983/07/the-setting-of-the-new-testament?lang=eng -
33
Golgotha; Joseph Typology Part 2
In the same way Joseph forgave his brothers in Genesis 45, when God sent Jesus down to die for all of us, we were given the gift of salvation. John 3:16 says God loves us so much he showed us grace through Jesus though we didn't deserve any of it. Joseph could've punished his brothers and sent them back hungry, but he did the exact opposite, as God does for us every single time we choose sin but come back and humbly repent. -
33
Golgotha; Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified in the year AD 33, on Friday, Nisan 14 (the Day of Preparation). He was crucified at Golgotha, a place just outside Jerusalem, which means "place of the skull".
Sources: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/the-date-of-jesus-crucifixion/
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2012/03/30/march-30-2012-where-was-jesus-buried/10645/ -
44
Cilicia, Galatia, Cyprus; Paul Starts 1st Missionary Journey
Paul is accompanied on his first missionary journey with Barnabas and John. They travel through various cities like Seleucia, Cyprus, Paphos, Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe proclaiming the Gospel and performing miracles. The journey ends in 46 AD.
Source: http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/pauls-first-journey-map.html -
49
Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece; Paul Starts 2nd Missionary Journey
Paul travels through Antioch, Cilicia, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, Macedonia, Greece and more. He is joined with other apostles like James, Peter, John, and Barnabas just to name a few. His journey lasts through 52 AD.
Source: http://www.about-jesus.org/paul-second-missionary-journey-map.htm
http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-second-missionary-journey-map.html -
53
Galatia, Asia Minor Macedonia; Paul Starts 3rd Missionary Journey
Paul's 3rd journey lasts till 58 AD and he travels through roughly the same places as his 2nd journey but retraces his steps on the way back. During this journey he writes some of the epistles such as 1 Corinthians in Ephesus.
Source: http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-third-missionary-journey-map.html -
54
Rome; Nero Succeeds Claudius
Roman Emperor Nero succeeds Emperor Claudius after his death. This happened during the time period of Paul's missionary journeys, which makes sense as he traveled throughout the Roman Empire to spread the Gospel.
Source:
https://www.ancient.eu/claudius/ -
1500
Aztec Empire; Aztec Oral Tradition
Spanish conquistadors wrote about Aztec oral traditions at around this time, so the oral traditions must've survived until this point. After this point in history, they started dying out, probably because of the colonization by European countries that wiped out the culture that was previously there.
Source: http://rubens.anu.edu.au/raid1/student_projects97/aztec/ATime.html/ATime2.html -
Singapore; My Birthday
I was born. Rachel was born 13 days later. -
ICS; I Started R1
I came to ICS in R1 kindergarten. -
Worldwide; God's Covenant with Abraham Fulfilled
In God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, He promised He would make his name great. At present, Abraham is the most well-known earliest ancient figure. Whether people know of him through Sunday schools songs like Father Abraham or by studying early history, most everyone knows Abraham. Through this, people can start to get interested in Christianity. This date marks the start of The Bible TV miniseries, in which there is a character of Abraham, another way Abraham has been introduced. -
ICS; Personal Reflection
In Genesis 12, God tells Abram to leave his people in Ur and follow Him to Canaan. In the same way, over Vida Nueva, I truly felt like God was calling me to trust wherever His plan may take me. Abram wasn't fearful or doubtful, he simply placed faith in God. Abram left his sinful ways and wasn't worried what others would think of him. I used to be pretty scared of what others' opinions of me, but this weekend I recommitted my life to God's will, and I know I have God even during struggles.
