Chapter 1

“Inquiry” What happened? Why did it happen? What can we learn from those events and people?

Why study history?

What do these people have to do with us today in the 21 st Century A.D.?

Why study history? History prepares us for the future. History gives us cultural identity. History declares God’s glory.

Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

Romans 15:4 “ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Flood account from the Epic of Gilgamesh written in cuneiform on a stone tablet

Think for a moment… Noah, his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law Hebrews who walked across the Red Sea Those who wandered 40 years in the desert Those who crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land at last. Those who marched around Jericho shouting and watched as the walls crumbled. What did they tell their children, grandchildren, neighbors?

How do we know? Primary Sources Produced at the time of the event often by people involved in the event. Secondary Sources Interpret or explain primary sources. Artifacts from Clovis mammoth kill site

Primary or Secondary?

What do we do with the information we gather?

Extracting meaning from sources Evaluation Synthesis Interpretation

Evaluation Is the record internally consistent? Is it believable? How does it compare with similar records?

Historical Synthesis Based on the RELIABLE information gathered, assemble the facts into a narrative of the past.

Historical Interpretation What does this event mean? Are it important? What makes it important? Why did it happen? What are the consequences of this event? How is it relevant to people living today?

What flaws are involved with the historical process? We can’t know everything. May have too much information. What to keep What to leave out Historians, just like all people, have biases. Worldview will affect interpretation of facts.

A Christian World View is Based on God’s Word, the Bible.

Three Central Truths Creation Fall Redemption

Mankind was created in God’s image.

Mankind sinned and fell into human depravity as a result. (sinful human nature)

God sent his son Jesus to redeem mankind from his depravity and to restore him into a relationship with his Creator.

Christian View God knew it all from the beginning. The world is out of control. We have HOPE. God is in control of all. We study history with God’s will in mind.

Christian View The focal point and center of human history is the advent of God as man in the person of Jesus Christ to redeem mankind.

What is your role in history?

Genesis Chapters 1-11

Key Terms from Genesis Study Creation mandate Culture Civilization City Specialization Organization Nations Table of Nations

Key Places Map page 25