1. November 1, 2017 www.centralfamily.org under Media Tab
God Is In Control A Brief History from King David to King James I Autumn Week 9 Rise of the Tribal Europe
November 1, 2017
under Media Tab

2. Class description
Present secular history from King David to the coming of the English Bible in order to demonstrate that God’s Providence extends outside the Biblical narrative into the entire creation.
Present the class in 2 parts
King David to end of the New Testament
End of the New Testament to widely available English Bible
My goal is to inspire awe in our God. God is the God of all Creation including the institutions of Men.
Part 1 will focus on presenting the concept that Jesus came “at just the right time” [Romans 5:6] . This timing supported the spread of His message throughout the world.
Part 2 will focus on God protecting His scripture and getting it into everyday man’s hands. This will not focus on the English history as much as the world history that led to the widespread availability of the Word.

3. Class outline
9/6 Introduction Part 1 9/13 Assyria 9/20 Babylon 9/27 Persia 10/4 Esther: Queen of Persia (Jim Norville) 10/11 Greece 10/18 Rome 10/25 Summary of the Biblical Era
Part 1 is ordered by timeline. In other words, the succession of empires to the end of the New Testament.
Note that Week 5 I will be absent. Jim Norville has graciously volunteered to teach that week. Esther is a narrative from the middle of the Persian Empire. This book also is the most detailed Biblical account of daily life from Persia.

4. Class outline
Part 2 11/1 Fall of Rome and the Rise of Tribal Europe 11/8 Critical Technologies 11/15 Overview of the Manuscripts and the Canon 11/22 The Translation into English
Part 2 is ordered thematically. The broad timeline (~1500 years) and the limited class periods make a timeline approach very challenging. In my view, this approach better supports the class purpose of producing awe.

5. Personal statement of belief and point of view
I believe that Scripture is accurate (e.g. true) at the precision (e.g. detail) that it is stated.
I believe that when people increase the precision of the true statement then they run the risk of making it a false statement.
Therefore, I personally tend to be very careful of “boxing” God in and stating with certainty details that are not clearly given.

6. One more belief of mine when studying Scriptures
I am careful to not reject facts just because someone uses those facts to justify a conclusion that I believe is false.
This reasoning is very similar to my use of the previously discussed Precision vs. Accuracy belief.
I believe that the Scripture is the inspired Word of God (e.g. accurate) and therefore the facts and conclusions of this world will be assessed against the Word at the precision that it is written.
If Scripture’s precision gives a wide (narrow) swath, then I will give the facts of the world a wide (narrow) swath.

7. The source of the Scriptures
II Timothy 3:28-29
All scripture is {God-breathed (NIV), inspired by God (NLT), given by God(KJV)} and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
This passage I believe to be accurate in that the ultimate source for all Scripture is God Himself. However, the precision of this verse does not explain to us how that happened, that it is limited to the authors, that the authors were eye-witnesses, or who selected the books to be in the canon (e.g. the Bible). The precision of this verse potentially encompasses all of these possibilities plus more.

8. Summary thesis of Part 1
God is in control of all things in history including those facts described in the Bible and those facts that are not
God’s purpose has been fulfilled by numerous people over time. Many of these people were not aware of their participation in God’s plan. The majority of were corrupt and evil in their actions.
In the end, God always gets His way and it will be for the benefit of those who trust Him and put that trust into action.

9. Roman empire at its zenith

10. The state of Israel and/or Judea
After the Jewish War (67-73 AD), the Kitos War, and the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132 – 136 AD), the state of Judea/Israel ceases to exist as a political entity until 1948 AD.
The Temple, and all its contents, are destroyed by the Roman army. It has never been rebuilt.
Those contents include all of the records establishing ancestry. This means that no one can prove descent from Aaron, therefore no one can serve as priest. The Law of Moses can no longer be carried out (e.g. no one can offer sacrifices.)

11. Part 2 Timeline 135 – 1609 AD Part 2 Time Period 850 1000 1150 1300
Roman Empire (United or Western)
31 BC – 476 AD
Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman)
Persia (Sasanian)
The Saracen Caliphates
Great Britain
date
Frankish Kingdom
Mongol Empire
Ottoman Empire
Greece, for any practical consideration, never really existed as an empire. Certainly the Greeks, specifically the Macedonians, conquered Persia in its entirety. However, with Alexander’s early death, the Persian empire was divided by Alexander’s generals into 4 distinct Greek nations. These nations would fight back and forth among themselves, with other internal and external nations, until they were ultimately swallowed by the expanding Roman Republic.
This timeline shows the four Greek nations but space does not allow showing each of their kings. Judaea will exist as a province within either the Ptolemaic nation or the Seleucid nation or, for a brief time, and independent nation. All of these events occur during what is commonly called the Silent Period or Intertestamental Period with regards to the Scriptures.
Crusades
Renaissance
850
1000
1150
1300
1450
1600
100
250
400
550
700
Hadrian dissolves
Judea (135)
Constantine invokes Christ (312)
Muhammed is born (570)
Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne (800)
Great Schism of the Catholic Church (1054)
Columbus “discovers” the Americas (1492)
Martin Luther’s theses (1517)

12. Byzantine Empire 6th century

13. Constantinople

14. Rapid expansion of the Islamic caliphates 622 - 750

15. Muhammad family tree brother Father Abu Talib W W Khadija Muhammad
Aishah
Abu Bakr
Caliph 1
Ali
Caliph 4
Umar
Caliph 2
Fatima
Uthman
Caliph 3
Internal struggles over secession of authority would follow Uthman, a companion of Muhammad. Since Ali was truly related to the Prophet, those who believe that he is the true representative of Muhammad are called the “party of Ali” (Shi’ite). The other are called Sunni.

16. Frankish Empire (Holy Roman) circa 800

17. Charlemagne Named Charles I, king of the Franks.
United the Frankish regions under single control.
Rescued the Pope when under pressure from the Lombards when Constantinople was unable (or unwilling) to assist.
Crowned Emperor by the Pope in Rome.
First confirmed time a Christian bishop designated a king. Previously, bishop were designated the Byzantine emperor

18. Silk Road

19. Byzantine Empire 11th century

20. Great Schism
In 1054, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo IX orders all churches in Italy to conform to Latin teachings
The Bishop of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch Michael I retaliates against churches in Constantinople
The two end up excommunicating each other ending communion between the two

21. Mongolian empire circa 1300

22. Europe circa 1500

23. Summary of rise of tribal Europe
This period of time saw widespread migration and conflict as various tribes and peoples began fighting for the remains of the Roman empire.
Two major religions would start in this time period, Christianity and Islam. Both would have a schism that exists to this day (Eastern and Western Catholicism; Shi’ite and Sunni Islam)
Both religions would be co-opted into political authority leading to extending wars within and without.
By the end of this period, Europe is beginning to settle into states (though the warring continues unabated). These states will begin a substantial colonialization effort around the end of this period.
Major changes are going to begin in the 16th century.