1. November 8, 2017 www.centralfamily.org under Media Tab
God Is In Control A Brief History from King David to King James I Autumn Week 10 Critical Technologies
November 8, 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 11/29 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. Recommended books
The History of the [Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance] World by Susan Wise Bauer
Long books with a very easy and understandable writing style
However, very thorough without being overly technical

8. 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.

9. Scattering, revisited
Two weeks ago I presented the case that God wanted His people to scatter.
With regard to Adam and Noah, no reason is given for the command.
The world has several places in which resources are available for people to survive.
However, almost no place has all the resources for people to thrive.
The by-product of scattering is that these resources can be found, and through trade, can support human advancement.

10. Silk Road

11. Part 2 Timeline 135 – 1611 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
Holy Roman Empire
Mongol Empire
Song Dynasty
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
Paper invented in China
105
Compass invented in China (divination)
206
Paper appears in Islamic world
751
Gunpowder invented in China
9th Century
Movable type printing invented in China 1040
Paper appears in Spain
1085
Compass used for navigation
11th Century
Compass and gunpowder appear in Europe
13th Century
Gutenberg invents printing press
1450

12. Rapid expansion of the Islamic caliphates 622 - 750

13. Frankish Empire (Holy Roman) circa 800

14. Mongolian empire circa 1300

15. Europe circa 1500

16. Four Chinese inventions
Gunpowder
Magnetic compass
Paper
Movable type printing
The significance of paper and movable type printing in the development and availability of the King James Bible is obvious. The other 2 have to do more with the spread of the KJV in that England’s power to colonialize is in its early stage. The English command of the sea and land is projected by gunpowder and the compass accompanied with its industrial capacity soon to come online.

17. Gunpowder (and the development of the firearm)
Gunpowder first invented in the 9th century.
Mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter.
Gunpowder is considered a low explosive in that the powder deflagrates sending a sub-sonic wave.
This is important because the explosion is enough to force a projectile out of the barrel but not enough to blow the barrel apart.
Early firearm barrels were made of bamboo but later used metal.
Spreads from China via the Islamic caliphates.
Arrives in Europe in the 13th century.

18. Magnetic compass First developed in China in the 3rd century.
Original use appears to be for divination
Does not appear in use for navigation until the 11th century.
Quickly spreads to Europe by the 13th century.

19. Paper Date used for its invention is 105 in China.
Uses rags and other plant fibers in its development
Prior to paper, parchment most widely used which is made of animal skins (nearly all of the Biblical manuscripts are on parchment).
Migrates via Chinese armies (e.g. Turks) to eastern Islamic world (751), Egypt (900), Spain (1085), France (1190).
Europeans developed an industrialized process (e.g. paper mills) to produce came in the 15th century.
Wood as the paper’s pulp was discovered by Europeans by the 19th century.

20. Movable type printing Developed in China in 1040.
First type was made of porcelain
Oldest book known using metal type was from Korea in 1377.
Progression to Europe is not as clear but seems to involve missionaries and/or traders.
Gutenberg developed the press to increase the productivity of the process. He also made advancements in the developing of type moulds.
Printing process is much easier in European languages than east Asian languages because of the lesser complexity of the alphabets.

21. Summary of critical technologies
Other advancements
Ship building
Industrialization using waterwheels …
Several key technologies are appearing in Europe for the low cost development and dissemination of printed books at the same time
Coupled with a stabilizing political Europe and the desire to remove spiritual authority from the Church and place it in Scripture