How long humans have been on earth

[waterfall77]

Does anyone know how long humans have been on the earth. I've looked up what the church thinks and what people who believe in evolution think. I thought the truth would be somewhere in between. Just curious if anyone knows.
Thanks Aubrey

[Porter]

Found this from Wikipedia.org:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_history
"Modern humans evolved in Africa around 300,000 years ago and initially lived as hunter-gatherers. They migrated out of Africa during the Last Glacial Period (Ice Age) and had populated most of the Earth by the time the Ice Age ended 12,000 years ago."

Most of the sources I checked out say the same thing. Interestingly, most sources also note that human civilizations began around 6000 years ago when they began farming.

[waterfall77]

Thanks Porter,
That's what I found too. My next question is where is the correlation with Adam and Eve? I have heard Ray say that there were other people on earth at the time of Adam and Eve. So was 300,000 years ago the same time Adam and Eve were on the earth. Also was Adam and Eve mentioned in the Bible because that was the start of God's genealogy,
the start of His people (Israel)? I need a Biblical history lesson.😀
Aubrey

[Porter]

I don't know most of the literal and technical details pertaining to the timeline of Adam and Eve. However, I do think similar to you in that Adam and Eve were the beginning of God's genealogy, spiritually speaking.


If Adam is a type of Christ, and Eve is a type of Christ's Bride, then the words "be fruitful and multiply" gives their relationship a whole new meaning.


Gen 1:28  God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth."


1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.


Ray was right when he stated that God is "Declaring the end from the beginning" (Isa 46:10), starting with the Adam and Eve story. Aside from this, I know very little.


Apologies if the answers I gave you weren't what you were seeking. Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable will come along and give us both a biblical history lesson.

[waterfall77]

Thank you for your response Porter,  it does help. I also wouldn't mind going a little deeper on the topic.🙂

[Porter]

I hope this isn't too far off-topic from your original question, Aubrey, nor am I sure how deep this is, but I was very excited to discover it today. If it wasn't for your OP, I might not have found this so soon.


I had done a study on the miracle birth of Jesus many months ago and found many types of it in the OT. But one thing always stumped me, and it was a phrase found in 1Ti 2:15 "But she will be saved through childbearing..." We can find this same type in Genesis as a type of judgment on Eve for disobeying God.


Gen 3:16 And to the woman He says, "Multiplying, yea, multiplying am I your grief and the groaning of your pregnancy. In grief shall you bear sons. "Yet by your husband is your restoration, and he shall rule over you.


So as I'm looking for answers to the questions in your OP, I came across this from Ray, which solved that which had me stumped in 1Ti 2:15.


https://bible-truths.com/lake16-C.html


"God pointed out the different judgments against Adam and Eve, such as multiplied childbearing pains, sorrow in gathering food all the days of his life, thorns, thistles, and sweat, but no mention of punishment in death or after death."


If Eve is a type of Bride or Elect, then it makes sense that the judgments on the Elect are being compared to "childbearing". The following verse was the clincher for me, as it explained perfectly that which I did not understand.


Gal 4:19  My children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you.


It's like the miracle virgin conception/birth of Jesus all over again throughout this whole age, for and through every individual Jesus is saving by His wise and just judgments. Judgments like childbearing can be painful, but there will be a song of joy in the morning!


Isa 54:1  "Rejoice, barren one, who did not give birth; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the forsaken one will be more than the children of the married woman," says the LORD.


I thought this was relevant, seeing how this may be another example of where God is "Declaring the end from the beginning".


How many more parallels from the Bible can we find from the specific types and parables listed above? Quite a bit, I think.

[waterfall77]

Thanks Porter, very interesting.  I will definitely read  the link you left.
Aubrey