Since it is generally accepted that parts of the old testament date back 4000 years, what was there before?

Question

Remember...before the writings...no-one had ever read them - they did NOT exist. So from the point of view of someone living then....what did they believe?

Indeed.....where did the writers get their information? Since there was no such knowlege before...and why do so-many people still believe this account of history when it's origin is so tenuous?

So are you saying that before the 'writen word of God' that it was just 'Chinese whispers'?........and we all know what an inacurate method of comunication that is!

Answer 1

It is not generally accepted that the OT dates back 4000 years.

"While some scholars argue that the texts were composed and edited during the united monarchy and the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel (c1000-586BC) others insist they were late compositions, collected and edited by priests and scribes during the Babylonia exiles and the restoration (5th and 6th centuryBC)
or even as late as the Hellenistic period (4th and 5th century BC)
Yet all agree that the Pentateuch is not a single, seamless composition, but a patchwork of different sources, each written under different historical circumstances to express different religious or political viewpoints"

Most likely most people were pagans worshiping Phoenician, Babylonian, Egyptian or other gods in the time you are asking about.

Answer 2

From my studies, Abraham lived about 2100 BC. The Bible generally reflects an accurate picture of society at that time.
Archaeologists tell us that agriculture began around 8000 BC in the Ancient Near East. Before that there were cave dwellers, hunter gatherers it is believed.
How does all that fit together with the stories of Adam and Eve and Noah? I've never been able to figure that all out. I do notice that when Cain was made an exile, he was afraid of other men out there. It seems that there was a human society around Adam and Eve's family.

Answer 3

you're misinterpreting the passage right here. no matter in case your interpretation were maximum ideal, Christians may nevertheless no longer be required to keep that regulation except they underwent circumcision, and Gentile Christians were under no circumstances required to finish that. Now, are there guidelines codified contained in the prophets? No. are you able to damage or fulfill some thing contained in the prophets which could no longer contained in the prophets? No. If Jesus got here to "fulfill" the "regulation and prophets" then what precisely did He do to finish this? "The regulation on the time became the regulation of the former testomony." No, the regulation in this context are the first 5 books of the former testomony writings, and may also confer with the completed thing of the former testomony writings. "tutor me a verse contained in the Bible which says that it truly is okay to ignore the guidelines of the former testomony?" A loaded question. The previous testomony is likewise the former covenant, and Gentile Christians under no circumstances grew to change right into a criminal celebration to that covenant. also, that covenant ended; being replaced by technique of the recent covenant. Is the recent covenant no longer ok for you? .

Answer 4

Ever hear of oral tradition? Many stories are handed down through song. But in the case of the Old Testament-God inspired Moses to write the first five books. Inspired means 'God- breathed'. God put the very words in Moses, as He did with all the original autographs.

Answer 5

Proof that people have been much more intellegent and adaptable than the people of today are coming to light all the time.
We are now finding that exeptional cultures were wiped out in Europe by the Romans that dated back over 10,000yrs.

This tradition is continuing today------what will our remains reveal? Did you have porridge for breakfast and fasten your jacket to the right or to the left????/

Answer 6

Befor Adam and Eve?lol,Way before them was some chemicals in the sea,which formed life to become creatures swimming around,Some how breading and gasses poluting the sea ang evolution formed life as a creature of land and as a human.Fistly crawling out of the sea in another form,breading and evolving into a huming being...Me,You,Adam and eve,plus evreybody else in that book folloewd in years to come

Answer 7

A lot of it was older than that. It was past down from generation to generation through word of mouth. Plus you have to remember, not everyone could read and write.

Answer 8

Would you believe....its called unwritten history.
word of mouth was what was used before writing.