We often imagine that the world of the Bible was remote and isolated. Rarely do we compare the history we learned in school with the biblical stories we learned in Sunday school. But when you line up the events, there are some fascinating discoveries.
For example:
- The ancient Olympic games in Greece (776 BC) were about the time of biblical prophets Jonah, Hosea, and Amos.
- Confucius in China, Buddha in India, and the prophet Daniel all lived in the same era.
- Cleopatra of Egypt died just 30 years before Jesus was born. One could imagine his family telling stories about her.
For hundreds of other comparisons, see this handy Bible Time Line that fits in the back of your Bible (or get the PDF for your computer or iPad).
Or for those who are really into history, here’s a 20-foot Bible time line that includes Christian history events. Or for iPad.