THE BIBLICAL STRUCTURE OF HISTORY

1 THE BIBLICAL STRUCTURE . OF HISTORY . Books by the Author An Economic Commentary on the Bible (31 volumes, 1982 2012). Marx's Religion of Revolution (1968, 1989). An Introduction to Christian Economics (1973). Puritan Economic Experiments (1974, 1988). Unconditional Surrender (1980, 2011). Successful Investing in an Age of Envy (1981). Government by Emergency (1983). Backward, Christian Soldiers? (1984). 75 Bible Questions Your Instructors Pray You Won't Ask (1984). Coined Freedom (1984). Conspiracy: A BIBLICAL View (1986). Honest Money (1986).

2 Unholy Spirits (1986, 1994). Dominion and Common Grace (1987). Inherit the Earth (1987). Liberating Planet Earth (1987). Healer of the Nations (1987). The Pirate Economy (1987). Is the World Running Down? (1988). When Justice Is Aborted (1989). Political Polytheism (1989). The Hoax of Higher Criticism (1990). Victim's Rights (1990). Millennialism and Social Theory (1990). Westminster's Confession (1991). Christian Reconstruction (1991), with Gary DeMar The Coase Theorem (1992). Salvation Through Inflation (1993). Rapture Fever (1993).

3 Tithing and the Church (1994). Crossed Fingers (1996). The Five Pillars of BIBLICAL Success (2008). The Covenantal Tithe (2011). Gertrude Coogan's Bluff (2012). Mises on Money (2012). God's Covenants (2014). Christian Economics: Teacher's Edition (2017). Christian Economics: Student's Edition (2017). THE BIBLICAL STRUCTURE . OF HISTORY . Gary North Point Five Press The BIBLICAL STRUCTURE of HISTORY Copyright Gary North, 2022. Point Five Press Box 2778. Dallas, Georgia 30132. Whenever you see a short link in this book, please go to the PDF.

4 Document and download it to your hard disk if I wrote it. If you have a website or blog, post it. This will get wider distribution. This will guaran- tee the document will be available permanently. I do not want my books to disappear. This book is dedicated to Ardischir Arguelles Who is just getting started TABLE OF CONTENTS. Preface .. ix Introduction .. 1. Part 1: Christian Analytical Categories of HISTORY Introduction to Part 1 .. 19. 1. Creation .. 23. 2. Image .. 38. 3. Law .. 54. 4. Imputation .. 68. 5. Inheritance .. 83. Conclusion to Part 1.

5 100. Part 2: Humanistic Analytical Categories of HISTORY Introduction to Part 2 .. 107. 6. Evolution .. 110. 7. Autonomy .. 126. 8. Relativism .. 143. 9. Nominalism .. 159. 10. Entropy .. 177. Conclusion to Part 2 .. 194. Part 3: Christian Historiography Introduction to Part 3 .. 199. 11. Stories .. 210. 12. Representation .. 225. 13. Civilization .. 241. 14. Justice .. 257. 15. Progress .. 273. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Conclusion to Part 3 .. 289. Conclusion .. 293. Appendix .. 315. Scripture Index .. Index .. PREFACE. A. Benefits of Reading This Book I wrote this book so that a hard core of Christian leaders and prospec- tive leaders will read it and then will act on what they have read.

6 Leaders act representatively. Action is crucial to all forms of leadership: in households, churches, and everywhere else. Knowledge alone is insufficient for meaning- ful change, either personally or institutionally. We must act in terms of what we believe. But, before we act, we had better count the cost. Jesus said: For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish (Luke 14:28 30).

7 Maybe you do not want to be a leader. You are a leader anyway. If you are a parent, you are a leader. Parents teach their children. If you make deci- sions on behalf of others, you are a leader. Basic to all forms of leadership is the knowledge of HISTORY . Every organization has a HISTORY . Successful lead- ers must know something about the past of the organizations in which they possess God-given responsibility. They need to know how they got into the positions they occupy. They need to know something about the successes and failures of previous leaders.

8 Why should you start reading this book? Why should you finish reading it? Because you are the heir to a great gift: Christian civilization. It began on the day Adam was created (Genesis 1:26). It will not end on the day of judg- ment (Matthew 25). It will extend into eternity (Revelation 21, 22). You owe God thanks. The more you know about the HISTORY of Christian civilization, the more thanks you will owe. He who has received more from God owes more to God. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

9 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged (Luke 7:41 43). ix x The BIBLICAL STRUCTURE of HISTORY This debt includes your present knowledge of God's dealings with His people through the ages. The Bible is filled mostly with stories of God's dealings with His people. You know some of them. You know about God and Adam, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood.

10 You know about David and Solomon. You may not be able to identify when they lived, but you know that historical time is linear. It had a beginning, and it will have an end: the final judgment. This STRUCTURE gives meaning to Bible stories. You also know stories about Jesus. These stories are central to your faith. You know about His resurrection from the dead. Paul put this event at the center of Christian faith. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). Then he said it again: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins (v.)