A recent article in Scientific American compiles some very interesting statistics to show, “The family tree of humanity is much more interconnected than we tend to think.”
The article demonstrates the simple fact we have lots of ancestors that grow exponentially by the power of 2 with every generation. After 20 or so generations, this explodes to astonishing numbers. And by 33 generations, which is only 800 to 1000 years ago, you would have more ancestors than people who have ever lived on the Earth.
| Generation | Ancestors |
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 | 8 |
| … | |
| 32 | 4294967296 |
| 33 | 8589934592 |
The statistics show 2 startling conclusions:
- Every human being on the Earth shares a common ancestor, who lived somewhere between 1400 B.C. and 55 A.D.
- Every human being on the Earth is a direct descendent of someone who lived between 5300 B.C. and 2200 B.C.
This agrees with the Biblical account of creation in Genesis, which is widely believed to have occurred about 4000 B.C.
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:4-7 KJV)
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:42-49 WEB)
Whenever science, genealogy, and statistics agree with the Bible, I smile because the same God, who spoke the worlds into existence, inspired the Bible, so it’s really the other way around.
It doesn’t mean this at all (about Timeline of Adam and Eve). Neither is that what scripture is to be used for (to argue about dates).
Instead…
Jesus said “you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life. They are they which testify of me”
Jesus also said (to Thomas)
“Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed”
We are looking through a glass darkly (Paul) and we will need to wait until all things are revealed.
I will rely on what Jesus said and leave the argument to others.