In the history of the Bible, when are cave men supposed to have existed?

Dear Student of the Bible:

This is Dean Chung. As you review history in contrast with the Bible, there is one constant that must be accepted as a Christian: the inerrancy of Scripture. This means that the Christian’s presupposition (and fact) is that the Bible is the undisputed truth. In addition, the history that is detailed in the Bible is a theological history (or history with a theological viewpoint). As such, I will answer your question from a theological perspective, as I am not a scientist, nor am I an archeologist, nor do I claim to be either.

Today’s culture and worldview would view the caveman as a product of evolution, which has his roots in primates. When we think of “caveman,” our mind conjures up the now popular auto insurance television commercial caveman (with sub-human intelligence). Funny, that same caveman is now the star of a television show, as he is apparently a smart guy. Though, the caveman that is assumed in culture is the non-sensible, non communicable - Neanderthal that is an animal hunter, who happens to live in a cave with his family of four children.

Let me ask you; is this a true depiction of man? In seeking to answer this question, Genesis 1:24-27, states that God created man and woman in His image. Man is the crowning pinnacle of God’s creation. It is evident that from the creation of man, he was created to be an intelligent being as he communicated with God.

May I note that cultural experts at one time believed that hieroglyphics was artwork and not a language, until the discovery of the Rosetta stone in the late 1700’s. Hence, many believed that early civilizations were much like the unintelligent caveman. Though, throughout the Bible, each and every culture and people have a distinct intelligence factor with a spoken, and possibly a written language.

Now, where do cavemen fit in the Bible? Did you know that at the time of Jesus there was a group of ascetic Jews that lived out in the desert and probably lived in caves? They were known as the Essenes, and the Dead Sea Scrolls are usually credited to them. Also, even today, the Bedouin tribes in the Middle East still live in the desert in much the same fashion as the Patriarchs of the Bible: Abraham, Moses and the exodus.

Therefore, today’s view of a caveman may not be altogether factual as viewed from a Christian worldview. Man was created to fill and subdue the earth and rule over the every living thing (Genesis 1:27-28). This takes an intelligent and creative mind that was created by our Lord God. Amen and Blessings. Dean.