Discovering God's Presence: Where Are All the People Seeking His Light?

Where Are All the People?

The population of the world is currently over 8 billion and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Many people wonder how the population could have grown to such a size in just a few thousand years since the time of Noah's family, who survived the global Flood around 4,500 years ago. This article will explore this question from a conservative Christian perspective, providing biblically-grounded answers and addressing common misconceptions.

1. How Did the Population Grow from Noah's Family?

According to the Bible, everyone on Earth today is a descendant of Noah's sons and daughters-in-law. The growth rate needed to reach today's population from just eight individuals after the Flood is surprisingly small. With a growth rate of less than 0.5% per year since that time, the current population can be accounted for. It's important to note that population growth is not necessarily due to people having more children than before or fewer deaths; it's primarily a result of compound growth over generations.

To illustrate this concept, consider the story of the inventor of chess who asked his king for one grain of rice doubled for each successive square on a chessboard. The amount of rice on the last square would have been so immense that it surpassed the total world rice harvest at present. Similarly, population growth is exponential, leading to an ever-increasing number of people being added with each generation. Given enough time, even small rates of growth can result in significant population increases.

2. What Causes Population Growth?

Population growth occurs when more people are born than die. Contrary to popular belief, modern medicine is not solely responsible for the world's population growth. In fact, "third world" countries contribute most to population growth, suggesting that factors beyond medical advancements play significant roles.

Countries in South America and Africa experience population growth rates exceeding 3% per year, while many industrialized nations with advanced medical facilities have growth rates below 0.5%. The transition from agriculture to manufacturing and technology has played a crucial role in slowing population growth in industrialized countries. In the past, farmers needed many children to help with the labor-intensive agricultural work. However, with the advent of mechanization and social security pensions, people no longer feel compelled to have large families for economic security.

3. What Growth Rate Is Needed to Reach Today's Population?

Calculating the growth rate required to reach today's population from Noah's family is relatively straightforward. With a conservative estimate of 4,500 years since the Flood, a growth rate of less than 0.5% per year is sufficient. This rate aligns with the biblical account, which indicates rapid population growth in the immediate post-Flood generations.

When examining the genealogies in Genesis 10 and 11, we find that Noah's sons and daughters-in-law had numerous children and grandchildren. Assuming an equal number of daughters, each couple averaged around 10 children. In just four generations after the Flood, there would have been over 3,000 people considering the longevity of individuals at that time.

Even if we estimate that there were 300 million people at the time of Christ's resurrection, the required growth rate since the Flood is only 0.75% per year. These figures demonstrate that the biblical account aligns with population growth rates throughout history.

4. What If Humans Had Been Around for One Million Years?

Evolutionary theories claim that humans evolved from apes approximately one million years ago. However, if we assume a population growth rate of just 0.01% per year since then (doubling every 7,000 years), the resulting population would be astronomical — beyond comprehension. The number of people today would be so vast that it would exceed the total number of atoms in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Evolutionists argue that disease, famine, and war kept population numbers relatively constant during this supposed long history. However, such claims stretch credulity to the limits. The biblical perspective provides a more reasonable explanation for the population growth we observe today.

5. Where Are All the Bodies?

If humans had been around for hundreds of thousands of years as claimed by some evolutionary theories, we would expect to find a significant number of human remains and artifacts. However, the evidence does not align with these expectations.

Fossil evidence shows that people buried their dead with artifacts, indicating that cremation was not widely practiced until more recent times. If there were millions of people living during the supposed "Stone Age" of 100,000 years, we would expect billions of bodies buried in the earth. Yet, the number of human fossils found is much lower than anticipated.

This inconsistency suggests that the "Stone Age" scenario is erroneous. Instead, a more plausible explanation is that certain groups descended into a more primitive lifestyle after the Tower of Babel incident (Genesis 11). These groups may have used stone tools while developing agriculture and rediscovering technology appropriate to their new environments.

6. Australian Aborigines: How Long Have They Been in Australia?

The history of Australian Aboriginal population presents another interesting case. When Europeans settled in Australia in 1788, they estimated the Aboriginal population to be around 300,000. This number contradicts claims that the Aboriginal people have been in Australia for over 60,000 years or more.

Even allowing for one-third of the land area as desert and considering a subsistence existence, a population of just 300,000 people in such a vast country does not support long periods of very low population growth. If we assume that a small group of 20 people arrived in Australia approximately 3,500 years ago after the Flood, a minimal growth rate of 0.28% per year could produce a population of 300,000. This rate, when operating for 60,000 years, could generate more people than there are atoms in the Milky Way Galaxy.

These calculations demonstrate that the Aboriginal population aligns more closely with a relatively recent arrival in Australia rather than an ancient occupation spanning tens of thousands of years.

7. The Remarkable Coincidence of Jewish and World Population Growth Rates

Interestingly, there is a striking correlation between the growth rates of the Jewish population and the world population. Before the Nazi Holocaust in 1940, the estimated number of Jews was 18 million. This represents an average doubling in population every 156 years or a growth rate of 0.44% per year since Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Similarly, since the Flood, which left only eight survivors, the world's population has doubled approximately every 155 years or grown at an average rate of 0.45% per year. This remarkable coincidence suggests that there is an agreement between the growth rates for these two populations.

Far from being a mere coincidence, this alignment reveals the accuracy and reliability of the biblical record. The growth rates recorded in the Bible correspond to observable population growth patterns.

8. The Biblical Record and Population Growth

The Bible provides a clear and consistent account of Earth's history and population growth. It records a global Flood that wiped out all humans except Noah and his family approximately 4,500 years ago. From these eight survivors, the world's population has grown to over 8 billion today.

The biblical narrative aligns with population growth rates observed throughout history and demonstrates that everyone on Earth today is a descendant of Noah's sons and daughters-in-law. The calculations and evidence presented in this article support the biblical record and refute claims of an ancient human history spanning hundreds of thousands or millions of years.

As Christians, we can trust in the biblical account and its historical accuracy. We can also find comfort in knowing that the God who created the world and sustains it is intimately involved in the details of human history. Understanding population growth from a biblical perspective allows us to appreciate the incredible diversity of cultures and peoples while recognizing our shared ancestry and common humanity.