Producing a Visual Timeline for Chapters 4–6
Throughout the production of iBIBLE, we will be creating timelines to help paint a visual picture of what order the events of the Bible took place in. Let's take a look at the creation of the timeline for chapters 4–6 of iBIBLE.
In some parts of Scripture, piecing together a timeline is easy. The story of creation, for example, is outlined in six consecutive days. In other components of the Biblical narrative, timing of events is not as clear. That is the case of chapters 4–6. It can be helpful, though, to see what order the events took place in, even if the time between them is undefined.
Look with us at the timeline for events from The Great Flood to when the people are scattered about the earth after their attempt to build a great city and a tower that we now refer to as Babel.
Events That Appear in the Timeline for Chapters 4–6
The Great Flood
1. The sons of God take wives as they please.
2. The Nephilim are on the earth.
3. God sees that the people on earth are very wicked.
4. Noah finds favor with the LORD God.
5. God speaks to Noah and tells him about the flood.
6. Noah makes the ark that God instructs him to make.
7. Animals are gathered into the ark.
8. The flood overpowers the earth.
9. After 150 days, the boat comes to rest on Mount Ararat.
10. Noah, his family, and all the animals leave the ark.
11. Noah built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings.
12. God sets His rainbow in the clouds as a sign of the covenant.
13. Noah plants a vineyard and becomes drunk.
14. Noah curses Canaan.
The Tower of Babel
15. Nimrod desires to build a great city and a tower.
16. The people build the tower.
17. God comes down and confuses their language.
18. The LORD scatters the people all over the earth.
Scripture does not tell us the precise date when Noah was called to build the ark. Nor does it tell us how much time elapses between the curse on Canaan and Nimrod beginning to build the city and tower. But, we can see the general order of things in the Biblical account which can be shown visually in the timeline to help place the narrative in order.
Below are samples that show the development of the timeline for Chapters 4–6.
First Timeline Sketch
The initial sketch is very rough and helps to determine where individual events on the timeline will be placed.
Timeline Rough Sketch
In the second sketch, the artists work out how individual scenes will relate to each other and flow together visually.
Draft of Timeline (Not Final Art)
In the color draft of the timeline, shown below, scenes from each episode of iBIBLE begin to come together for what will soon become the final timeline for this part of the Divine narrative.
When completed, this timeline will appear in iBIBLE Storybook, Volume 2, along with the corresponding text and enhanced storybook art from iBIBLE Chapters 4–6. The timeline is a great tool in teaching children and grandchildren the narrative of Scripture.
To see what one of these timelines looks like when finished, you can see the timeline from iBIBLE Chapters 1–3 below, as seen in the iBIBLE Storybook, Volume 1.
Completed Timeline from iBIBLE Chapters 1–3
Thank you so much for your prayers and for your generous support. We are so excited to bring iBIBLE, the world’s first visual and interactive Bible, to the world for FREE with help from friends like you. Please continue to pray as we work to finalize the Jacob story arc, and as we prepare iBIBLE Storybook, Volume 2 for print. We are so grateful that you have joined us on this journey.
