The Bible does not directly mention cavemen, prehistoric men, or Neanderthals. However, it provides some insights that can help us think about human origins and ancient peoples. Here is an overview of what the Bible says that relates to these topics:
God created humans
Genesis 1-2 teaches that God created the first humans, Adam and Eve. They were fully human and made in God’s image. The Bible does not specify exactly when God created Adam and Eve, but many Bible scholars think it was somewhere between 6,000-10,000 years ago based on the genealogies and time periods given in Scripture.
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
All humans descended from Adam and Eve
The Bible teaches that Adam and Eve were the first people created by God and the ancestors of all humans who have lived since. This means biblical creationists believe all human beings—including any prehistoric peoples or cavemen—ultimately came from Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:20 – The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Acts 17:26 – And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
Humans were intelligent from the beginning
Adam and Eve were created with the ability for language, art, agriculture, and more, indicating they had intelligence and culture from the very start. The Bible does not support evolutionary ideas about primitive caveman-like humans eventually evolving into modern man.
Genesis 2:19-20 – Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field.
Lifespans dramatically decreased after the Flood
Before the flood in Genesis 6-9, the early patriarchs lived extremely long lives, some over 900 years. After the flood, lifespans rapidly decreased. This may partly explain why evidence of ancient man appears more “primitive” – less advanced cultures would form after lifespans shortened.
Genesis 5:5 – Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.
Genesis 11:10-32 – These are the generations of Shem…Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters…Serug lived 200 years…Nahor lived 119 years…Terah lived 205 years…Abram lived 175 years.
The flood impacted animal and human populations
The global flood would have dramatically impacted the earth’s geology, climate, animal and human populations. Fossil evidence of prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs likely formed rapidly during this flood. Humans and animals living at that time not on the Ark went extinct. So evidence of ancient peoples would date from after the flood at the earliest.
Genesis 6:17 – For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
Genesis 7:21-23 – And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
Humans multiplied and spread out after the flood
Noah’s family repopulated the earth after the flood. As human numbers increased, groups likely migrated to many areas and split into distinct cultures, which could help explain ancient remains in caves and evidence of unique tools and artifacts in different regions.
Genesis 9:1 – And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”
Genesis 10:32 – These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.
Humans descended into sin and violence
Starting with Adam and Eve, the Bible teaches that humanity rebelled against God and descended into violence, sin and death. This corrupted human nature could explain why some ancient artifacts include things like primitive weapons and evidence of warfare.
Genesis 6:11-12 – Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
Ancient peoples forgotten after time
As centuries passed after the flood, some human records, languages, and oral traditions were lost. So early post-flood cultures that lived briefly after the flood would not necessarily be recorded in great detail in the Bible or remembered distinctly in later histories.
Genesis 11:1-9 – Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there…Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens…the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
God cares for all peoples
While early human cultures are shrouded in mystery, the Bible is clear that God created all people in His image and cares for all nations and tribes. God wants people from all eras of history to turn to Him and has provided salvation through Jesus Christ.
Acts 17:26 – And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.
Revelation 5:9 – And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Cavemen and ancient findings still have unknowns
Many questions remain about ancient peoples, cave art, Neanderthals, and other findings that science and archaeology continue uncovering. While interpreting evidence, we must recognize remaining unknowns and uncertainties when reconstructing the distant past and ancient life. The Bible does not answer all our questions but provides a crucial framework for understanding history.
Deuteronomy 29:29 – “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
God will reveal all things at the end
The Bible promises that when Christ returns, He will establish a new creation and we will know fully, even as we are fully known. Until then, we can trust God and study His word to guide us in wisdom, while acknowledging the limits of our understanding.
1 Corinthians 13:12 – For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Revelation 21:5 – And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
In summary, while the Bible does not directly address cavemen, prehistoric humans, or ancient findings, it provides a framework that: God created humans; all people descended from Adam and Eve; the flood impacted human history; early peoples spread out and developed cultures after the flood; and mysteries remain from the ancient world. The Bible reminds us that God cares for all humanity. Ultimately, Christ will return to renew all of creation and reveal the mysteries of history.