Yao was one of the great rulers from China's legendary period. He reigned before the founding of the Xia/Hsia 夏 Dynasty. Yao is best known for having passed on his rulership, not to his sons because they were "insincere and quarrelsome, " 1 but to a man named Shun 舜 who was virtuous and morally worthy to rule. King Yao once said: "Point out someone among the illustrious, or set forth one from among the humble and mean." 2 So he searched and found a man named Shun, who was son of a blind man." His father was obstinately unprincipled; his step-mother was insincere; his half-brother Hsiang was arrogant. Yet, he has been able by his filial piety to live in harmony with them, and to lead them gradually to self-government, so that they no longer proceed to great wickedness.

Shun lived from 2317 to 2208 BC, and was the last emperor of China's legendary period. According to the Shu Jing, Yao offers Shun the throne after Shun proved his moral worthiness. Though Shun wished to decline in favor of someone more virtuous than himself, Emperor Yao could find no such person. Upon ascending the throne, Shun offers sacrifices to Shang-ti 上帝 and to the spirits 神 at the Round Mound 3. This sacrifice to Shang-ti at the Round Mound is the same type of sacrifice that the Ming and Qing/Ching emperors offers to Shang-ti at the Temple/Altar of Heaven, located in present-day Beijing. We will discuss more about this sacrifice later. Some time later, Shun also presents burnt offerings to Heaven, where a pile of wood was reared on the altar for placing animals and other offerings.

Yu, founder of the Xia/Hsia 夏 Dynasty, was appointed to the throne by Shun because of his ability to control China's great flood. He is the ruler credited with draining off the flood waters of the North China Plain. It is noteworthy that the founder of the Xia Dynasty, "when his house was at its strength, he sought for able men to honor Shang-ti" 4 We see that the ancient Chinese believed that honoring Shang-ti was the most important factor for the empire to flourish. Up until the time of Shun, virtue was the most important qualification for determining who was worthy enough to become the next ruler. However, from the Xia Dynasty and onwards, heredity became the determining factor.

Almost all we know about the Xia Dynasty originates from the Shu Jing, The Xia Dynasty lasted from 2183 to 1751 BC. Its decline marked the beginning of the Shang 商 Dynasty. It is noteworthy that throughout their entire history, the Chinese believed that it was ultimately an emperor's moral rectitude and good standing with the eternal God Shang-ti that qualified him for rulership.

Before the Tower of Babel, all of humanity spoke only one language. Thus, when God revealed Himself, that revelation was passed to all peoples. After the dispersion at Babel, God no longer spoke directly to mankind as a whole. Instead, God chose Abraham (also known as Abram) to become the father of a new nation to receive His commandments and revelations. Abraham's descendants are known today as the Jewish people. Once God had given the Jewish nation revelation concerning Himself, it was their responsibility to spread God's revelation to the rest of the world. It was the purpose and responsibility of the Jewish nation to become a blessing for the entire world by sharing their special revelation. Abraham knew the one true God by the names "El Shaddai" and " Jehovah." The Hebrew "Jehovah" is translated as "LORD" in the English Bible, and "El Shaddai" is translated as "God Almighty."

Melchizedek was the Canaanite king and priest of Salem (later known as Jerusalem) during the time of Abram. Melchizedek personally knew a deity named "El Elyon", translated in the English Bible as "God Most High." After Abram fought and defeated several kings in battle, he returned to Canaan and encounters Melchizedek. After interacting with Melchizedek, Abram identifies "El Elyon" of the Canaanites as being the same God as "Jehovah."

We see that the God of the Bible has revealed Himself to different peoples and nations by different names. Abraham, a Hebrew, knew the one true God by the name "Jehovah" while Melchizedek knew Him as "El Elyon." This same creator God has revealed Himself to the Chinese people by the name Shang-ti 上帝 and Heaven 天 ! The God of the Bible did NOT ignore the Chinese for 5,000 years of their history! He has always been there from the very beginning! Continue reading to find out more about this exciting history!

Jacob (also called Israel) was the grandson of Abraham and forefather of the Jewish people.

Jacob ( Israel) and his entire family leave their homeland because of severe famine, and enter Egypt approximately 1870 BC.

For about 400 years, long after Jacob and his family entered Egypt, the Jews served the Pharaohs of Egypt as slaves. Moses was the man whom God had called to free the Jewish nation from Egyptian bondage. These events began with Moses' vision of the Burning Bush. Here, God reveals himself to Jewish people for the first time by his name "Yahweh," which is simply translated as "I AM" in the English Bible.

From apporximately 1400 BC to 400 BC prophecies concerning the Messiah were recorded in the Old Testament holy scriptures. The Messiah is the one whom God promised that He would send to save and free humanity from the penalty and power of sin.