Where are all the People? Extracted from a work by Don Batten Published in Creation Ex Nihilo 23(3)...

Where are all the People?Where are all the People?

Extracted from a work by Don BattenExtracted from a work by Don BattenPublished in Published in Creation Ex NihiloCreation Ex Nihilo 23(3) 52-55, 23(3) 52-55,

June-August 2001June-August 2001


Six billion people live on EarthSix billion people live on Earth– That’s a lot of people!That’s a lot of people!

And yetAnd yet– They could all fit into an area the size of They could all fit into an area the size of

England with more than 20 square yards each.England with more than 20 square yards each.


We all have the impression the world is We all have the impression the world is BURSTING with people.BURSTING with people.

That’s because most of us live That’s because most of us live in cities where people are in cities where people are packed together.packed together.

Most of the world is sparsely Most of the world is sparsely populated.populated.


““How could the population have grown to over How could the population have grown to over six billion people starting from only Noah’s six billion people starting from only Noah’s family only 4,500 years ago?”family only 4,500 years ago?”

Actually, when you do the math, six billion Actually, when you do the math, six billion people is about right to have come from people is about right to have come from eight people 4,500 years ago.eight people 4,500 years ago.


Furthermore, if people have been here for Furthermore, if people have been here for much longer than 4,500 years, there should much longer than 4,500 years, there should be a LOT more people on earth than there be a LOT more people on earth than there are!are!

ANDAND

There should be a LOT more human remains!There should be a LOT more human remains!


Most people have difficulty understanding the Most people have difficulty understanding the growth rates of things. growth rates of things.

When the population doubles from 16 to 32, it When the population doubles from 16 to 32, it doesn’t seem like much, but when it jumps doesn’t seem like much, but when it jumps from three billion to six billion, it seems like a from three billion to six billion, it seems like a lot more.lot more.

But it’s the same rate of growth.But it’s the same rate of growth.


It is told that the man who invented chess was It is told that the man who invented chess was offered a reward from the King. Instead of gold, offered a reward from the King. Instead of gold, however, he asked for one grain of rice, doubled however, he asked for one grain of rice, doubled for each successive square on the chessboard.for each successive square on the chessboard.

The grains would have been 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and The grains would have been 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and etc. The 10etc. The 10thth square would have had 512, the 20 square would have had 512, the 20 thth — 524,000, the 30— 524,000, the 30thth — 537,000,000, and the last — 537,000,000, and the last square (2square (26363) would have been more than all the ) would have been more than all the rice in the world today.rice in the world today.


It would have represented wealth far It would have represented wealth far exceeding that of the king. exceeding that of the king.

This is the power of compounding.This is the power of compounding.

Population growth is compound growth.Population growth is compound growth.


The population grows when more people are The population grows when more people are born than die.born than die.

The current growth rate of the world The current growth rate of the world population is about 1.7% per year. population is about 1.7% per year.

In other words, for every 100 million people, In other words, for every 100 million people, 1.7 million are added.1.7 million are added.


Many assume that modern medicine accounts Many assume that modern medicine accounts for the world’s population growth.for the world’s population growth.

But third-world population growth exceeds that But third-world population growth exceeds that of developed nations.of developed nations.

Modern medicine is not as important to Modern medicine is not as important to population growth as people think.population growth as people think.


Population growth of South American and Population growth of South American and African countries exceeds 3% per year.African countries exceeds 3% per year.

Most industrialized countries have population Most industrialized countries have population growth of less than 0.5% per year.growth of less than 0.5% per year.


What population growth rate is needed to get What population growth rate is needed to get six billion people since the flood?six billion people since the flood?

To get six billion people since the Flood, 4,500 To get six billion people since the Flood, 4,500 years ago, you need less than 0.5% per years ago, you need less than 0.5% per year growth.year growth.


Of course, population growth since the Flood, Of course, population growth since the Flood, about 4,500 years ago, has not been about 4,500 years ago, has not been constant.constant.

It was slow at times, and rapid at times.It was slow at times, and rapid at times.Immediately after the Flood, Shem had five Immediately after the Flood, Shem had five

sons, Ham had four, and Japheth had sons, Ham had four, and Japheth had seven. If they had the same number of seven. If they had the same number of daughters, the growth rate would have daughters, the growth rate would have averaged 10.7 children per couple.averaged 10.7 children per couple.


If we assume an average of 8.3 children per If we assume an average of 8.3 children per couple, in just four generations after the couple, in just four generations after the flood, there would be a total population of flood, there would be a total population of over 3,000 people. over 3,000 people. This represents a population growth rate of This represents a population growth rate of 3.7% per year, or a doubling time of 19 3.7% per year, or a doubling time of 19 years..years..


If there were 300 million people at the time of If there were 300 million people at the time of Christ’s Resurrection, it would require a Christ’s Resurrection, it would require a population growth rate of only 0.75% since population growth rate of only 0.75% since the flood — a doubling time of 92 years. the flood — a doubling time of 92 years.

This is much less than the documented This is much less than the documented population growth rate in the years following population growth rate in the years following the flood.the flood.


At the time of the Holocaust, the number of Jews in At the time of the Holocaust, the number of Jews in the world was estimated at 18 billion. the world was estimated at 18 billion.

The Jews are descended from Jacob. The Jews are descended from Jacob.

This represents a doubling in population every 156 This represents a doubling in population every 156 years, or 0.44% growth per year since Jacob. years, or 0.44% growth per year since Jacob.

Since the flood, the World population has doubled Since the flood, the World population has doubled every 155 years at an average of 0.45% per year. every 155 years at an average of 0.45% per year.

There is agreement in these growth rates.There is agreement in these growth rates.


Coincidence?Coincidence?

Hardly. Hardly.

The figures agree because the history of the The figures agree because the history of the world is recorded in the Bible.world is recorded in the Bible.


What if people had been around for a million What if people had been around for a million years?years?

At just 0.01% per year, doubling only every At just 0.01% per year, doubling only every 7,000 years, there should be 107,000 years, there should be 104343 people in people in the world today. (a number with 43 zeros)the world today. (a number with 43 zeros)


Let’s try to grasp this number…Let’s try to grasp this number…

If each of these 10If each of these 104343 people was given people was given standing-room only of about one square standing-room only of about one square yard, they would not fit on the Earth. yard, they would not fit on the Earth. The land surface of the Earth is only about The land surface of the Earth is only about 1.5 x 101.5 x 101414 square yards. square yards.


Let’s try to grasp this number…Let’s try to grasp this number…

If every square yard on Earth was converted If every square yard on Earth was converted to a world with the same land surface as to a world with the same land surface as the entire Earth, the entire Earth,

you would still only have enough room for you would still only have enough room for 10102828 people. people.


That’s only a tiny fraction of 10That’s only a tiny fraction of 104343..

Remember, 10Remember, 102929 is ten times larger than 10 is ten times larger than 102828..

10103030 is 100 times larger than 10 is 100 times larger than 102828 and so on. and so on.


““But disease, famine, and war kept the But disease, famine, and war kept the numbers constant for most of this million-numbers constant for most of this million-

year period.”year period.”

So, mankind was on the brink of extinction for So, mankind was on the brink of extinction for most of its supposed history?most of its supposed history?

That stretches the limits of credulity.That stretches the limits of credulity.


Stone AgeStone Age

Evolutionists claim there was a “stone age” Evolutionists claim there was a “stone age” that lasted about 100,000 years in which that lasted about 100,000 years in which between one and ten million people were on between one and ten million people were on the earth. the earth.

Fossil evidence shows that these people Fossil evidence shows that these people buried their dead — often with artifacts. buried their dead — often with artifacts. (Cremation was not practiced until relatively recent times.)(Cremation was not practiced until relatively recent times.)


Stone AgeStone Age

If there was just one million people alive at If there was just one million people alive at that time, with an average generation time of that time, with an average generation time of 25 years, they should have buried 4 billion 25 years, they should have buried 4 billion bodies, and many artifacts. bodies, and many artifacts.

If there were 10 million, there should be 40 If there were 10 million, there should be 40 billion bodies.billion bodies.


Stone AgeStone Age

If evolution were correct, we would expect If evolution were correct, we would expect these skeletons to be largely present after these skeletons to be largely present after 100,000 years because many bones 100,000 years because many bones supposedly older than that have been found.supposedly older than that have been found.

However, even if the bones had disintegrated, However, even if the bones had disintegrated, the artifacts should still be found.the artifacts should still be found.


Stone AgeStone Age

The number of human fossils and buried The number of human fossils and buried remains is nothing like what one would remains is nothing like what one would expect if the “Stone Age” scenario were expect if the “Stone Age” scenario were correct.correct.

The number of human remains found is The number of human remains found is consistent with what would have occurred consistent with what would have occurred after Babel.after Babel.


Departure from BabelDeparture from BabelPeople leaving a population center such as existed People leaving a population center such as existed

in Mesopotamia at the dispersion from Babel in Mesopotamia at the dispersion from Babel would have gone to new lands and initially would have gone to new lands and initially – sheltered in caves or have built rudimentary sheltered in caves or have built rudimentary

housing. housing. – They would have made use of stone tools while They would have made use of stone tools while

they developed agricultural techniques they developed agricultural techniques appropriate to the soils and climate, found appropriate to the soils and climate, found sources of ores, and rediscovered how to sources of ores, and rediscovered how to manufacture tools.manufacture tools.


Departure from BabelDeparture from Babel

Groups that fell into animism might never Groups that fell into animism might never emerge from this “Stone Age” of their emerge from this “Stone Age” of their development because of the stifling effects development because of the stifling effects of such things as taboos, and fear of evil of such things as taboos, and fear of evil spirits.spirits.


Australian AboriginesAustralian Aborigines

We are told that in 1788, there were perhaps We are told that in 1788, there were perhaps 300,000 Aboriginal people in Australia.300,000 Aboriginal people in Australia.

If 20 people had come to Australia, say 3,500 If 20 people had come to Australia, say 3,500 years ago, a mere 0.28% population growth years ago, a mere 0.28% population growth would have produced 300,000 people by would have produced 300,000 people by 1788.1788.


Australian AboriginesAustralian Aborigines

If these people had been in Australia for If these people had been in Australia for 60,000 years, as we’re told, a growth rate of 60,000 years, as we’re told, a growth rate of 0.28% would have produced more people 0.28% would have produced more people than there are atoms in the Milky Way than there are atoms in the Milky Way Galaxy.Galaxy.


Real HistoryReal History““The real history of the world is recorded in The real history of the world is recorded in

the Bible, the Word of the Creator-God who the Bible, the Word of the Creator-God who was there in the beginning. was there in the beginning.

This record shows that the world was deluged This record shows that the world was deluged and destroyed (Genesis 6-9 and 2 Peter 3) and destroyed (Genesis 6-9 and 2 Peter 3) so that all people living today came from so that all people living today came from those who survived aboard Noah’s Ark. those who survived aboard Noah’s Ark.

A study of population growth clearly supports A study of population growth clearly supports this Biblical Record.”this Biblical Record.”


But the real question is not,But the real question is not,“Where are all the people?”“Where are all the people?”

The real question is The real question is

Where are YOU Where are YOU

in your relationship to in your relationship to

your Creator God?your Creator God?

Where are all the People? Extracted from a work by Don Batten Published in Creation Ex Nihilo 23(3)...

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