Jesus: The Center of All History

Jesus Christ, the God-Man, the prophet, priest, and king of mankind, is, in fact, the center and turning-point not only of chronology, but of all history, and the key to all its mysteries. Around him, as the sun of the moral universe, revolve at their several distances, all nations and all important events, in the religious life of the world; and all must, directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, contribute to glorify his name and advance his cause. The history of mankind before his birth must be viewed as a preparation for his coming, and the history after his birth as a gradual diffusion of his spirit and progress of this kingdom. "All things were created by him, and for him." He is the "desire of all nations." He appeared in the "fullness of time," when the process of preparation was finished, and the world’s need of redemption fully disclosed.

Phillip Schaff, - History of the Christian Church, Vol. 1 p. 56