In my parish at every Christmas Eve Mass, the geneaology of Jesus is read. It traces his lineage through David to Abraham. It begins by proclaiming that these early ancestors were around just a few thousand years after the Creation. Its the beginning of a very beautiful and inspirational liturgy celebrating the birth of Christ. A beautiful Catholic Advent devotion is the Jesse Tree which also describes Jesus' lineage. I would prefer this alternative timeline though.
13.7 billion years ago The universe begins as stupendous energy. Time and space are created.
10 billion years ago The first elements are forged in stars
5 billion years ago A disc-like clouds floats in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy
4.5 billion years ago The Sun is born
4.45 billion years ago Earth brings forth an atmosphere, oceans and continents
2.5 billion years ago Continents stabilize
2.0 billion years ago The first prokaryotic cell emerges
1 billion years ago Sexual reproduction is invented
570 million years ago Cambrian extinctions: 80-90 percent of species eliminated
510 million years ago Vertebrate animals appear
415 million years ago Development of the fin
350 million years ago Land-worthy seeds developed in conifers
313 million years ago Reptiles show up
35 million years ago First cats and dogs
24 million years ago Grass spreads across the land
5 million years ago First proto-humans, australophithecus
3.3 million years ago Current Ice Ages begin
2.6 million years ago First real humans, homo habilis
1.5 million years ago First hunters, homo erectus
72,000 years ago First polar bears
500,000 years ago Clothing, shelter, fire, hand axes
100,000 years ago First ritual burials
32,000 years ago First musical instruments
18,000 years ago The first cave paintings
10,600 years ago Settlements in the Middle East; wheat and barley cultivated
10,000 years ago First dogs tamed in North America
6,400 years ago Horses tamed in Eastern Europe
3,000 BC Civilization develops in the Nile Valley in Egypt; advances in technology
600 BCE Beginnings of Greek philosophy
450 BCE Alexander invades the Indus Valley
32 BCE Caesar Augustus rules Rome
1 BCE Birth of Jesus
