If you study religion at all, you notice two or three basic things. One is the dichotomy between astral and spiritual. Plato and other classical authors speak of the astral gods (planets) of the old pantheon and, at other times, they speak of a pervasive, spiritual God which is basically the same concept found amongst Christians and Jews. The two concepts are kept separate.
Moreover, the religions prior to Christianity were characterized by attempts to communicate directly with the spirit world, prophets, oracles, idols and elaborate ceremonies to enable the idols to speak to the people and, later, only to priests. Christianity represents a recognition that that sort of thing had finally become no longer possible, and that man's relationship with the spirit world had to be based mainly on faith.
The things which enabled the biosphere changes in past ages were related to the older kinds of religion as I note in web page linked above. To comprehend the world of the old testament, you have to have a copy of Julian Jaynes' book and you need to read through that article.
Like I say, the article provides at least a partial clue as to how macro changes actually occurred.
EBUCK