The Jewish view of world history is complex, but the essence of it may be encapsulated in the following simple structure:
Man begins his journey in the Garden of Eden, from which he progressively descends, falling step by step.
This descent, however, is only one side of what transpires.
At the very same time another, reverse movement, is active in the world – that of rectification and redemption.
Stage after stage, at times openly and at times secretly, an inevitable, unstoppable process advances, ultimately culminating in redemption.
Like the process of pregnancy leading to birth, man and the world are slowly elevated even above their starting point.
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz