The allegation has been made that dinosaurs and other fossils are "awkward" for creationist. But the truth is that dinosaur fossils, and fossils in general, attest to the reality of the Genesis Flood.
For one thing, the shear number of large and small remains, encased and mineralized within the layers sedimentary rock all over the world is exactly what we would expect to find if the biblical account of a global Flood really happened. It is not, however, consistent with the uniformitarian assumptions on which the evolutionary view of geology is founded.
Under the normal circumstance that we currently observe, an animal dies and its remains are eaten by scavengers and rot away; leaving no geological record of their existence. Only in the event of a great catastrophe do large numbers of both great and small animals become buried in sediments quickly enough for their remains to be preserved and mineralized; many of them being partly, some even mostly articulated.
Aside from that, within the fossils that are found; soft tissues, non-mineralized biological material is discovered. Dinosaur bones have been discovered having non-mineralized blood cells, vessels, nuclei, and skin tissues. Check it out:
(https://answersingenesis.org/fossils/3-soft-tissue-in-fossils/).
These findings show that the remains are not millions of years old. And so do all the instances in which radiometric dating methods are used on rocks of known ages and come up with wildly inflated "dates":
(https://answersingenesis.org/geology/radiometric-dating/does-radiometric-dating-prove-the-earth-is-old/).
Dinosaurs and fossils are no problem for Christians who take the historical narrative of Genesis as the divinely inspired truth. The difference between creationists and evolutionists is a matter of how we interpret the scientific data. Creationists can appreciate the great reptiles as a part of God's handiwork, which He created on the sixth day, along with all the other beasts, reptiles, and creeping things; as well as the first man and woman whom He made uniquely in His own image.
At that time, "in the beginning", there was no death, no suffering, no disease, and no carnivorism. The creatures with sharp teeth and claws would have used them for braking open such things as coconuts, and pineapples. But sin came into the world through one man, Adam; and death came as a result of sin. And everyone dies because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 5:12, 3:23, 6:23).
And when human wickedness, and violence had reached a crescendo during Noah's lifetime, God sent a great Flood to destroy humanity from the face of the earth. But by God's grace, Noah and his family were saved. God warned Noah to build an Ark, which He instructed him to make approximately 500 feet long, 75 feet high, and 45 feet wide; having three levels, and rooms inside (Genesis 6). Large wooden ships with similar measurements are also detailed in other ancient historical texts (https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark/the-large-ships-of-antiquity/).
So Noah followed God's instructions. The Flood came and the whole earth was covered (Genesis 7). And the turbulence of the earth caused the fountains of the great deep to break open, (Genesis 7:11) creating what we now refer to as tectonic plates. Massive amounts of sediment were moved from one place to another, swiftly burying beasts, reptiles, fish, and flying creatures; both great and small. The earth remained flooded for the length of a year, with the waters just beginning to recede about half way through the Flood year (Genesis 7:24-8:19).
The face of the earth was dramatically changed. The receding Flood waters carved out many of the canyons that we observe today. And in the years following the Flood, tectonic activity broke the earth into continents, and caused mountains of sedimentary layers, with creatures buried in them during the Flood, to be pushed up into the clouds before they solidified and became the monuments that they are today. These monuments, laden with the remains of creatures, both great and small, including the great reptiles, stand to remind us of the judgement of a holy God, but also of His grace, by which He saved Noah and His family.
By that same grace, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came personally into our world and preached the gospel of His kingdom. His kingdom is at work in the world today through His followers, until it is is fully consummated by His return and His final judgement of the world which is in rebellion against His kingdom. He gave His human life on the cross to ransom many from sin (Matthew 20:28) and rose again so that by trusting in Him, we can be a part of His kingdom; reconciled to God who is love, and who created us in His own image for the purpose of love (2 Corinthians 5:12-21, 1 John 4:8, Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 22:37-40).
Showing posts with label Flood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flood. Show all posts
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Why Nye Doeth Fly Awry
Bill Nye has said that the creation/evolution debate is not a religious or theological one, but strictly scientific. He has claimed that he does not attack any religion, but that the creation worldview is simply unscientific and therefore untenable. He also admits that he does not know much about theology. At least he's right about that last part.
What he fails to understand is that once one acknowledges the existence of the Creator and Owner of the universe; one automatically allows for the possibility of supernatural miracles. Once one places their faith in Jesus Christ, through whom the universe was made, (John 1:1-5, Hebrews 1:1-2) it becomes entirely unnecessary to accept the evolutionary worldview. Keep in mind the fact that evolution and creation are simply variant interpretations of the same scientific data.
The evolutionary interpretation of scientific data was first used and developed by individuals who began first by rejecting God as the Creator of the universe. They did not disprove God, but they began with the assumption of atheism, and interpreted the data according to that assumption. Thus, the evolutionary view is, from the very start, an attempt to explain the complexity of the universe and life, without God.
However, modern science first began to thrive in Europe because of the conviction of such notables as Francis Bacon, Copernicus, and Isaac Newton that the universe was made by an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver. Without faith in an orderly Creator/Owner of the universe, there is no rational ground on which to expect the universe to operate in an orderly way, that can be systematically observed and studied in the first place.
Nye mocks the idea of the Genesis Flood and Noah's Ark. But on what basis does he mock the biblical account? His mocking is based on the assumption that there is no supernatural God. Thus, he actually is attacking faith, in spite of what he says. He recently said that he would like to challenge the Creation Museum to build a real ark, just like Noah's, and put it to sea for a full year.
He, of course, is skeptical that such an endeavor would be successful. And perhaps it would take Divine intervention to preserve the Ark during the year of the Genesis Flood; but no more so than it would take for a hiker to survive a brutal encounter with a bear or a lion, and such miracles have happened. However, the dimensions of Noah's Ark (500ft long, 75ft wide, and 45ft high) were good and proper. There are many other examples of large wooden ships, with similar dimensions to those of Noah's Ark, in ancient history (1).
But here's the point: Bill Nye begins with the assumption that Divine intervention should be completely ruled out from the start. But the creation model is free from that constraint right at the outset. We creationists believe that the Creator/Owner of the universe is real. And we interpret the scientific data according to His word. In fact, the intervention of an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, is the very foundation on which we expect there to be orderly laws in the universe at all.
Now, we can show that the biblical creation interpretation makes more sense in a lot of ways. We can point to the complexity and order of genetic information (2, 3). We can point to discrepancies between the geological layers and fossils on the one hand, and the doctrines of evolution and deep time on the other. Polysrate fossils (4), soft tissue found in fossils (5) , unfossilized remains of dinosaurs (6, 7) are all very good; we like those. Dating methods that come up drastically wrong when used on rocks of already-known ages (8), lunar recession (9) and the faint sun paradox (10, 11) are all very good points as well.
But the starting point of belief in the orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver of the universe is the most important thing. This faith gives us the rational ground on which to expect orderly laws in the universe; yet also sustains the flexibility to allow for the possibility of supernatural miracles. Apart from this faith, there is no reason on which to expect order or miracles, either one, in the universe.
The flight of Bill Nye's thoughts is off course. And Jesus Christ tells why that is. He said, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). The power of God is the only reason that there even is order in the universe at all. And so, as a scientist, Nye's life work is the study of God's work - the universe. Yet he begins his study with the assumption that the One who created and reigns over the universe does not exist. So Nye's is not an intellectual error so much as it is a spiritual error. But that error misinforms the way he interprets the data. He interprets the data in accordance with a worldview that undercuts, and mocks itself.
Now, since the expulsion from Eden, we are all born with a fallen, sinful nature; characterized by enmity against God who is love (John 4:8), and who originally created humanity in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27) for the purpose of love (Matthew 22:37-40). Enmity against God is the spiritual error that causes all spiritual error. But like Saul of Tarsus, (Acts 9) sinners may surrendering to God, and have the blinders of sin removed from their spiritual eyes; that they may see, and fly aright. Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ is reconciled to God. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus".
What he fails to understand is that once one acknowledges the existence of the Creator and Owner of the universe; one automatically allows for the possibility of supernatural miracles. Once one places their faith in Jesus Christ, through whom the universe was made, (John 1:1-5, Hebrews 1:1-2) it becomes entirely unnecessary to accept the evolutionary worldview. Keep in mind the fact that evolution and creation are simply variant interpretations of the same scientific data.
The evolutionary interpretation of scientific data was first used and developed by individuals who began first by rejecting God as the Creator of the universe. They did not disprove God, but they began with the assumption of atheism, and interpreted the data according to that assumption. Thus, the evolutionary view is, from the very start, an attempt to explain the complexity of the universe and life, without God.
However, modern science first began to thrive in Europe because of the conviction of such notables as Francis Bacon, Copernicus, and Isaac Newton that the universe was made by an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver. Without faith in an orderly Creator/Owner of the universe, there is no rational ground on which to expect the universe to operate in an orderly way, that can be systematically observed and studied in the first place.
Nye mocks the idea of the Genesis Flood and Noah's Ark. But on what basis does he mock the biblical account? His mocking is based on the assumption that there is no supernatural God. Thus, he actually is attacking faith, in spite of what he says. He recently said that he would like to challenge the Creation Museum to build a real ark, just like Noah's, and put it to sea for a full year.
He, of course, is skeptical that such an endeavor would be successful. And perhaps it would take Divine intervention to preserve the Ark during the year of the Genesis Flood; but no more so than it would take for a hiker to survive a brutal encounter with a bear or a lion, and such miracles have happened. However, the dimensions of Noah's Ark (500ft long, 75ft wide, and 45ft high) were good and proper. There are many other examples of large wooden ships, with similar dimensions to those of Noah's Ark, in ancient history (1).
But here's the point: Bill Nye begins with the assumption that Divine intervention should be completely ruled out from the start. But the creation model is free from that constraint right at the outset. We creationists believe that the Creator/Owner of the universe is real. And we interpret the scientific data according to His word. In fact, the intervention of an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, is the very foundation on which we expect there to be orderly laws in the universe at all.
Now, we can show that the biblical creation interpretation makes more sense in a lot of ways. We can point to the complexity and order of genetic information (2, 3). We can point to discrepancies between the geological layers and fossils on the one hand, and the doctrines of evolution and deep time on the other. Polysrate fossils (4), soft tissue found in fossils (5) , unfossilized remains of dinosaurs (6, 7) are all very good; we like those. Dating methods that come up drastically wrong when used on rocks of already-known ages (8), lunar recession (9) and the faint sun paradox (10, 11) are all very good points as well.
But the starting point of belief in the orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver of the universe is the most important thing. This faith gives us the rational ground on which to expect orderly laws in the universe; yet also sustains the flexibility to allow for the possibility of supernatural miracles. Apart from this faith, there is no reason on which to expect order or miracles, either one, in the universe.
The flight of Bill Nye's thoughts is off course. And Jesus Christ tells why that is. He said, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). The power of God is the only reason that there even is order in the universe at all. And so, as a scientist, Nye's life work is the study of God's work - the universe. Yet he begins his study with the assumption that the One who created and reigns over the universe does not exist. So Nye's is not an intellectual error so much as it is a spiritual error. But that error misinforms the way he interprets the data. He interprets the data in accordance with a worldview that undercuts, and mocks itself.
Now, since the expulsion from Eden, we are all born with a fallen, sinful nature; characterized by enmity against God who is love (John 4:8), and who originally created humanity in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27) for the purpose of love (Matthew 22:37-40). Enmity against God is the spiritual error that causes all spiritual error. But like Saul of Tarsus, (Acts 9) sinners may surrendering to God, and have the blinders of sin removed from their spiritual eyes; that they may see, and fly aright. Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ is reconciled to God. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus".
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The Conquest of Canaan
To many readers, the Conquest of Canaan is likely one of the most uncomfortable portion of the Scriptures. After freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, and leading them in a forty year long walkabout, God commanded the Israelites to invade the land of Canaan, which He had promised would be their home, and completely annihilate the pagan inhabitants. The land of Canaan (known today as Israel) was home to seven different pagan nations at the time; the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, and the Girgashites.
Aside from this, there are also examples of God's great mercy in the Old Testament, including during the Conquest of Canaan. God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. His desire is for people to turn away from sin, and live. Yet He has assured us that the soul who sins will die (read Ezekiel 18:4, 20, 23 & 32).
Before Joshua led the Israelites in the famous Battle of Jericho, he sent spies into the city. When the Israelite spies were in Jericho, and in danger of being caught, a prostitute name Rahab hid the spies in her house. She and her family knew that God had sent the Israelites, and that He was with them to give Canaan over to them. And because she responded to God with reverence and repentance, she and her family were spared (Joshua 2 & 6).
Also read:
In both the Old and New Testament Scriptures, we are told that God never changes (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). However, many people think that this portion of biblical history is at odds with Christian teachings about peace and love and God's offer of salvation. They feel that there is an appreciable difference between what they call "the God of the Old Testament", and "the God of the New Testament".
They ask, "How do we reconcile the judgement and wrath of the Old Testament with the words of Christ, who said, 'Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.'"? (Matthew 5:44). And when His disciples asked Him if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritan villages who rejected Him, Jesus said to them, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:51-56).
However, there is no conflict if we take the time to learn and understand the context of the Scriptures. As I like to say, context is the BOSS of interpretation. So if we take things out of context, we will always be wrong. Taking everything in context, we see that there is no difference at all between God in the Old Testament, and the New Testament.
For one thing, Jesus was no hippie. To think of Him or present Him as being like one is simplistic and ridiculous. On one occasion, some people came to Jesus and brought up the subject of Pontius Pilate recently massacring of some Galileans.
"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent (turn away from sin) you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5).
Jesus said "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it". (Matthew 7:13-14).
To the forgiven adulteress, Jesus said "...go and sin no more" (John 8:11). In other words, "I forgive you. Now don't let it happen again". To a miraculously healed man, Jesus said, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (John 5:14). Clearly, Jesus taught that there are consequences for sin. Jesus often talked about the judgement that is to come in due time (read Matthew 25). He also said "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
Aside from this, there are also examples of God's great mercy in the Old Testament, including during the Conquest of Canaan. God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. His desire is for people to turn away from sin, and live. Yet He has assured us that the soul who sins will die (read Ezekiel 18:4, 20, 23 & 32).
Before Joshua led the Israelites in the famous Battle of Jericho, he sent spies into the city. When the Israelite spies were in Jericho, and in danger of being caught, a prostitute name Rahab hid the spies in her house. She and her family knew that God had sent the Israelites, and that He was with them to give Canaan over to them. And because she responded to God with reverence and repentance, she and her family were spared (Joshua 2 & 6).
Now it is true that today we live in what Christian theologians call "the age of grace" or "the Church age". It is during this time that God extends the offer of amnesty to all sinners who repent and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. The prophet Isaiah referred to such a time as an acceptable time (Isaiah 49:8) or acceptable year (Isaiah 61:1-2). When Jesus first began to teach in the synagogues, He opened the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read from chapter 61. And after reading through the line about the acceptable year of the Lord, Jesus said "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:16-21).
During this time, between the first and second coming of Christ, the primary focus of the Lord's work is the spreading of the gospel (good news) of salvation through Jesus Christ. That is the reason why this is not a time for holy wars like the Conquest of Canaan. This is a time for God's people to peacefully tell the world about the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ; how He died on the cross, receiving unto Himself the wages of our sin (Romans 6:23). And rose victorious over death.
But Isaiah also foretold the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:2). That is the day of Christ's return; the second coming. And all who place their trust in Jesus Christ will be saved from the coming wrath, just as Rahab and her family were saved when God judged Canaan; and just as Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of the Genesis Flood.
So there is no change in God between the Old and New Testaments. "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). The only change is what time it is. There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). If you consider the work of a farmer; it is not always time to plow, it is not always time to plant, and it is not always time to harvest. But the same farmer carries out each task in its time.
And whether God extends His mercy or pours out His wrath, He is always justified in all that He does. God is love. And as I pointed out in last weeks post, that is precisely the reason why He is holy. He is infinitely wise and good. And He knows when it is necessary to judge and condemn. He also knows when to show mercy and have patience.
As for the Israelites, they knew that it was God who led them. He showed Himself through the ten plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of the Egyptian army in the same water, a pillar of cloud to lead them by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He did many supernatural works to show that He was with Israel. And He even caused the walls of the city, Jericho, to collapse when the Israelites had marched around it seven times; as He commanded them to do.
As for the Israelites, they knew that it was God who led them. He showed Himself through the ten plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of the Egyptian army in the same water, a pillar of cloud to lead them by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He did many supernatural works to show that He was with Israel. And He even caused the walls of the city, Jericho, to collapse when the Israelites had marched around it seven times; as He commanded them to do.
As for the Canaanites, they were a wicked people who practiced many abominable things. And the apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, saying, "for the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The people of Canaan merely received the wages of their own sin. Yet God was very merciful, and waited until the wickedness of those nations was extreme before He sent Israel to destroy them (Genesis 15:16). It was good and right to destroy them from the face of the earth.
As for humanity, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And God has mercifully provided salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He patiently withholds His final judgement until the day that He has appointed, when in due time He can no longer withhold His judgement. That day will be great and terrible - and completely necessary.
Also read:
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Why History Is Great
According to a recent article in Huffington Post, there are some people who think the United States of America is two thousand and fourteen years old. Actually, 2014 is the current year in the Christian Calendar because it is based on the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And hopefully most people know that. And by the way, just in case anyone is confused on the matter, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, Judea, Israel; not to be confused with Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. The Christian Calendar, also called the Western Calendar or the Gregorian Calendar, was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. But the Calendar is thought to be off by something like three, four, or six years. So the birth of Jesus Christ was not precisely two thousand and thirteen years ago.
The United States of America, though, did not exist when Jesus was born. The United States of America was officially formed in the year 1776. That makes the nation only two hundred and thirty-eight years old. And the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. That's three hundred and ninety-four years ago. And it was "in 1492" (five hundred and twenty-two years ago) that "Columbus sailed the ocean blue". That is the year that he is said to have become the discoverer of the New World, though he never actually set foot anywhere on the continent that is now known as North America. He actually landed in the Caribbeans and mistakenly thought that he was in India.
It is important to know about history; real, accurate history. It is important to know the truth about the past in order to know where we came from and where we are going. As the saying goes, "The only way to understand the present is by understanding the past". God's people, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; understood that. That is why they preserved their history in writing. That is why when God gave the Law to Moses, instructing him to write the Pentateuch; he inspired Moses to write down the history of all things.
Under Divine guidance, Moses wrote history; from the Creation of the universe, to the Fall of Man into a sinful state, to the Flood of Noah. He recounted from the Flood to the calling of Abraham by God, to the immigration of Jacob's family into Egypt when Joseph saved Egypt from a severe famine. Moses then reviewed the subsequent enslavement of the people of Jacob (a.k.a Israel) in Egypt, and his own birth, upbringing, and Divine calling to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery into the Promised Land.
And why did Israel become enslaved in Egypt. Because a new Pharaoh came into power, who did not know the history of how Joseph the Hebrew saved Egypt from starvation. So he was ignorant, and without proper gratitude to the Hebrew people. As Jesus Christ the superlative Savior said "Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). Paul the apostle said that the Gentiles owe material gratitude to the Jews because it was through the Jews that Jesus Christ and His spiritual blessings came into the world (Romans 15:26-27).
But the historically ignorant Pharaoh feared the Hebrews and enslaved them. And he ordered the massacre of all Hebrew first-born son's at birth, much the same way as Herod "the Great" would later do when Jesus Christ was born in Israel. History has a way of being repeated like that. As another saying goes, "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it". But Moses, like Jesus, was rescued from infanticide. His mother hid him in a basket, coated with pitch and put him on the Nile River. He was then discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, who took him in and raised him as her own. She gave him the Egyptian name, "Moses" which means "drawn from the water".
Centuries later the Israelites were again in captivity (this time in Babylon/Persia) because of their unfaithfulness to the LORD. But during that time they were saved by history from annihilation. Haman was seeking to turn the king, Xerxes, against all the Jews. But on a sleepless night, Xerxes called his servants to come and read to him from the history of his kingdom. It was through this reading that the king learned, or was reminded of Mordecai's loyalty to the king (Esther 6:1-3). Mordecai was a Jew. And as a result of Mordecai saving the king's life on an earlier occasion, Esther, Mordicai's relative, was able to persuade Xerxes to favor all her people. Haman's evil plan backfired on him with fatal result.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reviewed some events recorded in the Books of Moses. And he said "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). History is recorded for the sake of our generation to learn from the past. There are many examples of how historical ignorance is detrimental, while historical knowledge is indispensable. But the historical sequence of Creation, the Fall, the Flood, Israel and Jesus Christ is the superlative example.
As I demonstrated in an earlier post, Why Science Is Great; the scientific laws are a testament to the truth of our orderly Creator and sovereign God, and the brokenness of the world due to sin - the need for salvation. Archaeology also testifies to the historical reliability of the Biblical texts. And the events recorded therein are of utmost importance.
The United States of America, though, did not exist when Jesus was born. The United States of America was officially formed in the year 1776. That makes the nation only two hundred and thirty-eight years old. And the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. That's three hundred and ninety-four years ago. And it was "in 1492" (five hundred and twenty-two years ago) that "Columbus sailed the ocean blue". That is the year that he is said to have become the discoverer of the New World, though he never actually set foot anywhere on the continent that is now known as North America. He actually landed in the Caribbeans and mistakenly thought that he was in India.
It is important to know about history; real, accurate history. It is important to know the truth about the past in order to know where we came from and where we are going. As the saying goes, "The only way to understand the present is by understanding the past". God's people, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; understood that. That is why they preserved their history in writing. That is why when God gave the Law to Moses, instructing him to write the Pentateuch; he inspired Moses to write down the history of all things.
Under Divine guidance, Moses wrote history; from the Creation of the universe, to the Fall of Man into a sinful state, to the Flood of Noah. He recounted from the Flood to the calling of Abraham by God, to the immigration of Jacob's family into Egypt when Joseph saved Egypt from a severe famine. Moses then reviewed the subsequent enslavement of the people of Jacob (a.k.a Israel) in Egypt, and his own birth, upbringing, and Divine calling to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery into the Promised Land.
And why did Israel become enslaved in Egypt. Because a new Pharaoh came into power, who did not know the history of how Joseph the Hebrew saved Egypt from starvation. So he was ignorant, and without proper gratitude to the Hebrew people. As Jesus Christ the superlative Savior said "Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). Paul the apostle said that the Gentiles owe material gratitude to the Jews because it was through the Jews that Jesus Christ and His spiritual blessings came into the world (Romans 15:26-27).
But the historically ignorant Pharaoh feared the Hebrews and enslaved them. And he ordered the massacre of all Hebrew first-born son's at birth, much the same way as Herod "the Great" would later do when Jesus Christ was born in Israel. History has a way of being repeated like that. As another saying goes, "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it". But Moses, like Jesus, was rescued from infanticide. His mother hid him in a basket, coated with pitch and put him on the Nile River. He was then discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, who took him in and raised him as her own. She gave him the Egyptian name, "Moses" which means "drawn from the water".
Centuries later the Israelites were again in captivity (this time in Babylon/Persia) because of their unfaithfulness to the LORD. But during that time they were saved by history from annihilation. Haman was seeking to turn the king, Xerxes, against all the Jews. But on a sleepless night, Xerxes called his servants to come and read to him from the history of his kingdom. It was through this reading that the king learned, or was reminded of Mordecai's loyalty to the king (Esther 6:1-3). Mordecai was a Jew. And as a result of Mordecai saving the king's life on an earlier occasion, Esther, Mordicai's relative, was able to persuade Xerxes to favor all her people. Haman's evil plan backfired on him with fatal result.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reviewed some events recorded in the Books of Moses. And he said "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). History is recorded for the sake of our generation to learn from the past. There are many examples of how historical ignorance is detrimental, while historical knowledge is indispensable. But the historical sequence of Creation, the Fall, the Flood, Israel and Jesus Christ is the superlative example.
As I demonstrated in an earlier post, Why Science Is Great; the scientific laws are a testament to the truth of our orderly Creator and sovereign God, and the brokenness of the world due to sin - the need for salvation. Archaeology also testifies to the historical reliability of the Biblical texts. And the events recorded therein are of utmost importance.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
The Dehumanizing Power of Sin
In chapters five - seven of his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass wrote about the time he became the slave of Mr. and Mrs. Auld of Baltimore, Md. When he first came to that house, Sophia Auld was a very kind and tenderhearted woman. Douglass wrote that she treated him "as she supposed one human being ought to treat another".
He describes her in chapter five as having a "face beaming with kindly emotion". She began to teach Douglass to read and write. Over time, however, Douglass describes how slave-holding proved to have a dehumanizing effect on her. She became even more cruel than her husband. So Douglass showed how slavery not only dehumanizes those kept as slaves, but also slave-holders.
My reason for bring this up is that it is an illustration not only of the dehumanizing effects of slavery, but the dehumanizing effect of all sin. This is why the villain in C.S. Lewis' Perelandra is referred to as "the un-man". This is also consistent with the words of Jesus: "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36).
Humanity was originally created by, and in the image of our holy, righteous God who is love. This is why we, as human beings, even have a concept of love. But then humanity fell into sin and became corrupt. All of us are born with a fallen, corrupted, sinful nature; inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. And so sin and death came into the world though one man (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
But sin would quickly prove to strip humanity of more than just immortality. Within only one generation, the first son, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel. But it didn't stop there. As the inhabitants of the earth grew in number, they also grew in wickedness. Turning away from the heavenly Father who lovingly created us in His own image, the people of the earth made their own gods in their own fallen image. And so they made idols in the image of created things rather than worship and love and obey God who is love, and who created all the universe (Romans 1:18-24).
For approximately one and a half thousand years, human nature did not change. The earth was filled with idolatry, violence, and every kind of evil. But one man, Noah, along with his family, was saved by grace (Genesis 6:1-8). At that time God justly sent a Flood to cover the whole earth. Many of the geological features that are observed today were formed by that Flood. But He warned Noah to build a 500 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, 45 ft. high Ark to preserve himself and his family, along with two of every "kind" (not species) of animal.
In time, (within approximately half a thousand years) humanity increased again in number, and quickly turned away from the one true God to worship man-made idols. And disobeying a simple command to spread out and populate all the earth, they decided to build a great Tower that was supposed to reach into the heavens. So God confounded their language and scattered them (Genesis 11:1-9).
But human nature did not changed. The Sumerians and the Egyptians; the Incas and the Mayans, built their idolatrous, pagan kingdoms. And God spoke to Abraham the Chaldean. He gave Abraham a son, Isaac, through whom the nation of Israel was born by the will of God. Israel, like the rest of fallen humanity repeatedly showed a propensity toward disobeying God. And like the gentile nations, they even committed idolatry, ritualistic prostitution, and human sacrifices.
And approximately two thousand years after the Tower of Babel, the Creator of all things came into the world as a human being, taking on human form, though without sin. He lived a life that demonstrated His perfect love for His creation. But His own creation rejected, persecuted, arrested, and crucified Him (John 1:1-14). This is the natural expression of fallen humanity's vile depravity, because sin is enmity with God (Romans 8:7).
And in the last two thousand years since then, human nature still has not changed. Wars, violence, and theft go on and on and on in every generation. Meanwhile students are taught that the natural universe, which operates according to orderly laws, was not made by an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, but arose accidentally from random, unguided processes. That is not a rational worldview. That's just the madness of fallen, corrupt, sinful humans.
Divorce, adultery, and promiscuity are prevalent. Families are turbulent and broken. And many people grow up angry, rebellious, without godly council, and full of angst. Truth and virtue become objects of ridicule. Greed, lust, pride, and self indulgence are major motivators of a humanity that is sick and dying of its own wickedness.
And though many people know that these things are wrong, they still do not turn to be reconciled with the one true God who created all things; and who revealed Himself to humanity through His prophets and His Son, Jesus Christ. God's word is widely mocked and ridiculed; and disobeyed by everyone. No one is without sin (Romans 3:23).
Those who desire to live godly in Christ are also despised and mocked; even executed in many parts of the world. And that blood-shed will probably eventually spread to the West as well. Infanticide is widely defended and proudly advocated in the name of "women's rights"! Human life is devalued and discarded in the name of "human rights"!
And marriage is desecrated in the name of "equality"; even though Jesus Himself, when asked a question about marriage, said "But from the beginning of creation, God 'made them male and female'" (Mark 10:6). And even many of those who claim to be in Christ are willing to distort His word to accommodate sin. Yes, even in the Church there are those who, in many ways, outright defy what is good and right in the sight of God.
But through all of this, God's nature has never changed. He remains our holy, just, and righteous God. And He will rightfully pour out His righteous judgment on the unrepentant, who reject the absolute truth of His word and cling to their own filth.
But He also remains God who is love. And there is no limit to the mercy and grace that He will continually display toward those who, in reverent faith, turn to Him for forgiveness. He has made salvation available to all who are willing to be saved by His grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ alone, who died on the cross for our sin (Romans 3:23-24, 5:1-2, & 6:23).
God's purpose was fulfilled despite (even by way of) humanity's obstinacy. As God revealed to the prophet Daniel about five hundred years beforehand: "Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself" (Daniel 9:26). It was for our sin that Jesus died.
And at the time it seemed to everyone that He had accomplished nothing. But He was accomplishing a salvation that nobody else's efforts ever could. He who had no sin, took our sin upon Himself; so that those who trust in Him, having no righteousness of our own, may take His righteousness upon ourselves. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But for those who reject this salvation, THERE IS. NO. OTHER. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5; also see Hebrews 2:2-4, & 10:26-27).
He describes her in chapter five as having a "face beaming with kindly emotion". She began to teach Douglass to read and write. Over time, however, Douglass describes how slave-holding proved to have a dehumanizing effect on her. She became even more cruel than her husband. So Douglass showed how slavery not only dehumanizes those kept as slaves, but also slave-holders.
My reason for bring this up is that it is an illustration not only of the dehumanizing effects of slavery, but the dehumanizing effect of all sin. This is why the villain in C.S. Lewis' Perelandra is referred to as "the un-man". This is also consistent with the words of Jesus: "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36).
Humanity was originally created by, and in the image of our holy, righteous God who is love. This is why we, as human beings, even have a concept of love. But then humanity fell into sin and became corrupt. All of us are born with a fallen, corrupted, sinful nature; inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. And so sin and death came into the world though one man (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
But sin would quickly prove to strip humanity of more than just immortality. Within only one generation, the first son, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel. But it didn't stop there. As the inhabitants of the earth grew in number, they also grew in wickedness. Turning away from the heavenly Father who lovingly created us in His own image, the people of the earth made their own gods in their own fallen image. And so they made idols in the image of created things rather than worship and love and obey God who is love, and who created all the universe (Romans 1:18-24).
For approximately one and a half thousand years, human nature did not change. The earth was filled with idolatry, violence, and every kind of evil. But one man, Noah, along with his family, was saved by grace (Genesis 6:1-8). At that time God justly sent a Flood to cover the whole earth. Many of the geological features that are observed today were formed by that Flood. But He warned Noah to build a 500 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, 45 ft. high Ark to preserve himself and his family, along with two of every "kind" (not species) of animal.
~~~~
A species is a sub-set of the original created "kinds". There is diversity within the created kinds; but, as suggested by the findings of Reginald Punnett, one kind can never give rise to a completely new kind. The feline kind can never give rise to a bird kind, and the canine kind can never give rise to a reptilian kind; and so forth. And as I have already noted in this post, the human kind was created uniquely in the image of God.
~~~~
So Noah did as God commanded him. And the rain fell for forty days, and all the fountains of the deep were broken open. The waters covered the earth for about a year and then receded. Noah and his wife; his three sons and their wives, came off the Ark and started life over again.In time, (within approximately half a thousand years) humanity increased again in number, and quickly turned away from the one true God to worship man-made idols. And disobeying a simple command to spread out and populate all the earth, they decided to build a great Tower that was supposed to reach into the heavens. So God confounded their language and scattered them (Genesis 11:1-9).
But human nature did not changed. The Sumerians and the Egyptians; the Incas and the Mayans, built their idolatrous, pagan kingdoms. And God spoke to Abraham the Chaldean. He gave Abraham a son, Isaac, through whom the nation of Israel was born by the will of God. Israel, like the rest of fallen humanity repeatedly showed a propensity toward disobeying God. And like the gentile nations, they even committed idolatry, ritualistic prostitution, and human sacrifices.
And approximately two thousand years after the Tower of Babel, the Creator of all things came into the world as a human being, taking on human form, though without sin. He lived a life that demonstrated His perfect love for His creation. But His own creation rejected, persecuted, arrested, and crucified Him (John 1:1-14). This is the natural expression of fallen humanity's vile depravity, because sin is enmity with God (Romans 8:7).
And in the last two thousand years since then, human nature still has not changed. Wars, violence, and theft go on and on and on in every generation. Meanwhile students are taught that the natural universe, which operates according to orderly laws, was not made by an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, but arose accidentally from random, unguided processes. That is not a rational worldview. That's just the madness of fallen, corrupt, sinful humans.
Divorce, adultery, and promiscuity are prevalent. Families are turbulent and broken. And many people grow up angry, rebellious, without godly council, and full of angst. Truth and virtue become objects of ridicule. Greed, lust, pride, and self indulgence are major motivators of a humanity that is sick and dying of its own wickedness.
And though many people know that these things are wrong, they still do not turn to be reconciled with the one true God who created all things; and who revealed Himself to humanity through His prophets and His Son, Jesus Christ. God's word is widely mocked and ridiculed; and disobeyed by everyone. No one is without sin (Romans 3:23).
Those who desire to live godly in Christ are also despised and mocked; even executed in many parts of the world. And that blood-shed will probably eventually spread to the West as well. Infanticide is widely defended and proudly advocated in the name of "women's rights"! Human life is devalued and discarded in the name of "human rights"!
And marriage is desecrated in the name of "equality"; even though Jesus Himself, when asked a question about marriage, said "But from the beginning of creation, God 'made them male and female'" (Mark 10:6). And even many of those who claim to be in Christ are willing to distort His word to accommodate sin. Yes, even in the Church there are those who, in many ways, outright defy what is good and right in the sight of God.
But through all of this, God's nature has never changed. He remains our holy, just, and righteous God. And He will rightfully pour out His righteous judgment on the unrepentant, who reject the absolute truth of His word and cling to their own filth.
But He also remains God who is love. And there is no limit to the mercy and grace that He will continually display toward those who, in reverent faith, turn to Him for forgiveness. He has made salvation available to all who are willing to be saved by His grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ alone, who died on the cross for our sin (Romans 3:23-24, 5:1-2, & 6:23).
God's purpose was fulfilled despite (even by way of) humanity's obstinacy. As God revealed to the prophet Daniel about five hundred years beforehand: "Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself" (Daniel 9:26). It was for our sin that Jesus died.
And at the time it seemed to everyone that He had accomplished nothing. But He was accomplishing a salvation that nobody else's efforts ever could. He who had no sin, took our sin upon Himself; so that those who trust in Him, having no righteousness of our own, may take His righteousness upon ourselves. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Of Pharisees and Physicists
In today's scientific community, there are many who hold to the view that everything can be explained solely through natural processes. Accordingly, these individuals reject belief in miracles, which they see as contrary to the laws of the physical universe (or possibly multiverse) which is, in their view, all there is. This worldview is called naturalism.
Naturalism denies that there is a God who is transcendent (that is, above or apart from the physical universe). Thus it denies that the Genesis account of a six-day Creation by a supernatural Creator only about six thousand years ago; and the Flood which covered all the earth and formed many of the geological features we observe today, can be true.
So modern science does not disprove the biblical account of world history. Rather, individuals and groups within the scientific community start with the assumption that there is no God and/or that the Bible is not His word. And they interpret all their findings in accordance with that presupposition. Often times they make up explanations for data that doesn't fit their interpretation.
What I find striking is the similarity between these members of the scientific community and the Pharisee (a leading religious sect) of Jesus' time on earth. Those Pharisees rejected Jesus because they viewed His teachings and His claims about Himself to be in conflict with the laws of Moses, and the laws of their own making. They viewed Jesus as a rival who undermined their authority; just as the naturalistic/evolutionary members of the scientific community may see creationists.
But the law of Moses was meant to show us our sin, and thus our need for grace and mercy in Christ. As Jesus said to His antagonists, "For if you believed Moses you would believe Me, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). In truth, then, there is no conflict between Moses and Jesus.
In the same way, modern science, which is the study of the physical universe, was born out of the conviction that an orderly Creator made and upholds the universe in an orderly manner. This means that the laws of the physical universe were declared by God who is above and apart from the physical universe, just as the law of Moses was given to Moses by God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to fulfill the law and provide salvation from, and forgiveness of sin.
And so, God also has the power to command the physical universe to behave differently at specific points in time and space. When He does, we call the result a miracle. Proponents of naturalism don't like that any more than the legalistic Pharisees liked Jesus going around forgiving sins that they wanted to see punished in accordance with the law.
And so, by their strict adherence to a naturalistic interpretation of the laws of nature (which are meant to point to God) the naturalists seek to nullify God; just as the Pharisees, by their strict adherence to the letter of the laws of Moses (which were meant to point to Christ) missed the spirit of the law and sought to nullify Christ. Both groups have missed the point of the laws that they have studied.
But there are many who know that the Law of Moses highlights the fallen, sinful nature of humanity, and our need for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And He has told us that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our being. And that the second most important commandment is to love each other as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). And whoever obeys the first commandment will also obey the second (1 John 5:1-5).
And not all Pharisees were against Jesus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and he met privately with Jesus to learn from Him early on in His ministry (John 3). Later, Nicodemus found the courage to defend Jesus in front of the whole Sanhedrin (John 7:50). And even later than that, it is believed that Nicodemus died a martyr for following Jesus.
Joseph of Arimathea, too, was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43). He let Jesus borrow his tomb for a few days. And Nicodemus helped him take Jesus down from the cross and prepare His body for interment (John 19:38-40).
A few years later, another Pharisee, named Saul of Tarsus, would become a follower of Jesus. Taking on his gentile name, Paul, he went on to write most of the New Testament; not to mention his extensive missionary journeys throughout the Mediterranean world. He also spent time in prison for preaching the gospel. He continued, however, in the ministry, preaching about Jesus until his head was removed by a Roman sword, circa 65 AD.
Now just as there are those who truly understand the law of Moses, there are also those who know that the laws of nature in the physical universe point to its orderly and sovereign Creator. He is love (1 John 4:8). And He created humanity in His own image. We were made in the image of God who is love.
This is the reason we even have a concept of love. We are fallen, and corrupted because of sin. But the law of God who is love is still inscribed in our inner being by God who created us in His own image (Romans 2:14-15).
And just as not all Pharisees were against Jesus, so not all scientists are against the Creator who is one and the same with Jesus (John 1:1-5; John 10:30). As I already pointed out, modern science was born from the conviction that we live in an orderly universe, created and sustained by an orderly Creator according to His orderly reign. This conviction is what made the systematic, orderly study of the physical universe possible.
Francis Bacon, Copernicus, Johann Kepler, and Isaac Newton all believed in the Genesis account of Creation, the Fall, and the Flood. Charles Darwin stole the idea of natural selection from zoologist Edward Blythe, who believed the Genesis account, and considered natural selection to be a display of Divine providence in action. And natural selection does not add new information to the genome of any creature. It only works with already existing information. Therefore it is incapable of being the catalyst for molecules-to-man evolution.
The inventor of the MRI scanner, Raymond Damadian, is a creation scientist. And there are many other formally trained scientists who hold to the Genesis account of a six-day Creation, approximately six thousand years ago. Dr. Georgia Purdom has a Ph.D in biology and works for Answers in Genesis. Dr. Jason Lisle has a Ph.D in astrophysics and leads the research team at the Institute for Creation Research. And these are just a few examples.
As I believe in grace, so I believe in miracles. This flies in the face of the rigid teachers of the law. No law can nullify the love of God. And no law can nullify God who is love. By His great power, which we call miraculous; He created the universe in six days, six thousand years ago. And He made humanity in His own image.
I will close with this quote from Philip Yancy:
Naturalism denies that there is a God who is transcendent (that is, above or apart from the physical universe). Thus it denies that the Genesis account of a six-day Creation by a supernatural Creator only about six thousand years ago; and the Flood which covered all the earth and formed many of the geological features we observe today, can be true.
So modern science does not disprove the biblical account of world history. Rather, individuals and groups within the scientific community start with the assumption that there is no God and/or that the Bible is not His word. And they interpret all their findings in accordance with that presupposition. Often times they make up explanations for data that doesn't fit their interpretation.
What I find striking is the similarity between these members of the scientific community and the Pharisee (a leading religious sect) of Jesus' time on earth. Those Pharisees rejected Jesus because they viewed His teachings and His claims about Himself to be in conflict with the laws of Moses, and the laws of their own making. They viewed Jesus as a rival who undermined their authority; just as the naturalistic/evolutionary members of the scientific community may see creationists.
But the law of Moses was meant to show us our sin, and thus our need for grace and mercy in Christ. As Jesus said to His antagonists, "For if you believed Moses you would believe Me, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). In truth, then, there is no conflict between Moses and Jesus.
In the same way, modern science, which is the study of the physical universe, was born out of the conviction that an orderly Creator made and upholds the universe in an orderly manner. This means that the laws of the physical universe were declared by God who is above and apart from the physical universe, just as the law of Moses was given to Moses by God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to fulfill the law and provide salvation from, and forgiveness of sin.
And so, God also has the power to command the physical universe to behave differently at specific points in time and space. When He does, we call the result a miracle. Proponents of naturalism don't like that any more than the legalistic Pharisees liked Jesus going around forgiving sins that they wanted to see punished in accordance with the law.
And so, by their strict adherence to a naturalistic interpretation of the laws of nature (which are meant to point to God) the naturalists seek to nullify God; just as the Pharisees, by their strict adherence to the letter of the laws of Moses (which were meant to point to Christ) missed the spirit of the law and sought to nullify Christ. Both groups have missed the point of the laws that they have studied.
But there are many who know that the Law of Moses highlights the fallen, sinful nature of humanity, and our need for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And He has told us that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our being. And that the second most important commandment is to love each other as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). And whoever obeys the first commandment will also obey the second (1 John 5:1-5).
And not all Pharisees were against Jesus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and he met privately with Jesus to learn from Him early on in His ministry (John 3). Later, Nicodemus found the courage to defend Jesus in front of the whole Sanhedrin (John 7:50). And even later than that, it is believed that Nicodemus died a martyr for following Jesus.
Joseph of Arimathea, too, was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43). He let Jesus borrow his tomb for a few days. And Nicodemus helped him take Jesus down from the cross and prepare His body for interment (John 19:38-40).
A few years later, another Pharisee, named Saul of Tarsus, would become a follower of Jesus. Taking on his gentile name, Paul, he went on to write most of the New Testament; not to mention his extensive missionary journeys throughout the Mediterranean world. He also spent time in prison for preaching the gospel. He continued, however, in the ministry, preaching about Jesus until his head was removed by a Roman sword, circa 65 AD.
Now just as there are those who truly understand the law of Moses, there are also those who know that the laws of nature in the physical universe point to its orderly and sovereign Creator. He is love (1 John 4:8). And He created humanity in His own image. We were made in the image of God who is love.
This is the reason we even have a concept of love. We are fallen, and corrupted because of sin. But the law of God who is love is still inscribed in our inner being by God who created us in His own image (Romans 2:14-15).
And just as not all Pharisees were against Jesus, so not all scientists are against the Creator who is one and the same with Jesus (John 1:1-5; John 10:30). As I already pointed out, modern science was born from the conviction that we live in an orderly universe, created and sustained by an orderly Creator according to His orderly reign. This conviction is what made the systematic, orderly study of the physical universe possible.
Francis Bacon, Copernicus, Johann Kepler, and Isaac Newton all believed in the Genesis account of Creation, the Fall, and the Flood. Charles Darwin stole the idea of natural selection from zoologist Edward Blythe, who believed the Genesis account, and considered natural selection to be a display of Divine providence in action. And natural selection does not add new information to the genome of any creature. It only works with already existing information. Therefore it is incapable of being the catalyst for molecules-to-man evolution.
The inventor of the MRI scanner, Raymond Damadian, is a creation scientist. And there are many other formally trained scientists who hold to the Genesis account of a six-day Creation, approximately six thousand years ago. Dr. Georgia Purdom has a Ph.D in biology and works for Answers in Genesis. Dr. Jason Lisle has a Ph.D in astrophysics and leads the research team at the Institute for Creation Research. And these are just a few examples.
As I believe in grace, so I believe in miracles. This flies in the face of the rigid teachers of the law. No law can nullify the love of God. And no law can nullify God who is love. By His great power, which we call miraculous; He created the universe in six days, six thousand years ago. And He made humanity in His own image.
I will close with this quote from Philip Yancy:
"Some see miracles as an implausible suspension of the laws of the physical universe. As signs, though, they serve just the opposite function. Death, decay, entropy, and destruction are the true suspensions of God's laws; miracles are the early glimpses of restoration."
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Knowledge, Tech, and Creation
"I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker" (Job 36:3).
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4; emphasis added).
The popular belief of our time is that the wild technological advancements of our modern time are a clear display of evolution in action. Allmusic.com even has a misleading t.v. commercial that gives a synopsis of the alleged evolution of music. According to the commercial, music evolved from Gregorian chants into songs with instrumental accompaniment.
What the commercial ignores is that musical instruments, including complex stringed instruments, percussion, and woodwind instruments were in use in the most ancient times. David, second king of ancient Israel was a talented harpist, a thousand years before Christ was born in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:14-23). And there are many exhortations in the Scriptures to play musical instruments as an act of worship (Psalm 33:2-3, Psalm 150). And musical instruments of all kinds were in use throughout ancient history (1 Samuel 10:5-6, Daniel 3:4-5,7-25, Matthew 9:23-24, Matthew 11:15-19).
Recently I had a conversation with someone about wine consumption in ancient Rome. This person pointed out that back then, wine had a lower alcohol content, which is true. It was roughly the same as the alcohol content of the average beer today. But the person went on to assert that the ancient Romans did not understand fermentation, but that they understood "buzz". That part is untrue.
Advancements in the technology of fermentation have been made. But the ancients were not oblivious. One of Jesus' parables revolves around the fermentation process. To illustrate the complete newness of the covenant that He would bring about, Jesus pointed out that no one puts new (unfermented) wine into old wine-skins, because the old wine-skins would burst and the wine would be wasted. The ancient peoples, dating back to the beginning, knew about the fermentation process. They were skilled in it.
Job is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible; having been written before Moses wrote Genesis-Deuteronomy. The man, Job, may have lived contemporaneously with Abraham. In Job chapter 28, Job gives a speech that describes in detail the work of miners, mining deep in the earth for precious stones and valuable metals. He is using it as a metaphor for the more important search for wisdom.
The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans all achieved amazing technological feats and evinced vast treasures of knowledge in such fields as mathematics, astronomy, engineering, and architecture. There are even trace evidence of more advanced civilizations in the forgotten past. Those who reject the Genesis account of early world history speculate that these trace evidence of advanced technology might have been left by ancient aliens, before humans evolved from lower animals.
Creationists like myself, however, are not baffled by the thought that God made humans in His own image. Humans have always been intelligent creatures. Moses tells us that the pre-Flood era saw advancements in agriculture, the making of musical instruments, and metal working (Genesis 4:20-22). Trace evidence of advanced ancient technology may be the remains of civilizations that existed before the Genesis Flood.
Furthermore, the awesome technological advancements of our modern time are not a display of evolution either. Instead, such forward strides are a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. God told the prophet Daniel that in the last days, "knowledge shall increase". And that is exactly what we see happening.
It is the arrogance of every generation to think itself better than all previous generations. The evolutionary myth appeals to this generational arrogance. As the Scriptures say elsewhere: "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies" (1 Corinthians 8:1). The only cure is love. We are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). And that means more than just that we are intelligent, as He is; but God is love (1 John 4:8). He created us to be capable not only of intelligence; but more importantly, capable of love; toward God who is love, and toward each other who are made in the image of God who is love (Matthew 22:37-40).
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker" (Job 36:3).
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4; emphasis added).
The popular belief of our time is that the wild technological advancements of our modern time are a clear display of evolution in action. Allmusic.com even has a misleading t.v. commercial that gives a synopsis of the alleged evolution of music. According to the commercial, music evolved from Gregorian chants into songs with instrumental accompaniment.
What the commercial ignores is that musical instruments, including complex stringed instruments, percussion, and woodwind instruments were in use in the most ancient times. David, second king of ancient Israel was a talented harpist, a thousand years before Christ was born in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:14-23). And there are many exhortations in the Scriptures to play musical instruments as an act of worship (Psalm 33:2-3, Psalm 150). And musical instruments of all kinds were in use throughout ancient history (1 Samuel 10:5-6, Daniel 3:4-5,7-25, Matthew 9:23-24, Matthew 11:15-19).
Recently I had a conversation with someone about wine consumption in ancient Rome. This person pointed out that back then, wine had a lower alcohol content, which is true. It was roughly the same as the alcohol content of the average beer today. But the person went on to assert that the ancient Romans did not understand fermentation, but that they understood "buzz". That part is untrue.
Advancements in the technology of fermentation have been made. But the ancients were not oblivious. One of Jesus' parables revolves around the fermentation process. To illustrate the complete newness of the covenant that He would bring about, Jesus pointed out that no one puts new (unfermented) wine into old wine-skins, because the old wine-skins would burst and the wine would be wasted. The ancient peoples, dating back to the beginning, knew about the fermentation process. They were skilled in it.
Job is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible; having been written before Moses wrote Genesis-Deuteronomy. The man, Job, may have lived contemporaneously with Abraham. In Job chapter 28, Job gives a speech that describes in detail the work of miners, mining deep in the earth for precious stones and valuable metals. He is using it as a metaphor for the more important search for wisdom.
The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans all achieved amazing technological feats and evinced vast treasures of knowledge in such fields as mathematics, astronomy, engineering, and architecture. There are even trace evidence of more advanced civilizations in the forgotten past. Those who reject the Genesis account of early world history speculate that these trace evidence of advanced technology might have been left by ancient aliens, before humans evolved from lower animals.
Creationists like myself, however, are not baffled by the thought that God made humans in His own image. Humans have always been intelligent creatures. Moses tells us that the pre-Flood era saw advancements in agriculture, the making of musical instruments, and metal working (Genesis 4:20-22). Trace evidence of advanced ancient technology may be the remains of civilizations that existed before the Genesis Flood.
Furthermore, the awesome technological advancements of our modern time are not a display of evolution either. Instead, such forward strides are a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. God told the prophet Daniel that in the last days, "knowledge shall increase". And that is exactly what we see happening.
It is the arrogance of every generation to think itself better than all previous generations. The evolutionary myth appeals to this generational arrogance. As the Scriptures say elsewhere: "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies" (1 Corinthians 8:1). The only cure is love. We are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). And that means more than just that we are intelligent, as He is; but God is love (1 John 4:8). He created us to be capable not only of intelligence; but more importantly, capable of love; toward God who is love, and toward each other who are made in the image of God who is love (Matthew 22:37-40).
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The Head and the Heart
Suppose two people are debating which part of the body is most important. Imagine that one of them insists the head is the most important part, while the other firmly defends the heart as being the most important. But isn't it true that the body must have both a head and a heart to live, and can not dispense with either one?
The literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus the Messiah is the heart of Christian doctrine and apologia, and the Genesis creation/fall is the head. It hardly seems reasonable to believe the one and not the other.
And actually, the resurrection is a validation of the history recorded in Genesis. Jesus constantly made statements that validate both the Divine inspiration and the historicity of the Old Testament narrative. (For examples, see John 5:46, John 8:56, Luke 24:25-27, Mark 10:6, Matthew 5:18, Matthew 23:31-35, and Matthew 26:52-56). And His resurrection gives assurance that Jesus is the Son of God, so that His statements possess Divine authority.
But Jesus' resurrection from the dead was not merely to prove that He is the Son of God. Jesus arose from the dead to conquer death. God considers death to be an enemy to be destroyed (1st Corinthians 15:21-26). Death is not a part of the original created order. It was introduced into the world by sin. (Romans 5:12).
For theistic evolutionism to be true, there would have to be billions of years of death, disease, and suffering before humans even appeared on the earth.
If the sedimentary rock layers of the geological column were laid down slowly over 4.5 billion years, the fossils inside them would show this to be the case. Death would be a part of the original created order. And so it would be silly for God to view death as an enemy to be destroyed.
However, if the rock layers were laid down slowly, there would be no fossils in them. Those organic things would have decayed in open air, being reduced to dust before the sediment could cover them. This is especially obvious in the case of polystrate fossils.
Those layers were laid down after the Genesis fall. And they were laid down swiftly, by the flood that God sent to judge sin during Noah's lifetime. And truly, all scientific data can be best interpreted and understood within the framework of the Genesis creation/fall/flood scenario.
When Paul the apostle addressed a pagan audience at the Areopagus in Athens, he gave a message that centered on creation (Acts 17:24-30). Note the sweet affirmation that all nations are descended from one man (verse 26). So far, Paul's audience listened.
It's a rum thing because at the end of his speech he mentioned the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. And it was at that part that some in his audience mocked him (verses 31 & 32). This is the opposite of what often happens in contemporary Christian apologetics.
Nowadays, it is common for people to believe in the resurrection and yet scoff at Genesis. It is as though Paul's generation viewed the head as the most important part, and saw no use for the heart. And the current generation views the heart as most important, and sees no use for the head.
Visit:
www.answersingenesis.org
www.icr.org
and http://creation.com/
The literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus the Messiah is the heart of Christian doctrine and apologia, and the Genesis creation/fall is the head. It hardly seems reasonable to believe the one and not the other.
And actually, the resurrection is a validation of the history recorded in Genesis. Jesus constantly made statements that validate both the Divine inspiration and the historicity of the Old Testament narrative. (For examples, see John 5:46, John 8:56, Luke 24:25-27, Mark 10:6, Matthew 5:18, Matthew 23:31-35, and Matthew 26:52-56). And His resurrection gives assurance that Jesus is the Son of God, so that His statements possess Divine authority.
But Jesus' resurrection from the dead was not merely to prove that He is the Son of God. Jesus arose from the dead to conquer death. God considers death to be an enemy to be destroyed (1st Corinthians 15:21-26). Death is not a part of the original created order. It was introduced into the world by sin. (Romans 5:12).
For theistic evolutionism to be true, there would have to be billions of years of death, disease, and suffering before humans even appeared on the earth.
If the sedimentary rock layers of the geological column were laid down slowly over 4.5 billion years, the fossils inside them would show this to be the case. Death would be a part of the original created order. And so it would be silly for God to view death as an enemy to be destroyed.
However, if the rock layers were laid down slowly, there would be no fossils in them. Those organic things would have decayed in open air, being reduced to dust before the sediment could cover them. This is especially obvious in the case of polystrate fossils.
Those layers were laid down after the Genesis fall. And they were laid down swiftly, by the flood that God sent to judge sin during Noah's lifetime. And truly, all scientific data can be best interpreted and understood within the framework of the Genesis creation/fall/flood scenario.
When Paul the apostle addressed a pagan audience at the Areopagus in Athens, he gave a message that centered on creation (Acts 17:24-30). Note the sweet affirmation that all nations are descended from one man (verse 26). So far, Paul's audience listened.
It's a rum thing because at the end of his speech he mentioned the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. And it was at that part that some in his audience mocked him (verses 31 & 32). This is the opposite of what often happens in contemporary Christian apologetics.
Nowadays, it is common for people to believe in the resurrection and yet scoff at Genesis. It is as though Paul's generation viewed the head as the most important part, and saw no use for the heart. And the current generation views the heart as most important, and sees no use for the head.
Visit:
www.answersingenesis.org
www.icr.org
and http://creation.com/
Monday, April 15, 2013
Creation and the Environment
There is a great deal of talk in the media these days about global warming. It is said to be a crisis. The change in the climate is blamed on pollution caused by humanity's careless actions.
Indeed, it is very important that we take care of the well being of the earth. That is our part as the head of God's creation (Genesis 1:26-31). No person with a sound mind would deny that pollution is bad, and that it ought to be eliminated.
However, much of the hype surrounding the global warming crisis is just that - hype. Recorded history shows that climate conditions are cyclical. For example there was the Medieval Warm Period which was followed by the Little Ice Age.
Interestingly, the Little Ice Age is responsible for the popularization of beer over wine. Vineyards didn't do so well during that period, making wine more expensive than beer.
It is also thought that the Stradivarius stringed instruments, crafted during the Little Ice Age, owe their tonal quality to the affect of climate cooling on the trees.
Now perhaps the earth is cycling into another warm period. And so what? In the 1970's everyone was blabbering up a storm about the global cooling crisis.
Ever since the Flood, the climate has been going through cycles of change. So while it is important for humans to care for God's creation, the global warming crisis is largely a political fabrication. It is a ruse to scare folks into voting a certain way.
As for me, I have little to no confidence in any political party, or humanity for that matter. I only have faith in Jesus the Creator. And I try to follow His teachings. And so I care about the environment. And I try to do my part as a caretaker of God's creation.
Indeed, it is very important that we take care of the well being of the earth. That is our part as the head of God's creation (Genesis 1:26-31). No person with a sound mind would deny that pollution is bad, and that it ought to be eliminated.
However, much of the hype surrounding the global warming crisis is just that - hype. Recorded history shows that climate conditions are cyclical. For example there was the Medieval Warm Period which was followed by the Little Ice Age.
Interestingly, the Little Ice Age is responsible for the popularization of beer over wine. Vineyards didn't do so well during that period, making wine more expensive than beer.
It is also thought that the Stradivarius stringed instruments, crafted during the Little Ice Age, owe their tonal quality to the affect of climate cooling on the trees.
Now perhaps the earth is cycling into another warm period. And so what? In the 1970's everyone was blabbering up a storm about the global cooling crisis.
Ever since the Flood, the climate has been going through cycles of change. So while it is important for humans to care for God's creation, the global warming crisis is largely a political fabrication. It is a ruse to scare folks into voting a certain way.
As for me, I have little to no confidence in any political party, or humanity for that matter. I only have faith in Jesus the Creator. And I try to follow His teachings. And so I care about the environment. And I try to do my part as a caretaker of God's creation.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
A Natural Mystic
"Many more will have to die
Many more will have to cry - Don't ask me why
I say things are not the way they used to be - Don't tell no lie
One and all have got to face reality now
Though I try to find the answer
To all the questions that they ask" Bob Marley; Natural Mystic
Disclaimer
I have thought twice about whether or not I should write a post based on a Bob Marley song, since this is a blog about Christian theology. I'm not a Rastafarian, as Bob Marley was. Rastafari is a false-gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).
Not that I would exalt myself over anyone. I know that I am a sinner and that I am only saved by God's grace.
But Haile Selassie was not a reincarnation of Jesus the Messiah, or God the Father, as Rastafarians believe he was. In fact he personally denied being the reincarnation of Jesus the Messiah, or God the Father.
Jesus Himself warned that false-prophets and false-messiahs would come, and that we must not believe in them (Matthew 24:4-5, 23-25).
However, even the apostle Paul sometimes quoted pagan poets and philosophers to make a point (see Acts 17:28, 1st Corinthians 15:33). And many of Bob Marley's lyrics are based on the Scriptures. So I enjoy his music while being careful to discern biblical truth from unbiblical falsehood.
I like reggae music and I have a lot of Bob Marley's material in my collection. And I also enjoy listening to Christafari and other artists who play reggae music with a strong emphasis on biblical, non-Rastafarian theology.
Recently, Natural Mystic came up on my mp3 player as I had it on shuffle. In the song, Bob Marley describes the brokenness and injustice of this world in contrast to "the way [things] used to be". We do live in a world of suffering, and death, and violence. We live in a world that is broken by the curse of sin.
And as unpleasant as we may find it, we are all inheritors by birth, of a fallen human nature. As the Scriptures attest:
I like reggae music and I have a lot of Bob Marley's material in my collection. And I also enjoy listening to Christafari and other artists who play reggae music with a strong emphasis on biblical, non-Rastafarian theology.
Body
Recently, Natural Mystic came up on my mp3 player as I had it on shuffle. In the song, Bob Marley describes the brokenness and injustice of this world in contrast to "the way [things] used to be". We do live in a world of suffering, and death, and violence. We live in a world that is broken by the curse of sin.
According to the evolutionary worldview, however, things are precisely the way they have always been. According to the evolutionary doctrine of uniformity, the world has always been undergoing the same processes at the same rates as it is at present.
According to evolutionary philosophy, there never was a perfect world in the beginning; from which humanity has fallen away, and to which Christ has come to restore us. For as long as life has existed, there has always been suffering, disease, and brokenness - for as long as the universe has existed - from the very beginning.
If the sedimentary rock layers of the geological column were laid down slowly over billions of years of evolutionary history, than the fossil record is indeed a record of suffering, disease, and death from the very beginning; with no such cause as the curse of sin. There are fossil evidence of animals having cancer and other terrible ailments; as well as ferocious predatory carnivorousness.
The theistic evolutionist is at a remarkable disadvantage when it comes to answering the question of why there is suffering, disease, and death in the first place. If theistic evolution were true, than God created the world broken and cursed from the very beginning, because He likes it that way - BROKEN!
"Though I try to find the answer to all the questions that they ask"
The theistic evolutionist is at a remarkable disadvantage when it comes to answering the question of why there is suffering, disease, and death in the first place. If theistic evolution were true, than God created the world broken and cursed from the very beginning, because He likes it that way - BROKEN!
In his book, Contact, Carl Sagans attributed his rejection of God to this: that in his view, if God exists He created a broken world. Richard Dawkins has also attributed his atheistic beliefs to his "understanding of evolution".
But Sagans was wrong. And Dawkins is wrong. God's word is Truth (John 17:17). And Bob Marley was at least right about this one thing:
"Things are not the way they used to be - Don't tell no lie
But Sagans was wrong. And Dawkins is wrong. God's word is Truth (John 17:17). And Bob Marley was at least right about this one thing:
"Things are not the way they used to be - Don't tell no lie
One and all have got to face reality now"
In truth, God created a perfect world in the beginning. He did not create a sin-cursed, rebellious, violent, sorrow-pierced, broken world.
The world became the way it is because of the decision made by Adam and Eve, using their free-will to disobey God. The gospel is predicated on this.
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...For if by one man's offence many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12, 15).
The world became the way it is because of the decision made by Adam and Eve, using their free-will to disobey God. The gospel is predicated on this.
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...For if by one man's offence many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12, 15).
This does not mean that every time something bad happens to an individual, that that particular person is being punished for a specific sin. But what it does mean is that the reason suffering, disease, and death even exist in the first place is because of sin.
And as unpleasant as we may find it, we are all inheritors by birth, of a fallen human nature. As the Scriptures attest:
"Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5).
As for the geological column, which is mentioned above: These sedimentary layers were laid down swiftly during the Flood, burying the creatures that have since become fossilized. They are a record of God's judgment on sin.
All the great fountains of the deep were broken up (Genesis 7:11), and the rain fell for forty days. And the water covered the earth for a year. Most of the world's current mountains are made of sedimentary rock layers which were laid down by the Flood; and have been pushed up and bent by tectonic activity, which was first caused by the breaking up of all the great fountains of the deep.
Check out the linked sites below to read material written by trained scientists who affirm biblical creation.
www.answersingenesis.org
www.icr.org
Check out the linked sites below to read material written by trained scientists who affirm biblical creation.
www.answersingenesis.org
www.icr.org
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Subterranean Flood-Sick Blues
Genesis 7:11 provides and interesting detail concerning the Great Flood. "...on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."
So as the Scriptures tell, there was water coming down in the form of rain for forty days; and water was also being released in vast quantities from great, broken-up, subterranean fountains.
It is the view of Flood geologists that prior to the Flood, the tectonic plates were one whole, unbroken layer of the earth. In this view, the tectonic plates are the broken-up "fountains of the deep".
Certainly, the Flood of Noah's time changed the face of the earth. Prior to that Flood, the earth was not as topographically extreme as it is in our time. There were hills and mountains from the time of creation. But there was nothing like the highest mountains or the lowest valleys and basins of our time.
Most of the mountains on the earth at present are composed of sedimentary layers, which were laid down by the Flood, and have become bent and pushed up by shifting tectonic plates.
This explains why there are fossilized clam shells at the highest points of the earth. It also explains why bent layers of sedimentary rock are not fractured and broken. They were still soft when they were pushed up and bent by tectonic activity.
The topographical extremes of the post-Flood world ensure what God Himself decreed, that He will never flood the whole earth again, as He did in those days (Genesis 9:11-17).
But the final judgment of sin will come by fire. As the Scriptures tell:
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:10-13).
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Assumptions
Preamble
It is simply assumed from the beginning of all secularist inquiry that the universe could not have just been created in mature form by God. It is therefore assumed that all things had to begin simple and evolve to become more complex. It is accordingly assumed that humans began as mere molecules that evolved by steps over vast amounts of time to become "modern humans". And it is assumed that the sedimentary rock-layers of the geological column were laid down slowly by vast amount of time rather than quickly by the vast amounts of water during the Flood that covered the whole earth.
Body
Tools
The idea that humans developed tools over time, starting with the most simple stone tool, up to the more complex, is assumed. This is where the idea of a paleolithic to neolithic era comes from. The artifacts are simply put into order based on the preconceive notion that the simpler ones must be older. But even today, living humans still use a combination of simple and complex tools. And besides that, even some secular scientists are coming to think that some of the paleolithic artifacts that they find are not even human artifacts at all, but geofacts. The thought is that some kind of catastrophe, like a flood, may have shaped these items. Read this article by Michael Oard, M.S. (http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2001/08/01/controversy-stone-tools). The material at the linked site is written by trained scientists who affirm the Bible.Language
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Pagan Flood Stories and Genesis
Nearly all ancient cultures from all over the globe recount stories of a great flood that wiped out all but a few humans from the face of the earth. These variations on the same story are exactly what one should expect when one considers that the event actually happened, just as the Scriptures tell. In the generations after Noah's family exited the Ark, subsequent families branched out, being descendants of Noah's three sons; Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These families branched out and grew into nations. This process of re-population is accurately recorded by Moses in a passage of genealogies in Genesis chapter ten, which is often referred to as the Table of Nations.
As this re-population took place, there soon arose groups of people who turned away from the God who created humanity. They replaced Him in their hearts and minds with gods whom they created in their own images; and in images of birds, reptiles, and beasts, etc. (see Romans 1:21-23). These pagans thencasually distorted the events that happened, passing down their stories through the generations.
But those who were faithful to God, particularly those descended from Shem (Semites), faithfully preserved the truth of what really happened, details about how it happened, and perhaps most importantly why it happened.
Not only is this so, but when God spoke to Moses, He directed Moses in accurately recording the history of the world, from the time that it was supernaturally created by God in six literal days ("yom", in the Hebrew language, refers to a literal 24 hour day) to his own time, as he lead Israel out of Egypt by the power of God who was with him to reveal Truth and do mighty works for His people.
The Genesis account of the Flood is the most realistic version because it is the true version, faithfully preserved by the sons of Shem, and accurately written down by Moses under the direction of God Himself.
It provides realistic details, including a 450 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, and 45 ft. high Ark. This Ark was capable of housing two of every "kind " (not species) of land animal and winged creature of the air. It also housed Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives to survive the Flood that covered all the earth; the Flood that is responsible for the formation of many geological features that we observe today.
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