Bible Facts And Articles
Does Science Contradict The Bible?
Skeptics tell us that science contradicts the Bible, but all the evidence of the last
200 years refutes that! The truth is, the only science that really contradicts the Bible
is bad science. Students on college campuses today believe that science does, indeed,
contradict the Bible because of the teaching of biased and uninformed professors. It’s
high time Christians learned the truth that though the Bible is not a textbook on science,
every one of its claims about the physical universe is true. Throughout history, whenever
the Bible has contradicted science - the Bible isn’t the one that has changed! In fact,
if you look at a science textbook from 50 or 100 years ago, it’s truly amazing to consider
the number of things that were stated as the assured results of science which are now known
to be untrue! For example, 100 years ago it was emphatically stated that the atom could
not be split. Yet we know all too well, as do the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
that it can be split, with powerful consequences! No, the Bible is not a textbook - it
is a narrative of God’s reaching out to a lost world and redeeming it. But whatever
the Bible says about science, history, geography or anything else is true, precisely
because its Author is God. It’s our job to be able to explain that to the skeptics who
come our way.
Fast Facts
The Innumerable Stars. For centuries, scholars taught that the stars were very
limited in number and could be counted without a great deal of trouble. Hiparchus, in
150 B.C., said that there were less than 3,000 stars, and Ptolemy, the famed astronomer of
Egypt, in 150 A.D. said he had counted precisely 1,056 stars. Yet Jeremiah 33:22 - which
was written over 2,600 years ago - told us "the host of heaven cannot be numbered." It was
not until after Galileo invented the telescope that he realized the stars were innumerable
(in 1608 A.D.)
A Watery Earth. In 1000 B.C. Solomon said the earth had at one time been
under water, yet vast numbers of scientists believed that to be absolutely untrue until
modern times. In 1885 geologists first found evidence that all land surface had been
under water - and it’s clear now that even the oldest and highest mountains show traces
of sedimentary origin.
Channels of the Sea. In 2000 B.C. the bible first said that there are
channels in the oceans (Job 38:16), but "science" didn’t know that for thousands of years.
They thought the floor of the ocean was made up of flat sandy beds like the desert. It
wasn’t until 1873 when the British ship Challenge examined the sea bottom that scientists
discovered there were vast channels and recesses - some as much as 5 1⁄2 miles deep and greater
than the Grand Canyon - at the bottom of the sea.
Springs in the Deep. Not only that, but God asks Job (Job 38) if he had
entered into the "springs of the sea." Why, such things were unheard of! Yet Moses
confirms their existence 500 years later. It wasn’t confirmed by "science" until 1930,
when deep-sea diving equipment allowed them to discover underground rivers, and in 1945
when huge springs were discovered in the depths of the oceans.
What Causes Rain? Job 38:26, 27 reveals that lightning causes rain!
But science didn’t agree until 4000 years later when, in 1964, it was discovered that the
discharge of lightning, particularly bolts that travel from the earth up to the clouds,
changed the electrical polarity of rain droplets, causing them to coalesce as raindrops
and fall to the earth. Tests show that without this electrical charge, these droplets
simply ricochet off one another harmlessly.
The Laws of Thermodynamics. The Bible teaches that all creation ended
after the 6th day (Gen. 2:1, 2; Heb. 4:3). That means there was no more matter, energy,
heavens, or earth being created after that time. However, through the centuries various
writers and scientists contradicted that concept until the 1840s when Robert Mayer formulated
the Law of Mass and Energy Conservation, known as the First Law of Thermodynamics. It
states that the total of all mass and energy in the universe remains constant. One form
of energy or mass may be changed into another, but the total cannot be increased or
decreased. This was an incredible discovery that once and for all confirmed what the
Bible said 1,450 years before Christ. Shortly after that, they realized that though mass
and energy remain constant, they are constantly decaying. The Bible stated this in
Isaiah 51:16, Psalms 102:26, and Hebrews 1:1. But it was not until the 1800s that the
Second Law of Thermodynamics, or the Law of Entropy, confirmed it within science. It
was found that there is a constant amount of energy in the universe, but in all kinds
of energy transferences there is a loss of useful energy. For example, in creating heat,
the sun is diminishing at the rate of 4,600 000 tons per second! And it’s not just the sun;
the Law of Entropy says all things are growing older, wearing out, running down, and
decaying. But the Bible knew that thousands of years ago.
What Is the Universe Made of? There are a number of theories, but
the Bible says it was made out of nothing which appears - in other words, it was
made out of things that are invisible (Hebrews 11:3). It wasn’t until approximately
100 years ago that W. C. Roentgen discovered the X-Ray and in the 1920s when the electron
microscope came into existence that science ascertained that the universe was literally
made of invisible atoms.
What Holds the Atom Together? The parts of the nucleus of the atom
are so charged that they should repel each other - to the degree that every atom in
the universe ought to ber engaged in an atomic explosion! However, scientists
have found something they call a "force" which holds atoms together and keeps them
from exploding. Science can’t explain this force, they have merely given it a name.
What is it? The Bible says it is Christ that is keeping the universe from flying apart
(Colossians 1:17).
Divisions of Creation. The first chapter of Genesis tells us there
are 3 divisions of created things: v. 1-10 tell of the origin of the vegetable kingdom;
and vs. 20-31 tell of the origin of the animal kingdom. These were not known in any of
the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, Assyria, or Babylonia. But there were discovered
by Carolus Linnacus in modern times.
One Blood. It’s obvious today that all of mankind is of one blood
because we can donate and help one another with our blood. The Bible stated it in
Acts 17:26, but science didn’t concur until thousands of years later. As recently as
1775, Anthropology taught that there were 5 incompatible races of men with different
kinds of blood. It was not until 1900 that Karl Landsteiner discovered plasma and
helped science understand the Common Blood Theory - that all blood was the same.
(DR JAMES KENNEDY, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF CORAL RIDGE MINISTRIES)
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GREAT SCIENTISTS AND THE BIBLE
FOCUS:
Early scientists claimed they were merely "thinking God’s thoughts after Him." This was
not a blasphemous concept, but an attempt to honor God for creating such a beautiful and
complex world for our enjoyment! Science was not in conflict with faith - it was a
complement to it. Not only that, but the Bible was, at one time, the greatest motivator
of scientific pursuit in history. Even though it is not a textbook on science, it contains
multitudes of scientific references that encouraged scientists to learn more about the
secrets which had been so long locked in the vaults of creation. Sadly, that is not
always the case anymore. Too many scientists have accepted the theory of evolution, which
is in direct conflict with the Bible. They began to teach that science and faith were
incompatible, and many people today have been told that lie for so long, they don’t consider
it open to question anymore. What too many people today don’t realize is that science was
given to us by Christians, and many of the founders of the scientific method and the
various branches of science were Christians, as well. Learning about these great leaders
of science
and faith can’t help but strengthen our confidence in the Bible’s ability to
meet our needs in every aspect of life.
FAST FACTS
Sir Francis Bacon. Not only was he one of the greatest scientists in history,
he was the Lord Chancellor England and the one considered responsible for the formation
of the scientific method, which stressed experimentation and induction rather than
philosophical deduction. He was one of the founders of the Royal Society of London
and did great work in a variety of scientific fields. In addition, he was a man of
great faith in the living God and His Word. He believed in two primary areas of study:
the Scriptures, which reveal the will of God; and His creatures, which express His power
Johannes Kepler. Born in 1572, Kepler is considered the founder of physical
astronomy. He built on the foundations of Copernicus and Tycho Brahe and conclusively
demonstrated the heliocentricity of the solar system. But even more important than that,
he was the first to state what was to become the motto of many scientists - that he was
merely "thinking God’s thoughts after Him." He was an earnest Christian who studied for
two years in seminary and believed that astronomers are actually ". . . priests to the
highest God."
Robert Boyle. Known as the Father of Modern Chemistry, Boyle, born in 1627, was
also one of the fathers of the Royal Society of London and a great contributor to both
chemistry and physics. He is considered by some to be the greatest physical scientist of
his generation. But he was also a humble and witnessing Christian, as well as a diligent
student and believer in the Bible. He wrote a number of apologetics and left money to
establish the Boyle Lectures for the Proving of Christianity.
Nicolaus Steno. A Dane born in the 1630s, he became known as the Father of
the Science of Stratigraphy, which is the study of the strata of the earth. It’s
interesting that Steno believed it clearly demonstrated the creation of God, yet
evolutionists have tried to use it to support their theory. Steno wrote numerous
theological works and eventually became a bishop.
Sir Isaac Newton led the next century of scientific advancement known as the
Age of Newton. Some believe Newton to be the greatest scientist who ever lived. He
discovered the law of Universal Gravitation, formulated the 3 Laws of Motion, developed
calculus, developed the particle theory of light, and constructed the first reflecting
telescope. He was a genuine believer in Christ as his Savior and in the Bible as God’s
Word. He wrote many books on biblical subjects and strong papers refuting atheism and
defending creationism and the Bible.
Carolus Linnaeus is the Father of Biological Taxonomy, which systematized the
naming of all living things. He did so in an attempt to delineate the original "kind"
spoken of in Genesis. He was a believer in the Scriptures and in creation.
Michael Faraday is universally acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists
of all time. He developed the new science of electricity, discovered electromagnetic
induction, and invented the generator, without which there would have been no engines of
any kind. Yet Faraday was a member of a small fundamentalist church in England to which
he was very faithful. In fact, during a great banquet at which he was to be honored by
the King of England, when it was time to present him his medal, he had slipped out and
gone to church! It was Wednesday night prayer meeting, and he never missed prayer meetings.
Charles Babbage is the scientist credited with inventing the computer! He was a
mathematician who developed the first actuarial tables, invented the speedometer, and
invented the first opthalmoscope.. His most important work was the development of the
first true computer, including punch card direction and information and retrieval systems.
Babbage was a devout Christian who wrote defenses of the faith.
Samuel F.D. Morse is the inventor of the telegraph. He declared his faith by
the first words sent over that system: "What hath God wrought" (Num. 23:23). He
declared that his whole desire in life was to honor the Lord in all things.
James Simpson was a Scot who was nurtured on the Bible from his youth.
He is considered the chief founder of gynecology, as well as the founder of modern
anesthesiology. He was motivated by a desire to discover how God put Adam in a deep
sleep to perform a ribectomy.
Louis Pasteur is one of the greatest names in the history of science and medicine.
He discovered the germ theory of disease; developed vaccines to counteract the great
plagues; and the process of pasteurization, which bears his name. He was opposed to
spontaneous generation, which was held by evolutionists who often ridiculed him.
Through careful research he destroyed their theory.
Wernher Von Braun was one of the world’s top space scientists and director of
NASA after the war. But he was also a devout follower of Christ. He believed that the
space program was just". . . a tiny door for viewing the awesome reaches of space. . .
which should only confirm our belief in the certainty of its Creator."
Henry Margenau, professor of physics for 40 years at Harvard, received 8
honorary doctorate degrees, was a visiting professor at 12 universities, and was
former editor of the
American Journal to Science. When asked why there is such hostility to
religion, he replied that it was only common among scientists with a mild training in the
field, such as high school teachers. He believed that all the really good scientists,
those who have made major contributions are, in reality, religious in their beliefs!
(DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY, President and Founder of CORAL RIDGE MINISTRIES TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM, P. O. Box 33, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308)
Universal Book
The Bible is not only many books. It is a literature. History, poetry,
prophecy, philosophy, theology, oratory, humor, irony, music, drama, tragedy,
strategy, love tales, war tales, travelogues, laws, jurisprudence, songs, sermons,
warning, prayers, all are here. Was there ever such literature? The Bible begins
with a garden and ends with a city. It starts with a morning followed by a night
and ends with a day that shall know no night. It breaks the silence with "In the
beginning" and it hushes the universe to sleep with :"The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all."
(by John Snider)
America And The Bible
"The Bible is the Rock upon which our republic rests." (Andrew Jackson)
"Only if we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, will our country go on
prospering!" (Daniel Webster)
"It is impossible to rightly govern without God and the Bible." (George Washington)
"It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible-reading people. Its
principles are the groundwork of human freedom." (Horace Greeley)
"I would be afraid to go forward if I did not believe there lay at the foundation of
all our schooling and all our thoughts the incomparable and unimpeachable Word of God!" (Woodrow Wilson)
"The only salvation for the individual or the nation is. . . obedience to the
revealed Word of God!" (Thomas Marshall)
Not The Lord's Will
When the Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity to their own land, they returned
with great anticipation, and their enthusiasm for rebuilding ran high. But they met
gigantic obstacles which required herculean effort and hardships. After they had gone
through a period like that, they were discouraged when they began to build the temple.
The difficulties seemed insurmountable. They had laid the foundation of the temple, but
the opposition of the Samaritans was so intense that they simply stopped building. They
rationalized and decided that it was not the time to build. They said, "IT IS SO HARD,
EVIDENTLY GOD DOESN’T INTEND US TO DO IT."
"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, the time is not come,
the time that the Lord’s house should be built." (Haggai 1:2)
Notice that God says, "This people say" - ordinarily He calls them My people, but not
here. By this He doesn’t mean that He has disowned them; He is just displeased with
them. They are not in His will, and they are covering their disobedience with a
pious-sounding excuse.
What Haggai is going to say will hurt a little. He is going to stick the knife in
the trouble spot that, by the way, touches the lives of many Christians. Have you
ever heard people say that they had given up trying to do something or that they did
not go some place because it was "not the Lord’s will"? They will sometimes say that
the Lord directed them to do something else. Saying that it is the Lord’s will to do
this or not to that is a Christian cliché that covers a multitude of sins. It is so
easy, when things get hard and rough, to turn in a report to everyone that says, "The
Lord wanted me to do something else."
The crowd that Haggai is addressing rationalized in the same way. When the Lord’s
people started building the temple and the going got rough, they said, "IT’S NOT THE
LORD’S TIME TO BUILD." So Haggai pulls the Band-Aid off and exposes the sore.
And it isn’t an "ouchless" Band-Aid - it hurts, you may be sure of that.
"Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you,
O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?" (Haggai 1:3,4)
These folk who said it was not time to build the Lord’s house had all built their own
houses! And the Lord pointed out that their houses were "ceiled." This means that
they were beautifully paneled; they were luxuriously built. And for fifteen years,
while they had been building their elaborate homes, the Lord’s house had been laying
waste. How in the world were the people able to build their lovely paneled houses?
Surely they encountered difficulties, but they were not willing to face the same
difficulties to build the Lord’s house.
It is amazing, but I have found it true throughout my many years in the ministry,
that a great many people say, "I FEEL IT IS GOD’S WILL FOR ME TO HELP YOU IN YOUR
MINISTRY," and then when the going gets a little rough, say, "IT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE
THE LORD’S WILL FOR ME TO HELP AT THIS TIME." You see, the minute that things become
difficult, that is the time most people decide their resolve is not the Lord’s will.
But when it is something for their own selfish ends, they usually go ahead and do it,
don’t they? Most people are that way. We make the effort to accomplish that which will
always be to our advantage.
Oh, I get so weary of hearing people give that excuse for not doing something for God!
What do they know about the Lord’s will? Just because something is difficult and hard
and is going to cost you something, does that mean it is not the Lord’s will? May I
say to you, that is not the way to interpret the Lord’s will. Sometimes the Lord’s
will is very rugged. If we could just listen to the stories of some of God’s choice
saints of the past, they would tell us that God’s will was not always a smooth path.
I told you that what Haggai has to say will hurt. He would never with a popularity
contest. He is rather like an alarm clock. The alarm clock will never become the
most treasured possession. We do not like to be awakened from a sound and restful
sleep. We have come to a place where it is woe to anyone who disturbs us, sounds an
alarm, blows a whistle, or turns on a siren. That is the reason God’s prophets never
won a popularity contest. Haggai is an alarm clock. He wakes us up, and he disturbs us.
We don’t like that. And the people in his day didn’t like it. They had just come out
of the Babylonian captivity, and they didn’t want to hear his message. Haggai occupied
a very difficult position. He stood between a rock and a hard place. Yet he attempted
to wake up his people to do something for God.
(Adapted and edited from Edited Messages on Zephaniah and Haggai by J. VERNON MCGEE)
