We all know the story of Noah and the Ark which has largely been relegated to being a children’s story so I am not really going into that part here. In my book The Creation Puzzle Solved I had a chapter of the same name. In it I stated that we can not always understand the Bible exactly right until God is ready for us to. I stand by that statement. There were several scenarios given that might or might not be true but all could possibly be a solution or part of a solution that explains the Genesis account (Some copies of the book are still available).
`
The flood is an issue that troubles even Christians but more important young people who are exposed to science education which seeks to destroy the Biblical account make this a relevant issue. Christians in general have done a bad job of making this story acceptable to young minds. This article is intended to be an addendum to that book.
`
Many Christians seem to lean toward a young earth explanation of scriptures but I am not one of those who do. The young earth scenario requires an assumption that God created the earth to appear to be old, thus fooling scientists into accepting evolution as the only viable solution to what we observe. One of my hobbies is scuba diving and a few years ago I had the privilege of diving in what is known as the Blue Hole which was discovered by Jacques Cousteau south of Belize. It’s over 500 feet deep but when you reach 120 feet you realize that you have entered an underwater cavern complete with stalactites and stalagmites. These beautiful and huge formations take tens of thousands of years to form but they can’t form at all under water. Why would God make something like that appear as if it formed hundreds of thousands of years ago then sunk below the Caribbean sea? Numbers 23:19 says that “God is not (like) a man that he should lie:" I do not believe that God has any need to fool man into believing that the earth is any older than it is. The age of the earth is whatever it is but probably several billion years old.
Many Bible scholars would assume wrongly at this point that I am an evolutionist but that is for another story.
`
The flood
Genesis 7:19 “And the water prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.”
This verse in the absence of geological evidence is one thing that scientists use to try to refute the scriptures and in all honestly it has bothered me too for years. I believe that if any person struggles to understand difficult scripture, and they pray for understanding, God will in his own good time answer that prayer at least to the satisfaction of that person. In fact, what I am about to explain may be the answer to some of your prayers.
`
In the mind of science, In order for water to cover all of the high places it had to come from somewhere and afterward it had to go somewhere and it had to leave evidence. To cover the world, as we know it, that would take water over five miles above sea level. That is considerably more water than what we appear to have. Sure there is water in our atmosphere but not near that much.
`
The problem here, to use a cliche, is that we are not able to think out of our box and we miss even the obvious. I was reading a book written by a "young earth theologian" as I often do to learn how they think and an answer came to me from out of the blue, to use another cliche. An answer to prayer is what it really was.
`
The Bible does not distinguish between the states of water: gas, liquid or solid. The flood was the beginning of the only Biblical mention of a climate change. We are told that it had not yet rained on the earth. Can you Imagine a volcano so large that ash goes into the atmosphere and completely encircles the earth? The dust in this dark cloud seeds the water vapor in the atmosphere and causes it to rain exceedingly. There is another effect as well, the Sun is blocked out to the point that the temperature in all of the high places and the extreme north and south drops and freezes the rain so that all of the earth is indeed covered with water or ice.
`
Science attests to the fact of such a volcano http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-tours/volcanoes/indonesia/sumatra/toba/
and science attests to the extinction of animals such as the mammoth, giant sloth and the saber tooth tiger. Noah must have saved smaller varieties of these species as we still have them today but the truth is that tropical animals like those mentioned above can still be found frozen whole in Siberia. http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/fit/chapter1.asp Science also agrees that catastrophic local floods have surely happened in the past which would have been the condition where Noah was. http://www.sentex.net/~tcc/cfdb.html So now you can see that the Bible and science can be brought to a common agreement on at least this point.
`
I am convinced that all the other objections that science has can be explained as well and it is probable that the expeditions searching for the ancient ark are looking at too high of an altitude. See this amazing almost half size replica of Noah's Ark. http://www.pbase.com/paulthedane/noahs_ark
And http://www.arkvannoach.com/language/en/
Jimmy Huffman
Monday, July 14, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
We Win One
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal Has Signed a Law Allowing Intelligent Design in Louisiana Schools. Teachers are to be permitted to supplement textbook discussions on evolution and global warming with contrary scientific evidence. This will probably be met with law suits if any perceived religion creeps in. The full story by Peter J. Smith is found at this web address.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08062706.html
The so called intelligent design concept is far from Christianity but it seems to me that Evolution in the absence of any real evidence should be officially declared a faith or religion itself so that we can deal with the issue on a level playing field.
`
Other news
A New York Times story proves the liberal paper knows so little about Christianity that they think a discovery of a Jewish stone writing about the Messiahs being resurrected after three days somehow dilutes what they assume is supposed to be a unique Christian story. They don't seem to realize that most of the Old Testament is a prophesy regarding Jesus and that we Christians welcome such a discovery.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/world/middleeast/06stone.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Resurrection+may+be+part+of+jewish+tradition&st=nyt&oref=slogin
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08062706.html
The so called intelligent design concept is far from Christianity but it seems to me that Evolution in the absence of any real evidence should be officially declared a faith or religion itself so that we can deal with the issue on a level playing field.
`
Other news
A New York Times story proves the liberal paper knows so little about Christianity that they think a discovery of a Jewish stone writing about the Messiahs being resurrected after three days somehow dilutes what they assume is supposed to be a unique Christian story. They don't seem to realize that most of the Old Testament is a prophesy regarding Jesus and that we Christians welcome such a discovery.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/world/middleeast/06stone.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Resurrection+may+be+part+of+jewish+tradition&st=nyt&oref=slogin
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The United States in Prophesy
Hal Lindsey, perhaps the premier interpreter of Bible prophesy in our time, has written a number of books including the well known “Late Great Planet Earth” and he is among my favorite authors. Hal has been asked many times what role The United States plays in Bible prophesy. So far his answer has been that he can not find anything in prophesy that specifically refers to the United States. Lindsey readily identifies Russia, China and the European Union in Bible prophesy but not the US.
Over the years I have found this neglect of what is one of the most significant countries in history to be very perplexing. This omission has caused me to ponder, search and pray about this issue. I leave it to you to judge if this answer has merit.
The Divided Kingdom
After the reign of Solomon the nation of Israel split into two parts. Judah sometimes called the Southern Kingdom had it’s capitol in Jerusalem and The Northern Kingdom of Israel which had it’s capitol in Samaria. In 722 BC the Assyrians captured Israel and killed or enslaved all it’s inhabitants such that the ten northern tribes completely lost their identity. They are sometimes referred to as The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
In contrast, Judah survived for more than a century after that before being captured by Babylon. Jerusalem was later allowed to be rebuilt when the King of Persia allowed many Jews to return. The Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem have retained their identity. As God’s chosen people despite being scattered globally by the Romans centuries later.
Hosea
Before 722 BC Hosea was a Prophet of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In the book of Hosea he uses his life to metaphorically show how Israel had completely abandoned the true God in favor of worshiping idols and the gods of surrounding countries and how they would later return to God.
According to Hosea, Israel had become a nation of liars, murders and adulters. Hosea warned them to return to their true God and amend their ways or God will bring their nation to an end which as I said happened in 722 BC.
Hosea did not confuse the two kingdoms, when he said Israel he meant the Northern Kingdom not any combination. He predicted that Judah would also fall though not immediately. He predicted that for a long time Israel would not have a king or a temple or even idols. (Hosea 3:4-5)
The first chapter of Hosea is sort of an introduction to the book as a whole. In it he makes a startling prophetic statement (1:10-11). Despite the fact that in our time we have no idea what happened to the people of Israel or who they might be now, Hosea says #1, They will come together and become a great nation. 2. He says that their number will be countless. 3, He says that they will return to their God. 4, He says that Israel and Judah will come together in their own land and 5, appoint themselves one leader.
Is The United States Israel in Bible Prophesy?
What country fits all of Hosea’s criterion? The modern state of Israel is composed of the descendants of Judah along with Arabs and Palestinians but in the United states mostly Christians and Jews live together. The Christians have no way of knowing if they are descendants of the ones exiled from Israel but undoubtedly many if not most of us are. In ten generations each of us have 1,398,100 grandparents. It would be unusual if none of them are Israelis.
Consider also that the State of Israel only exists due to the constant effort of the United States. Israel is by any definition a client state of the US and many Israelis have duel citizenship. The physical existence of Israel depends on both our military support and the generosity of both our citizens and our state treasury. We are taught that God blesses those who bless Israel and no country is more blessed than The United States of America. We are in essence one.
We do not know who these lost Israelite people are so we can not number them. I don’t mean to imply that every single American is an Israelite but consider that many of the minorities in this country could be descendants of Israel just the same as the Anglo majority. When the Israelites were captured for slaves they were disbursed world wide over time. For instance over time they assimilated with the Spaniards in Spain who in turn conquered Mexico and assimilated with the native Indians. Mexico has some pure Indian people as well as some Spaniards but the overwhelming and growing majority are mixed and are now known as Hispanics or Latinos. Mexico is overwhelmingly Christian and many have migrated to the US and are now assimilating with North Americans. A similar pattern is true throughout the European countries that sent colonists to America.
The election of a president by the people was an unknown concept in the day of Hosea; Yet there it is in verse 11. This is one of the proofs that the Bible is divinely inspired. Hosea would have had no way of even guessing this detail. The European countries where the majority of early Americans came from only became democratic after America did. America is unique in being a successful pioneer in democracy and bringing together diverse peoples.
Just as Hosea 3:4-5 says it has been a long time since Israel has had a king, and Jesus will surely be their next one but they also do not have a temple or even idols. Just as Hosea predicted most of the people assimilated into countries that later became Christian and in America they have indeed returned to their God. Americans like Israelites of old are not ideal believers but an overwhelming majority profess belief in the one true God.
I know many will say that God only promised land to Israel that is in the Middle East but be careful about believing what the Bible does not say specifically. Hosea only says that Israel will inhabit their own land and this is definitely our own land. There is no mention in Hosea where this place is that people from both Israel and Judah will come together and call it their own land. Therefore, the US is as good a prospect as anywhere.
This Prophesy concerning Israel is not God’s conditional promise to Abraham which promises to give his descendants the land from the Euphrates to the River of Egypt. God's promise to Abraham has never been fully realized. To date God’s condition of obedience has not been met. Early Israelis did occupy land on the Nile River in Egypt and in recent years they temporarily held the Egyptian Sinai but they have never held land north of the current border with Syria. I am looking on with great interest regarding what some call the US occupation of Iraq which includes the Euphrates River. I wonder if this is a precursor of the realization of that promise to Abraham.
Conclusion
The fact that the United States may be Israel in Bible prophesy does not necessarily bode well for it as a nation. We will only be saved from total destruction by the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Jimmy Huffman
Click on Comment to respond
Click the envelop to send an e-mail question or comment
Over the years I have found this neglect of what is one of the most significant countries in history to be very perplexing. This omission has caused me to ponder, search and pray about this issue. I leave it to you to judge if this answer has merit.
The Divided Kingdom
After the reign of Solomon the nation of Israel split into two parts. Judah sometimes called the Southern Kingdom had it’s capitol in Jerusalem and The Northern Kingdom of Israel which had it’s capitol in Samaria. In 722 BC the Assyrians captured Israel and killed or enslaved all it’s inhabitants such that the ten northern tribes completely lost their identity. They are sometimes referred to as The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
In contrast, Judah survived for more than a century after that before being captured by Babylon. Jerusalem was later allowed to be rebuilt when the King of Persia allowed many Jews to return. The Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem have retained their identity. As God’s chosen people despite being scattered globally by the Romans centuries later.
Hosea
Before 722 BC Hosea was a Prophet of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In the book of Hosea he uses his life to metaphorically show how Israel had completely abandoned the true God in favor of worshiping idols and the gods of surrounding countries and how they would later return to God.
According to Hosea, Israel had become a nation of liars, murders and adulters. Hosea warned them to return to their true God and amend their ways or God will bring their nation to an end which as I said happened in 722 BC.
Hosea did not confuse the two kingdoms, when he said Israel he meant the Northern Kingdom not any combination. He predicted that Judah would also fall though not immediately. He predicted that for a long time Israel would not have a king or a temple or even idols. (Hosea 3:4-5)
The first chapter of Hosea is sort of an introduction to the book as a whole. In it he makes a startling prophetic statement (1:10-11). Despite the fact that in our time we have no idea what happened to the people of Israel or who they might be now, Hosea says #1, They will come together and become a great nation. 2. He says that their number will be countless. 3, He says that they will return to their God. 4, He says that Israel and Judah will come together in their own land and 5, appoint themselves one leader.
Is The United States Israel in Bible Prophesy?
What country fits all of Hosea’s criterion? The modern state of Israel is composed of the descendants of Judah along with Arabs and Palestinians but in the United states mostly Christians and Jews live together. The Christians have no way of knowing if they are descendants of the ones exiled from Israel but undoubtedly many if not most of us are. In ten generations each of us have 1,398,100 grandparents. It would be unusual if none of them are Israelis.
Consider also that the State of Israel only exists due to the constant effort of the United States. Israel is by any definition a client state of the US and many Israelis have duel citizenship. The physical existence of Israel depends on both our military support and the generosity of both our citizens and our state treasury. We are taught that God blesses those who bless Israel and no country is more blessed than The United States of America. We are in essence one.
We do not know who these lost Israelite people are so we can not number them. I don’t mean to imply that every single American is an Israelite but consider that many of the minorities in this country could be descendants of Israel just the same as the Anglo majority. When the Israelites were captured for slaves they were disbursed world wide over time. For instance over time they assimilated with the Spaniards in Spain who in turn conquered Mexico and assimilated with the native Indians. Mexico has some pure Indian people as well as some Spaniards but the overwhelming and growing majority are mixed and are now known as Hispanics or Latinos. Mexico is overwhelmingly Christian and many have migrated to the US and are now assimilating with North Americans. A similar pattern is true throughout the European countries that sent colonists to America.
The election of a president by the people was an unknown concept in the day of Hosea; Yet there it is in verse 11. This is one of the proofs that the Bible is divinely inspired. Hosea would have had no way of even guessing this detail. The European countries where the majority of early Americans came from only became democratic after America did. America is unique in being a successful pioneer in democracy and bringing together diverse peoples.
Just as Hosea 3:4-5 says it has been a long time since Israel has had a king, and Jesus will surely be their next one but they also do not have a temple or even idols. Just as Hosea predicted most of the people assimilated into countries that later became Christian and in America they have indeed returned to their God. Americans like Israelites of old are not ideal believers but an overwhelming majority profess belief in the one true God.
I know many will say that God only promised land to Israel that is in the Middle East but be careful about believing what the Bible does not say specifically. Hosea only says that Israel will inhabit their own land and this is definitely our own land. There is no mention in Hosea where this place is that people from both Israel and Judah will come together and call it their own land. Therefore, the US is as good a prospect as anywhere.
This Prophesy concerning Israel is not God’s conditional promise to Abraham which promises to give his descendants the land from the Euphrates to the River of Egypt. God's promise to Abraham has never been fully realized. To date God’s condition of obedience has not been met. Early Israelis did occupy land on the Nile River in Egypt and in recent years they temporarily held the Egyptian Sinai but they have never held land north of the current border with Syria. I am looking on with great interest regarding what some call the US occupation of Iraq which includes the Euphrates River. I wonder if this is a precursor of the realization of that promise to Abraham.
Conclusion
The fact that the United States may be Israel in Bible prophesy does not necessarily bode well for it as a nation. We will only be saved from total destruction by the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Jimmy Huffman
Click on Comment to respond
Click the envelop to send an e-mail question or comment
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)