God In The Old Testament: A Harsh God?

All too often, an objection is raised on this topic. Many believe that God in the Old Testament and God in the New Testament simply cannot be the same God, portraying God in the Old Testament as a harsh, war-driven God and in the New Testament, purely a God of love. But is such a portrayal an accurate depiction of God, did God change his ways, how can we understand this? (Photo credit to: Blog The Church - taken from Creation of the Sun and Moon by Michelangelo (c. 1512), Anaiah Yacob)

I have heard that some Christians abandon the faith or do not advertise their relationship with Christ merely because of this objection. It is usually phrased something like this: "I refuse to follow a murderous and war-seeking God. Obviously, God is evil, he told the Israelites to kill all those nations, and had to follow harsh laws." Such objections show a clear lack of understanding of God, and of the reasons for these laws and battles.

Isaiah 5:20 comes to mind. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." More often than not, the reason the objection is raised is to attack God, who is loving throughout Scripture, to make Him look evil, or even the basis for rejecting the existence of God. This is not always the case of course, naturally, sometimes it arises from confusion over God's nature.

As I have stated before, saying "there is no God" is a universal negative, and simply does not work. No one on earth has full knowledge of the universe, and to state that God does not exist is a fallacy, and not absolute in any sense. To make this statement, you would need to know everything there is to know in the universe. As noted in Psalm 14:1, "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile, there is no one who does good."

Let us therefore examine this objection and its implications, and see if they hold any truth. Often God is scrutinized for "killing all of the innocent people, including children," during the Global Flood. Romans 3:23 conveys to us that no one is innocent - and Jesus himself says that "no one is good - except God alone." (Luke 18:19) We also know that all die eventually anyway, which is due to our own actions. (Romans 6:23, 1st Corinthians 15:22)

Genesis 6:5 reveals, "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." The world had become so bad that all of man's thoughts were continually evil - and this was still 120 years before the Flood. (see Genesis 6:3) God, in His patience and grace, gave the world more time to turn from their ways and change, and even called Noah to preach righteousness, yet people continued in their ways. (1st Peter 3:20, 2nd Peter 2:5)

The Ark was humanity's salvation, and even though Noah tried to save people, they refused to listen, and only Noah and his family (eight people total) were saved via the Ark. (Genesis 6-9, 2nd Peter 2:5) But does this condone the alleged murder of all the "innocent" children? Bodie Hodge of Answers In Genesis put it this way:

"...the claim of children dying in the Flood has always been of interest to me. If people really were evil and their thoughts evil all the time, then abortion, child murder, and child sacrifice were likely commonplace. And disobedience to God would mean disobeying God’s command to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). Resisting this command would result in drastically fewer children, so I wonder if many children were even around at the time of the Flood. Noah himself had no children until he was 500 years old (lending to my postulation that children were few and far between in those days—I wouldn’t be surprised if Noah took a long time to find a godly wife who wanted children as well)"."[1]

(c.1512, Michaelangelo's depiction of God)

Regardless, there have been children that were shown to have very evil intentions and at such a young age, led very sinful lives. For example, rape among children, school shootings, violent fighting among children, the like. Now, another point people tend to bring up is Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 18:20-33, God reveals to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah had greatly sinned, yet we do not fully know what these sins were.

Ezekiel 16:49 reveals, "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen." Abraham inquired to God that if there were 50 righteous people, if He would spare the city, and God readily said yes.

Abraham asked for 40, then for 30, then for 20, and finally, 10. "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." (Genesis 18:32) This clearly shows how wicked these people were. There were at least 50 people in the city, and likely several hundred, and not even 10 were found righteous. When God sent two angels to investigate and they decided to destroy the city, there were not even eight, even with the angels. (Lot and his wife, his two daughters, his two son-in-laws, and the two angels included - only 8, same as the Global Flood.)

We do not know if there were children in Sodom and Gomorrah, but if there were, then even the children were exceedingly sinful. Would God have spared the Earth from the Flood if there were at least ten righteous people? Perhaps, He likely did. Methuselah and Lamech, (Noah's grandfather and father, respectively) along with Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives: ten people. Methuselah and Lamech died right before the Flood occurred. If there were only eight righteous people out of likely millions or billions of people, what does that say for the state of the pre-Flood world?

God tells us in Ezekiel 33:11, "Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!" God takes no joy in such things. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) God judges sin, and we know for a fact that God was patient and merciful with the pre-Flood world and Sodom and Gomorrah. He gave them ample opportunity to give up their ways, turn from sin, and turn to him.

Noah urged the people to turn from their ways, but none did. Lot urged the people to turn from their ways, but none did. Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah, and not even 10 people were found righteous. God has provided for us a means of salvation, just as He did in the days of Noah with the ark: Jesus Christ. God provides justice against sin, he acts justly (2nd Thessalonians 1:5-10), but offers mercy to those who accept Him and love Him (see Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 7:9, Ephesians 2:4).

Often we hear the objection, "God had the Israelites kill surrounding nations, even though the sixth commandment is 'do not kill!" That statement is a fallacy. God does not steal life, all life belongs to him. In the same way, He does not steal a man's property - all property belongs to God. God cannot steal because He created all, and all belongs to him, so He would not be stealing anything at all. Job 1:21 conveys, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, may the name of the Lord be praised."

God is not human, and reserves the right to give and take away. As I pointed out in a previous entry, "6) Do not murder - This is another commandment where many people get confused, and where many unbelievers like to point the finger. Let me be blunt. The Bible never said, "Do not kill." The reason it said that in the KJV was due to a mistranslation from the original Hebrew text. So allow me to shed some light: It says Do not murder, which refers to an illegal killing. If you kill in self defense, that is not breaking the commandment. Only the Lord knows the intentions of the heart. So to those who accuse God of being a dictator who aimlessly kills, who are we? Do we know the hearts and minds of the so-called "innocents.?" No, we do not. Do I personally condone killing? No, so do not accuse me of that, I am merely shedding light on a topic where many get confused. Now, even if you've never killed, this part tends to get us: Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-22, "You have heard that it said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder,' and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that whoever is angry with [another person] will be subject to judgment." What is Jesus saying? He's saying, even if you've never murdered, if you have ever been angry, and sinned in your anger, you've broken this commandment"

Now, let us examine the claims that God is a "harsh" God because of the battles in the Old Testament. God gave the Israelites the Ceremonial Law, which involves food laws, territory laws, cleansing laws, atonement laws, the like. What was the reason for these laws? We need to understand that these Laws were only for Israel, and were not eternal. They would expire, and God revealed this through Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 says, "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,' declares the Lord. 'This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the Lord. 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

These laws were put into place to protect the bloodline of Christ. If the Israelites were wiped out by surrounding nations, Jesus would not have been born into the bloodline of King David, Jerusalem would never have been occupied by the Israelites and in turn the Romans, and Bethlehem would also never have been Jewish. In other words, if Israel was wiped out by the surrounding nations, Jesus would never have been able to be born into the correct conditions to enable him to die for the sins of all humanity. We would have no hope, and Christ never would have initiated the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant laws enabled Israel to flourish and survive as a nation in the culture of the time, which is why slavery, food laws, and war occurred. Slaves in those days (in terms of Israel) were not like the slaves of the past few centuries. A slave in those days usually become a slave to pay back a debt or for work. As a slave, you would be provided with food and shelter, so many took up the "business." It was never to discriminate against a particular gender, race, or nation. (See entry: "Do Old Testament Food Laws Still Apply?")

All of this allowed God to provide the Messiah. This was also the reason for stoning. Anyone who participated in, for example, illicit sex was stoned, because people who went around from partner to partner would spread certain diseases, therefore endangering the bloodline of Christ. People were stoned to discourage disobedience to the law and encourage obedience, and, as stated, to ultimately protect the conditions which Christ had to be born into.

The Old Covenant laws no longer apply, because Jesus fulfilled this Covenant and initiated a New Covenant, at the same time fulfilling Jeremiah 31:31-34. As illustrated in the account of Jesus and the adulterous woman, we must forgive, because Christ has now been born. The purpose of the Old Covenant was to point to, or rather, lead the Israelites to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. If the nation was wiped out, if the nation was disobedient, if disease was spread, the specific conditions that Jesus had to be born into to save humanity never would have been possible. That is the reason for the Old Testament Laws. (See entry: "Covenants: The Old and the New")

Of note, however, the Ten Commandments given to Moses from God on Mt. Sinai are all still in place. Jesus himself, and Paul on many occasions, made a point of showing us that all Ten Commandments are still in place. However, we have all broken God's Law. (See entry: "The Ten Commandments - Have We Followed Them All?") James 2:10 tells us, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

We are all in need of a Savior. The actions of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden led to God's Creation, the entire Universe, being corrupted by sin. Some have asked why we appear to be punished for our ancestors sins, but this is not so. We have all sinned, and by examining God's Commandments, it is clear that we have broken His Law. While there are those that accuse God of being a cruel God for creating Hell, the creation of Hell does not show God's cruelty - for there is none - it shows His justice. (See entry: "Why Was Hell Created?")

Jesus himself tells us that hell was "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels," (Matthew 25:41) but because of our sin, we too are sentenced to Hell for transgressing the law. This necessitates a Savior, who is Jesus Christ. How then can we saved? Romans 10:9-10 tells us that "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." 1st John 1:9 conveys, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Thank you for taking the time to read this entry of "The Truth." Feel free to comment below (yet please remain civil), email me personally at vexx801@yahoo.com or our ministry team at thetruth.ministryweb@gmail.com, visit the facebook page, or visit the Ministry page. Take care, dear reader, thanks again for reading, and may God bless you. Troy Hillman

Sources:

[1] Hodge, Bodie. "The "harsh" God of the Old Testament." Answers In Gensis. Answers In Genesis, 12 Feb 2007. Web. 20 Feb 2011. .

Millions of Years or Six Days?

In many interpretations, such as theistic evolution and progressive evolution, the days of Creation are referred to as "geologic ages," or millions of years. What we need to understand is that millions of years is an outside idea - not taught in Scripture. Scripture clearly teaches a literal, six day creation. Is there any credence to these claims, or is this mere opinion? (Photo credit to: NASA)

The idea of millions of years undermines Scripture on several levels. One of the major points of contention would be trying to fit millions of years into six days. The point of fitting this into the six days is to explain away the fossil record. However, we need to consider something. If this is so, that would place millions of years of sin, death, disease, and suffering before Adam. The Bible clearly teaches that these did not come about until after the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3)

Each time an individual or group (the Pope, for example) does not accept the days of Genesis as six, literal days, it is because the individual or group has not allowed Scripture to speak to them as it is meant to be. It has to be taken in context. Psalms, for example, is poetry, yet it has clear meanings throughout. For example, Psalm 104 describes, in a poetic sense, Creation and Noah's Flood. Psalm 22 is the words of Christ. Prophecy is clearly seen in Psalms, as is the poetry.

Now, often we like to point out the opinions of Church fathers. Most "church fathers" accepted six ordinary days, but it is true that not all did. We need to consider, however, the fact that most of these church fathers that did not accept literal days were greatly influenced by Greek ideology and philosophy. These Christians accepted the days as allegory, believing the days to be on God's timetable, and therefore could not have taken as long as six days.

As pointed out by the man who kick-started the Reformation, "The Days of Creation were ordinary days in length. We must understand that these days were actual days (veros dies), contrary to the opinion of the Holy Fathers. Whenever we observe that the opinions of the Fathers disagree with Scripture, we reverently bear with them and acknowledge them to be our elders. Nevertheless, we do not depart from the authority of Scripture for their sake."[1]

Several church leaders who adhere to the view of millions of years admit that from a superficial reading of Genesis, Scripture teaches six ordinary days. However, the same go on to say that it cannot be so, "because science has proven that the universe is millions of years old," or some other reason from outside of Scripture. Newsflash: science has NOT proven millions of years! As Christians, we need to build our thinking, our very foundation, from Scripture itself. Not from Evolutionary principles. 

The assumption of millions of years is just that: assumptions. The very idea is based on unproven assumptions and highly unreliable dating methods. This has opened the door to compromise, allowing man's fallible theories to "fit" with Scripture. Once examined, however, we find a number of things: the idea that God used Evolution is unbiblical, the idea of the big bang is unbiblical, and the idea of millions of years is unbiblical. Does this mean that the Bible is "unscientific," as so many claim? No! (See entries: "Did God Use Evolution?", "Examining The Big Bang")

Understandably, because these principles are so ingrained into our society, it is difficult for many people, including Christians, to accept it, even making them uncomfortable, which again, is understandable. Most people want to be accepted, particularly by society, and if they go around claiming a young creation, around 6000 years ago, they are not readily accepted my the majority. Is the view extremist, as some claim?

Photo Credit to NASA

Not necessarily. It is important to note that the Bible is not clear on ever issue that comes up. Even Peter, referring to Paul's writings, said that they were somewhat difficult to understand at times. Yes, the Bible does use allegory, figures of speech, poetry, and what have you on occasion, but the whole Bible, particularly the book of Genesis (including Genesis 1-11) and the Gospels are to be taken literally, they are not allegory. This can clearly be determined by a number of points, one being the context. 

I could quote hundreds of people, but if a big name scientist or someone with credentials to their name is quoted, it seems to add credence, does it not? When you examine, for example, a Yahoo news article, when it refers to a scientific discovery, do they not quote people with credentials? Here is a quote from Oxford Professor James Barr, written at 1984. At the time, he was the Regius Professor of Hebrew. Barr does not claim that Genesis is literally true, but is making a statement:

"Probably, so far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Gen. 1-11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that (a) creation took place in a series of six days which were the same as the days of 24 hours we now experience (b) the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story (c) Noah's flood was understood to be world-wide and extinguish all human and animal life except for those in the ark. Or, to put it negatively, the apologetic arguments which suppose the 'days' of creation to be long eras of time, the figures of years not to be chronological, and the flood to be a merely local Mesopotamian flood, are not taken seriously by any such professors, as far as I know."[2]

Do not get me wrong, many ideas outside of Scripture does not make them wrong, but in this case, regarding a literal six day Creation, a literal Fall of Man, literal Global Flood, literal dispersion at Babel, when the concept of millions of years is added to the six day creation, the two are mutually incompatible. It does not fit with Scripture, once examined. From this we must understand that millions of years and the six days can no longer be lumped into the same category as interpretations over modes of baptism, interpretation of prophecy, the like. Why?

Baptism and Prophecy are biblical, the issue arises because people understand different parts of Scripture in different ways, not from outside ideas. Millions of years arose because of a belief that millions of years would completely undermine the Bible, negating its truth, until Christians began to try to accommodate this idea with the Bible. In other words, the difference is that we can clearly determine what the text of Genesis shows is six ordinary days.

In Creation Magazine, CMI pointed out, "How can you know which other parts of Scripture are in error as well—that is, how can you reliably know anything at all about Christianity? What about the New Testament evidence that Jesus and the Apostles (including Paul) regarded Genesis 1-11 as inspired Scripture, giving us 'true truth' about historical characters and events? What happens to the very basis of the Gospel—that is, the Fall into sin, death and bloodshed of the whole creation for which the Savior shed His blood in death (I Corinthians 15:21, 22; Romans 5:12; Romans 8:19-22)? Those who insist that the days could be millions of years often forget that these “millions of years,” in the popular view, are represented by layers of fossils which are interpreted not as the results of the biblical Flood, but as creatures having lived (with struggle and bloodshed) and died before anyone called Adam could have appeared."[3]

Are we to assume that the three "days" that Jonah was in the "belly of a huge fish" (Jonah 2-3, Matthew 12:40) were actually thousands or millions of years? Perhaps even billions? Or perhaps that the three "days" that Jesus was in the tomb were actually millions or even billions of years? Of course not! You may think, "well of course not! What an odd question to ask, that's just common sense. They would be three literal days in both cases." Oh? Then why is it that we try to incorporate millions or billions of years into the six days of Genesis?

The days of Genesis need to be considered in their original context. The Hebrew word for "day" is yom. A quick look at a concordance will clearly point out that yes, yom can mean a literal 24-hour day, a specific point of time, a year, etc. However, certain lexicons point out that in Genesis, yom is "day as defined by evening and morning."[4] What is meant by this is as follows: each time "day" appears in Genesis 1, it is clearly defined by a number (day one, day two) and the phrase, "And there was evening, and there was morning..." (Genesis 1:5)

Photo Credit to NASA

Each time "yom" is used outside of Genesis with a number, all 410 times, it means an ordinary day.There are other points we could make about "yom," but you may investigate those for yourself, if you would like. For example, in Genesis 1:5, yom appears with "night." Yom is used 53 times with night outside of Genesis 1, and on each occasion, it means a literal day. The language of Scripture clearly outlines six, literal days of Creation, and to accept unproven assumptions of millions of years merely to be "socially acceptable" would be compromise.

In Exodus 31:12, he clearly commands Moses to say to Israel, "Six days may work be done, but on the seventh is the sabbath or rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the sons of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between me and the sons of Israel forever. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." (emphasis added)

Often people beg the question, "Why did God create everything in six days?" We find the answer in Exodus 20:11, where God clearly states how long it took Him to create everything. "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it."(emphasis added) God clearly tells us that He created in "six days." Our seven-day week is actually modeled after the six days of creation - followed by one day of rest. (See entry: "Was The Earth Created In Six Literal Days?")

Some are quick to object, citing 2nd Peter 2:8 and Psalm 90:4 as an example. 2nd Peter 2:8 says, "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." Psalm 90:4 says, "For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Does this not then prove that God used thousands or millions of years during Creation?

Not in the slightest. These passages have no Creation context, nowhere referring to Genesis or the six days of Creation. Both passages use the comparative "like" or "as," neither of which are found in Genesis 1. In other words, it is not directly stating that a day is a thousand years, it is comparing a literal day to a literal thousand years. When we look at the context of 2nd Peter 2, the passage is referring to the Second Coming of Jesus. It is saying that God is outside of linear time, and is not limited or bound to time as we are, so what may seem like a long time to us (a thousand years) are nothing for God (a day).

Regarding Psalm 90:4, note that the phrase "watch in the night," (meaning, four hours[5]) is joined with "yesterday," comparing a thousand years to a short period of time, not merely a day. But again, if we take these literally, would this not mean that Jonah was in the fish for three thousand years, and consequently, Jesus dead for three thousand years? The latter would be difficult, since it has not even been 2100 years since his death, meaning that all that occurred after his resurrection, including the missions of Paul, Peter, the like, have yet to occur! This is simply illogical and irrational. 

Others raise the objection that "we are still in the seventh day, therefore, none of the days in Genesis are literal." When this view is objectively examined, it is simply illogical. Adam was created on Day 6, lived past Day 7, and died when he was 930 years old. (see Genesis 5:5) Therefore, if each of these days were a thousand or million years, Adam's death would make not rational sense! Also, God states that he "rested," not that he is "resting." The Bible makes it clear that God is still active, not resting. Though some argue that Hebrews 4:3-4 implies that the seventh day continues today, verse 4 clearly shows that God rested - past tense - on the seventh day. This means spiritual rest in Christ, not that God is still resting via the seventh day.

Pattle P.T. Pun, who is a leading progressive creationist, admitted, “It is apparent that the most straightforward understanding of the Genesis record, without regard to all of the hermeneutical considerations suggested by science, is that God created heaven and earth in six solar days, that man was created in the sixth day, that death and chaos entered the world after the fall of Adam and Eve, that all of the fossils were the result of the catastrophic universal deluge which spared only Noah's family and the animals therewith.” [6]

Another point to consider is Matthew 19:4, "Haven't you read... that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female," and again in Mark 10:6, "But at the beginning of creation, He made them male and female." Jesus does not say "he made them millions of years after creation," he says, "but at the beginning of creation." Jesus is Creator (John 1:1-3, 8:58 10:30; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-4; Revelation 1:8, 22:13-16) and knows exactly what He is talking about when he conveys that He created at the beginning of Creation.

Proverbs 30:5-6 conveys that "every word of God is pure... Do not add to His words, lest he reprove you and you be found a liar." We need to not forget, "All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2nd Timothy 3:16-17) We clearly read in Psalm 119:160, "Thy word is true from the beginning."

It is not unreasonable, illogical, or even irrational to believe in a literal, six day Creation by a Creator, the God of Christianity, a little over 6000 years ago, in fact, it is quite logical, scientific, rational, and reasonable. There is excessive scientific evidence for a young creation by God. (See series: "Evidence For A Young Creation," or visit AnswersInGenesis.org or ICR.org) God is very real, and to make the statement "there is no God" would be a universal negative: you would require all the knowledge in the universe to make this absolute statement. 

Adam and Eve, our ancestors, disobeyed God, and fell to sin, corrupting all of Creation, the effects of which can be clearly seen everyday, all around us. This necessitates a Savior, because the condemnation is eternal Hell, and we have all broken God's Commandments. (See entries: "Location of Hell: Harrowing of Hell," "What Did Jesus Say About Hell," "The Ten Commandments - Have We Followed Them All?")

Romans 10:9 conveys, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." We must also confess our sins - daily - to God. 1st John 1:9 conveys, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Why? Romans 10:10 answers, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Thank you for taking the time to read this double-length entry of "The Truth." Feel free to comment below (yet please remain civil), email vexx801@yahoo.com or thetruth.ministryweb@gmail.com if you have any questions, comments, the like, visit our facebook, or visit our Ministry site. Take care, dear reader, and May God bless you. Troy Hillman

Sources:

[1] M. Luther as cited in Plass, E. What Martin Luther Says: A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, p. 1523, 1991.

[2] Barr, J., Letter to David Watson, 23 April 1984.

[3] CMI, . "Six Days? - Honestly!." Christian Answers Network. Creation Ministries International, Christian Answers Network, 1996. Web. 26 Feb 2011. .

[4] Brown, F., Driver, S. and Briggs, C., A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Clarendon Press, Oxford, p.398, 1951.

[5] Ham, Ken. Six Days or Millions of Years. Answers In Genesis. Print.

[6] Pattle P.T. Pun, “A Theology of Progressive Creationism,” Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Ipswich, MA: March 1987), p. 14

Are Pets In Heaven?

It is a commonly asked question. People want to know, "will I see my dog, cat, bird, fish, rabbit, what have you - in Heaven?" It is not a foolish question to ask, indeed, the foolish question would be not to ask, for one can never know unless asked or discovered. Does the Bible tell us anything on this subject, or are we left in the dark about this one? (Photo credit to: LovingChristmas.com)

There is an issue in asking the question. To see a pet in Heaven, if possible, one must have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Now, the majority of this blog had been spent trying to show the logical, coherent, and reasonable belief in the God of Christianity to be exactly what His Word tells us it is: The Truth. Regardless of whether pets are in Heaven or not, it comes down to whether or not the owner will be in Heaven.

Now, we do know that there are animals in Heaven. Whether or not these are pets is a different story. For example, 2nd Kings 2:11, "As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." From this verse we can determine that there are horses in Heaven.

Consider Revelation 19:11 and 14 which convey, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war... The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean." Again, we can determine that there are horses in Heaven. Jesus himself rides a White Horse. (See Revelation 19:11-21)

Revelation 5:13 says, "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!'" This seems to indicate creatures being present in Heaven. Note that they are not specifically pets, only animals. Isaiah 11:6-7, which is referring to the future kingdom of Jesus, conveys, "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. Infants will play near the hole of the cobra; young children will put their hands in viper's nests."

The point here is: there are creatures in the Millennial Kingdom. We see this again in Isaiah 65:25. So far, we can determine that in Heaven, or at least the Millennial Kingdom, there will be: horses, wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, calves, lions, cows, bears, and snakes. The question then becomes, are these creatures those who have lived on the Earth, are will they be new creations? By examining the facts, the conclusion may seem less clouded:

Man and animals were both formed from the ground and have the "breath of life" in them. (Genesis 1:30; 2:7, 19; 6:17; 7:15, 22) The large difference between the two is that mankind was made in the image of the Creator, and the animals (including primates) were not. While out genetic makeup may be similar, this does not tell us about whether or not there is life after death for them. *Note: merely because genetic makeup is similar does not mean it descended from the same thing. In humans this means we descended from Adam and Eve. However, overall, the materials God used to create man and animals worked and served their purpose, therefore they were used for both animals and man. This does not signify evolution in any form.

A few more points to consider: the covenant that God made with Noah (see Genesis 9:9-11) was made for both man and animals, yet bear in mind that this was a promise never again to destroy the earth, not a covenant for eternal salvation. Another point to consider, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the fourth commandment, describes the rest on Sabbath for both man and animals. This does not, however, show that the animals have an afterlife.

Psalm 104:14, 27-30 and Matthew 6:26 reveal that God takes care of man and animals, but once again, nothing is revealed about their eternity. Now, we have already seen that animals exist during Christ's future reign, but whether or not these are resurrected or newly created animals is not revealed to us. Something that Paul tells us in Romans 1:23 is, "they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal human beings and birds and animals and reptiles." What does this have to do with the topic at hand?

It is to make a point. We sometimes give too much focus on historical figures such as Abraham, Moses, Jonah, Peter, Paul, and the like. This is not to say that what was said through them (or, aside from Abraham, what each of these people wrote with the Holy Spirit working in and through them), but to say that we ought not worship them. In the same way, we ought not to worship animals.

Back to the topic at hand, more of an aside than a point: if all animals entered into Heaven, be careful that you do not treat an animal badly, imagine the position of Moses' brother Aaron, having killed so many creatures only to face them all in Heaven! If they have an afterlife, that is. The central question: will your pet be in Heaven?

The Bible doesn't tell us one way or the other. There are separate verses used to support one side or the other, but the fact of the matter is, the Bible is silent on the subject. It does not directly state, nor does it indirectly imply. Will animals have a role in our future, specifically Heaven? Yes, this includes the four creatures (Ezekiel 1, Revelation 4) and the creatures aforementioned. But will some of these creatures be the pets we have here on Earth? We simply do not know.

There are those who claim to know for certain, and they may or may not be right. Either there are - or there are not. The majority of supporting this idea comes from Sylvia Brown, an alleged psychic, Gnostic, and New Age advocate. However, in past entries we have discussed how the New Age movement is nothing more than the deception of Satan. He wants people to believe that there is neither Hell nor demons, and he wants people to think that he doesn't exist. He wants people to think that all go to Heaven, and when the facts are examined with the truth, it simply does not agree.

There is a heaven and a hell (both literal), there are demons (fallen angels), and there is a Satan. Do not fall prey to lies, especially those mass-advocated through media propaganda. The truth of the matter is, we do not know if pets will be in Heaven or not. It is true that men such as Martin Luther, Pope John Paul II, John Wesley, John Calvin, and many others agree with and tried to support the belief that animals have souls, but one must point out that they are all human and prone to fallible opinions and ideas.

Do people want to believe that pets go to Heaven? Absolutely. Does the Bible tell us one way or the other? When the texts used to support or oppose are examined (and there are many other not mentioned in this entry), objectively, we come to the conclusion that the Bible is silent on the subject. Will your pet be in Heaven? It's possible, but we do not know. The bigger question to ask would be: will you be in Heaven?

Often the Ministry encounters skeptics. The Truth Ministries tries to "cover all the bases," whether its Young Earth Creationism, Apologetics, Theology, Prophecy, History, or just general topics, we try to cover a vast range of topics. It is important to be able to defend our faith, which is the point of Apologetics. It is important to know History, so that we do not repeat the same mistakes. It is important to know Prophecy, so that we may learn what is coming. It is important to learn Creation, so that we may know it really isn't "religion vs. science," because Creation is science.

God created all of the Natural Laws that govern our finely-tuned universe, and you and I are a part of it. Pets are a part of it, and so are we. How can you enter into Heaven? Romans 10:9 conveys, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." 1st John 1:9 continues, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Yes, we believe by faith, but it is not without merit: there is overwhelming evidence for Christianity, Christ, and for God. Whether you accept or reject is your own choice, but know that your ultimate decision will have eternal consequences, regardless of what you believe or think on the matter.

Thank you for taking the time to read this entry of "The Truth." Feel free to comment below (but please remain civil), email vexx801@yahoo.com, thetruth.ministryweb@gmail.com, visit our facebook page, or visit our Ministry website. Take care, dear reader, and may God bless. Troy Hillman

What Does The Bible Tell Us About Heaven?

Heaven. It is the subject of much controversy. People all across the world believe in its existence. It is called different names, and many people claim to have seen it. Descriptions from these alleged onlookers range, but among most there is a general consensus of what it looks like. But are these descriptions based in biblical fact, or are they just the product of an over-active imagination? (Photo credit to: AmericanPsycho, SpiritLessons)

In past entries, we have examined a few evidences for Christianity, for a Young Creation, for the Resurrection (more of which will be covered during the month of Easter), and more. We have attempted to establish that the Bible has NOT changed over time, contrary to popular belief, and that yes, Jesus Christ was an actual figure in history, and that both biblical and non-biblical sources give credence to His claims, miracles, life, death, and even resurrection. Without examining the claims of individual "visions" or "experiences," let us deduce from Scripture what can be understood about Heaven.

It is important to note that the Bible refers to three "heavens." Only one is what we know as Heaven (the third Heaven), the first heaven is the expanse in which the birds fly - the sky/atmosphere. The second is outer space, and, as stated, the third is God's Abode, the Heaven where God's people dwell and will dwell. Bible prophecy refers to the "new heavens and a new earth," which will be set in place after the 7 year Tribulation - followed by the 1,000 Year Reign of Christ, the Final Judgment, and then a new Heavens and a new Earth will be set in place. This will be examined later.

It is easily determined that Paul was more concerned not with descriptions of Heaven itself, but its occupants. He spoke of the future life "with Christ" (Philemon 1:23) and seeing "face to face." (1st Corinthians 13:12) He also elaborates that we will actually know others better there than we ever will here. Paul described Heaven as follows, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago [ca.42 BC] was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows. And I know that this man - whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows - was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell." (2nd Corinthians 12:2-4) 

When Paul saw Heaven, he could not adequately describe in words of the time. Those who claim to have seen Heaven in recent years say the same: there are no words to describe it that will give it justice. Heaven is mentioned and seen all throughout Scripture. Isaiah saw Heaven (Isaiah 6), along with many others. Before we look at how Heaven is described, we ought to look at a few other things.

Heaven is a place of rewards for the saved, as seen in Matthew 5:12 and Luke 6:23. It is also a place where God is worshiped. Matthew 13:44-45 says, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he want away and sold everything he had and bought it."

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you." (John 14:2) Often visions of Heaven show Mansions made of Gold, engraved with the name of the person on the front, with two golden pillars on the front, though descriptions vary. So does the Bible actually explicitly state what Heaven looks like? Actually, it does.

Much of our knowledge of Heaven comes from the book of Revelation. All throughout, we read about Heaven. Revelation 21-22 gives the description of Heaven when it will come to the New Earth, but the descriptions throughout are sometimes overlooked. Revelation 4:1-2 says, "After this looked, and there before me was a door standing open in Heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.' At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it."

Revelation 4:3-8 continues, "And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the [sevenfold Spirit] of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings."

This should not surprise us. Since we know that Heaven has inexpressible wonders, it is easy to determine that there are likely creatures, such as these four, that we have never encountered before. The same is true for Ezekiel, who saw the four creatures. Both John and Ezekiel had never seen any such creatures, and from the description, neither have we. They used the best possible descriptive words to tell us what these creatures looked like. (See Ezekiel 1) John saw these creatures in the 90's AD, and Ezekiel saw them ca. 592 BC. 

After the 7-Year Tribulation and 1000-Year Reign of Christ have completed, followed by the Judgment of the Dead (see Revelation 20:11-15), God will restore Creation. Genesis 1-2 describes God's perfect Creation. God created the universe in six days (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Matthew 10:4-6; Mark 10:6), and His creation was perfect. However, our ancestors, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God's direct command, falling into temptation from the Fallen Angel Lucifer (Satan), and all of Creation fell to sin. It was because of this that a Savior is necessitated. (See entries: "Satan and The Origin of Evil," "The End Times (Part One)")

The Savior came into the world ca.7-2 BC. He was born to the virgin Mary, conceived through the Holy Spirit, and adopted as the son of Joseph. Both Mary and Joseph were of the Line of King David. The child's name was Jesus. Jesus began His ministry about the age of thirty, and his ministry lasted for three and a half years. He was crucified ca.29-33 AD outside of Jerusalem, fulfilling the many prophecies found in the Old Testament (Isaiah 52-53, for example). Jesus, who is also God, rose to life three days later, and remained on Earth for forty days. He was seen by over 500 people after He rose from the dead, and then he ascended to Heaven, but not before promising to return for the true followers. (See entry: "The Messiah")

Jesus promised this many times, and it is prophesied about all throughout the Old and New Testaments. After the Tribulation, Reign of Christ, and Judgment have passed, what will happen? Heaven will come down to Earth: literally. John, who was taken over 1900 years into the future, conveys to us what he saw:

"Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4)

Revelation 21:10-14 continues, "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

Quite a description of Heaven, specifically New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:15-21 goes on to say, "The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [about 1,400 miles or 2,200 km] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits think, [about 200 ft or 65 m] by human measurement, which the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass."

"I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21:22-27)

Bear in mind that while yes, this is the description of Heaven having come to Earth, the description of New Jerusalem describes Heaven as it is, not as it will be. The only thing that will change is that Heaven will be on Earth, and terrestrial features will be around it. Now, in Genesis 3:22-24 we read, "And the Lord God said, 'The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. he must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.' So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove them out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."

Coming back to New Jerusalem, we read, "Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, as clear crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."

I tell you the truth: Eden will be restored, and those who accept Christ will enter into Heaven. Isaiah 65:17-66:24 also gives a description of the New Heavens and Earth, which describes what John has described, only in less detail. We read in Isaiah 65:25, "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food..." Heaven is certainly a place to look forward to. We are not told the exact current location of Heaven, only that in the future, after Christ reigns for 1000 years, Heaven will come down to Earth.

Heaven, filled with its translucent gold streets, individual mansions, picturesque Throne Room, pearl gates, and many stones are just a very small fraction of what Heaven is actually like. From the descriptions of those who claim to have seen Heaven, we can rightly cite Christ's words to Nathanael, "You will see greater things than these" that we have examined. (John 1:51) How then can we enter into Heaven? In John 14:6, Jesus conveys, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (emphasis added)

Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." 1st John 1:9 continues, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Why? Romans 10:10 gives the answer. "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Thank you for reading this entry of "The Truth." Feel free to comment below (yet remain civil), email vexx801@yahoo.com or our ministry team at thetruth.ministryweb@gmail.com, visit our facebook page, or visit the Ministry website. Take care, dear reader, and God bless. Troy Hillman

Evidence For A Worldwide Flood (Part Two)

In the previous entry, we outlined several different evidences for a worldwide flood. The concept that Noah's Flood was caused by the overflow of the Mediterranean into the Black Sea and that this was the Flood is unbiblical and not what the evidence indicates. That will be covered in a different entry. In this entry, we will examine more evidences for a global flood, using the geology all around us to show the way, and will discuss what this Flood means for us in the long run. (Photo credit to: Answers In Genesis, CMI, Tim Lovett)

Before we continue, we need to understand the Chronology of the Flood. For forty days and forty nights torrential rain fell upon the earth, along with the springs of the deep, which produced much seismic and volcanic activity, also splitting the continent down the middle in a region now known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. After fifty more days, the waters covered the earth. After 114 more days, the water began to recede, and Noah sent out a raven. Seven days later, Noah sent out a dove for the first time, but there was no place for the dove to land, so it flew back to the Ark. (Genesis 7:11-8:9)

After seven more days, Noah released the dove yet another time, and this time it returned with n olive leaf. Seven days later, Noah released the dove once more, and this time it did not return. After fifty day, Noah and his family exited the Ark once the ground was dry, and proceeded to settle down and release the animals. Noah and his family were on the Ark for one year and ten days - a total of 375 days. (Genesis 8:10-14) Also, when the volcanic ash was released into the atmosphere, it began to block much of the sun's rays. With a heated ocean and cold atmosphere, massive amounts of snow were dumped in the north and south, which continued for 700 years after the Flood. The remnants are glaciers: the Ice Age. There was one Ice Age, as indicated by the evidence, and it occurred from ca. 2300's-1600's BC. (See here for more information on the Ice Age)

When Mt. St. Helen's erupted in the 1980's, it caused weather patterns around the world to change for years. This occurred because the volcanic ash was released into the atmosphere. If many volcanoes were to erupt at the same time, the effects would have been catastrophic, which would have changed Earth's climate and began the Ice Age, as aforementioned. On May 18, 1980, Geologists who studied the eruption were amazed at how rapidly the lava flows carved through solid rack and laid down hundreds of feet of new rock. In just a few hours (as opposed to millions of years), the eruption carved out a canyon 1/40th the size of the Grand Canyon.[1]

Now, let us examine some facts relating to the Flood. In previous entries, we've taken a look at some of the various flood legends found all over the globe. Many of these flood legends include a leader whose name is oddly similar to the one found in the biblical account - Noah. These include (but are not limited to) Nuh, Noh, Noa, Nu, Nau, Manu ("ma" means water, "nu" means Noah), Minnie (the Sioux name for "water"), and Manoa (meaning, "Noah's Waters"). We find that the Chinese word for "boat" is a combination of three ancient symbols: "vessel," "eight," and "mouth," which indicate eight mouths, or eight people, on one vessel - eight people on the Ark.[2]

Credit to: Answers In Genesis, Click to Enlarge

Plato's Timaeus (written ca.360 BC) refers to the "great deluge of all." One of the most famous legends is found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, which has been of great interest to supporters of the Flood. Some are quick to claim that Genesis was based on the Epic of Gilgamesh or other legends of the day, but there are several problems with this. One such problem is: the Ark described in Genesis would actually work, the ark described in the Epic of Gilgamesh would not. There are many inconsistencies between the two which clearly show that the Epic of Gilgamesh flood was actually based on the Global Flood described in the historical account: Genesis.[3] (For more information, see "A comparative study of the flood accounts in the Gilgamesh Epic and Genesis")

The many flood legends around the world, when closely examined, hold many similarities: eight people, man's transgression, an Ark, a global flood, humans and animals saved, the ark landing on a mountain, birds being sent out, and after exiting the ark, the survivors worshiping. You can read more about this in our article, "Why Do We Speak So Many Different Languages?" Now, what about the geologic evidences?

Mount Everest is comprised of deep-marine limestone, with fossils of marine creatures at the 29,035 ft above sea level. In 1953, Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest. At the 26,000 ft. level, he stuck his pick into the ground to pull himself up, and he noticed sea shells. As noted, he found them for the next 3,000 feet. The Andes Mountains also holds something similar. At the 13,000 ft. level, fossilized oysters have been found. The reason this is so odd is because when a clam dies, its muscles relax and the shell opens. These fossils indicate that the oysters died very quickly. We also find whales on the tops of mountains.[4]

In fact, the New York Times mentioned this in an article. "Scientists have found fossil whales and other marine animals in mountain sediments in the Andes, indicating that the South American mountain chain rose very rapidly from the sea... nearly all the fossils were embedded in surface rock and easy to pick up. Best of all, despite weathering, many of the smallest fossils were remarkably intact and will be easy to study."[5] Does this agree with a worldwide flood?

Genesis shows us that at the time of the flood, the springs of the great deep burst forth, causing rapid burial of all forms of life across the globe, including marine life on the bottom of the ocean. Psalm 104:6-8 shows that God "covered [the Earth] with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at [His] rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of [His] thunder they took the flight; flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place [He] assigned for them." So as the water continued to burst forth, it caused the ground at lower elevation that was filled with dead marine life to buckle up into the mountains at higher elevation, just as we find today.

Tectonic upheaval, as we find, could shift the mountains and drop the ocean floor, which would form enormous basins for the floodwater's runoff, also creating the deep oceans we see today which cover over 70% of the Earth's surface. In 2003, scientists from Ohio State University drilled ice cores in the (Peruvian) Andes that support a global climate change which occurred 4,000-5,000 years ago.[6] Consider fissures found in rocks.

In caves and fissures in England, Whales, and all over western Europe, we find bones and bone fragments of various types of extinct and extant animal species, including the mammoth, hippopotamus,  rhinoceros, horse, bison, polar bear, wolf, reindeer and cave lion.  In most of these cases, the bones are dis-articulated: they are without teeth marks, they are un-weathered, and in most cases, they are broken and splintered.  

"In the rock on the summit of Mont de Sautenay -- a flat-topped hill  near Chalonsur-Saone between Dijon  and Lyons -- there is a fissure filled with animal bones.  'Why should so many wolves, bears, horses, and oxen have ascended a  hill  isolated on  all sides?'  asked Albert Gaudry, professor at  the Jardin des  Plantes.   According to him, the  bones in this cleft are mostly  broken  and splintered  into innumerable... fragments and are 'evidently not those of animals devoured by beasts of  prey;  nor  have  they been broken by man.  Nevertheless,  the remains  of  wolf  were ... abundant, together  with those  of  cave lion, bear, rhinoceros, horse, ox, and  deer... Prestwich thought that the animal bones... were found in  common  heaps because,  '... [they] had  fled [there]  to  escape  the  rising waters.'"[7, 8]

This evidence is consistent with a Global Flood. According to geologists Andrew A. Snelling and Steven A. Austin, "We can thus imagine how the Flood would deposit the Coconino Sandstone (and its equivalents), which covers an area of 200,000 square miles (518,000 square kilometres) averages 315 feet (96 metres) thick, and contains a volume of sand conservatively estimated at 10,000 cubic miles (41,700 cubic kilometres). But where could such an enormous quantity of sand come from? Cross beds within the Coconino dip consistently toward the south, indicating that the sand came from the north. However, along its northern occurrence, the Coconino rests directly on the Hermit Formation, which consists of siltstone and shale and so would not have been an ample source of sand of the type now found in the Coconino Sandstone. Consequently, this enormous volume of sand would have to have been transported a considerable distance, perhaps at least 200 or 300 miles (320 or 480 kilometres). At the current velocities envisaged sand could be transported that distance in a matter of a few days!"[9]

The evidence that we find, including rapid deposition, scattered fossils of marine life and land creatures, rapid sanding, bent rock, and many other such evidences support the Global Flood found in Genesis 6-9. According to geologist Dr. Emil Silvestru, when asked about canyon formation, "Lab experiments have shown that pellicular (thin layer) drainage on soft surfaces always causes branching patterns, not meandering. You can clearly see this at low tide on sandy shores. The retreating waters of the Flood on the other hand, were in places kilometers deep and it is quite possible that at the bedrock-water interface turbulence (caused by the friction with the sediment) created meandering patterns – a special case of confined flow. Riverbed meandering in hard rock is only present in horizontally-layered rocks, which are in turn the result of massive, water-borne sediment flows."[10]

In 2nd Peter 3:5-6 we read, "But they deliberately forgot that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed." As soon as a secular "scientific explanation" for a biblical event comes out, many are so quick to accept the opinions and assumptions rather than stand on biblical truth. We don't need to start from secular science and work our way into the Bible, we need to start with the people and show how it agrees with true science. The Bible clearly shows a global flood, and so does the evidence. 

There are plenty other evidences for a global flood, all we need to do is look. As said by Ken Ham and Tim Lovett , "Evidence of Noah’s Flood can be seen all over the earth, from seabeds to mountaintops. Whether you travel by car, train, or plane, the physical features of the earth’s terrain clearly indicate a catastrophic past, from canyons and craters to coal beds and caverns. Some layers of strata extend across continents, revealing the effects of a huge catastrophe. The earth’s crust has massive amounts of layered sedimentary rock, sometimes miles (kilometers) deep! These layers of sand, soil, and material—mostly laid down by water—were once soft like mud, but they are now hard stone. Encased in these sedimentary layers are billions of dead things (fossils of plants and animals) buried very quickly. The evidence all over the earth is staring everyone in the face."[11]

What does the Flood show us about our future? When we continue reading 2nd Peter 3, we read, "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly... But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare." This coming judgment will occur after the seven-year Tribulation followed by the 1,000 year reign of none other than Jesus Christ, who is God the Son.

The evidence is clear: all men, save for Noah and his family, were evil. God sent His judgment upon them, and the marks of this judgment can still be seen all around us to this day. This shows that indeed, the Genesis account is historical. When our ancestors, Adam and Eve, disobeyed the direct command of the Creator, the entire universe fell to sin. Each of us have sinned, and have broken God's eternal law. (See entry: "The Ten Commandments - Have We Followed Them All?") As such, we too are condemned to "hell, where the fire never goes out," (Mark 9:43) which necessitates a Savior. 

Jesus Christ is that Savior. In past entries we've covered the historical evidence for His existence, His claims, covered His miracles, birth, the prophecies which only He can and has fulfilled, and have shown that He is God. How then can we saved? "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) Also, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1st John 1:9) Only then can we be saved. The choice is yours, whether you accept or not, no one can choose for you.

Thank you for reading this entry of "The Truth." This concludes the two-part "Evidence For A Worldwide Flood" series. Feel free to comment below (yet remain civil), email vexx801@yahoo.com or our ministry team at thetruth.ministryweb@gmail.com, visit our facebook page, or visit the Ministry website. Take care, dear reader, and God bless. Troy Hillman

Sources:

[1] Stan Campbell, et. al. "fascinating facts related to the flood." Inside The Mysteries Of The Bible: New Perspectives On Ancient Truths. 2010: 38-39. Print.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] "A Judged Creation." Get a Life Ministries. Web. Nov 2010. .

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid, [1].

[7] Velikovsky, Immanuel, Earth In Upheaval, 1955, First Edition, Doubleday & Co., Garden City, New York, p. 51-52.

[8] Prestwich, Joseph, On Certain Phenomena Belonging to the Close of the Last Geological Period and Their Bearing upon the Tradition of the Flood, London, Macmillan and Co., 1895, p. 38. Ref. obtained from Velikovsky, p. 52.

[9] Andrew A. Snelling, Ph.D and Steven A. Austin. "Startling evidence for Noah's Flood." Answers In Genesis. Answers In Genesis, Dec 1992. Web. 19 Feb 2011. .

[10] Emil Silvestru, Dr. "Rapid canyon formation and fossils." Creation Ministries International. Creation Ministries International, 19 Feb 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2011. .

[11] Ken Ham, , and Tim Lovett. "Was There Really a Noah's Ark & Flood?." Answers In Genesis. Answers In Genesis, 11 Oct 2007. Web. 18 Feb 2011. .