by Terri KammerzellTruth of Genesis Ministry Partner This last week was “Vesuvius Day,” marking the 1942nd anniversary of the recorded date of the historical burial of the city of Pompeii. According to History.com, an estimated 13,000 or more people were killed in this catastrophic event, rated 8th in the deadliest volcanic eruptions measured in history. Although it’s hard to know with great certainty, some historians and paleontologists estimate that at the time of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, there were about 195 million people on the earth. While 13,000 is a large number of lives to have lost, that’s just 0.0067 percent of the earth’s population. But it was tragic. And certainly catastrophic. A regional catastrophe.[1]
In comparison, the deadliest recorded volcanic eruption was Indonesia’s Mt. Tambora in 1815. The devastation was so terrible that 1815 became known as “the year without summer,” and it caused a great famine. All told, some people estimate the death toll (from the eruption and its consequences) to be as high as a quarter of a million people. Given the world’s population at the time of that eruption, that meant about 0.024 percent of the earth’s population were victims of that tragic and catastrophic event. It was another regional catastrophe.[2] But long before either of those catastrophes, there was another event that wiped out almost 100% of the life on earth. Of humans, only eight remained. Of animals, only two of each kind. I am speaking of the global flood of Noah’s day, recorded in Genesis chapters 6-9. Four times in the New Testament, that flood is referred to using the Greek word kataklusmos.[3] This is the origin of our word “cataclysm.” Which brings me to this week’s Fun Fact: What is the definition of cataclysm? Cataclysm is a sudden, violent change or disaster. Although, to be fair, this fact certainly isn’t “fun.” But it is definitely fundamental. Many people (even some professed Christians) argue that the flood of Noah’s day was not a global event and that it did not wipe out almost 100% of the earth’s population. Some say it was a local or regional event. But, from a Scriptural perspective, there are at least two problems with that idea. First, that idea contradicts the account of Genesis 7:19-23, which describe the flood waters as prevailing “exceedingly on the earth” and the earth as “all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered.” About life on the earth, verse 23 says, “So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive” (NKJV). That doesn’t sound like a regional catastrophe to me. That’s the description of a global cataclysm. Second, that idea contradicts the covenant God made with Noah in Genesis 9:1-17. He set His rainbow in the cloud and told Noah that every time the rainbow is seen in the clouds, He will remember His covenant: “the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh” (v. 15). If the flood of Noah’s day had been a regional event, then God would have broken His promise over and over again since then because there have been many catastrophic and fatal regional floods since that time. Additionally, as scientists continue to study both observational (current) science and historical (past) science, they have discovered that the flood of Noah was, indeed, a cataclysmic event. The whole earth was in upheaval. In fact, the engineering department at Liberty University is working on building a simulation model of what may have taken place during the Great Flood. They speculate that “the thousands of miles’ worth of seafloor spreading responsible for today’s igneous ocean crust must also have unfolded during the Flood cataclysm,” and that the “Genesis Flood . . . also included rapid and large-scale plate motions that produced thousands of miles of continental displacement.”[4] Words have meaning. They are important in communication. And equally important is understanding the differences between them, especially when their origin is in the Bible, and used to communicate something very specific. Our word cataclysm comes from the Greek kataklusmos, which is a word so special it was specifically reserved only for mentioning Noah’s flood. This was no ordinary event. This was no regional catastrophe. It was a global cataclysm. Most importantly, the flood of Noah was used in the gospel to reveal the omnipotence of God, as well as both His judgment and mercy. God was merciful to spare Noah and his family and to let the inhabitants of earth have a second chance. God continues to demonstrate that same mercy to us each day by forgiving our sins and patiently waiting for us to turn to Him. But a day will come when we will once again see the wrath of God. A day when, as Paul describes, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). Make sure you’re ready for that judgment day. If you need help, visit this website. Don’t just take my word for it! Visit YouFormedMe.com/theories/cataclysm.html to read, watch, and listen to supporting research and commentary from scientists, doctors, theologians, and more! This blog is from a special series of “Creation Fun Facts” by Terri Kammerzell, starting from June 10, 2020. Read the introduction at TruthOfGenesis.com/blogs/building-a-biblical-defense-of-creation. [1] https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vesuvius-erupts [2] https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcanoes/facts/biggest-eruption.html [3] Matthew 24:38-39; Luke 17:27; 2 Peter 2:5 [4] https://www.liberty.edu/engineering/research/simulating-genesis-flood/ by Terri KammerzellTruth of Genesis Ministry Partner This week, as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, there’s another birthday we can remember too: Louis Pasteur, born on December 27, 1822, in Dole, France. This Fun Fact is the second of three that I have, designed to defend a common claim that can come in at least two different formats: “All real scientists believe in evolution,” or, “No real scientist believes God created the world.” You may recall the first one I featured was about Johannes Kepler.
Louis Pasteur was about as real as any scientist could be, and his findings have proven invaluable. Who was Louis Pasteur? Louis Pasteur’s experiments with bacteria provided life-saving data for the medical and food prep industries. But he was not only a great man of science: he was also a man of great faith, demonstrating that life comes from life. Here are some other fun things to know about Pasteur:
Indeed, Louis Pasteur is credited for having saved more lives than any other one person in history. Well, mortal lives that is. When we turn our attention back to the Savior Whose birth we celebrate this week, we can’t help but remember His contributions as well. Born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem of Judea, Jesus—the Son of God—came into our world to save the eternal lives of all who believe on Him. And even before that—about two thousand years before that—God gave us the first gift: life, the universe, and all that is in it. Indeed, while we can be grateful for the accomplishments of real scientists such as Louis Pasteur, our ultimate praise goes to the Creator Himself. “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” –Revelation 4:11 (NKJV) Don’t just take my word for it! Visit YouFormedMe.com/people/pasteur.html to read, watch, and listen to supporting research and commentary from scientists, doctors, theologians, and more! This blog is from a special series of “Creation Fun Facts” by Terri Kammerzell, starting from June 10, 2020. Read the introduction at TruthOfGenesis.com/blogs/building-a-biblical-defense-of-creation. by Terri KammerzellTruth of Genesis Ministry Partner I have three Fun Facts designed to defend a common claim that can come in at least two different formats: “All real scientists believe in evolution,” or, “No real scientist believes God created the world.”
Well, this Sunday marks the 390th anniversary of the death of Johannes Kepler, so I thought it was a good time to introduce you to the first of these three. Who was Johannes Kepler? Best known for discovering the three mathematical laws of planetary motion, Johannes Kepler was a devout biblical Creation scientist with a deep love for Jesus Christ. Johannes Kepler didn’t just tinker with his microscope in his garage. He left a pretty impressive legacy of scientific accomplishments:
Incidentally, there are a lot of modern-day real scientists who believe God created the world too. In fact, this year my friends from the Creation Fellowship Santee have had the privilege of hosting several, including a couple of my favorites: Bill Morgan, Steve Austin, Jay Wile, Jason Lisle, and Gary Bates. Don’t just take my word for it! Visit YouFormedMe.com/people/kepler.html to read, watch, and listen to supporting research and commentary from scientists, doctors, theologians, and more! This blog is from a special series of “Creation Fun Facts” by Terri Kammerzell, starting from June 10, 2020. Read the introduction at TruthOfGenesis.com/blogs/building-a-biblical-defense-of-creation. by Terri KammerzellTruth of Genesis Ministry Partner I chose to feature this week’s Fun Fact in memory of this Sunday’s (August 8th) 101st anniversary of the death of Ernst Haeckel, German zoologist, philosopher, naturalist, and more. Some of you might not be familiar with Dr. Haeckel. After all, his name is not nearly as widely used as that of Charles Darwin. In fact, you might even wonder how to pronounce it. Here’s an easy way to remember: it is a homonym for the action of a person (heckler) who harasses a public speaker or performer with distracting and often abusive or insulting remarks. It’s actually quite fitting that the two are homonyms because Ernst Haeckel essentially heckled the Creator of the universe, providing distractions away from God and His message to us contained in the Bible.
In past blog posts I’ve discussed that many times throughout history we have seen eager evolutionists in pursuit of evolutionary theories with an intent to disprove a Creator God to Whom we are accountable. It might encourage you to know that countless people who have followed similar pursuits have actually come to the realization that the scientific data, when analyzed objectively, points to the validity and accuracy of the Genesis account of origins. Remember that I mentioned in my “Big Bang vs. the Bible” post that science—real science—is actually the friend of the believer. But also you may recall that last week we talked about Romans 1:20, which reminds us that everyone knows God exists. (In reality, the Bible tells us there are no atheists.) However, when we back up just a bit, we read in verses 18-19: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them” (NKJV). While studying the topic of Creation apologetics (reading numerous articles and books, and watching and listening to numerous presentations), I have often heard leading apologists point out that many people promoting evolutionary theories—theories that posit alternatives to a Creator God—are “compromised” in their beliefs. They have intentionally suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. On the other hand, I’ve also heard a number of Creation scientists demonstrate compassion for some of their evolutionary colleagues, assuming that these people honestly believe what they say they believe and are not intentionally trying to mislead anyone. What does Romans 1 tell us? Whether consciously or not, everyone--everyone—knows God exists because He has revealed it to them. And those who deny it are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. When it comes to suppressing the truth consciously, there is no better example than Ernst Haeckel. Who was Ernst Haeckel? Ernst Haeckel was a German zoologist who promoted evolution by creating fraudulent pictures of human embryos that—although proven to be erroneous—still appear in modern textbooks. And before you start to thinking that 101 years ago was a very long time, so surely his impact couldn’t still be relative, let me tell you about another comparable number of years: 99. It was 99 years between Ernst Haeckel publishing his fraudulent pictures and the infamous Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed the murder of unborn children. If you have ever visited a Creation learning center or museum, you may have passed through a hall displaying the deadly effects of evolutionary ideas. None was more deadly than the evolutionary idea of Ernst Haeckel. His ideas about embryonic development were used to so highly convince the U.S. Supreme Court that babies in utero were not actually human beings until a certain point, that they voted to allow the killing of these developing “animals.” This was on the basis of Ernst Haeckel’s infamous “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” theory. Let’s break that down. Essentially, “ontogeny” is a subdivision of biology that deals with the study of the origin of an organism. To “recapitulate” means to restate or summarize. And “phylogeny” is a subdivision of biology that focuses on evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms. So what Haeckel was saying is that in the womb we literally go through our supposed evolutionary stages, starting out as goo, then becoming fish, and then progressing to human beings. Can you appreciate the implications of such a theory? How about if it is accompanied by drawings (yes, I said “drawings,” not “photographs”) to support these hypotheses? That’s exactly what Haeckel did. Even though he had a contemporary in the UK, Thomas Henry Huxley, who was doing similar research and discovered this idea to be untrue, Haeckel wanted so badly for it to be true and to support his theory that he created fraudulent pictures, which not only still appear in some modern textbooks, but have influenced our nation’s moral climate for decades and have justified the murder of innocent lives. Since the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, there have been such leaps in scientific and technological advancement that were the case brought back before the U.S. Supreme Court, on scientific merits alone, the judges would have to acknowledge that a human embryo is a human baby from the moment of conception. The sad truth, however, is that because the fraudulent “science” gave socially moral permission for tens of millions of murders, politics and agendas of unrighteous suppression of the truth could still interfere with a decision that honors the Lord. Indeed, Ernst Haeckel, the most conniving heckler of all time, has on his hands the blood of over 1.5 billion innocent lives worldwide . . . and counting. Don’t just take my word for it! Visit YouFormedMe.com/people/haeckel.html to read, watch, and listen to supporting research and commentary from scientists, doctors, theologians, and more! This blog is from a special series of “Creation Fun Facts” by Terri Kammerzell, starting from June 10, 2020. Read the introduction at TruthOfGenesis.com/blogs/building-a-biblical-defense-of-creation. Laura PowellMinistry Co-Director of Truth of Genesis In a few weeks our thirteen-year old son will be taking the United States Constitution test. He must pass it in order to move to eighth grade, so over lunch we studied flashcards to prepare. One question dealt with ‘unalienable rights.’ In the Declaration of Independence these well-known words are penned, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[1]
A few flashcards later the question was posed, “Did the Constitution abolish slavery?” He quickly said “no,” which was the correct answer. So much in our human existence consists of juxtaposition. Our worldviews don’t always line up logically or morally. The stark contrast of the founding fathers allowing slavery while eloquently stating mankind’s equality is as glaringly opposed as darkness is to light. Just as Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing new under the sun,” our sinful condition is evident in all periods of time in human history, even now. Slavery did not begin in the United States. The first account of harsh bondage of one group to another is described in the book of Exodus when the Egyptians were enslaving the Israelites. Yet, racism and slavery are grievously unmistakable in our country’s history. Slavery, in what became the United States, most likely is traced to the arrival of approximately twenty enslaved Africans to the British colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. It ended legally when the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in 1865.[2] Some slave buyers, transporters and owners tragically used erroneous “Biblical theology,” designated ‘the curse of Ham,’ to rationalize their heinous deeds. Thousands of years ago, shortly after the global flood, Noah’s youngest son, Ham, sinned against him. After the incident, described in Genesis 9, Noah cursed Canaan (who was Ham’s youngest son.) Noah said, “Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren,” In Exodus 9:25. Why did God curse his grandson Canaan if it was Ham that sinned against him? Biblical scholars disagree on this topic. Professor James J.S. Johnson theorizes that Canaan may have been to blame for the sinful act, and therefore received the punishment.[3] Dr. Jonathan Sarfati proposes several possible reasons why Canaan was cursed instead of Ham. One, God already blessed Noah’s three sons, so Noah couldn’t counteract God’s blessing with a curse. Two, since Ham sinned as the youngest son, he would be punished with a curse on his own youngest son. Three, Canaan may have been the perpetrator of the sinful act. Four, it was an act of mercy, because only one of Ham’s sons was affected. Five, Noah discerned that the evil that appeared in Ham had developed to a greater degree in Canaan.[4] Regardless of the reason, Canaan received the curse. Why then did people cite the ‘curse of Ham’ when they justified enslaving African-Americans? David Goldberg, a historian, states that errors were made when interpreting the Hebrew word ‘Ham’ to mean ‘dark,’ ‘black’ or ‘heat.’[5] The descendants of Ham included the Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Ethiopians, and there is a good possibility it included some of the Asiatic nations of the present as well.[6] Although not all of these people groups have black skin, (the Canaanites were painted in Egyptian murals to have olive skin), misguided individuals proclaimed that dark-skinned people were doomed to be slaves because of the prophecy given to them from Noah.[7] As Tony Evans states, when addressing this issue, “This process is known as sacralization, the development of theological and religious beliefs to serve the interest of a particular ethnic or racial group.”[8]Slave owners dolefully used twisted beliefs to give themselves ‘permission’ to treat others in ways God would not approve. God is clear in His Word when He tells us the entire law is fulfilled when you love others as you would love yourself. He does not advocate, anywhere in His Word or express in His character, that slavery is acceptable. In fact, anyone caught kidnapping a person and keeps or sells him, is to be put to death, God says in Exodus 21:16. God’s two greatest desires are that we love Him and that we love others. Anyone striving to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ would honor what He asks us to do. When Abraham Lincoln said, “slavery is founded in the selfishness of man’s nature,”[9] he rightfully identified selfishness, and not the curse of Ham, was the root of slavery in America. [1] www.usconstitution.net/declar.html. Accessed February 10, 2019. [2] www.nationalgeographic.com/interactive/slavery-united-states. Accessed February 10, 2019. [3] Johnson, James J.S.. “Mankind’s Social Dynamics After Eden.” Institute for Creation Research. 2011. Page 12-14. [4] Sarfati, Dr. Jonathan D.. “The Genesis Account.” Creation Book Publishers. 2015. Page 621 [5] Lee, Felicia R.. “From Noah’s Curse to Slavery’s Rationale.” www.nytimes.com/2003/11/01/arts/from-noah-s-curse-to-slavery-s-rationale.html. 2003. Accessed February 14, 2019. [6] Morris, Henry M. “The Genesis Record.” Baker Books. 2009. Page 238. [7] Sarfait, Dr. Jonathan D. “The Genesis Account.” Creation Book Publishers. 2015. Page 623 [8] Evans, Tony. “Are Black People Cursed? The Curse of Ham.” www.epm.org/resources/2010/Jan/18/are-black-people-cursed-curse-Ham. January 18, 2010. Accessed February 15, 2019. [9] www.brainyquote.com/topics/slavery by Dave PowellMinistry Director - Truth of Genesis One of the things that I remember growing up and going to school was the teaching of evolutionary theory. We were taught that there were different races of people and some were just better than others. Fortunately for me, the humanistic philosophy of evolution taught in schools never became racism. I never really thought much about people being of other races, and I treated them all the same. When my parents were working, a Japanese couple on the Air Force base we lived on took care of me as if I was one of their own. I’m told they loved me very much.
In high school I was chosen to be my school’s representative at a weeklong cultural diversity camp called “Anytown Arizona”. At the student union in college, I lunched every day with Asians, Blacks and people from the Middle East. I ignored “racial divisions” as best I could. Sometime after my college years I had a deal with a neighborhood friend from my elementary years that if neither of us were married by a certain age we would get married. Her black skin didn’t hinder me from strongly caring for her. But there was still a very ugly world out there whose history came directly out of the “scientific” notions of Charles Darwin. According to the book, Darwin’s Plantation, “Biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1850 but they increased by orders of magnitude following the acceptance of evolutionary theory.”[1] Darwin did more than anybody to give people an excuse for racism based upon physical differences through his books “On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man.[2] Because he “proved” that humans descended from apes it was natural for scientists to theorize that some races had descended further than others.[3] In his opinion, some races (i.e. the white ones) had left the others far behind. Particularly pygmy people, according to evolutionary thought, had hardly matured at all.[4] Of course, we know sin is the ultimate cause of racism. But Darwin’s theories gave people scientific “proof” that some people were just inferior to others. Darwinian scientists have been trying to place some races closer to apes and others higher on the evolutionary scale since its inception. The justifications are formed solely on outward appearance, even though modern genetics have clearly proven our slight differences are no deeper than our skin color. Humanistic ideas are most dangerous when put into practice. The concepts of evolution were put into a social framework by Friedrich Nietzsche, who strongly believed in the “science” and the concept of a “master race.”[5] Sound familiar? Well, it should. Adolf Hitler was an ardent evolutionist, as were Stalin and Mao. Sir Arthur Keith, one of the twentieth centuries premier evolutionary anthropologist’s, said, “The German Fuhrer…has consciously sought to make the practice of Germany conform to the theory of evolution.”[6] I won’t go into great detail of Hitler’s genocide against the Jews, Gypsies and others who he saw as inferior. He was just following Darwin’s so called “science” of evolution and putting it into practice for his own gain. While Darwin saw darker skinned people as inferior, Hitler expanded the concept to other Europeans. Evil knows no bounds and will use any intellectual concept of man to further its agenda of serving the “god of this world.” One of the great, but lesser known, atrocities of Darwin’s time was the genocide of the Aborigines who were “studied” with the desire of finding the “missing link” between apes and humans.[7] As a side note, there has never been a verified “missing link” anywhere along the evolutionary tree. Skeletal remains of perhaps ten-thousand Aborigines were sent to British museums as evolutionary “scientists” engaged in a feeding frenzy of study. The Smithsonian Institute in America holds over fifteen-thousand remains. Unfortunately, grave robbing did not satisfy these evolutionists. Edward Ramsay, who was curator of the Australian Museum beginning in 1874, not only put out a pamphlet on grave robbing but also described how “…to plug bullet wounds from freshly killed ‘specimens’”. Ken Ham further describes in his book Darwin’s Plantation that at Ramsay’s request a scientist sent him the skulls of the last two members of the Bungee Blacks tribe that he had shot. [8] Unfortunately, there are many more horrible examples of evolutionary racism in action. Ota Benga, a Pygmy from Africa, was put on display at the 1904 St. Louis World’s fair after his family was slaughtered. [9] This despite evidence that pygmies were actually very intelligent and monotheistic. Those facts, among others, didn’t suit the evolutionary dogma. Racism continued strongly in practice with groups like the Ku Klux Klan and policies like “Separate but Equal.” It continues now in the hearts and minds of individuals because no law can convince them that “… all men are created equal, that they are all endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” So, why didn’t I go down the path of racism since I was a person who really enjoyed science and was taught evolution? I would have to say it had a lot to do with my parents, who were Christians, Jesus who is my Savior, and His word. God’s word contains no reference or support for racism. What it says is exactly the opposite, “…there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all…”. Romans 10:12 Tragically, some people with racist philosophy have tried to use scripture to support their arguments. Genesis 4:3-8 is misinterpreted to be the curse of Ham, which some have used to justify slavery, and we will address this in a separate blog. Instead, the Bible talks about “nations, peoples and languages” in scriptures like Revelation 7:9 and Genesis 10:5 showing us that God created many different people groups. Modern science shows there is little difference between any two people genetically, perhaps 0.1 percent. Only a fraction of that percentage deals with racial differences.[10] Of course, God created language divisions, Genesis 11:9, at the “Tower of Babel”. But the intent wasn’t to discriminate but instead to get people to obey his command to “fill the earth” in Genesis 9:1. The Bible’s intent is born out in the New Testament in the book of Acts which says, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings”[11]. The language of the Bible is one of love, hope and promise for all people. The only real division in the Bible is between those who know Him and those who don’t. Let’s live as a people not divided, but united, through the one blood of Christ. [1] Ham, Ken and Ware, Charles A. Darwin’s Plantation. Master Books. 2007, p. 91. [2] Ibid, pp. 90-91. [3] Ibid, p. 91. [4] Ibid, pp. 16-21. [5] Morris, Dr. Henry M. “Evolution and Modern Racism.” www.icr.org/article/evolution-modern-racism. Accessed January 21, 2019. [6] Morris, Dr. Henry M. “Evolution and Modern Racism.” www.icr.org/article/evolution-modern-racism. Accessed January 21, 2019. [7] Ham, op. cit. p. 91. [8] Ibid, pp. 24-25. [9] Ibid, pp. 16-21. [10] Ham, Ken. “There’s Only One Race.” www.answersingenesis.org/media/audio/answers-with-ken-ham/volume-129/only-one-race. Accessed January 21, 2019. [11] The New King James Version. (1982). (Acts 17:26). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. by Laura PowellCo-Ministry Director, Truth of Genesis Who Wrote the Book of Genesis?
When I was in 4-H many years ago, I did a genealogy project where I traced my ancestral history and made a family tree. Although I could only go back about four generations, it was a good research activity. More recently, my mother in law gave our family the gift of tracing our roots, and I found out through a DNA testing company that I was more Danish than I thought, and less German than I had assumed. It’s fascinating to discover pieces of information about my personal pedigree, but even more intriguing is the wonderment of the lineage of humankind. All people need to know where they came from. It’s natural to wonder about our history. How did we get here? Who were our ancestors? History taught in elementary school doesn’t go back far enough to cover these details. However, the Bible gives us a narrative about how humans were formed, and how we dispersed over the planet. When I open my New International Version Bible on the first page, before each book, the author is listed on the side. My NIV Bible states Moses is the author, not only of Genesis, but also the next four books as well. Together, these five books are also known as the Pentateuch or the books of the law. Bible studies and reading plans will often refer to the collection by these names. But, how do we know Moses wrote Genesis? First, the Old Testament attributes authorship to Moses. We can read in the Old Testament fourteen times where Moses is directed by God to write down things being spoken to Him. Let’s look at Exodus 17:14a, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure Joshua hears it.” Another scripture from Exodus states, “Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.” (Exodus 24:4a). Other places Moses is given authorship are found in Exodus 34:27; Numbers 33:1-2; Deuteronomy 31:9-11; Joshua 1:8; 8:31-32; 1Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; 21:8; Ezra 6:18; Nehemiah 13:1; Daniel 9:11-13; and Malachi 4:4. [1] How does this prove Moses wrote Genesis? It can be inferred that Moses was given direct revelation from God on what to write throughout the first five books of the Bible. Second, the New Testament gives Moses credit. We find fourteen references in the New Testament that refer to the Law of Moses, clearly stating that in the mind of the Jewish people the authorship was not in question, but rather presupposed as Moses. When Jesus says in Mark 12:26, “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’” He is not questioning whether or not Moses wrote the book, but rather using it as a reference. If Moses was not the inspired journalist wouldn’t Jesus have corrected the matter? Instead, He affirms it. Other New Testament scripture references can be found in Matthew 8:4; Luke 16:29; Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44; John 5:46; John 7:22; Acts 3:22; Acts 15:1; Acts 28:23; Romans 10:5; Romans 10:19; 1 Corinthians 9:9; and 2 Corinthians 3:15. [2] Third, Moses had a royal, Egyptian upbringing. The privileges afforded to him growing up under the Pharaoh would have included a royal education. In Acts 7:22 it states that “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” He was an eyewitness to the events that occurred in Exodus to Deuteronomy, which include references to Egyptian gods, people, places, cultural factors, and idioms. [3] He was qualified to write these historical books. Fourth, he was a prophet. He was regarded as an inspired teacher and proclaimer of the will of God. [4] On the mountain of Sinai he was given the ten commandments to share with the Israelites (Exodus 20:2-17). He foretold that Israel would become a wasteland (Deut. 29:23), and he proclaimed that the Jewish people would never be completely destroyed (Lev. 26:32-33). [5] Because Moses was used by God to tell future events, could we also imagine that God used him to pen past events as well? When we study the history of human kind, God told Moses to write down that we were formed out of the dust of the earth. A man and woman, not a young boy or girl, were created as the first humans, and given the names Adam and Eve. God explained to Moses (perhaps directly and/or through written accounts) that Adam and Eve had children, and they had children. Eventually God causes them to disperse over the globe taking with them their unique languages and DNA that would form specific people groups. In closing, God spoke to Moses face to face as a man, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11). God really had a deep, personal, intimate relationship with his child, Moses, and wanted to use him to tell His story. Moses was called a friend of God. He gave Moses the amazing replay of the history of the first humans, and we can trust his account. Who wrote Genesis? Logic and sound biblical interpretation say that Moses wrote the Book of Genesis. [1] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible is True: Volume 1 (Master Books, 2011), p.89 [2] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible is True: Volume 1 (Master Books, 2011), p.90-93 [3] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible is True: Volume 1 (Master Books, 2011), p.94 [4] Oxford Dictionary, prophet, Bing Translator [5] Aboutbibleprophecy.com, Moses’ prophecies By Alyssa JacksonManaging Editor (Fall 2018) and former Life Editor of "The Collegian" student newspaper of Grove City College, PA Psalm 19:1“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
The painter’s hand lightly grasps the brush. Green and black splash together on the bristles forming a leafy green. As the paint hits the canvas, the foliage blooms. Each new stroke fills the canvas with life. The angle of the brush changes to release more black than green, forming the shadow of the leaf. Each complex stroke diminishes the white background. Days pass before the painter calls his work complete. Such care is unmatched. Each release of color holds thought and intention. Every move is carefully planned. If the human artist takes such great care in the making of one painting, how much more does the Creator commit when He created the world and everything in it? He carefully crafted each leaf, each flower, each sunrise, each ocean, each human. How can God not exist? Innately we know that a power greater than us exists. How can someone choose not to acknowledge the God who reveals Himself so clearly? It is the fool who says, “There is no God!” (Psalm 14:1). No human can deny the beauty of a purple orange sunset, or the calming sound of waves hitting the shore. We know what beauty is because we are created in the image of the God, the Inventor of beauty. It’s like an instinct in an animal, we recognize beautiful things. Yet unlike animals, we can know the source of that beauty. We can know intimately our Creator. We can begin to understand the mystery of His greatness. We can look to Him who sent His only Son to die for our sins that we may live forever with Him in the ultimate beauty of heaven. We can long for that day and be reminded of this reward to come every time we see Him reflected in his creation here on earth. Look around at the spectrum of color from the tiniest spider to the swooping rainbow. See how lines innumerable run through the delicate, sheer leaf like veins on your hand. Taste the sweetness of a cherry or the heartiness of a steak. Smell the warm summer rain. Feel the smoothness of a stone or the fluff of a dog. Hear the wind brush the trees like waves hitting the shore. Creation does indeed declare the glory of God and proclaim his handiwork. Let us do the same. by Dave PowellTruth of Genesis, Founder and Director Earth Day is just like it sounds. It is a day dedicated to protecting planet Earth from the negative impacts of harmful environmental concerns. Earth Day occurs each year on April 22, which signifies the anniversary of the start of the environmental movement in 1970. Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, is the founder of Earth Day. He founded the day after realizing the impacts of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
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