Preparing The World For Occupation

The article I mentioned in the previous post purported to show the flaws in the statement that God created the earth.  As I mentioned, to show a flaw in a simple statement such as “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” one must show proof he did not create it.  A statement that he does not exist proves nothing.  If you can prove he doesn’t exist, that would be proof, but thus far, all the claims have been just unsupported statements, so any effort to prove he did not create the world must focus on evidence that it was created some other way or by someone else.

 

The most commonly accepted explanation for the earth’s existence is through some kind of evolutionary process, essentially a series of random incidents or accidents that led to where we are today.  Unfortunately, things do not happen without a cause, and as the second law of thermodynamics tells us, everything degrades with time.  Based on that one scientific principle, evolution would only explain the breaking down of matter, not the growing and formation of planets and life forms, exactly the opposite of what we see.   

 

Any valid claim as to how the world came into existence must follow a logical sequence.  If we examine the statements of Genesis 1, we find that the descriptions coincide with what science tells us we should expect.  Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  Genesis 1:2 tells us, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  Literally, it tells us that the world was of no particular shape initially, and that it was empty and devoid of light.  God had effectively created this giant lump of raw material, but it was not yet finished. 

 

Once he had the raw materials, God created light, making it possible to shape and modify the earth as desired, as described in Genesis 1:3-5.  “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”  Although it does not specifically say so, verse 5 implies that God started the earth rotating, resulting in the changes from day to night, establishing a basis for time as we know it.  The rotation of the earth would tend to shape the world into its present globular aspect. 

 

Next. God created an atmosphere, in Genesis 1:6-8.  “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”  Without an atmosphere and light, life would not have been possible on earth.  Clearly God had a plan when he began developing the earth. 

 

Once he had established an atmosphere and light, God caused the dry land to push up through the water, probably as a result of earthquakes leaving some of the land exposed.  With a the nutrients it needed and place for it to grown he then created the plant life that covers most of our world, with some growing in the ocean and other on dry land.  Genesis 1:9-13 describes these events.  “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.  And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.  And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.  And the evening and the morning were the third day.”

 

With the basic earth created, God then made the celestial bodies we know as our universe.  He designed the sun and moon to be the primary sources of light for the earth, but placed all the stars and planets in space.  Because of their proximity, the sun and moon would provide reference points in time for those who lived on earth, marking out the various time periods, from the hours to days, weeks months and years.   

Genesis 1:14-19 describes the creation of what we call outer space.  “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.  And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” 

 

When God first created the earth, Genesis 1:2 tells us, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  By the end of the fourth day, the world is no longer shapeless or in darkness.   Until those things were in place life on earth would not have been possible.  It is a far more logical progression than any evolutionary theory I have ever seen. 

 

God’s Existence

 I recently came across an article claiming to address the errors in Genesis 1:1.  The verse simply says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” To prove it wrong, one must prove God did not create the world.  To prove that, one must either prove that there is no God, or that something else created the universe. 

 

For centuries, people have been trying to prove there is no God, and many have stated unequivocally that there is no God.  Unfortunately, their statements prove only that they are convinced he doesn’t exist.   People can be absolutely convinced of things that are not true, as demonstrated by the people who are convinced the world is flat despite the photographs from space, the number of flights and ships that have circled the globe and all the evidence to the contrary, and people can cling to a belief in God or a belief that he doesn’t exist in the same way, despite the evidence. 

 

Romans 1:18-21 deals with this very situation.  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

 

Like the members of the Flat Earth Society, they have chosen to ignore the  scientific evidence to cling to their own opinion, convinced they know more than those who believe the evidence.  As Romans 1:22-23 says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”

 

There is an old saying that “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”  When people are determined to cling to a particular belief despite any evidence to the contrary, it is a waste of time trying to change their minds.  As Romans 1:24-25 states, God didn’t waste his time trying.  “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”  The evidence is there, and if they choose to ignore it that is their problem, not ours. 

 

Unfortunately, the refusal to face the truth in one area affects other areas of life as well, as can be readily seen in our present world.  Our modern society’s attitude toward homosexuality and transgenderism is direct result of that deliberate refusal to believe the evidence around us, as Romans 1:26-27 describes.  “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”  Ultimately, unrestrained homosexuality and transgenderism would result in the extinction or near extinction of the human race, although few believe that at this point in time.

 

The rejection of God’s existence results in the repudiation of all moral and ethical standards, as Romans 1:28-32 describes.  “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

 

Despite their efforts, people still carry a load of guilt for their rejection of their moral and ethical standards, even as they push the envelope.  No matter how hard they try to deny it, they still have to confront God’s existence from time to time, just like the members of the Flat Earth Society have to face the globular shape of the earth.