Divine Origin and Sacred History: Original Design and Christ’s Cross

Recently a Scripturosity reader asked me to comment on an article published by Answers in Genesis dealing with the cross and original design. The following is my response to the article entitled “Was the Cross Plan B?”

I appreciate you sharing Steve Ham’s article with me. I know that each of us has a high regard for the authenticity and accuracy of Scripture and agree that the Gospel is the message of primacy in our increasingly secular world (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”). It is amazing to me, however, that AIG does not see the flaw in his reason – especially from their hard-line, historical Genesis perspective.

Was the Cross “Plan B?” Of course the Cross was not necessitated as “a result of God’s best-laid plans gone wrong” as he queries in the opening. No, “human sin did not take God by surprise.” There was no “emergency plan B forced upon the Creator…after the Fall.” In the context of the omniscient foreknowledge of God, original sin in nature’s perfection was not “an unforeseen tragedy.”

But the questions with which he frames his article present an inaccurate (or at least incomplete) either/or scenario.

I propose that the prospect of a sin-cursed detour (Plan B, if you will) eventuating to its original track sometime in the future, as prophesied in Isaiah’s description of the ecosystem of the new earth (11:6-9) or as detailed in John’s vision of fellowship in the consummation of all things (Rev. 21:3), does not harm or threaten the concept of divine “predetermined purpose.”

The issue is the character and Word of a Creator who looked upon His completed work on Day 6 and appraised it “very good (lit. exceedingly excellent).” Would an assessment of exceeding excellence on Day 6 be an honest and accurate description of Creation – particularly in view of the climatic conclusion of His image bearer – in the context of a requisite rebellion and fall from purpose?

We, young-earth creationists, argue that an evolutionary model of biology (necessitating suffering, and disease, and death) is inconsistent with the character of God. Similarly, creating with the anticipation of nature’s cursing in order to facilitate its redemption suggests a course of events that does not square either. Many struggle with the reality of suffering in the context of a loving, superintending God. To tell the skeptic or the seeker that this was God’s plan has no appeal and does nothing to defend the character of God. But to explain that this is not the way God intended things to be gives perfect frame for the Gospel (see Scripturosity article “Innocent Suffering and a Loving God – Part 1”). Knowledge of and intent toward are two very different things.

On Day 6, the glory of Christ was exhibited in the power and genius of His Creation. After the rebellion, Christ’s glory included the sovereign fulfillment of His passion – restoration of fellowship.

When Adam sinned, everything changed. God was forced, by His character, to disassociate with this debase intrusion that defined humanity’s new reality. God’s response to sin testified further of his favor toward mankind with an ingenious plan (obviously foreseen in His eternal omniscience) of restoration that would preserve every detailed facet of and satisfy every intricate demand of His glorious character. We are currently living in a sovereign detour necessitated by the Creator’s intolerance of sin, but initiated because of His desire to bring Eden’s fellowship full circle.

Original purpose and sovereign foreknowledge are not mutually exclusive divine concepts. The need for a sin-cursed, multi-millennial side-track following the Fall of man, does not mean that God’s character was compromised or that He missed this not-so-minute detail in the eternal scheme. Neither did God intend for fellowship to be broken as a result of man’s Garden rebellion so He could wind up the plan of restoration and Christ’s cross.

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Biblical Relevance in Modern Culture: Evidence of God?

Atheists are having a field day with a recent Youtube video-clip from a debate between Eric Hovind (creationist) and Bernie Dehler (secular humanist) at Portland State University. The highlight is a question posed by Bernie’s son, a sixth grader, who asked for Eric to produce evidence for God. “How do you know that God exists” was essentially the question. Eric responded with an appeal to logic suggesting that unless you know everything you cannot be sure of anything. Therefore it is irrational to discount the presence of God. After watching the clip and witnessing the difficulty Eric had making his point, I began to wonder how I would answer the same question.

The answer, I believe, is quite simple though intensely contemplative and personal. The best place to start is a review of the 3 endowments at Creation’s finale – The Image, The Breath, and The Mandate. In these we can begin to appreciate our purpose in and sense the anticipation of the great cosmic symphony.

In the 5 days and several hours preceding man’s entrance, the creative episodes were initiated with impersonal mandates such as “Let there be…Let the waters be gathered…let the dry land appear…Let the waters bring forth…and Let the earth bring forth.”

Then, for the first time, creation gets personal. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26a).” This endowment signals the Creator’s original intent for man.

John MacArthur expounds on the significance of divine image in his book The Battle for the Beginning.

“Above all, the image of God can be summed up by the word personhood. We are persons. Our lives involve relationships. We are capable of fellowship…We know what it is to share thoughts, convey and discern attitudes, give and take friendship, perceive a sense of brotherhood, communicate ideas, and participate in experiences with others.”

I think Henry Morris gives the best defense of human purpose in his book Many Infallible Truths.

“Communication and fellowship between man and God not only are possible but must actually have been a part of God’s very purpose in creation…since this is the ultimate consummation toward which time is moving, then there can be no doubt that this was God’s primeval purpose when time began. He created men for fellowship with Himself.”

The inevitable result of the obvious compatibility was fellowship.

Another unique endowment was The Mandate from the Creator to fill and subdue (1:28). Sometimes referred to as the Dominion Mandate, this declaration clearly establishes mankind as Creation’s superior.

The Bible presents man as the epicenter of God’s creative power and genius, charged with its mastery. “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet (Psalm 8:6).”

This is by no means a license to abuse the earth and its creatures, but rather a sanction for careful responsibility in management.

Henry Morris addresses our sovereign assignment this way in his commentary The Genesis Record.

“The cultural mandate, as some have called it, is clearly a very expressive figure of speech for, first, intense study of the earth (with all of its intricate processes and complex systems) and, the, utilization of this knowledge for the benefit of earth’s inhabitants, both animal and human. Here is the primeval commission to man authorizing both science and technology as man’s most basic enterprises relative to the earth.”

It is the endowment of The Breath, however, that is key to evidential witness of the Divine. In my attempt to rationalize the uniqueness of The Breath, I originally posed that it must have been the particular exercise that made man eternal giving him the ability to navigate concepts beyond his time-space-matter existence (see Scripturosity article “Mankind – Favored Not Fortunate”).

But there was a flaw in that supposition. If death had not yet intruded the Creation (Romans 5:12), then all creatures would have had eternal intent in the beginning. What, then, did the breath of God uniquely signify of man in the “very good” Creation?

Genesis 2:7 chronicles that “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.”

There are two Hebrew words in this verse that warrant definitive clarity. The first is nephesh translated “living soul” here. This is the same word used to describe the compatibility of all creatures with earth’s biosphere. It has also been explained as consciousness. By biblical comparison and cross-referencing, it is technically referring to that which bleeds and breathes (see Scripturosity article “Plant-ing Seeds of Doubt”). The other word is neshamah which is translated “breath of life.” While all conscious creatures “brought forth” from the impersonal creative mandates processed oxygen from their environment for functionality, none of them received the neshamah – the breath from God. This was given only to man. One commentator referred to it as the Divine spark.

Could this blast of pure Spirit, while initiating the nephesh or conscious elements of his existence, also been the primordial endowment of man’s conscience – his unique co-knowledge with God?

Proverbs 20:27 articulates that “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”

The young philosopher, Elihu defended his qualification to intervene by telling Job, “There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration (neshamah) of the Almighty giveth them understanding (Job 32:8).”

In the context of “the beginning,” John the Apostle wrote, “In Him (God the Son) was life; and the life was the light of men…That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:4,9).”

The great Apostle Paul wrote of a specific human reality that makes all men accountable before the holy Judge of heaven despite excuses of ignorance. “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 they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20).”

I propose that it was The Breath of God that enlivened man’s essence with the innate ability, yea necessity, to connect with the Divine. While man has a free will to act in harmony with or resistance to this conscience, God has, nevertheless, given every child of Adam’s race a divine nudge toward Himself. This is why all men are “without excuse (Rom. 1:20).” It is this internal “candle” or spirit-connectedness with the Creator that shines on the natural world and it’s First Cause.

My answer to the skeptic or seeker appealing to sense or reason in the pursuit or denial of God’s presence is that the evidence is within them. Every individual is endowed with a compass that points the way to true North – a candle to dispel the shadows of error.

The best evidence to the atheist that there is a God is the intellectual and emotional energy consumed in snuffing this inherent light. Be honest with yourself in a moment of sincere introspection and retrace your steps toward naturalism. How did you get here? Did you have to deny any premonition of purpose along the way? Did your intellect eventually overcome your conscience at the feet of academia (see Scripturosity article “Conscience and Intellect”)? Are you satisfied that you have not been influenced by agenda-driven zealots (see Scripturosity article “Intellectual Invention”)? Have you ever given yourself the intellectual latitude to observe and consider the evidence from a paradigm that invites the supernatural and aligns with your essence (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”)?

What it boils down to is the direction of one’s faith. Faith is not exclusive to proponents of the supernatural. Faith is requisite to a naturalistic cosmogony as well (see Scripturosity article “Answering Skeptics – Part 5”). The worldview disparity is not in the evidence, but rather in the axiom – the philosophical starting point from which the evidence is observed (see Scripturosity article “Fact and Theory”). Creationists presuppose the history of earth and humanity as chronicled in the book of Genesis; while evolutionists regard every observation through the notion of deep time and the doctrine of geologic uniformity (see Scripturosity article series “Deep Time Warp” – Part 1 & Part 2). These initial assumptions shape the direction of every interpretation. To decry faith is either open ignorance or pure hypocrisy.

Before one can reject a Creator or a redeeming Sovereign, he must first deny the very essence of his own humanity. Does God exist? Perhaps the better question is – Should anyone really have to ask?

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Biblical Relevance in Modern Culture: Bill Nye – The Unscientific Guy

Last week several friends e-mailed me about a YouTube video-release featuring public television personality, Bill Nye. Many of you may remember his PBS spots known as “Bill Nye – The Science Guy.” His science lessons were brilliantly laced with wit and humor disarming the unsuspecting, after-school audience into embracing one more academic session for the day. The programs always left me fascinated with science and more inquisitive about the world around me.

You might imagine how disappointed I was viewing his recent video entitled “Creationism Is Not Appropriate for Children.” It was difficult to watch for two reasons. First, he was no longer the jovial, master of timing that I came to appreciate as a teenager. In fact, his quasi-coherent rant portrayed a very annoyed and even, to a degree, agitated man.

And secondly, there was nothing scientific about his claim. Dr. Nye used his iconic status of champion of the scientific method as a warrantable basis for a philosophical diatribe against creationism. As is often the case with such attempts, he exposed the weaknesses of his very best objections.

Speaking of the long-term, national dangers that creationism poses, “The Science Guy” said, “The United Sates is where most of the innovation still happens. People still move to the United States. And that’s largely because of the intellectual capital we have, the general understanding of science. When you have a portion of the population that doesn’t believe that, it holds everybody back…really.”

He must be referencing the way Johann Kepler held back the field of astronomy, or Isaac Newton held back physics, or Carolus Linnaeus held back biology, or Louis Pasteur held back organic chemistry, or Gregory Mendel held back genetics.

In a follow-up radio interview with Scott Paulsen, a popular morning personality on WDVE in Pittsburgh, Bill reiterated his belief that “creationism stifles innovation and ingenuity.”

“Without innovation you’re not going to have jobs,” he explained. “Without science, you’re not going to have innovation – engineers and scientists. Creationism is not going to be able to help you with that. There is no information there.”

In the course of his lament, he mentioned several inventors and scientists from America’s strong, innovative past, failing to realize that half of them acknowledged God as the Creator of all things.

In the YouTube video he warns, “Your world just becomes fantastically complicated when you don’t believe in evolution. The idea of deep time, of this [sic] billions of years, explains so much of the world around us. If you try to ignore that, your world view just becomes crazy, just untenable, itself inconsistent.”

Skeptics love to accuse creationists of not believing in evolution and then cite evidences of horizontal change (based on genetic predisposition for adaptability) within organisms. This type of change is what Darwin observed on the Galapagos Islands and is scientifically verifiable. The problem comes at the point of the philosophical leap that proposes vertical change (based on the belief that anything is possible with enough time) from one organism into a distinct, new creature on the conceptual Tree of Life.

Those who regard the Genesis account as historical, embrace adaptation and speciation within the established boundaries of Creation’s Orchard of Life, with each trunk representing a distinct “kind.” So, in that sense, we do “believe in evolution,” but the opposition is certainly not inclined to debate within the frame of a clear definition of terms.

I’m glad that Bill Nye refers to “deep time” as an idea, because that is the extent of its legitimacy. According to Harvard professor, Stephen J. Gould (Time’s Arrow, Time’s Cycle), “When we finally discard the empiricist myth that turned (James) Hutton into his opposite (a field-work fraud), we can properly seek the discovery of deep time in those a priori concepts that Hutton viewed as the rational basis for his or any theory of the earth. He did not find deep time or cyclicity in rocks…deep time is the essential ingredient of unbounded cycles, established by logical necessity prior to confirmation in the field.”

So while (Charles) Lyell expanded on Hutton’s work under the assumption that it was genuinely empirical, Charles Darwin discovered in Lyell’s work (Principles of Geology) the deep time that would be required to lend credibility to his theory of the transmutation of species and his phylogenic “tree of life.”

In each case, observation was preceded by theory. Data was contextualized by assumptions. Science has not proven “deep time”; but proponents of evolution still embrace this notion as an indisputable, doctrinal authority (see Scripturosity articles “Deep Time Warp” Part 1 & Part 2).

The gulf between evolutionism and creationism is not over data or discovery. The great chasm is conceptual. Creationists approach the evidence on display around the world from the philosophical axiom of the ancient, Sacred Text. What most evolutionists don’t acknowledge is that they, similarly, have a contextual starting point – deep time. Any forensic summation of the evidence is inevitably filtered through the philosophical bias of the observer. The truth is representatives from both worldviews can advance good science. One’s origins paradigm does not influence their work in the science lab or the inventor’s bench.

Rather than “untenable” or “inconsistent,” the biblical worldview draws tremendous clarity to our observations and reveals unequivocal purpose for our existence (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”). Perhaps Bill Nye’s vexation with creationism is more about the validity that any physical compatibility might convey on the spiritual lessons and prophetic claims of its documented source than anything else. From the standpoint of implied, personal vulnerability, his sense of alarm makes perfect sense.

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: Genesis in Job (Part 1)

One of the most remarkable, authenticating attributes of Scripture is the comprehensive compatibility of its content while often chronologically disconnected by millennia. The book of Job is a prime example of this literary phenomenon. It is not clear how, but this compiled journal references events detailed in history’s earliest records (Genesis 1-11) that had not yet been collated for posterity (See Scripturosity articles “Who Wrote Genesis” – Part 1 & Part 2).

It is likely that the antediluvian journals were preserved through the Flood, on the Ark with Noah. There is reason to believe that knowledge of these chronicles was passed down generationally by oral tradition after the Flood. During the famous dialogue between Job and his friends, Bildad may have actually been making reference to Noah and a few of the surviving 7 when he admonished Job to “…inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon the earth are a shadow): Shall they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart (8:8-10)?”

Likewise, Eliphaz rebuked Job for trusting his limited perspective saying, “With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father (15:10).” While he could have been speaking of the age of one or two of the three present, it seems more likely that he was referring to, even name dropping (to add weight to his counsel), the very aged Flood survivors and their wisdom.

Regarding the reliability of the direct and inferred historical references in the book of Job and their significance to the whole, Henry Morris suggests the following (The Remarkable Record of Job, p.23).

“In light of the antiquity of the book of Job, it is not surprising that it includes many references to the great events associated with the earth’s primeval ages. Conversely, these references may be cited as evidence for the book’s antiquity. They are not listed as a recitation of history, but are mentioned in passing. This argues both for the historicity of the events and for the antiquity of the book itself. They are mentioned almost casually, suggesting that they were common knowledge at the time of writing, with no need to stress their historicity…references to the ancient histories (should) be noted, along with their significance, to provide an appropriate background for Job’s message.”

Matthew Henry wrote of Genesis, “We are all nearly concerned in it; let it not be to us as a tale that is told.”

The history referenced in Job carries with it the weight of eternal destiny. We should all regard them as intensely personal and of the highest priority. We should value them as, not just history, but our history. It gives relevance to redemption. In the annals of the world chronicled in Genesis we see how and why we are here, what went wrong, and how the problem would be solved. The actors in Job recognized the events as historical and understood their pertinence to daily living.

Let’s take note of a few of the book’s references to primeval history (including Creation, the Fall and the Curse, the great Flood, the post-Flood era, and the Dispersion).

1) Creation

The book of Job assumes God to be the Creator and sustainer of all things. There are no references to other deities, no suggestion made of alternative origins, and no credit given to other mechanisms of cosmic maintenance.

Even Job’s friends, though severely mistaken regarding divine justice, recognized one Creator/Sustainer God.

Eliphaz – “I would seek unto God…Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields (5:8-10).”

Zophar – “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? If He cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder Him (11:7-10)?” In other words, it’s His world and He does with it as He pleases.

Elihu – “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life… I also am formed out of the clay (33:4-6).”

“I…will ascribe righteousness to my Maker (36:3).”

“Remember that thou magnify His work, which men behold. Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off…For He maketh small the drops of water; they pour down like rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly…Behold He spreadeth His light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea (36:24-30).”

Notice also “Creation” in Job’s soul searching.

“(God) alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number (9:8-10).”

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath (Genesis 2:7) of all mankind (12:7-10).”

“All the while my breath is within me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils (27:3 w/ Gen. 2:7).”

It is interesting that God is referred to as “The Almighty” more times in the book of Job than the entire rest of the Bible combined. This repetition among the actors seems to emphasize the fact that there were still segments of society (though biblical and archeological evidence suggests that false religions were spreading rapidly; i.e. Babel) that still acknowledged the one, true God as the powerful Creator and sustainer of all things.

The next article will detail the Jobian cast’s knowledge of man’s Fall and nature’s Curse nearly 2,000 years removed from history’s darkest day.

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: Tale Lights

Just as today, ancient man was fascinated by the heavens. This appeal is well-placed since its purpose from the beginning was to benefit the earth-bound observer. In the Creator’s accounting of the events He expresses that the host of lights inset against the deep blackness of space (as diamonds enhanced on velvet), were “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years (Genesis 1:14).” Universal time measurement was ordained on Day 4.

While standard time measurement was obviously an expressed purpose of heaven’s luminaries, the book of Job bears out a deeper stellar appreciation related to the “signs” denoted in history’s opening record.

In Chapter 9, Job credits God with the placement and design of pictorial star groupings (vv.4-9). Later on in Chapter 38, God Himself references these “heavenly congregations” (vv.31-33).  God intimates that these groupings are more than just random clusters of plasma smattered across the heavens. Though tens-of-thousands of light years apart, they have been divinely manipulated with an assigned place and purpose in order to affect the terrestrial occupant.

The “ordinances” of verse 33 are interpreted literally as order or arrangement, rendering the following as a reasonable paraphrase: “Job, can you fathom the order and arrangement of the stars and their relevance to the observer?”

We are instructed in Scripture that the priority or role of Creation is to declare the magnificence of the Creator and direct the observer to Him.

Psalm 8 – “Oh Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who (not a question but an allusion to His prime seating and interest in His investment) hast set Thy glory above the heavens…When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy finger, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him…Oh Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name.”

Psalm 19 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”

Acts 17 – “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;…That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel (grope) after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us…”

Acknowledgement of this profound direction offered in the heavens and relevance to the observer is found in the dialogue between Job and his friends. Zophar uses the observable yet incomprehensible expanse of the heavens to stress the infinitude of God. “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? It is as high as the heavens…what canst thou know (11:7-8)?” Eliphaz uses the height of heaven to illustrate God’s unobstructed perspective of all man’s activities; particularly those which he assumed Job was trying to hide. “Is not God in the height of the heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are! And thou sayest, How doth God know (22:12-13)?”

Dr. Henry Morris believed that it is most “significant that this oldest book of the Bible contains more specific references to the constellations than any other book, suggesting that God-fearing men of that age were very much aware of the divine significance of these God-ordained star groups.”

When David wrote the 19^th Psalm, what was the declarative extent of the handiwork to which he referred? Was the appreciative “knowledge” (v.2) general and declaring of His glory or specific and directing to His person?

Concerning these heavenly declarations, Dr. Morris suggests the following in his book The Remarkable Record of Job (p. 45).

“In some way…these constellations must have symbolized to the ancient patriarchs God’s purposes in creation and His promises of a coming Redeemer. This primeval message has been corrupted satanically into fantasy messages of the astrologers, but, since we now have God’s written Word, it is no longer needed. To the early generations, however, it may have served as a memory device, perpetually calling to mind the primeval promises given to Adam, Enoch, and Noah…”

Genesis 15 relates an encounter between the Lord and a likely contemporary of Job, the man Abram. The result of the encounter was a declaration of a righteous credit to Abram’s spiritual account after believing something clarified by the Lord in the night sky.

“Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be (v.5).” In order to understand this passage, two words must be defined. The words “tell” and “number” are translated from the Hebrew word sāpar which has multiple usages in Scripture primarily determined by context. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon favors two definitions – to count things (as in learning the number) and to take account of or to reckon (as to carefully observe and consider). Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words also assigns contextual meanings – to number, count, proclaim, declare, to take account of (as being aware and concerned about each detail). While most commentators interpret a redundant definition of “counting to learn the number” for both words, this does not satisfactorily answer how righteousness was imputed to Abram as a result of his faithful agreement.

A well-reasoned, biblically consistent interpretation of this passage could read like this. “Look now toward heaven, and take account of the stars, if thou be able to recognize the declaration in their appointed sequence: and He said unto him, I will accomplish this through your lineage. And he had faith in what the Lord told him; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

Most scholars agree that this was Abram’s faith-defining moment. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6-9). And the scripture (affirming the canonical authority of Genesis), foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with (in the same manner as) faithful Abraham.”

Perhaps Abram’s faith was initiated “before the gospel,” at the Lord’s direction, upon recognition of God’s curse-defying redemptive plan as depicted in the star groupings. Similarly, it may be that Job’s awareness of the constellations carried much deeper meaning for him and may have been instrumental in his faith as well.

Salvation is and has always been by grace, through faith in the sacrificial, shed blood of our innocent substitute, Jesus Christ. Old Testament believers looked ahead. New Testament believers look back. We find the account in the pages of Scripture (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”). Perhaps to the ancients, it was revealed in the stars.

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Biblical Relevance in Modern Culture: Defending Eden

Since his cosmic rebellion, Satan’s obsession has been to disrupt God’s fellowship with the apple of His creative eye; the very focus and pinnacle of time’s explosive, opening week – mankind.

His tactics of impediment are of record for the sake of informed, counter-combat.

The Garden Tactic – Confuse God’s Mandate (Genesis 3:1)

Satan’s initial disruption involved Woman (Eve) and her understanding of God’s expectation (“Yea, hath God said?”). He is careful not to ridicule her spiritual sensitivities, only to cast doubt on her limited perspective (see Scripturosity article “Yea, Hath God Said?”). “Can you be confident that the words are preserved rightly as given by God (Eve was not created when God explained the ground-rules to Adam) and, beyond that, are you satisfied in your interpretation and practical application of those words?”

If he can cast doubt on the authorship, the preservation, or the expectation, then the Record becomes far less authoritative and relevant.

The Desert Tactic – Confound Christ’s Meaning (Matthew 4:1-11)

Much has been written and spoken concerning this 3-phase assault that started and ended in the wilderness with an intermediate clash at the Jerusalem temple. The stake in the encounter is amply measured and condensed in the words of Matthew Henry. “That which Satan aimed at, in all his temptations, was, to bring him (Jesus) to sin against God (To despair of His goodness, ‚To presume upon His power, and ƒTo alienate His honour), and so to render him forever incapable of being a Sacrifice for the sins of others.”

Satan has never been dissuaded, even in light of his forecast bruising at the hand of woman’s seed (Genesis 3:15), from the prospect of a perpetually cursed race and a foiled reconciliation. Now with the Seed-remedy fully clarified in the flesh, Satan approached his Adamic nemesis face-to-face in brazen desperation. Though weakened in the flesh, Jesus never wavered unsheathing and brilliantly flashing the sword of the eternal Word in response to Satan’s advances.

“This is observable,” Matthew Henry comments, “that Christ answered and baffled all the temptations of Satan with It is written. He is himself the eternal Word, and could have produced the mind of God without having recourse to the writings of Moses; but he put honour upon the scripture, and, to set us an example, he appealed to what was written.”

Satan’s attempt to draw the Last Adam into sin, as the first, was disappointed, but he still efforts to marginalize Christ and his role in the lives of men and women. While Jesus maintained focus on His passion and fulfilled the Edenic prophecy offering Himself in innocence for the whole of Adam’s guilty race, the Devil continues to deter mankind by muddling Christ’s person and purpose.

The Reckoning Tactic – Condemn Man’s Motives (Job 1:9)

The first two devices of disruption were to affect man toward God. This final maneuver is intended to agitate God toward man.

It seems that Satan’s “going” previously included a visit to the Job estate since he was keenly familiar with Job’s good life – both internally and materially. When God, in full awareness of Satan’s motives, referenced Job as a template of faithful integrity, Satan was cocked and locked with an accusatory query. “Doth Job fear God for nought (1:9)?”

Respected 17^th century author and scholar Matthew Henry offers this insight into this devilish device.

“He (Satan) could not deny that Job feared God, but suggested that he was a mercenary (one serving merely for wages) in his religion, and therefore a hypocrite. See how slyly he censured him as a hypocrite,” Henry points out, “not asserting that he was so, but only asking, Is he not so?”

Satan’s purpose was to demonstrate to God that His love was wasted on mankind. Job was simply the representative case-in-point. If he could demonstrate that Job only responded with affection because of his good life (“Hast not thou made an hedge about him?”), then perhaps all followers are disingenuous and self-serving in their faith.

The cosmic accuser was trying to get God to question His prophesied commitment to and continued investment in humanity’s restoration (Genesis 3:15).

We see in John’s Revelation of things to come, that Satan will continue to employ this tactic even after the Seed of woman has long been victorious over the Curse through His bruising and until the moment he is finally barred from presenting himself before the Lord with the other sons of God. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night (Revelation 12:9-10).”

It is not out of the realm of possibility that a personal hardship may represent your moment in the cosmic batter’s box to prove your faith and pronounce God’s goodness (see Scripturosity article “Innocent Suffering and a Loving God” – Part 3).

Do not fall victim to the enemy’s devices. 1) Elevate the Scriptures – your purpose lies therein. 2) Esteem the sacrifice – your rescue is in Christ. 3) Embrace the scrutiny – your adversity can be the Creator’s praise.

Though Eden was buried under the Flood waters (2 Peter 3:6), the purposed, Garden fellowship (see Scripturosity article “Mankind – Favored Not Fortunate”) is accessible to the seeker today. Sons and daughters of Adam, fulfill Creation’s purpose and courageously defend Eden’s fellowship.

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: The Dark Cherub

An important part of preparation in sports, as well as in military strategy, is to know your opposition. To many, the Devil has been reduced to a shoulder-perched, conscience-clashing, figment clad in a red suit and armed with a pitchfork. The Scriptures, however, reveal something quite different from this popular caricature.

What can we know biblically about this villainous, historical figure?

1) He was created (Ezekiel 28:13).

In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel is instructed by the Lord to write a song or poem, for posterity, of the rise and fall of the king of Tyre. As we will see, the details provided to the prophet strongly intimate that the message for this earthly king carried with it a direct address from the Creator to another – the king’s possessor.

2) He was part of the “very good” six day creation of Genesis (Exo. 20:11, Ps. 104:4, Ps. 148:2-5, Col. 1:16-17).

Chapter 1 concludes, “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” The second chapter division begins (still part of the opening toledoth entry) with, “Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.”

3) He was special – “the sum” of Creation’s splendor embodied (Ezekiel 28:12). Whether he was given a special cloak or his beauty rivaled the glimmer of “every precious stone,” his glamour and abilities were distinct among all others (v.13).

4) He was appointed to a prominent place in Creation’s theocracy (Ezekiel 28:14).

His installation was a position of guardianship; that is what is meant by the word “covereth” in this verse (different from the word translated “covering” in v.12). It may be inferred that his commission had something to do with the Garden of Eden (v.13), the climax of Creation – mankind, or both. Speaking of the angels and their comparative inferiority to the Son, the writer of Hebrews gives what might be insight into original, angelic purpose. “Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (1:14)?”

5) He served obediently in his appointed role with right motive (Ezekiel 28:15).

The dichotomous address recounts a time when this anointed cherub was perfect in his ways. Not only was he faithful to his commission of protector, but his heart was right.

6) His heart became lifted up in pride corrupting every created attribute (Ezekiel 28:15b, 17). Another account of a host-dignitary being condemned through the words of a prophet with a direct heavenly message to the possessor-foe is found in Isaiah 14:9-15. The “time-dimension” context of this passage is the prophetic collapse of the great Babylonian empire. The warning is directed toward the sitting king of Babylon (14:4), perhaps Nebuchadnezzar, as well as his dark spirit-guide. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning…For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will be like the most High.”

7) He was sentenced with no hope of reparation or appeal.

“Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee…How art thou cut down to the ground…thou shalt be brought down to hell (Isaiah 14:9,12,15).

“I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire (perhaps a reference to his attire or decorated appointment)…All they that know thee…shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more (Ezekiel 28:16,19).”

“I will put enmity between thee and woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (the Seed-Remedy) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).”

8) He maintains access and accountability to God despite his rebellion (Job 1:6-7).

To observe the depravity and violence that seems to define our world, one might get the impression that God has lost His grip on creation. According to this inspired peek into the third heaven, God has relinquished no measure of His authority. Satan, like all else, is a subject of sovereign reign. Everything is orchestrated toward Edenic fellowship with mankind – including the exploits of Satan. The unfortunate condition of the world around us is the inevitable result of sin’s entrance and creation’s Curse. These are evidences of divine code, not diminished control. This detour will eventually arrive at the original destination of reciprocal love and free-choice fellowship with mankind, having preserved every facet of His divine character. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the earth were passed away…And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God (Rev. 21:1-3).”

9) He is obsessed with mankind (Job 1:7-8)

In these verses, the reader can easily conclude that Satan’s pacing was not out of boredom or without purpose. It is obvious from God’s response that mankind was central to Satan’s goings.

The truth is, since the Garden, Satan has had an obsession with mankind. At some point in the performance of his duties as the “covering cherub,” he determined that his service to mankind would no longer define him. In his heart he resolved that he deserved better than his appointment. The impetus of his revolt may be clarified in the book of Hebrews (2:5-18) where the writer draws a distinction between men and angels.

1)      Only man has been authorized with dominion over the earth, both primeval and post-millennial (v.5, 7-8).

2)      Only man was and is the subject of divine visitation both primeval and post-Curse (v. 6-10).

3)      Only man has been given the intimate familial identification of “brethren” with the Son of God (v. 11).

4)      Only man was the subject of God’s mercy and restorative action (v. 14-17).

This obvious favor given to man may have been the catalyst for the great angelic rebellion, the initial Edenic assault (see Scripturosity article “The Genesis Serpent”), and subsequent destructive preoccupation led by Satan. Everything focused on mankind from the earth itself to the affection of the Architect. And to compound the insult, when Satan was finally able to accomplish the separation in Eden, God engaged an immediate action plan (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”) to restore the fellowship that man had forfeited (a provision not afforded the fallen angels)! One more small detail of the reclamation blueprint that was of vital interest to Satan – not only would he be destroyed, but mankind would be key to his ruin (Gen. 3:15).

No wonder he paces the earth “walking up and down in it.” Perhaps the Apostle Peter had this passage in mind when he described our “adversary…as a roaring lion” who “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8).”

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: Romance in the Stone

Among the “precious things” mentioned by Job in his comparative value lesson on wisdom were rubies and sapphires (28:16,18). Obviously, for Job to reference them as he did reveals two things. First, industry of the day (400 years following the Flood) had advanced with the understanding and technique to discover and extract these colorful stones. Secondly, their rarity was clearly comprehended. This in itself is remarkable suggesting that the economic advancement of the region was well beyond the agricultural emphasis that you might imagine.

Have you ever wondered where such treasures originated and how they reconcile biblically with earth science? It is a fascinating study.

Once again, as with the gold (see Scripturosity article “Grasping Earth’s Gold”), volcanic activity is critical to their exposure. Uniquely though, these crystals were transformed from an original source material through a process of heat and pressure deep within the earth where the composition of rocks becomes metamorphosed into entirely new substances.

While “some rubies and sapphires are found in high-grade metamorphic rocks, called gneisses (pronounced nīces) and granulites,” Dr. Snelling points out (second quarter 2010 Answers magazine; “Rubies and Sapphires – Sparkling Reminders of God’s Judgment”) that most of them are generated in deep sedimentary silt, shale, and limestone deposits. The best rubies are found in Middle and Far-Eastern marble mines while sapphires are generally plucked and carried to the surface in magma flows. This is why “sapphires are most commonly found in stream beds and other secondary deposits.”

Dr. Snelling and other geologists are satisfied that these beautiful deep-blue and blood-red gems are “closely linked to major earth movements.”

In his article he breaks their formation down to “three distinct episodes.”

“The first episode was early in the year-long Flood catastrophe, when the African and Indian fragments of the pre-Flood supercontinent Rodina rapidly collided. Pre-Flood and early Flood sedimentary and igneous rocks were buckled, squeezed, and heated, transforming them into the metamorphic gneisses and granulites that host the ruby and sapphire deposits of eastern Africa, Madagascar, India, and Sri Lanka.

Then, according to the biblical model of earth history, when rapid crustal plate movements were quickly slowing down at the end of the Flood, the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate to form today’s Himalaya mountains. Limestones that had been deposited early in the Flood were then metamorphosed into the ruby-containing marbles of Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

During this same period, and extending into the early post-Flood era, residual hotspots in the earth’s upper mantle generated pockets of molten basalt around the globe. When the continental plates, now moving much more slowly, drifted over this molten basalt, the basalt magmas squeezed explosively through the fractured crust, erupting within hours as volcanoes at the earth’s surface. As this magma passed through the fractured metamorphic rocks, it plucked rock pieces and sapphires from the walls and carried them to the surface.

This catastrophic activity lasted through the final stages of the Flood and into the post-Flood era, when new mountains were still rising and volcanoes exploding. Violent weather then rapidly sculpted the new surfaces. Whenever rocks were exposed to weathering and erosion, the indestructible rubies and sapphires were liberated from their hosts and washed into alluvial deposits (generated by the erosive and depositional force of water), later to be mined and enjoyed by man.

Since rubies and sapphires appear to be products of the Flood, we can understand why they aren’t mentioned in the Scriptures until the time of Job. By then, the post-Flood people who scattered from Babel had migrated across Asia to the places where they would find rubies and sapphires.”

An interesting consideration is the biblical mention of gemstones in the context of the Garden of Eden. The onyx stone is mentioned in Genesis 2:12 as being a component of the region of Havilah, also known for its “good” gold (see Scripturosity article “Grasping Earth’s Gold”). In a carefully chosen message for the king of Tyre, the Lord, through the prophet Ezekiel, simultaneously addressed the ruler’s dark possessor saying, “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold…(Ezekiel 28:13).” These references to earth’s pre-Flood treasures may testify of intense creative energy deep within the earth on Day 3 when the dry land emerged from the primordial ocean.

What is the context of Job’s expressed geomorphological observations? He was illustrating the value and the rarity of wisdom. “He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and His eye seeth every precious thing…and the thing that is hid bringeth He forth to light. But where shall wisdom be found? Man knoweth not the price thereof (Job 28:10-13).

Job was struck by man’s compulsion to seek, understand, and extract earth’s rare treasures while showing no urgency toward the pursuit of a far weightier prize. “Whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding (28:20)?”

His conclusion in appreciation of God’s sovereign and intimate maintenance of His creation was, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (28:28).” These beautiful crystals were stark reminders of God’s response to sin several hundred years earlier.

Isn’t that just like a loving God to show mercy – even in judgment? Think of some other Flood-induced deposits that modern generations continue to benefit from – like the massive coal seams sandwiched between sedimentary rock layers or the crude oil and natural gas trapped in porous rock reservoirs deep below the surface.

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:9).” The purpose of both general revelation (the natural world) and special revelation (the preserved Word) is to draw mankind back into the fellowship for which he was created (see Scripturosity article “The Gospel Message”).

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: Earth’s Flat and Fixed Past

Over the years, skeptics of biblical authority have tried to marginalize the influence of the Sacred Text and the subscribing faithful by contriving conflicts between the assertions of the Word and the actualities of the world. Two such exercises in error are concerning the shape and universal orientation of the earth.

One popular straw-man label still used to discredit any non-conformist, political or scientific group is the term “flat-earther.” The idea is that uninitiated, biblical literalists once conceived a table-flat earth with precipitous limits based on passages describing earth as having four corners (Isaiah 11:12; Revelation 7:1 – elegantly descriptive of the four directional orientations also referred to as quarters – Revelation 20:8). This “Dark Age” conflict had both a villain and a hero. The villain was the superstitious, ignorant Church and the hero was Christopher Columbus and other brave men of maritime science. The story, of course, plays out with Columbus proving that the earth was round, contradicting the Scripture, and thereby disassociating it from reality.

In the ancient book of Job (edited from a journal approximated at 2,000 BC), God Himself proclaims His origination and management of the daily dawn and likens it to the relationship of clay to a cylinder impression or seal (38:14). Seals were impression templates used by ancient craftsmen to decorate pottery or flat-surface clay fixtures. As the seal turns on the clay leaving its impression for the reader, so the earth rotates revealing the dawn to the observer. The prophet Isaiah referenced the “circle of the earth (40:22)” in his writings dated around 700 BC.

Those who are familiar with the Scriptures and use even the most basic hermeneutic principles recognize that the notion of a flat earth is not remotely intimated.

In refreshing, academic candor, Harvard Professor Stephen J. Gould wrote of the conflict in his book entitled Rocks of Ages; Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life calling it “the silliest and most flagrantly false of all tales…the best example I know for exposing the harm done by the false model of warfare between science and religion (p.111).”

“Christian scholars never proclaimed a flat earth against the findings of science and the knowledge of antiquity, and Columbus fought no battles with ecclesiastical authority over this nonissue (p.125).”

Another straw-notion used to dismantle the authority of Holy Writ was the astronomical conceptualization known as geocentrism – the model of cosmic motion that places the earth in a fixed, stationary position in the center of the universe. While the story has been presented, once again, as a pivotal conflict between religion and science, the truth is they were never at odds (see Scripturosity article “Where Did the Billions of Years Come From? (Part 2) – The Galileo Affair”).

What is interesting, though, is that some Bible students remain insistent on a fixed and centered galactic position for planet earth; one in which our immediate solar system, the distant constellation groupings, and the rest of the universe revolve around it. While they invoke the mathematical parallels between competing motion-models, they must completely ignore the clear observations of astronomy.

I understand and respect the motivation of these zealots, but in actuality the result of their crusade fosters far more scrutiny and ridicule toward the very Divine Document that they are trying to advance.

The reason for proposing such a notion is because some believe that a heliocentric model of cosmic motion (one in which the earth moves around a stationary sun) does harm to the concept of our favored place in the universe. They also believe that references in Scripture to the world not being “moved” are speaking of earth’s motionless status in space. What they fail to recognize is that in space the appearance of stasis is relative within the context of a very dynamic universe.

The eloquent Psalmist, David had knowledge (either through inspiration or ancient astronomy) of this orchestrated heavenly motion when he wrote of the sun’s great circuit going forth unto the ends of it declaring the glory of God (19:6).

Dr. Henry Morris points out in his devotional book Treasures in the Psalms (p.179) that “as the sun moves in a gigantic orbit through the Milky Way Galaxy (an orbit that would require 230 million years for one circuit, at a speed of 600,000 miles per hour), and the galaxy moves in an unknown path relative to the other galaxies of space, its circuit seems truly to be from one end of the heavens to the other.”

Not only that, but the earth is orbiting the sun at a speed of approximately 67,000 miles per hour at a rotational speed of just over 1,000 mph at the equator.

How can those who insist on a literal, motionless earth based on passages such as 1 Chronicles 16:30, or Psalm 93:1, or Psalm 96:10 explain the clear evidence of earth’s motion based on its indisputable position within one of the spiral arms of our galaxy?

The word “moved” has nothing to do with being motionless, but rather steadiness in motion and permanence within its divinely appointed, cosmic course.

They also like to point out that biblical references to the sun rising and setting ought to be taken literally in order to preserve the authority and integrity of the Scriptures. This is clearly an unnecessary attempt to shoehorn a biblical passage into a presumption.

One of the wonders of this miraculous book we call the Bible is that it was authored by omniscient, eternal, Sovereignty for the purpose of being understood by finite, fallen humanity. What would be the point of composing a message for the purpose of directing mankind back into the fellowship for which he was created and then encrypting it in code?

Infinite perspective accommodated finite capacity with a perspicuous message (clearly written – easily understood) of restoration. Keeping in mind the limitations or perspective of his target audience, the Author often uses accommodative or phenomenal language. These verses are referring to the apparent motion of the sun to the observer and not its absolute motion in the cosmos.

In Genesis 1:5, God assigns names to light and darkness. This assignment involves a declaration and an intimation.

The declaration was that the “light time” would be “day” and the dark periods would be “night.”

The intimation is that a cycle had been initiated. From this time forward, earth would be regulated by light/dark…day/night cycles (Genesis 8:22; Job 26:10).

Question: What was the mechanism for these recurrent periods of day and night? Was the light being turned on and off? No…the earth had begun rotating on its axis.

The first day was the impact of a stationary light source, other than the sun (not yet created), on a rotating earth.

These passages seem to be offering context for a right understanding of the earth’s rotational and orbital relationship to the sun that would be created on Day 4.

For the purpose of an accurate description – planet earth is fixed in a heliocentric relationship with the sun in this solar system and seems to be galactocentric in relation to the universe.

In the book of Job, the main character makes the case for his continued God-ward confidence when he wrote, “He hath stretched out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth on nothing (26:7).”

The reference “empty place” comes from the Hebrew word tōhû which was also translated “without form” in Genesis 1:2. The tōhû of Genesis is communicating the formless assembly of the perfectly created elements from which all else was made in the week following. It was Day 1 in which God called time, space, and matter into existence. “In the beginning (time) God created the heaven (space) and the earth (matter).”

Why is Job 26:7 significant? While it is not necessary to be dogmatic about it, this verse seems to place the Day 1 earth at the center of universal orientation.

Why do some feel the need to “dig in” and defend a geocentric universe? 1) A love and respect for the Bible as inerrant and authoritative. 2) A poorly administered hermeneutic. 3) A misconception of cosmic motion. 4) A misunderstanding of history.

These well-intentioned regents are under the impression that they are maintaining the “ancient landmarks” of biblical traditionalism by taking a geocentric stance. The truth is the notion has been contrived to represent a rationalistic chasm between matters of faith and reason – religion and science. With good intention, geocentric stalwarts are actually legitimizing the straw-man of a faith-based opposition to science.

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Divine Origin and Sacred History: Majesty in the Mundane

Rather than ignorantly credit observable, geophysical phenomena to “mother nature,” the book of Job makes it very clear that the processes to which the earth is subject have been sovereignly assigned by the universe’s Great Engineer.

“God understandeth the way thereof, and knoweth the place thereof. For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds; and He weigheth the waters by measure. When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: Then did He see it, and declare it; He prepared it, yea and searched it out. And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (28:23-28).”

Dr. Henry Morris offers the following in this regard in his book, The Remarkable Record of Job.

“Throughout Job we…find a strong emphasis on the dependability of the laws and constants now controlling God’s completed creation. Unlike other ancient books, Job has no hints of magical acts or any other occult practices. There are not any divine miracles recorded (except for Job’s eventual healing, if that is considered miraculous), although both Job and Elihu mentioned their faith in the future resurrection of the body (Job 19:26; 33:28). This is especially surprising in view of the many miracles recorded in the Mosaic writings of the Pentateuch. Job records one demonic visitation, as well as God’s personal revelation (Job 4:12-21; 38:1-42:8), but throughout the book there is repeated emphasis on the reliability of God’s providential – rather than miraculous – control of his creation.”

While many rationalize their spiritual disillusionment and dullness with the absence of the “spectacular” in their lives, the book of Job underlines God’s presence in the “mundane.”

Why are we so dependent upon the sensational to satisfy our craving for the presence of God?

The early chapters of the book of Job make it clear that the spectacular events that changed Job’s life were discharged by Satan. Was Job privy to the heavenly dialogue and grand experiment that opened the floodgates to his suffering? Of course not.

Despite the ferocity of the extraordinary and the hush from heaven, Job remained convinced of God’s presence and providence. “But He knoweth the way that I take…and performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with Him (23:10,14).”

How could Job say this? From where did he draw his certainty? Though “He (God) holdeth back the face of His throne (26:9),” Job found evidences of God’s engagement all around him. He saw God in the deep, dark magnificence of the night sky (26:7), in the brilliant hydrologic maintenance of the post-Flood world (26:8), in the uncompromised bounds of the post-Flood oceans (reflecting his knowledge of God’s promise to Noah – Gen. 9:11), and in the purposeful placement of and tidings in the stars (26:13 – particularly the “crooked serpent” known today as Draco the Dragon who’s head is interestingly about to be crushed by the club of Hercules).

Job was saying, “Despite heaven’s silence (v.9), nature’s evidences satisfy my search for God’s presence. Lo, these are parts of His ways: but how little a portion is heard of Him (26:14)? Yet, it is a portion! I may not understand everything that results under His governance, but these evidences testify of His presence and sustain my faith.”

Of the 6,000 years represented in Scripture, the moments of miraculous intervention can be encapsulated into a mere 3% of earth history (Creation, Moses, Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, Jesus, the Apostles). Because of the immediate and historical impact of such events that defied natural law, much of our attention is committed to them. The overwhelming majority of the sacred timeline, however, defaults to a grossly unspectacular history. Sovereignty is not amplified in the supernatural, but rather in the mundane. Yes, God is in the miraculous and we should be in awe of His creative power. But God is also in the maintenance processes decreed to preserve this planet through its useful tenure.

The relative absence of divine spectacle throughout history necessitates a faith that is sustained in God’s unimpressive disclosure of Himself in both special (Scripture) and general (nature) revelation. Unfortunately, some scholars have spoiled faith by presenting “inconsistencies” between God’s Word and God’s world. Any proposed disparity between the Word of God and the work of God is because of a philosophical misplacement of eminence.

Many Christian academics agree with the English politician and philosopher Francis Bacon (a contemporary of Galileo), who promoted nature as the requisite context to unlocking the truth of Scripture. In his 1605 book entitled Advancement of Learning, Francis Bacon made this statement.

“For our Saviour saith, ‘You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God;’ laying before us two books or volumes of study, if we will be secured from error; first the Scriptures, revealing the will of God, and then the creatures expressing his power; whereof the latter is key to the former: not only opening our understanding to conceive the true sense of the Scriptures, by the general notions of reason and rules of speech; but chiefly opening our belief, in drawing us into a due meditation of the omnipotency of  God, which is chiefly signed and engraven upon his works.”

The problem with this position is it presupposes that humanity’s fallen nature will be able to rightly interpret fallen nature.

A superior axiom is the one presented by Andrew Kulikovski in a 2005 Technical Journal article entitled “Scripture and General Revelation.”

“The scriptures, unlike general revelation, are presented in the words of ordinary human language…they have a perspicuity (clear expression, easy understanding) that is not found in the book of nature. In a way, therefore, the Scriptures are like a verbal commentary on the dimly perceived sign language of creation. For this reason, the special revelation of Scripture should always take priority over both general revelation in the natural world and the conclusions of modern science. The revelation of Scripture is the filter through which all else should be interpreted.”

Scripture provides interpretive clarity for our observations of the natural world and nature is a signpost pointing to the truth of Scripture. King David understood this relationship when he penned the 19^th Psalm (vv.1-11). As the observed regularities of nature imply a universe maintained within structural confines, so is the reliability of the Lord’s written Testimony.

Another Psalmist made a similar connection in Chapter 119 (vv.89-91). The constant governance of natural law amplifies the consistency of Divine Charter.

Regularity in nature is not only a fundamental premise of modern science it also offers illustrative validity to every ordinance “settled in heaven.”

• The Law of Faith – Romans 3:23-28 (Faith activates justification)
• The Law of Sowing and Reaping – Galatians 6:7 (You procure what you plant)
• The Law of Liberty – James 1:25 (The choice to administer God’s principles liberates the believer in appreciable blessings)
• The Law of Sin and Death – Romans 5:12 (Death is the result of original sin and is the inevitable appointment of all mankind)

Because God did create, curse, and destroy “In the beginning” as recounted in the book of Genesis, the details of redemption and resurrection and restoration in the pages that follow are thereby esteemed authentic and authoritative!

When God finally breaks His silence, the answer to Job’s physical loss and suffering was not an explanation, but a revelation of Himself; first in a brief detail of earth’s spectacular creative and catastrophic past and then in a thorough exposition of His subtle superintendence over His creation.

While God has the power and genius to absolutely “wow” us into submission, the impression given by His response to Job is that He prefers attentive recognition in the mundane. The intimation is that God wants to be pursued, discovered, and appreciated. If we recognize God’s hand in sovereign maintenance, then we can see Him every day and react to His presence in humility and praise. If we are only looking for Him in the sensational, we may miss Him and His pleasure altogether.

May we reach the fresh awareness of Job when he prayed, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee (42:5).”

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