To our WindowView.org readers we’d like you to think about science and Scripture both. Â If you are strong on science and kind of ‘iffy’ on Scripture, then the following e-mail/listserve message will be of interest.
First, let me introduce you to the source, this following message comes from Dr. Hugh Ross, a Ph.D. astronomer and someone who has proven very interested in examining the Scriptures from a scientific perspective. We also make an effort at WindowView to identify the Messiah by the name Yeshua, but the manner in which Dr. Ross makes his reference to Messiah is essentially of little consequence to Jews and Gentiles who examine the whole of Scripture.
If you are interested in what Dr. Ross has to offer here, then we encourage you to visit the Reasons to Believe web site. This site is filled with resources that we trust many will find intriguing and well documented.
Here is what we received from Dr. Ross:
—————————————————
August 3, 2010
An apologetics professor at a major Christian university commented to me recently. “I always get myself into trouble when my students bring up Genesis 1. Can I ask you how you deal with the disputes over creation days 1 and 4?”
First I acknowledged that few subjects generate as much controversy and hostility as the interpretation of Genesis 1. But, I added, this hullabaloo can provide a wonderful opportunity! It allows us to demonstrate the power of integration to transform dispute and rancor to harmonious, even exhilarating resolution.
The professor listened intently as I pointed out how other biblical creation accounts, including Job 38-39, Psalm 104, and Proverbs 8, amplify the Genesis story of God’s activities on the six creation days. Since God inspired all of these accounts, the best interpretation of Genesis 1 will be one that yields an appropriately literal and consistent reading of all these relevant Scripture passages.
This integrative approach reveals that God created light when He created the physical universe before rather than on day 1. He also formed the Sun, Moon, and stars before rather than on day 4 (even before day 1). His work on day 1 involved transforming Earth’s atmosphere from opaque to translucent, allowing light to penetrate Earth’s initially thick, dark cloud cover. His work on day 4 brought about transformation of this translucent (permanently overcast) atmosphere to a frequently transparent one, allowing the Sun, Moon, and stars to become clearly visible objects for the first time.
——————————————————————————–
The Bible stands apart
from all other “holy books”
in both the quantity and
quality of its information
about creation.
——————————————————————————–
Not only does this approach to the Bible’s creation accounts resolve textual incongruities but it also removes the apparent contradiction between what Genesis 1 teaches about cosmic history and what the “book of nature” and God’s other “book” of Revelation tells us about the universe, Earth, and Earth’s life.
The Bible stands apart from all other “holy books” in both the quantity and quality of its information about creation. You will find more than two dozen lengthy creation passages in Scripture. In fact, our website provides a list of every creation-related verse I’ve found in the Bible. If you haven’t already done so, you may want to take time this summer to read all these creation verses in one sitting. This exercise will equip you to be a peacemaker among Christian friends who struggle with creation issues. It may even equip you to help a nonbeliever make peace with God.
Take some time today, if you can, to look over the list of the creation passages in the Bible. I think you’ll find this list a great help in preparing to discuss the Genesis creation account with others.
A friend once asked my wife for a one-word theme to describe what’s unique about Reasons To Believe. Her answer: “Integration.” I agree. Over the past 24 years our unique strength and focus has been showing the world how a thorough integration of truth found in all 66 books of the Bible and across all the disciplines of science reveals the unified whole of God’s revelation. And this revelation continually yields new reasons to believe in Jesus Christ as Creator and Savior.
————————————————-
As always, at WindowView, we encourage our visitors to build the larger view by using multiple perspectives. Assumptions that get in the way hold us back from appreciating truth. Â And if this life gives us anything, it’s an opportunity to discern truth and the purpose to being alive.
Director, WindowView
