Does the Bible teach geocentrism?
This is an important question because the answer helps to shape our belief system and worldview, both of which have eternal consequences. The short answer to this question is “no.” Nowhere in the Bible are we told that the earth is at the center of the universe. For many centuries, however, people believed that Claudius…
Why did God create the world / earth?
The biblical evidence suggests that the glory of God is the reason why God created everything, including the earth. In his work “A Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World,” Jonathan Edwards puts it like this: “It appears reasonable to suppose, that it was God’s last end, that there might be a…
How was the flood in the time of Noah just?
The global flood of Noah’s day was the direct judgment of a just God. The Bible says the flood wiped out “people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds”—everything that breathed air (Genesis 7:23). Some people today are offended by the flood story, saying it is proof of God’s…
What was the firmament in the Bible?
The “firmament” (from the Latin firmamentum, meaning “sky” or “expanse”) is mentioned 17 times in the King James Version of the Bible and refers to the expanse of the heavens above the earth. Nine of the occurrences of firmament are in the first chapter of the Bible as part of the creation account. Genesis 1:6-8…
Why did God say, “Let there be light,” during creation?
On the first day of creation, God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), and light appeared as a thing separate from darkness. The phrase let there be light could be confusing to some modern English speakers who are used to using the word let in the context of permission, as in “Let me out…
What are some of the most common questions about Noah’s Ark?
Who was Noah’s wife? Would the discovery of Noah’s Ark be important? What are some of the most common questions about Noah’s Ark? How did Noah fit all the animals on the ark? How long did it take Noah to build the ark? How long was Noah on the ark? How many people were on…
What is the canopy theory?
The canopy theory seeks to explain the reference in Genesis 1:6 to “the waters above the firmament,” assuming that “firmament,” or “expanse,” as the Hebrew word is alternatively translated, refers to our atmosphere. According to the canopy theory, there was a canopy of water above the atmosphere until the cataclysm of Noah’s day, at which…
Was Noah’s flood global or local?
The biblical passages regarding the flood make it clear that it was global. Genesis 7:11 states that “all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.” Genesis 1:6-7 and 2:6 tell us that the pre-flood environment was much different from that which we experience today. Based on…
What is the meaning of Pishon in the Bible?
The only mention of the word Pishon in the Bible is found in the book of Genesis: “A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah,…
What is the definition of antediluvian?
Antediluvian (literally, “before the flood”) refers to the time period before the flood recorded in Genesis 6—8. The righteous people who lived before Noah’s time are called antediluvian patriarchs. Those men are listed in Genesis 5 and include Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Enoch, and Methuselah, who lived to be 969, making him the oldest person…