God’s Proof (www.godsproof.com) ^{Volume: 1 Issue: 3}

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:22,23

If you were to destroy the witness and character of another person, how would you do it? Not a pleasant thought, however, it will help to explain the following. If a prosecuting attorney wanted to destroy the testimony of the defendant, they would create reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind by picking apart the evidence they have claimed to be true. If the prosecutor is capable of destroying a few of their points, he or she can create enough doubt in the remaining portions of the defendant’s deposition. If the prosecutor cannot attack the evidence they can go after the character of the person to create a persona of someone that cannot be trusted.

You may be wondering what all of this has to do with evidences in the Bible. Years ago when I started to look at the data I got a lot of opposition from other Christians telling me there was not point in digging into this topic. They related to me that I didn’t need to waste my time on such pursuits. Upon asking what was the issue with me taking this course of action, they said to me that much of that kind of “stuff” cannot be proven. The Bible is just a book of stories that are illustrations on how to live our lives. They are not to be taken as literal truths. Without much to say, I bit my tongue, thanked them for their opinion, and continued on in my search.

Throughout my study of scripture, I came across statements that were not exaggerations, but pointed statements that, in its context, were to be taken at face value. They were illustrative statements, however, they were stated as fact and not as overestimates. It’s like if I were to tell you about my trip to Kansas and I mentioned the various things I saw along the way. You wouldn’t assume that I was adding false information to exaggerate my narrative. I’m just telling you what I saw and did.

For example in Job he speaks of the behemoth with a tail like a cedar. Or in 1 Samuel, we hear of Goliath possessing six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot standing over nine feet tall. Over in Matthew, Jesus foretells the future destruction of the temple stating that not one stone would be left upon the other. Or better yet, one of the craziest statements ever recorded is of the sun and moon staying put for almost a full day as Joshua and the Israelites fought in battle.

As I continued to explore these topics, I began to find evidence for these statements that I was previous advised not to take seriously. One of the largest dinosaurs, a brontosaurus, fits the description of the behemoth. Some have tried to say the behemoth was a rhino or an elephant. However, I have yet to see one with a tail the size of a cedar. Also, within the past few years down in Texas, scientists have discovered in the bedrock of a river, sections where both dinosaur and human footprints were co-mingled. In fact, a few of the prints were overlaid; a human foot print inside a dinosaur print. Maybe Job did know what a dinosaur looked like.

Or how about the human skeleton of an 11-foot man discovered in a coal mine in Kentucky. The skeleton was embedded within the coal. Coal is thought to have taken millions of years to form. A time span stretching beyond the arrival of modern man on the evolutionary time line. Plus, we are supposed to be advancing into a superior race, not digressing into a weaker species. There have been many other skeletons discovered that stood at a great height. Maybe Goliath and his brothers really were that big.

In 70 AD when Rome began its destruction of Jerusalem, a soldier inadvertently tossed a torch into the temple. If you have been coming to the Bible Study, (hint hint, wink wink), you will remember that many of the articles used in the temple were made from pure gold. A few of them were hammered out of one piece. As the temple was burning the gold melted and oozed into the cracks and crevices of the temple. The Roman soldiers had to dismantle the temple stone by stone, not leaving one upon the other, in order to reclaim the gold. It appears Jesus was being literal.

Recently a few astronomers discovered the possibility that both Earth and Mars were at one time on resonant orbits. They passed within a few hundred thousand miles of each other every so often. With two planets moving that close, Mars would be 50 times larger than the moon in the sky and land tides would be 75 feet high. We have land tides now caused by the moon, but they only move us a few inches. Every ancient calendar recorded a 360 day year until 701 BC when they switched to a 365 ¼ day year. To cause the Earth to slow its solar orbit, tilt on its axis, and wobble, you need a lot of oomph. Plus there are hundreds of other cultures that record a day when the sun did not rise. They gave human sacrifices to their gods to bring the sun back. A computer generated model of the Earth and Mars passing at a close distance had shown the axis of the Earth moving in a figure eight pattern as it continued to rotate. The end result is that the sun and moon would appear to remain stationary to the observer on the ground. Fortunately, both of our orbits are now in a stable pattern. Maybe that’s why many ancient cultures feared the planet Mars. Seeing a big red ball in the sky that could lift the earth several feet up would certainly give me the willies. Maybe God, in the beginning, established the heavenly bodies in such a way as to heed the request of a faithful man in battle a few thousand years later. It wouldn’t surprise me; He spared not even His Son to die in our place; what is it for Him to move heaven and earth? (Now look at Mark 11:22,23 once more on the other page.)

Secular teaching is continuing to create doubt in the hearts and minds of many Christians. When it comes to the Bible, it is not necessary to disprove everything or anything for that matter. All they have to do is plant seeds of doubt. God is omniscient; however, if there are scientific inaccuracies recorded in His word then He doesn’t know all things. God is omnipotent; yet if there are contradictions in His Word then why didn’t He have the power to foresee the dispute? Given enough time, those seeds of doubt can bring forth a harvest that will destroy a person's fellowship with the Creator of the universe.

Some have argued with me over this information and told me they don’t need that “stuff”. They are secure in Christ and none of that is necessary. I think it’s wonderful to have a strong and secure faith in Christ, however, what about that family member, friend, or co-worker that doesn’t possess the same convictions. As Christians you understand, it’s not just about what you need, but about what others need that have yet to meet Jesus Christ. Paul said over in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” I implore you to become all things to everyone that you might lead a few to Christ. This information may not mean anything to you, but it could mean everything to somebody you know and love. God Bless – Jeff Sievertson