Friday: Further Thought ~ The Creation
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “Science and the Bible,” Pages 128, 129, in Education; “The Creation,” in The Story of Redemption, Pages 21, 22.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“Since the book of nature and the book of revelation bear the impress of the same master mind, they cannot but speak in harmony. By different methods, and in different languages, they witness to the same great truths. Science is ever discovering new wonders; but she brings from her research nothing that, rightly understood, conflicts with divine revelation. The book of nature and the written word shed light upon each other. They make us acquainted with God by teaching us something of the laws through which He works.
Inferences erroneously drawn from facts observed in nature have, however, led to supposed conflict between science and revelation; and in the effort to restore harmony, interpretations of Scripture have been adopted that undermine and destroy the force of the word of God. Geology has been thought to contradict the literal interpretation of the Mosaic record of the creation. Millions of years, it is claimed, were required for the evolution of the earth from chaos; and in order to accommodate the Bible to this supposed revelation of science, the days of creation are assumed to have been vast, indefinite periods, covering thousands or even millions of years.
Such a conclusion is wholly uncalled for. The Bible record is in harmony with itself and with the teaching of nature.” — Ellen G. White, Education, Pages 128, 129.
Discussion Questions:
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The question at the bottom of this lesson is an important one:
It seems to me that regarding the days of Genesis as anything but real "days" as we know them would put the story into the category of "myth." Many university-educated people in our church see the account that way. "Holy myth" they call it - myth intended to convey the important truth that God created this world.
If this is so - that the account is not literal but a myth to teach a lesson, I ask what that says about God. Is He really a personal Being as the written account demonstrates or is He also a mythical being, perhaps an all-pervading Force?
What kind of a God would tell a story that looks like a factual account when He knows it is not factual but mythical?
Your thoughts?
I have read a number of books and articles about belief and how we come to believe what we do. One of the things that became very clear was that detailed argument plays very little in changing what we believe. Mostly we come to our understanding through our interaction with others. Very few of us sit down and carefully rationalise our beliefs.
Taking the discussion out of the spiritual realm for a moment. How often do we see someone with a strong political view change sides? Most of the political hoopla that one sees during a political campaign essentially appeals to the faithful and is seen as nonsense by the other side. Granted, there are some swinging voters, who do change sides but often it's on the basis of personality rather than principle.
Much of the argument about origins is based on the notion of who can present the most convincing set of facts and logic. I have been there and done that and have often ended up with the frustration of letting my emotions show in an unchristian manner.
We believe that God created everything. We believe that "God is love". The most convincing argument is for those of us who call ourselves believers to live a life of unselfish practical love. God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness". We argue about the physical appearance of God, but the big picture is that we are created in the image of the God of unselfish love. That was the connection that was destroyed by the entrance of sin, and that is what salvation restores.
When we understand this, our argument should shift toward representing God through our unselfish love for others. That is the way God wants us to win the argument.
By this shall all men know ...
Maurice, what you suggest about not carefully examining one's beliefs is probably true for the vast majority of people in this world. But then, the vast majority are also heading down the path to destruction.
I'm not saying that conversion is strictly an intellectual matter. In fact, when that is *all* it is, it may not be conversion at all. But God calls us to come and reason with Him, and, throughout the Bible He appeals not only to our emotions but most decidedly to our reasoning powers.
People do change their religious beliefs all the time. And people do change their political views. Not the majority of people, that's true. But God calls us out of the majority to follow Him. We need to be intellectually as well as experientially settled in our beliefs in order to go through what is going to happen in this world as "an overwhelming surprise" to many.
I agree with you whole-heartedly when you write
I wonder if, for some of us part of living a life of unselfish love, may be helping people understand that belief in God is intellectually sound?
God’s time frame is not ours. We expect instant results from our “evangelistic” efforts, but God has the long view—he is looking for the change in direction of the human heart. This often is measured in generations and decades, not years, months or weeks. This type of witness requires the patience of the saints.
We forget the faith experience of Abram, who was brought up in a God-fearing home, which was the result of generations of faithful decisions for God’s cause (Genesis 11). His father Terah was called to leave Ur of the Chaldees sometime after his sons Abram and Nahor were born. Terah’s last son, Haran, was likely born in Haran where Terah’s family settled. Haran is located about halfway to the land of Canaan.
When Abram received God’s call to leave Haran “to the land that I [God] will show you” (Genesis 12:1), he was 75 years old. It was about a decade later, after many faith building experiences (including failures) that “Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD credited it as righteousness to him.” (Genesis 15:6 NET.) Isaac, the son of promise, was not born until Abraham was 100 years of age, regardless of the impatience of Sarah and Abraham.
We should not forget our own experience of turning to God and learning his ways. This is not the work of a moment, but of lifetimes. Why would we expect more of others, especially in our time and place? Our witness for the cause of God is not measured by the trophies of converts in some celestial display case. Instead, it is in a caring touch, a soft word spoken in the face of wrath and a helping hand in a time of stranger’s need.
These moments of "unselfish practical love" are the stuff of our Saviour’s commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21 NET.)
Yes, Richard, some of us are eager "evangelists" and would like to see "instant results," but I suspect that many more of us are rather reluctant "evangelists" and expect people to turn to the Lord on the basis of seeing us being good Christians. We forget that Jesus expects us to "confess" Him before men. (Matt 10:32) To me, that sounds like it might involve actually speaking words. Granted, the words alone may not be effective without the witness of our lives. Conversely, our lives alone may not be effective without the witness of our words.
I've been reading The Great Controversy through again, and I wonder whether we would know the Lord today if the Waldenses, Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Calvin and many others had been content to just live loving lives. It would certainly have been more pleasant for them: The Waldenses would have been able to live out their lives in peace. Huss and Jerome would not have been burned at the stake. Luther could have lived a comfortable life. I could go on, but I think you get the point.
The Bible says: "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:17)
Words without love are worthless. (1 Cor. 13:1)
Could we also say that love without confession of faith that others can hear is worth little?
After all, atheists and agnostics can be loving. If we are also loving, how do we honor God more than they?
Thousands before us have loved enough that it cost them something - it cost many of them their lives to speak words of truth when it was dangerous to speak them.
How about us? Will we speak when it may cost us something? Will we dare to speak of what the Lord has done for us and what He can do for those who know us as friends?
Yes, there's a time to speak and a time to keep silent. The Reformers and many others could have used that text to reason that it was time for them to keep silent because people didn't want to hear the truth. They did not keep silent, and it cost them their lives, but they will rise in the resurrection to see Jesus coming to take them home.
How about us?
I'm thinking that it will take prayer and actively looking for opportunities to speak truth in love to those around us - truth that will draw them to Jesus. (I'm exhorting myself here!)
But back to your point: We do not "witness" or share truth in order to convert people. That's the Holy Spirit's job. Our job is merely to "witness" - to be character witnesses for God. But that's likely to require words.
In the context of our lesson, perhaps we may need to become more intelligent on the debate about origins that is drawing so many of our young people away from God - not for our sakes, but in love for their sakes. We should at least be able to demonstrate that it is reasonable to believe the biblical creation account - an account that is the foundation of all the follows in the Bible. That's the way I see it ...
The exhortation is appreciated. As you point out, this is a matter of continuing deeply in “prayer and actively looking for opportunities to speak truth in love to those around us - truth that will draw them to Jesus.” “[T]ruth that will draw them to Jesus” is only part of the story. Once drawn, there is also a pastoral role of encouraging them to continually abide with Jesus.
Each day, it would be good for those who serve Jesus to prayerfully reflect on his method of ministry (Ministry of Health & Healing, pp. 73 to 74). He is the one who leads each one of us back to our Heavenly Father, who loves us dearly.
Thanks, Richard. To be clear, I wasn't trying to "exhort" you personally. If anything I was trying to exhort myself - seeing how often I have failed to speak up because it was easier not to. I am praying that I will be more aware of opportunities to speak and that the Holy Spirit will give me the right words.
Thank you for mentioning
I'm much better at that. In fact I make it my active mission to do just that. It is so rewarding to see new believers blossom and grow! But by His grace, I intend to watch for more opportunities "on the outside," though much harder for me.
Also see Genesis Impact (Full movie) which deals particularly with the "evolution" of man and with radiometric dating. It uses a teenage girl to provide the creation science facts.
I believe that, as Seventh-day Adventists, we are especially commissioned to call the people of this world back to Creator worship, as emphasized in the beginning of the Three Angels' messages. (Rev. 14:6-7) This would seem to include demonstrating Who He is in our own lives, by living in self-sacrificing love. Nothing we say is persuasive unless our lives tell the story.
At the same time, demonstrating that God's Word is trustworthy and that God is as personal as the Bible indicates would seem to be part of the message to be given by a loving group of people. The Bible begins with the account of God creating this world, giving us the basis for worshiping Him.
I believe that a chief reason for the lack of God-consciousness among modern people - especially educated people - is that God has been side-lined out of the origin of life and this planet. Naturalistic science has neither a need nor room for God. If everything began without God and continues without his "interference," why should people pay any attention to Him?
Christian young people head to university as believers, and after a couple of years, they turn into non-believers because they are inundated with teachings that make God irrelevant.
I believe that as Sabbath-keeping Christians, we should equip ourselves to help young people to see that faith in God is not blind, but it is based on evidence - evidence that is abundant in the natural world and in our own experience. If in our own lives, we demonstrate the power of God, our words will be far more convincing than the words themselves would seem to indicate.
I have assembled some materials that should be helpful in understanding that believing the Genesis account of creation as being historically accurate is not a matter of checking our brains at the door. Rather, the evidence in the natural world fits beautifully into the framework of creation. I invite you to bookmark this page and study at your leisure: More Resources on Genesis. And if you have more questions, you can keep studying ... and ask on this blog, if you like.
My grandkids have just turned 12 & 13 and unfortunately due to divorce spend most of their time with their father, so it is great to have resources like the film "Is Genesis history", in the medium they enjoy, that we can send to them. I agree it is important for them to have the truth before they are indoctrinated by secular views at school.
The ages of 12 and 13 are perfect for digging deeper into the evidence for the Genesis account. I hope your grandkids enjoy that video. It would be great if you could engage them in a conversation on it. I also posted a URL where the whole video is actually given in small portions. If you want to engage in a conversation with your grandkids, I really recommend sending them one small video at a time, not the whole long video. (They may not want to watch the long video to the end.) If you send the short videos, you can talk about each of them. See the Youtube channel Is Genesis History. (I posted this in a comment under the post, "Is Genesis History Or Not? Decide on Evidence")
The same approach is probably good for all our witnessing - share little bits at a time, just enough to get people thinking and asking more questions. 😉
Thank you Inge for this. I believe it is vitally important for us to understand it and be able to present it to someone who is curious.
A few years back, I was a part of a knitting group that met weekly. When I joined, they knew I was a 7th Day Adventist, none of them were. They held me at arms length for quite a while, thinking I was going to start evangelizing them. (Adventists have not had a very good reputation here) I never did, and they accepted me as just a good friend and fellow knitter. They did however eventually start asking questions and were curious about our beliefs. It was a wonderful opportunity for me and it caused me to see that I needed to know for myself, from scripture, what I believe.
If we discount the first two chapters of Gods Word, we don’t have two legs to stand on, and before we know it, it will just be a myth or legend to us. If we don’t understand something, all we have to do is ask for help from the One who inspired those words to be written, and we will be shown what we need to know.
Wisdom Is always calling to fallen children. proverbs 8
A timeless God has made provisions from Genesis to currently to enter into his rest. The DAY is still open !
Hebrews 3:7-19
There is one aspect this past week’s lesson has left out of the discussion about ‘The creation’. This aspect would, if considered in context with Creation, be the point on which the discussion about Creation turns. This point is Everlasting Life - the aspect of man's spiritual life which cannot be measured or assessed by science -; this having a greater impact on the true life of the believer than its physical body and the environment he lives in.
As far as scientists are concerned, regardless if they believe in the Creation of the Universes or not, their studies only focus on the functional aspects of the universe and the timing of its origin.
Christ Jesus’ faith-based religion given to man includes an aspect totally foreign to science – the motivational, creative power of spiritually based faith in a Creator Father who designed man in His Image and directs mankind's path through devine intervention.
I do not think anyone can claim to know with certainty all aspects of the Creation of heaven and earth and all that is within, including man, as our best scientists have yet to agree on the basic premise – design or chance?
I stay away from all discussions about the 7-day creation aspect of our faith, because it is so controversial that all it does is divide the community of faith on points which do not further the unity of the brotherhood of man.
I rather focus my attention on learning about how to live my life by faith; living it according to what Christ Jesus has told me through His Gospel - to love God with all my heart; to not lean on my own understanding; trusting His Word explicitly; engage with everything I encounter in life on a basis of respect and deference as it is my heavenly Father’s creation.
I believe that my heavenly Father, to whom I entrusted my life through faith in His Word, loves me and cares for me.
For anyone out there who can share; please let me know if this is true:
I was told that the Sabbath is linked to the Millenium. That the 6 days of creation and the 7th day rest is an insight to a 7,000 year millenium.
- The patriarch of Adam to Abraham is 2,000 years,
- From Abraham to the 2nd Adam is another 2,000 years,
- Jesus' 2nd coming is about 2,000 years (not know the exact
time or day
- We reign with Jesus for 1,000 years.
They said that Martin Luther, Bates and E.G White all comment on this.
Has anyone else heard of this? Is this true? For anyone who can clarify, thank you.
I've heard it and it has been promoted in the church by some people. I don't know that there is a strong basis for it. It was really strongly promoted near 2000 because based on Usher's chronology, the 6,000 years would be up. Walter Veith has promoted it more recently, but uses Jesus death as the end point - so roughly 2031.
Personally, whether it's true or not, I don't see much value in speculating on it. Jesus told us we would not know the day or hour (yes, He didn't say year, but I think we won't know the year either). Based on differences between genealogies, we can't be sure how many years have passed since creation. I do believe in a recent creation, but don't think it matters much if it was 6,000 years ago or 10,000 years ago. And I think the millennial theory is generally a distraction to what is truly important.
The goal of the Old Creation was the New Creation rooted in Christ (Eph 3:9-12). God specifically designated Adam1 as “a type (figure) of the One who was to come” (Rom 5:14; 1Cor 15:45-49). Types foreshadow, they point away to something better. We have successfully identified types throughout the Bible - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses - but none of them was specifically designated “a type”. The Law economy contained all types and shadows (Heb 10:1). Israel in general was so enthralled with the shadows, types that they did not recognize the anti-type, the substance. The substance seemed so much less glorious, that they remained enslaved under Law
Adam, the type, natural earthy man, came first because of Christ, the spiritual, heavenly man. Adam was made in the image and likeness of God. Christ (Adam 2) was the exact image and glory of God, His only begotten Son. Physically He was not as attractive and beautiful as Adam, having taken the form of sinful flesh. Christ did not come because of Adam. He did not have to retrace Adam’s steps. We recognize some similarities quite easily - Adam the beginning of the natural fleshly human race, Christ the beginning of the spiritual heavenly human race (Col 1:18; 1 Cor 15:45-47); Adam was put to a deep sleep in order to produce his wife Eve, Christ was put to death in order to produce His seed, His wife (Isa 53:10,12; Jn 12:23-25); Adam was given dominion/rule over all things on earth and surrendered his rule to one of his subjects, the serpent; Christ was given dominion over sin and the flesh and later dominion over all things in heaven and earth and He conquered all.
It is God who identifies Adam’s foreshadowing of Christ. He reveals that the Adams are federal heads or representatives of their respective families (Roman 5) and their activities procured, without fail, for their progeny. Adam’s people inherited sinfulness and death, Christ’s people righteousness and eternal life: “For as in Adam all die, SO ALSO in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor 15:22; Rom 5:12-21)
God knew from before the foundation of the world that Adam would corrupt himself and all his people returning the earth to darkness, this time “spiritual darkness” (Isa 60:1-5; 9:2; Acts 26:18; Col 1:13). Christ, the Light of the world, the Glory of God, entered the world beginning the New Creation, the kingdom of God in which dwells righteousness, not physically glorious as the old creation. How would we have ever known the Righteousness, the matchless Love, the amazing Grace of God, if God had not permitted sin into the natural creation.
Genesis establishes order out of chaos. The book was never intended to be a “Scientific” treatise on creation. The purpose is for writer to explain to his audience, why not how. Even today most people would not understand all of the how. God speaks to Man in the language of Man. Genesis was written to give meaning to existence. We are made in the image of God. Genesis gives an explanation for life, meaning, morality, consciousness, beauty like art, music, the order of math and physics. The atheist has no explanation for any of this. He/she has only conjecture or dare I say it, FAITH.
The first two verses in Genesis Chapter one seem quite clear to me that before God started to divide the "Seven Day Week Cycle" to this Earth and create the things He created in it, He had first, already made the earth and the vast universe and space. The very first verse states that there was a "beginning" of this phase of God's creation. Then the second verse states that the earth was without form and void and dark. these two verses make no mention of any "Morning and evening" to mark any 24 hour period yet until verses 3-5 mentioning the first day of creation week.
Yet, Jim Williams, "Faith" needs "evidence" too. For me, the first two verses of Genesis is packed with the "evidence" of a phase of God's creation that He keeps to Himself and just lets us know that He had already made the universe and the earth before he started the "Seven Day Week Cycle" of creation on this earth.