1) I often hear from critics that our Bible teaches the earth is flat. Is that true?
That's an interesting question! Yes, many people who criticize our religion often bring up this major point that our Bible describes the earth as flat. Now, just simply imagine or think if you get a book of history and start reading it, do you judge it by your present context or its local context? Obviously by the local context of the book right ? Like you wouldn't ask where is mention of our ancient kings using laptop, Wi-Fi or smart phones. That would sound crazy! In the same manner, our Bible isn't teaching but just revealing the way how the peoples in that ancient time understood the world! Simple! So, the term peoples use as Flat earth is actually a three-layers world consisting of heaven, earth and underworld often mentioned everywhere in the Bible! It wasn't scientific way of talking about Flat earth as modern people think ! Its like a way how people communicate and relate with nature and themselves like the way we use some words today such as horizon, sunrise and sunset! 😃😃😃
Biblical References:
Three-tiered cosmology:
Philippians 2:10 – “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” This reflects the ancient view of a three-layered universe (heaven, earth, underworld).
Exodus 20:4 – “You shall not make for yourself an image… in heaven above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters below.” This describes the cosmos as understood by ancient Israelites.
Earth as stationary with a dome:
Psalm 104:5 – “He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.” This aligns with the ancient view of a fixed earth.
Genesis 1:6-8 – “And God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’… God called the vault ‘sky.’” The “vault” (or firmament) reflects the dome-like structure in ancient cosmology.
God’s sovereignty over creation:
Isaiah 40:22 – “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.” Often cited by critics, this verse uses poetic language to emphasize God’s rule, not a literal flat earth.
Psalm 24:1-2 – “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it… for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.” This shows God’s authority over creation, using ancient imagery.
Bonus: Ancient people viewed earth as stationary, dome like structure above where sun, moon and stars reside, pillars holding the dome and water behind the dome and underworld. The Bible simply uses the same cultural language to illustrate God's sovereignty over gods of neighboring nations! This languages weren't used as science lessons but way of interacting with peoples in their own context! 😃😃😃
2) Why doesn't the Bible mention planets and galaxies?
That's really interesting concern! You know why? Because it is our modern way of looking at the world after progressive scientific discoveries! 😃 But God's way of looking at the world was heaven, earth and underworld! We still use these languages today! The bible obviously hints at vastness of the universe but doesn't necessarily give details as those weren't concern for God! The most important concern was we lost relationship with him and he made a way through Jesus to bring us back to him! Perhaps in future, we would fully discover the whole universe and enjoy it with God given responsibilities and rights in his eternal kingdom! 🤗🤗🤗
Biblical References:
Vastness of the universe:
Psalm 19:1 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” This suggests the grandeur of creation without detailing planets or galaxies.
Isaiah 40:26 – “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name.” This hints at the vastness of the cosmos under God’s control.
God’s focus on relationship:
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This underscores the Bible’s priority of salvation over scientific detail.
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is… not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” This reinforces the focus on spiritual restoration.
3) I am afraid. Many of my friends usually talk about Science vs Bible topic with me. What am I supposed to do?
To put it simply, the subject itself is at wrong approach ! 😁 It should have been Sin vs Bible. Science vs Bible is entirely unrelated subject but Sin vs Bible is related because Bible is God's word which provides us a way to get victory over sin! Its not Science vs Jesus. Its Satan vs Jesus. You know? Not everything in the Bible is scientific like all miracles! Jesus walked on water, turned water into wine, rose from dead! Would you try describing that scientifically? And again whenever the Bible talks about some natural stuffs, its nothing surprise that it gives scientific knowledge ! Even a fictional movie can give you that! So people are at wrong approach and we have to make them get clear on this! 😃😃😃 Otherwise, in an eagerness to seek science in the Bible, everyone would end up failing to seek their own sin and realization of need of Jesus to save them!!! 🙂
Biblical References:
Bible’s focus on sin and salvation:
Romans 3:23-24 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” This highlights the Bible’s central concern with sin and redemption.
John 20:31 – “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” The Bible’s purpose is faith and salvation, not scientific debate.
Miracles beyond science:
John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’” Jesus’ resurrection defies scientific explanation, emphasizing faith.
Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Faith transcends empirical proof.
Engaging others with the gospel:
1 Peter 3:15 – “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” This encourages sharing faith respectfully in discussions.
4) What does the Bible tell about dinosaurs?
Ans. Well surprisingly the Bible doesn't specifically teach anything about dinosaurs not because the word was coined very later but the Bible has nothing to do with these creatures. It tells more about God, Jesus, Heaven, Hell, sin, salvation and us than about creation. The Bible simply acknowledge that it is God who created all animals which includes dinosaurs too! Some Bible experts think Behemoth and Leviathan mentioned in Job 40, 41 are dinosaurs because of terrific description while other think they aren't. So all these remains speculation.
Biblical References
God as Creator of All Animals:
Genesis 1:24-25 – “And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds… and God saw that it was good.” This establishes God as the creator of all land animals, which would include dinosaurs, though not explicitly named.
Psalm 104:24-25 – “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” This emphasizes God’s creation of diverse creatures, potentially encompassing dinosaurs.
Behemoth in Job:
Job 40:15-18 – “Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox. What strength it has in its loins, what power in the muscles of its belly! Its tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are close-knit. Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs like rods of iron.” The description of Behemoth has led some to speculate it could refer to a large creature like a dinosaur (e.g., a sauropod), though others interpret it as a hippopotamus or a mythological creature. The text focuses on God’s power over creation, not scientific classification.
Leviathan in Job:
Job 41:1, 7-9 – “Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down its tongue with a rope? … Can you fill its hide with harpoons or its head with fishing spears? … Any hope of subduing it is false; the mere sight of it is overpowering.” Leviathan is described as a formidable sea creature, possibly resembling a crocodile, a whale, or, in some interpretations, a dinosaur-like creature (e.g., a plesiosaur). Its purpose in the text is to illustrate God’s sovereignty over even the most fearsome creatures.
Bible’s Focus on Spiritual Matters:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This underscores that the Bible’s purpose is spiritual instruction, not scientific documentation.
John 20:31 – “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” This reinforces your point that the Bible prioritizes salvation over details about creation.
Bonus: The term “dinosaur” was coined in 1842 by Sir Richard Owen, long after the Bible was written, so it’s unsurprising that the word or modern scientific descriptions don’t appear in scripture. The Bible uses general terms like “living creatures” or “beasts” (Genesis 1:24) to encompass all animals.
The descriptions of Behemoth and Leviathan in Job are poetic and serve to highlight God’s power, not to provide zoological data. Scholars remain divided on whether these refer to real creatures (e.g., hippos, crocodiles), extinct animals (e.g., dinosaurs), or mythological symbols of chaos.
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