The Creation and its Mysteries Unveiled, geologist Antonio Snider-Pellegrini theorized that all the Earth’s continents had once been part of a supercontinent and had been split apart during the Flood. He based this on his observation that continents on either side of the Atlantic Ocean seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. He also noted that similar fossils appeared on either side of the Atlantic, indicating a common origin. Later, secular geologists, such as Alfred Wegener, accepted the supercontinent idea, calling it Pangaea (Greek for “Whole Earth”), but rejecting Pellegrini’s Flood theory.
Modern creation geologists have realized that Pellegrini’s model makes sense. But there are problems. Pangaea could not have been the original pre-Flood continent. The original continent – Rodinia – would have split as the tectonic plates moved rapidly under the floodwaters. However, at some point, these continental portions must have crashed together, temporarily forming a second, but submerged, supercontinent – that is Pangaea. Some of the reasoning is as follows. Fossils and minerals in the Appalachians and in the Caledonians (in the UK and Scandinavia) appear to be of common origin. This was probably one mountain range in Pangaea. But fossils would not have been formed until the start of the Flood, so this Pangaea could not have existed before the Flood. Such reasoning gives us a fascinating insight into the way that the continental pieces must have moved during the Flood. The idea of a common mountain chain linking the Appalachians with Scottish and Norwegian mountains is fully consistent with the Scriptural account.
Father, we thank You for those scientists who give glory to You, and who, using Your word, dig deeper, thinking Your thoughts after You. Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rodinia
We miss a great deal when we skip quickly through the historical account of creation, given to us in Genesis 1. And it is indeed a historical account, an eyewitness account related by the only eyewitness to the event possible – the Creator God Himself.
On the third day of the creation week, in Genesis 1:9, we read:
And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
If the waters were gathered into one place, this would suggest that there was only one ocean in the world that God created. If this seems a little odd to us, we should remember that it is only our western-centered view of the world that suggests a globe covered in land. In fact, even today, the Pacific Ocean covers just about half of the world’s surface. So it is not too large a stretch to imagine a world with only one ocean, and hence, only one major continent. This pre-Flood giant continent, usually labeled Rodinia, is accepted by most secular and biblical geologists, differing only in timescale. The continent would have been broken by the volcanic and seismic events suggested by the term “Fountains of the Deep” at the beginning of the Flood.
Reflecting on the violence of the break-up of Rodinia during the Flood, we are reminded again that the two pivotal events of geological history are the Creation and the Flood, without which geology does not adequately explain the world.
Lord, we know that there are those who deliberately forget that You created and that You flooded the world. Help us to explain to people the truthfulness of the historical accounts of these events that You gave us. Amen.
------------------------------------------------------------
The Expanse
"And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.”
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
So what was this expanse that divided the waters below from the waters above? Some versions call it which is not a good translation because sky refers to something not real, just an impression caused by the bending of light. Other translations call the expanse the firmament, and this is better. The Hebrew word translated as expanse or firmament is raqi’a and is really referring to the expanse of the cosmos itself – deep space!
The waters below the expanse must be those on the Earth, but the waters above form a boundary or limit to space because that is what the expanse is. The Hebrew word is related to the stretching out of materials, such as the hammering of gold metal.
Now, measurements and images from instruments, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, have suggested that space itself was stretched in order to achieve its current state. Two stars embedded in this expanse might appear to move apart with the expansion, though they actually remain at the same points where they were before. It is our suggestion that the majority of this stretching of space occurred on Day Two of the Creation Week – before there even were stars in the expanse. This stretching of the expanse has not required the billions of years that Big Bang theorists postulate. One single Creation Week explains it all.
All that You have made declares how wonderful You are, Lord. We praise You that You have made everything well. Amen.
Ref: Faulkner, D.R. (2016), <em>Thoughts on the rāqîa‘ and a Possible Explanation for theCosmic Microwave Background,
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The great hymn writer Isaac Watts wrote:
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies….
Lord, how Thy wonders are proclaimed where’er I turn my eye;
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
Our great Creator has left the testimony of His handiwork everywhere for us to see. And it is clear not only in the beauty and grandeur of nature, but in the wonder of humanity – in all our physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual capacity. Mankind was created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26-27).
This is not only a truth from Genesis, but is everywhere throughout the Bible. “For we are His workmanship (Greek “poiema” – artistic masterpieces, “poems”, of His creation) created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Being “created in Christ Jesus” not only includes our original creation as offspring of God’s original image in Adam and Eve, but our being “born again” as new creations through faith in the Living Word, Jesus Christ
And there is an important balance that develops as we walk in that wonderful status of redeemed creatures, adopted sons and daughters of the Living God. That balance is struck between Labor and Rest. The Bible says that while we are “created… unto good works” and required to work in this life, both as a consequence of sin (Genesis 3:19) and as service and character-training within God’s family, we are simply to enjoy and receive the life, love and illuminating revelation of the Lord!
No comments:
Post a Comment