Of course, the science!
To help you understand, you need to buy a spaceship!
How far back must we go?
Not far! Scientists reckon about 13.7 billion years.
That's 13,700,000,000 years!
Look out of your porthole, and what will you see?
Cool!
No, very hot actually! A few seconds after the "big bang", the whole of space was filled with brilliantly glowing and very hot particles of light. (They're called "photons", if you want the scientific term.)
Photons, 13,7 billion years and what does the Bible say?
In the beginning, when God created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the waters. Then God commanded, “Let there be light"; and light appeared. God was pleased with what he saw. Evening passed and morning came; that was the first day.
So you're telling me that the guys who wrote the bible; thousands of years ago; they knew about the big bang?
Ancient people did not have the technical skill to understand cosmology. There is no logical explanation as to why the writers of the bible thought that light was the first thing "created". But, scientifically speaking, it was. Maybe God put the idea into their minds! But, from ancient writings, we know that they thought that the earth was flat; with the sky shaped like a dome over the top.
Ancient people did not have the technical skill to understand cosmology. There is no logical explanation as to why the writers of the bible thought that light was the first thing "created". But, scientifically speaking, it was. Maybe God put the idea into their minds! But, from ancient writings, we know that they thought that the earth was flat; with the sky shaped like a dome over the top.
A man has found the end of the world and is poking his head out; a bit like the Truman Show.
It's a film; I'll tell you about it sometime. This diagram gives a simpler picture.
It's not a very scientific idea compared with our level of understanding today, but the words of Genesis were expressed in terms which the people understood then. Look up, and the sky does look like a dome.
There are holes in the sky, where the rain comes in. The holes are small, that's why rain is thin!" : a poem by Spike Milligan
So the bible's wrong, then?
Maybe not wrong; maybe a bit too child-like for our modern minds. And poetic rather than scientific.
That's a galaxy!
Yes, where stars are made. The science says that all the hot "stuff" started to cool down and clog together in huge lumps; then it started spinning. After millions of years, stars "condensed" out of the hot gasses; a bit like drops of water "condense" on a cold window when mum is cooking.
They ancient writings are surprisingly accurate, allowing for the limitations of the authors.
Then God commanded, “Let there be a dome to divide the waters and to keep it in two separate places”; and it was done. So God made a dome, and it separated the waters under it from the waters above it.
In the minds of an ancient Hebrew "waters" could mean "stuff". And separating is much the same as condensing.
He named the dome “Sky.” Evening passed and morning came; that was the second day.
Can't wait to see how you explain the rest of the creation story.
You won't have to wait long!
In the minds of an ancient Hebrew "waters" could mean "stuff". And separating is much the same as condensing.
He named the dome “Sky.” Evening passed and morning came; that was the second day.
Can't wait to see how you explain the rest of the creation story.
You won't have to wait long!
Next Bible Blog : Tuesday 18th September
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