Category Archives: The Bible and Science

Jeremiah 10 and 51

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While reading on lightning in the Bible I noticed that Jeremiah 10: 12 – 16 and 51: 15– 19 are almost exactly the same.  Having the same theme run through a book or even several books is not unusual, after all, God can repeat Himself if He wants.  But if God repeats Himself it is usually to stress a point or confirm what was said, or in the case of the History Books – Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles two different people wrote for two different audiences. (See Kings and Samuel)  The repetition here seems to be for making the point of God’s power and authority to do the acts that were to follow.

In Jeremiah 10:12 -16, the passage is introduced by a statement that false gods did not make the heavens and earth, the NIV has a footnote that it is written in Aramaic.  (Probably for the people of/in Babylon or as a further study has found, it was a common language of the day.)  God is angry because of the idols His people are making and worshiping.  So after the passage, the destruction of Israel and Judah is foretold.  This apparently made people mad because Baruch son of Neriah, his scribe, notes that the people of Anathoth, his hometown, wanted to kill him.  Jeremiah is a member of the priestly class and Anathoth is a city that was set apart for the priest by Joshua and Moses; nothing like making your family mad, especially if they are church leaders.

In Jeremiah 51: 15 -19 the introduction to the verse is the prophesying that Babylon will be filled with men eager to destroy the place, and it is followed by the acts that will happen when the city is destroyed.  The end of this story is chapter 51:59 – 64 where Jeremiah asks Seraiah, Baruch’s brother, to pronounce complete and lasting ruin on Babylon. (Saddam Hussein tried/started rebuilding ancient Babylon before the Gulf War, it came to a stop.)  It is interesting that the last sentence is, “The words of Jeremiah end here.”

The final part of this study is found in Psalm 135: 7.  The passage about the lightning, rain, and wind is also here as it is found in Jeremiah.

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.” (NIV)  In a previous post I compared Psalm 135 and 136 for similar content (see that post).  But the same themes in Jeremiah are here also:

  1. The Lord does what pleases Him. (vs. 6)
  2. The destruction of an enemy is told. (vs.8 – 11)
  3. Idols are worthless pieces of silver and gold. (vs. 15 – 18)
  4. Jacob and Israel are treasured possessions. (vs. 3 – 4)

I can still see David writing Psalm 135 but the prophetic nature of this Psalm now becomes even clearer.  Ok, maybe Jeremiah/Baruch did write it and threw in verses 19 – 21 just to aggravate his kinsmen.

Bible studies are fun, you start with lightning and end up comparing prophesy in Jeremiah.

The Bible and Science – Water #3

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John 10:38b That you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.

It is all about the electrons.  The oxygen and hydrogen atoms in water share electrons, this is known as covalent bonding.  Since the atoms share electrons this helps them reach a stable existence and it gives water some great properties.  I labeled the picturewater molecule with a positive and a negative end.  Usually you think of these terms as “good and bad” but here it means more electrons (negative) or less electrons (positive).

These positive and negative ends help water be the “universal solvent” (everything eventually dissolves in water).  They also give water its ability to line-up in long chains as I put in the diagram.  These chains allow water to move around as it does. See Water #1 and #2.

∞Father, thank you for being in Jesus and allowing us to share your power through His finished work on the cross.

The Bible and Science – Water #2

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Psalm 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

As I have pondered the water molecule and how it could represent God I realized that I have a problem.  Yes, I will try to show that He gave us a tiny picture of His greatness in a drop of water.  The problem is how to adequately illustrate the Creator with part of His creation.  No matter how good the model, it will never completely reveal the Triune God and His attributes.  C.S. Lewis in “Horrid Red Things” (a chapter in Miracles) talks about the metaphorical nature of language being inadequate to describe God unless we make it “more polysyllabic and duller.”  My hope with this devotional, as with all of my writing, is that Jesus will be revealed and that His glory will be seen through His handiwork.

The structure of this necessary molecule is one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms.  If this ratio is changed you would have useful compounds but they would not be water.  The atomic number (amount of protons) for oxygen is eight and hydrogen is one so the total is ten.  These three atoms resemble the diagram with oxygen being the largest.Screen Shot 2013-07-30 at 8.54.53 PM

I have thought long and hard before writing this and I don’t want to challenge anyone’s concept of the Trinity but I feel this picture is acceptable because the Father will be the oxygen and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the hydrogens. See Water #1 and #3.

∞Father, help us to see You and be able to share Your glory with the people we meet.

The Bible and Science – Water #1

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Genesis 1:2b The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.(NIV) 

This simple statement right at the beginning of the Bible connects God with one of His most amazing creations – water.  This chemical compound is very simple yet it does important things in most branches of science.  Why, before we can get out of Clouds 2the first chapter of the Bible God separates it, gathers it, and puts living things in it.

Here are some examples of what happens with it:

  • Floods
  • It is feared
  • A lack of it changes history
  • Separates
  • Comes out of a rock
  • Makes borders
  • Is used to baptize
  • Sailed on
  • Fished it
  • Walked on
  • Makes big storms and wrecks ships

Water fountainWe find God using it all the way through Scripture right to the very last chapter of the Bible.  Revelation 22: 17 “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (NIV)  Have you had that drink yet?

∞Father, thank You for water and Your free gift.  Help me remember to offer someone a drink today.

Assignment: I did not list all of the uses/functions of water; in fact I left out some rather important ones.  Find them and make a list.

See Water #2 and Water #3

The Bible and Science – The Second Law of Thermodynamics

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Romans 8:20-21 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (NIV)

As a Christian who teaches science I look at the world and see the beauty that is there, but I frequently think of the physical laws, or the components of the object, and become even more in awe of what God has done.  The Second Law of Thermodynamics speaks to what is happening to Creation as a whole entity.  The Second Law refers to entropy or the concept that everything starts in its highest state of order, and progresses to a state of disorder.  (Mom’s know that this is true because the playroom always needs cleaning!)  Okay, that makes sense.

Evolution, however, is the opposite of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.  In evolution, the main idea is that everything started in chaos, and is now headed to a state of perfection.  The best evolution can offer is a state of equilibrium.

Look at verse 21 and notice a different story.  The only thing evolving there is a born again child of God.  He finds us in a “state of decay” and brings us to freedom and into His glory.

∞Father, thank You that we go from glory to glory and that we are looking more like Jesus every day.