Sabbath, August 1, 2015

“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.” –Education, p. 128. 

Creation of the earth

1. What clear testimony is given of God’s work in creating the earth, in total contradiction to evolutionary ideas? 

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 

Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. 

Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

“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 a-dopted 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.” –Education, pp. 128, 129.

“The Bible recognizes no long ages in which the earth was slowly evolved from chaos.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 112.

“The Bible is the most instructive and comprehensive history that has ever been given to the world. Its sacred pages contain the only authentic account of the creation. Here we behold the power that ‘stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth.’ Here we have a truthful history of the human race, one that is unmarred by human prejudice or human pride.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, pp. 84, 85.

2. How did the world come into existence? What clear refutation of long geological ages do we find in the holy Scriptures? 

Psalm 33:6-9; 148:4, 5 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast…. 148:4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. 

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 

2 Peter 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.

“In the formation of our world, God was not beholden to preexistent substance or matter. For the ‘things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.’ Hebrews 11:3. On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice, and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things that are therein, are not only the work of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.” –Upward Look, p. 340.

The days of creation 

3. What numerous Bible verses give the length of the days of creation? What is natural to conclude when the record states that every creation day was made of an evening and a morning, or day and night? 

Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day…. 8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day…. 13And the evening and the morning were the third day…. 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day…. 23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day…. 31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. 

“Of each successive day of creation, the sacred record declares that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days that have followed. At the close of each day is given the result of the Creator’s work. The statement is made at the close of the first week’s record, ‘These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created.’ Genesis 2:4. But this does not convey the idea that the days of creation were other than literal days.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 112. 

‘For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ Exodus 20:8-11. This reason appears beautiful and forcible when we understand the days of creation to be literal. The first six days of each week are given to man for labor, because God employed the same period of the first week in the work of creation.” –Christian Education, p. 190. 

4. Do the Holy Scriptures refer to the days of creation in other places? Is there any indication of a day of creation being longer than a normal day? 

Exodus 20:11; 31:17, last part For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 31:17… For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 

“Human philosophy declares that an indefinite period of time was taken in the creation of the world. Does God state the matter thus? No; He says, ‘It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days

[not six indefinite periods of time; for then there would be no possible way for man to observe the day specified in the fourth commandment] the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.’ Please read carefully the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy. God says again, ‘Remember [do not forget] the Sabbath day, to keep it holy…. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.’” –Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 135. 

5. Because the first seventh day was a day of rest, is it conceivable that this Sabbath was longer than any other day? Is it imaginable that Adam rested for thousands of years? 

Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 

Mark 2:27, first part And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man….

“Like the Sabbath, the week originated at creation, and it has been preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. God himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and he then blessed this day, and set it apart as a day of rest for man.” –Christian Education, p. 190. 

The creation of man

6. While many people follow human hypotheses, what clear, irrefutable statement does God’s word provide regarding man’s origin? What can we conclude from the fact that Adam found no suitable companion among the animals?

Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them…. 9:6Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 

“There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man’s narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was ‘the son of God.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 44. 

Keep human theory in its proper place

7. What was written long ago about those who accept fanciful ideas and human hypotheses? What will help us avoid falling victim to fables? 

2 Timothy 4:1-4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

“Jesus brought into His teaching none of the science of men. His teaching is full of grand, ennobling, saving truth, to which man’s highest ambitions and proudest inventions can bear no comparison; and yet things of minor consequence engross the minds of men. The great plan of the redemption of a fallen race was wrought out in the life of Christ in human flesh. This scheme of restoring the moral image of God in debased humanity entered into every purpose of the life and character of Christ. His majesty could not mingle with human science, which will disconnect from the great source of all wisdom in a day. The topic of human science never escaped His hallowed lips.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 408. 

  • How many sources has God provided for those who want to know the truth? 
  • Do you believe that the evolutionary theory is supported by the Bible? 
  • How should one consider atheism, evolution, theistic evolution, and similar constructs?