THE BIBLE AND NATURE

We believe that God inspired the writings of the, Bible. Likewise, we believe that God created all things we see in Nature. And if we believe that God is the author of both works, it is reasonable for us to assume that the two are similar in some respects.

One way in which the Bible and Nature are similar is in the prominence of the number seven in both works. We do not know why this is true. God likely had a reason. But we are not so much concerned about that now as with a few observations to establish the fact that the number seven is given a prominent place in God's two great books, the Bible and His "book- of Nature.”

In Genesis we read that God completed His work of creation and rested on the seventh day, with the result that since that time we have a week of seven days. Noah was commanded to take seven pairs each of the clean beasts into the ark. Joseph in a dream was told of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Moses was told to make a lamp with seven branches (counting the center). Joshua was told to march around the city of Jericho for seven days on the seventh day seven times. Naaman was told to dip himself in the river Jordan seven times in order to be healed of his leprosy. Jesus while on the cross spoke seven times. And in the book of Revelation we read of the "seven churches that are in Asia," the seven stars, the book sealed with seven seats, the seven last plagues, the seven bowls of the wrath of God, and so.

Turning in Nature, we notice the number seven first in our music. All music, whether it is singing or playing instruments, is based on a scale of seven notes: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Of course, to make the complete scale, in any key, the first note is added an octave higher; but the musical alphabet consists of seven letters. A greater or smaller number would spoil our music.

Sunlight is the source of all terrestrial energy. Without it the earth would soon be lifeless. Sunlight appears to be a bluish white color; but when it is broken up into its various shades as in a spectrum, or the rainbow, we find seven colors instead of one.

The circle is the most prominent figure in Nature. One may take seven round objects of the same size, such as a coin, and six of them will exactly fit around the seventh. If we connect the centers of these, circles in this position, we get a regular hexagon, which is often seen in Nature. Examples are,: nests or combs of honey bees and other insects, snowflakes, etc..

Then did you ever notice that we have two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and one mouth, a total of seven openings in our heads, the most prominent and most honored part of our natural, physical bodies? We do not know why God made us this way. We only know that He did. And we are, noticing that the number seven is given a prominent place in Nature, as well as in the Bible and that this is a point of similarity between the two.

Again, we find that God's laws are immutable in the Bible and in Nature alike. There is no respect of persons. This is true, in the Bible; and it is true in Nature.

There are certain laws which if ignored or disobeyed are sure to bring suffering regardless of who we are. It is natural for fire to burn; and if (we put our hands into a fire; we are going to get burned. The same God that made that law gave us the teaching and the principles of the Bible; and if we ignore or disobey them, we are going, to suffer just as surely as if we take fire into our hands, perhaps not as quickly, but as surely.

There are mysteries in the Bible which we have never been able to solve or understand perfectly. But the same is true of Nature. Life and such things as the force of gravity and electricity are things we do not understand perfectly.

Are we then going to reject the Bible because there are mysteries in it? Surely not! It would be as sensible to reject or ignore the laws and principles relating to life, gravity, electricity, etc.., as it would be to reject the Bible because there are some things in it, and about it, that we cannot understand. All of us can understand enough about life, to live a reasonable length of time. We can understand enough about gravity and electricity to know what they will do and to be aware of dangers connected with them. And we can understand enough about the Bible to know what to do to be saved from our past and present sins, and have eternal life hereafter. We would not expect an Almighty God to write a book we could understand perfectly. Both the Word of God and the "book of Nature" will no doubt still contain mysteries after this earth is gone. God's two great works are, similar in this respect.

Another point of similarity is the seeming contradictions, or inconsistencies, found in the Bible, as well as in Nature. But let us accept the fact that anything we find in the Bible which seems to be a contradiction is only a seeming contradiction, and not a real one. If there is any contradiction it is in man, and not in the Bible. Man's knowledge is so limited that sometimes he may not see the harmony that exists between certain passages. However, further study may remove difficulties that arise, and about ninety-eight per cent of So-called contradictions disappear when we give a fair and honest consideration to the passages of scripture concerned.

But even if we should find some things in the Bible that we cannot harmonize, we need not be alarmed. Nature is full of such things. It seems inconsistent that a diamond, the most brilliant of jewels, should yield a coal black saw dust, and that one, of the whitest substances may be made from one of the blackest. The gyroscope seemingly contradicts the laws of gravity, or balance. When a person has swallowed poison, it seems inconsistent for the doctor to have him swallow more poison. On first thought, it might seem inconsistent with the law of gravity that when one puts gravel in a box and shakes it, the large pebbles come to the top, instead of going to the bottom.

There are many things in Nature, which might seem to be contradictions of known laws and principles. But they are not. Often we do not understand all of the facts of the case and so cannot see the harmony that exists. It is true that there are seeming in-consistencies in the Bible; but the same is true of Nature. This is only another point of similarity between the two, and another reason for accepting the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Both the Bible and Nature point to the same being as their author.