Let Us Give Thanks

 In 1863, President Lincoln set Thanksgiving as an Official Day of Thanksgiving for the Nation.  Yet this was right in the middle of the Civil War.  This speech was written by Secretary of State William Seward:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity… no human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

But he wasn’t the first president to call for a day of thanksgiving to God. Here is George Washington’s speech in 1789, right after the Constitution was ratified, and while we were a fledgling strip of 13 states:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness…for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions…to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Of course, there are many great verses thanking God in His Word. Here are a few:

• Psalm 95:2-3

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

1 Corinthians 1:4-5

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge--

• Ephesians 1:15-16

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

• 1 Timothy 4:4-5

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

• 1 Chronicles 16:34

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

• Psalm 7:17

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

• Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

• Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

• Isaiah 12:4

In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

• Jeremiah 33:11

the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

• Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

God and gods

 Dr. Michael Heiser’s Youtube on this subject is just too good to pass up.  Here’s the Cliff Notes version of one session.  Let’s begin with Psalm 82:1-7, using the English Standard version:

God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
² “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked? 
³ Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
    maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
⁴ Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

⁵ They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
    they walk about in darkness;
    all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶ I said, “You are gods,
    sons of the Most High, all of you;
⁷ nevertheless, like men you shall die,
    

The first word of the Psalm, God, is Elohim in Hebrew; this is the standard word for God.  But Elohim is also used for “midst of the gods” in verse 1, and “you are gods” in verse 6.  Interestingly, whoever these mystery beings are, are also called “sons of the Most High” in verse 6 as well.  The thing that disturbs us is, in these second and third use of Elohim, the surrounding Hebrew words definitely say it is plural.  So now it looks like a pantheon, Greek and Roman mythology stuff, doesn’t it? Our God, and the mystery gods.

In this Psalm, who is God talking to?  Who are these ‘gods?’  They seem to be in a ‘divine council’ with our God—and they are His sons!  (Before you get carried away, the word “sons” here simply means “direct creation by God.”  Adam was a son of God.  Angels were too–including Satan.)  To reconcile the use of Elohim in all these verses, some have suggested, ‘It’s the Trinity.’ But God is not talking to the other members of the Trinity, because He is chastising them for corruption; nor are any of the Trinity sentenced to death! So God is rebuking them and predicts His judgment upon them, yet they are also called ‘sons of the Most High.’  Hmmm.  Could these be angels–given, that some angels are corrupt–those led by Satan, who was once an angel.  Isaiah 14:12ff gives the event that they fell. 

Modern commentaries suggest that God is talking to people, either Jewish elders or members of the Sanhedrin. But that can’t be; He calls them ‘gods.’  We’re not Mormons, believing that man becomes godlike.  Also, Jesus never says or implies that men are actually ‘gods,’ somehow the same as Jesus (as some apostate religions teach today).  So, the verses are not men either.

Look at Psalm 89:5-6, to learn more:

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
⁶ For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
⁷ a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,

The “assembly of the holy ones” or “heavenly beings,” or the “council of the holy ones,” or our “divine council” in Psalm 82 earlier—they are all “sons of God,” or “sons of the Most High.”   And they’re also “gods;” and “gods” are all translations of Elohim in Hebrew, which we might think only applies to our good God.  And they are counseling with God Most High, in the heavenlies, “in the skies.” So, we’re thinking, who are these guys? How do they get a position in council with Him?

 Well, here’s some thoughts an expanded brain might see. For those who ask, why does God need a council? He’s omniscient.  In our response to that one, we might ask, why did God create Man?  He didn’t need us either; He’s not deficient.  The best guess is:  He must like our company; maybe He liked the angels’ company–even after they became corrupt. If that seems hard to believe, consider: He has love for us–and we’re corrupted in sin.  

I Kings 22:19-25 adds to this subject, but first a little background:  The Jewish kingdom is divided—Israel in the north, under Ahab, and Judah in the south, under Jehoshaphat, at this time.  Ahab is trying to persuade Jehoshaphat to join him in conquering Ramoth-gilead.  Ahab asks of his own prophets about the battle, but these are an ungodly Baal-worshiping bunch that, of course, predict his victory (whatever he wants to hear–just like many of our pastors today).  But Jehoshaphat persuades Ahab to bring forth a godly prophet, Micaiah. So let’s pick it up at verse 19:

And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; ²⁰ and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’… ²¹ Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ ²² And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ ²³ Now therefore behold, (Micaiah said), the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; (but) the Lord has declared disaster for you.”

God is again partnering with likely a council of fallen angels in the heavens, this time called “the host of heaven.”   But this group is not to be confused with the ones that serenaded the shepherds in Bethlehem.  In this case, they are deciding how Ahab is going to die, to be judged for his life of evil.  The fallen angels, or “gods,” have an evil spirit among them, ready to deceive Ahab.

Dr. Heiser concludes, after all this, that God has a heavenly council of spirits, made up of His first creation of “sons,” which were called ‘angels.’  But since some of them turned evil, these verses must be after some angels fell.  Yet they are allowed to participate with Him, and they are correctly translated“ gods” (from Elohim) and “sons of God,” since they are a direct creation by our God. All under the term Elohim. But clearly, we can determine by things that are said, who the real God (also Elohim in singular) is; He is Higher than they are, and judges them as well. So clearly everyone in council knows that there is not an equality in the council.  There are several verses that confirm that Yahweh, our God, is “God of all gods” (Psa 86:8, 95:3, for instance). 

So evil gods—angels after they fell— are all called Elohim, like our good God. We, as Westerners, like to associate unique, and good, attributes with the term Elohim—like omniscience and omnipresence, terms of a God who loves us–and we like to ignore any other possibilities. We also want to make Elohim in a singular context, only–our God. We’re “used” to having only one God; and we get creeped out when the word is plural.  And we wonder why God would allow His enemies to be present in heaven, even participate, in divine counsel. But, as we can see with Scripture (if we use an open mind), they plainly did. The Biblical writers were evidently unfazed by these gods, this expansion of the definition of the Hebrew Elohim—we have to believe they simply knew their Scriptures better than we do. Don’t forget, God is the ultimate writer of all Scripture, so we cannot doubt its truthfulness. 

Elohim, as it turns out, is used for three different things that are not our God of the Bible:  (1) The mysterious “council” in heaven, as we have already seen; (2) gods of the nations, called Elohim in I Kings 11:33–they are named Asherah, Ashtaroth, Chemosh, and Milcom—each of which really was a powerful demon worshipped and ruled in a nation close to Israel. While we’re on that, it seems to me, given the terrorism, that the fallen angels still have a role as powerful demons over nations; and (3) disembodied human dead, in I Samuel 28:13. 

By the way: a relative word, “shedim,” in Deuteronomy 32:17 has the same meaning.

Let’s explain the last word: “shedim”. This Hebrew word is translated “demon” in the ESV (please see the bold word below—it is synonymous to “gods,” Elohim).  

They (Ed. note: Israel) sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.

This Hebrew word shedim, gives us another bit of knowledge about demons. Shedim literally means ‘territorial entity.’ Compare that to “the gods of the nations” (Elohim), in #2 above, and we conclude that demons are ruling in different sizes of playing fields. This suggests a hierarchy of demons.

The #3 example for Heiser’s sermon is in I Samuel 28:13, which is the story of Saul needing a medium (or witch) to prophesy the winner of his upcoming battle with the Philistines. When he approached her, she says, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” (speaking of a physical appearance of the dead. But she doesn’t really believe it will happen. She probably plans on producing a mist of smoke and then convince him it’s Samuel).  He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” (Samuel had died, don’t forget). She was totally surprised when Samuel actually appeared and spoke. (His appearance could have been an artifice of a body, too). She was afraid.  Saul said, “Do not be afraid.  What did you see?” She said, “I saw a spirit…”  The Hebrew word for spirit is Elohim. Thus, Elohim is also used to describe disembodied human dead, as well. 

Thus we conclude that Elohim is not simply used only for our God, with all His good attributes.  There are lots of Elohim, in these cases demons, because there are lots of spirit beings. All are called Elohim.  But no other Elohim is like Yahweh—simply by reading the text, you can deduce that. He is the Creator, He is sovereign over all. There is a judgment day coming for the other Elohim.   

Let’s give another Scripture.  In Daniel 4:13-24 we read of a vision of Nebuchadnezzar.  Daniel interprets it. The king learns that his vision was predicting God’s decree of temporary insanity upon him (for pride), such that he would be wandering in fields eating grass for food.  These verses start with Nebuchadnezzar’s words:

“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴ He cried aloud and said…”And let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven (years) pass over him.

¹⁷ ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men…

^{(Now Daniel speaks) 24}  this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king…

The Bible is consistent, as always.  This decree was pronounced by the ‘holy ones,’ our fallen angels, but this time they are called the ‘watchers.’  Yet the decision was made by the Most High (our God).  But there is still council participation … again allowed by God.  He evidently likes to do that.  We surmise that when He created spirits, He wanted children who were part of the family.  The angels rebelled. But so have we. He feels that way toward us Christians, only stronger, because we who are saved will stay with Him; the demons will end in the lake of fire.  He gives us the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) to have us participate in giving Him more children. 

This has given me another thought: this might explain another strange Bible verse that had left me puzzled.  I’m talking about God creating Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:26-27:

Then 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 livestock over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  27 So God created man in his own image,  in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

How does your Study Bible explain the plural “our”?  Mine says it’s like a single king sovereignly using the plural to explain himself.  It says, “God was taking counsel with Himself.” Sounds fishy. Or, it could be that God was speaking with the other members of the Trinity.  But could it be, He was speaking to His heavenly council?  If you take that view, note that when he is done speaking with the council, He creates us in His singular “image,” So it’s our God doing it, nobody else–we’re created in His image. (That wouldn’t be true of the Trinity, since all were involved in Creation.) The same wording is also in Genesis 11:7 at the tower of Babel, by the way.

And we can’t avoid Job 1:6 and 2:1, which start out with “the sons of God,” now fallen angels. One of them, Satan, formerly an angel, is a “son of God.”  Satan was there to accuse Job, but note that God still invites all of these beings into His presence, and gave him permission to speak their accusations of God’s favorite child, Noah:

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them…. 

So, it’s clear that Satan had access to the heavenlies. This further adds to our proof about these beings are fallen angels in the Elohim council. Thank God, someday He will no longer have to listen to these accusations. Scripture says He will banish him from His presence, and later throw them down to hell.

Yet my brain thought another question about “sons of God.”  You may have asked this: How is Jesus the ‘only begotten’ son of God (John 3:16, King James) now that we know that other sons of God exist?  

A different issue is raised, too: Some religions also say Jesus can’t be eternal if He is ‘begotten,’ which suggests His life began when He was born.

The answer to both questions is this: The problem phrase ‘only begotten,’  is based on a study of ancient Greek manuscripts that had been dug up and were available in the 1600s.  The Greek word the Apostle John wrote was ‘monogenes,’ but the word fell out of use and was uncertain as to its meaning in the 1600s. It was guessed that it was made up of two words, monos, or ‘only,’ and ‘gennao,’ or ‘beget, bear.’  But according to more accurate koine Greek (found by recent archaeological digs), it should be ‘monos,’ or ‘only,’ and ‘genos,’ which means ‘class or kind.’  Thus, the ‘only begotten’ translation was wrong–it should be ‘one of a kind,’ or ‘unique.’  Jesus was not begotten; He was/is eternal. Jesus was, instead, unique–the Immanuel, God with us.  His uniqueness separates Him from the angels and demons. He WAS God, as other Scriptures prove. Remember, neither angels nor demons can raise themselves from the dead.

There is still another interesting verse that raises yet another question: Hebrews 11:17:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son (ed. note: “only begotten” is KJV translation, which is when they were guessing its meaning.  In the ESV, now that we know the meaning of the word, it is translated as “only son”)   

But neither ‘only begotten son’ nor ‘only son’ can be an accurate translation, since Isaac was preceded in birth by Ishmael.  But it is correct if we substitute the correct words, “his unique son” (I wish ESV got it that way).  And Isaac was unique, unlike Ismael; born from a freewoman, Sarah, born when his parents were 100 and 90 years old, an impossibility, a child of promise, instead of a child of a slave woman (Hagar). In the same way, Jesus is ‘unique’ in John 3:16: Yes, because Jesus is God!  Philippians 2:6 (NIV):

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage…

“Equality with God” is accurate, since Jesus was God.

Back to Dr. Heiser. He finishes his session by clearing up another difficult phrase, in John 10:33-36, when the Jews were ready to stone Jesus because He claimed to be God:

 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? (Ed. Note: He is quoting Psalm 82:6, our head-scratching verse at the beginning of this paper) ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?  ³⁷ If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; ³⁸ but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

Jesus, to defend His claim of deity, is saying, “Look, doesn’t Scripture have God speaking to other gods?  So, Psa 82:6 asserted there are other gods, and sons of god, who are real. So, since our own Scripture says that category exists; therefore when I say that I’m more than a man, it’s possible. You can’t just assume I’m blaspheming if I make such a claim. So you only have to decide if I’m a fallen angel ‘god’ or God’s unique Son. If you want to condemn me, you can’t have as your ‘proof’ that I’m a mere man, and committing blasphemy.  Your real proof of what I am can only be by my works. Do I do works of God? Or do I do works that demons do?

Jesus was a great debater, too!

Let nobody say that Jesus did not claim to be God.  He did! 

I hope you enjoyed this paper and Dr. Heiser. I’ve got more from this knowledgeable man later.

Was Creation Done in Six Days?

 There are huge debates that flare up in Christendom about Creation.  IF you believe that the Bible is the Word of God, it is very clear in what it says:  God created and populated our planet with life, ending with the crown of creation, Adam and Eve, in six literal days.  The very first words of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 says:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

Then He says, at the end of the First day,

So the evening and the morning were the first day.

It uses the word ‘day,’ or 24-hours literally.  Then He repeats this exact phrase after each day of Creation: ….evening …morning …second day, and so on.  This repetition of 24-hour parameters supports the literal meaning of the word ‘day’ being 24-hour periods. In Exodus 20:11, at the time the Ten Commandments were given, it says this:  

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

It plainly says “six days.” It’s also true that the Sabbath day is, of course, one 24-hour period, in a week of 24-hour periods. Exodus 31:17 says the same thing, except it says that “on the 7^th day He (God) rested.”  Does it make sense to stretch the word ‘day’ to millions of years there?  Does it take millions of years for God to get up enough strength to continue on? There’s a rule in Bible hermeneutics that says, use the literal meaning if at all possible. So many theologians have violated that rule.  But  given God’s omnipotence, it’s certainly possible He created all this in 6 days.  He could have created the earth to look old. Or, the Flood (since it reached mountaintops in depth) unleashed in rapid fashion a gigantic compression of weight, and a layer-upon-layer of mud in a disaster that could explain what has been found—but we never hear about that.  In fact, science hasn’t seriously considered that idea; the experts evidently ignore those “wacko Christian scientists”--because their explanations are Biblical, not scientific, in origin. (Look up Institute for Creation Research, at ICR.org, or visit the narratives on the walls around Noah’s Ark in Kentucky for some real facts.  It's scientific, too). But given the “findings” of science, and their theories on evolution, we’re supposed to expand the word “day” in Genesis 1 to mean millions of years to allow their “science” of evolution to be assimilated into Scripture. Too many theologians and pastors bow to the world's science when the Bible has legitimate theories of explanation. Even  modern  commentaries of Scripture often cave, and say ‘Yes, the word “day” in Genesis 1 likely means millions of years.’ So here we have a translation of a simple Bible word, “day,” redefined simply because science says so.  Our pastors and theologians are intimidated.  Some pastors are even mind-lamed enough to accept evolution.

Dr. John MacArthur has some wise words on this.  As before, I will Cliff Notes them, changing several phrases so as to offer explanation--but I have changed nothing of his ideas.  Read with enjoyment: 

No one gets past the first verse of the Bible without facing the test of submission to Scripture.  Is the ‘day’ actually a day?  It isn’t unclear--it is crystal clear that it is a day.  But that’s hard to swallow.  So you never get past the first verse of Genesis without declaring whether you submit to Scripture being God’s Word.  You either accept it or reject it--but you don’t have the right to alter it by changing the meaning of "day" beyond what is clearly before you.  There are times when the literal meaning is not the meaning—such as hyperboles, anthropomorphisms, prophecies, poetry, idioms—but God wouldn’t start the Bible out in fuzzy words, and none of the examples I just gave are implied in Genesis.  So you must fall back on a literal day.

Flat out, there is no evolution in Genesis 1, 2, or 3—or anywhere else in the Bible. Our God is a God of truth, and of unbelievable power and knowledge.  In all the debates on inerrancy of original Scripture being passed down accurately or with multiple errors, the archeology over the centuries hasn’t dented one thing that has any real importance being in error—and no scholar has suggested that translations of Genesis 1-3 have been altered any over the millennia.  So, we’re faced with those words being the words God wanted to tell us. Do we believe that God created ex nihilo, out of nothing?  He did.  But evolution says something came out of nothing without God.  That requires more faith than belief in God.  Those that would argue that ‘God used evolution’ have no Scripture to stand on—only ‘science,’ so called.  Which would you choose?  The current word of science?  Or the Word from God?

Keep one important thing in mind as you consider:  “Creation science” is an oxymoron (i.e., words that have opposite meanings in a phase, and can’t go together).  Science is a study of natural law; but Creation is supernatural.  No scientific method has the tools to study Creation. Scientists are supposed to rely on observable repetition. But the only one who knows how Creation happened is the One Who was there—God.  So a critical proof of science—‘observation’—has nothing to say. So when people say, ‘Don’t we have to apply science to the Genesis account?’  The fact is, you can’t apply science to a miracle.  So, you Christians out there, you don’t have to apply scientific methodology to explain Creation.  You can’t.  Because all science is based on observation, and verification by repetition.  But Creation has no observers, can’t be verified and isn’t repeated.  It cannot be described by any predictable facts that science are used to.

So you can believe God, Who always tells the truth, or you can believe Charles Darwin.  He’s pretty convincing, apparently, because 99% of the universities are Darwinian in their "science" department.  Of the National Science Academy members who were self-described atheists, 100% of them believed in evolution.  It is our belief that they backed into atheism from how they interpreted biology to suit their own needs.

You should know that moving from Biblical Creation to Darwin is apostasy—a defection from God's Word, His truth, and the Christian faith. This means a bad eternal ending for its believers. Take a look at other people who move away from the Bible to teach other ‘acceptable’ doctrines--like Karl Marx (founder of socialism and communism), and John Dewey (founder of secular humanism).  Though Darwin was later than these other two men who did everything they could to shred Christianity, his theories were, like theirs, a way to explain the universe without God.  Apostate scientists looking for pseudo reasons to reject Christianity and God finally found an acceptable theory in Darwin. It’s what they want. (An unscientific predisposition). If God can be separated from origins, then we could be separated from God; and if we could be separated from God, then we don’t have to worry about sin, and guilt, and judgement—and we’re free to do whatever we want.  So evolution is not a logical door that you enter and accept it; no, you back into it amorally (or immorally) because you want to get rid of God, and do whatever sin you want.

That is the baggage you’re accepting with Darwin.  Here’s some more baggage:  He believed in eugenics and even genocide (Editor’s note: see my blog on Margaret Sanger). Historians say he was a sadist and took great enjoyment in torturing and killing animals as a child.  He loved to kill birds by pounding on their heads with a hammer. Grown up, he carried on one voyage several guns, and hoped that he might be able to ‘kill cannibals’ (his quote).  Reliable historians wrote that he, as an adult, suffered from depression, agoraphobia (fear of crowds), insomnia, vision alterations, hallucinations, malaise, vertigo, shaking tachycardia, fainting spells, shortness of breath, trembling, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle twitches, spasms, tremors, cramps, bloatings, headaches, nervous exhaustion, skin blisters, tinnitus, sensations of loss of consciousness, and fear of impending death!  So said his doctors. I suspect much of this might have been brought on by more than a little guilt.  For assaulting God!  Now if you want to pick Darwin for your hermeneutical genius to interpret Genesis, you just need to know that. And yet, his book has redefined the worldview. But those who believe in it are using faith—because no one has an explanation for the Very Beginning.
 But as I proved before, you can apply it here too:  Creation had no observable beginning; so choosing it is totally by faith. Why not believe the revelation of the Creator? He is the only one who was there. All that’s left for you is, are you going to believe Scripture, or are you not?  But don’t come and layer Charles Darwin in God’s Holy Word. “Well,” somebody says, “couldn’t God have used evolution?” That’s an irrelevant question; that’s an irritating question.  He didn’t, because He told you what He did. He said He made everything in six days.  If you really believe in the attributes of God, are you going to argue with Him?  

Turn to Job 38; Job and his friends are searching for an explanation of why God has made him sick and poor when he has served God all his life.  Here is part of God’s response to him:

 “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
³ Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.⁵ Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!

God goes on like this for 4 chapters. This is His sovereignty under attack. We of finite minds cannot question the infinite mind of God --his mind is not our mind.  We can't begin to understand some things. This is a beatdown; poor Job— this is the count of 10, it is over.  Finally Job says (Job 42),

I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. But now my eye sees You.⁶ Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

This is what the evolutionists in this country need to do. Who do we think we are, rejecting God’s Word of what He has created?

Yes, God is sarcastic and seemingly unfeeling in Job.  But there are at least three truths we learn.  (1) God is omnipotent and His motivation is past understanding; (2) He does bless Job abundantly later in his life; and (3) Job, because of sin, is not beyond suffering in the world, as we all do.  This is supposed to motivate us to seek heaven beyond this troubled life. My point here is, questioning God is a serious situation to be in—because it shows a lack of faith in Him.  Consider Hebrews 11:3: 

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 

Evolution proposes that what you see was made from something else that you see.  But God’s Word says that what you see was made out of nothing.  But of course, they cannot make something from nothing.  

Some people say, “We have to accommodate science, go easy on it so we don't appear strange;” so they came up with Intelligent Design (ID) as a “safe” middle ground of moderation. Truth is, this is done so the “Christian” scientists who encourage this “cop out” don't have to name God to their peers. They avoid embarrassment. Truth is, they don’t have the faith that God will honor them someday for standing up for Him. And without faith, we cannot please Him, as Hebrews 11:6 says. Their refusal to name God as Creator is essentially a rejection of God. They are naming an impersonal force of intelligent design--but that’s not God; He is not impersonal.  They are denying His attributes.  For the Intelligent Design people, here is a word:  "lukewarm." Consider the moderation exercised by the “lukewarm” “believers” in Revelation 3:15-16:

 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 

What is the effect of Jesus vomiting them out of His Body?  Being out of His Body means your place for eternity is the only other location—Hell. Same place as the evolutionists, who are really trying to escape God, unless they repent. They want to avoid accountability, morality, and God’s judgment. Effectively, the ID people have the same witness as the evolutionists.  Please go all the way with Christ in standing up for Him.

Here's another weak testimony.  A president of an  international Christian denomination was sent a question on his organization beliefs on Creation.  His response:

 The organization takes no stand on creation, avoiding such secondary issues; our efforts are designed to bring people together, based on the historically essential doctrines of orthodoxy. Creation falls into the category of non-essentials like spiritual gifts, eternal security, and the rapture.

Amazing response…secondary issue?  So it doesn’t matter how life started (or how it ends, for these guys). These are not ‘secondary;’ they are primary.  Clearly by the ‘list of avoidable topics for taking a stand,’ this leader hates controversy. The next time I give to charity, I'll keep this quote in mind.   Here’s a simple test if you want to know who to donate to:  You want to know about whether a ministry truly stands up for the Bible?  Just call the head of the ministry PR and ask:  “Do you believe in a 6-day Creation as revealed in Genesis?”  If they say, “no,” then they don’t believe Scripture there, and they may also have other areas they feel like backing away from (or will in the future).  

Think about your stand on Genesis 1 and 2.  Our answer to Genesis 1 and 2 also reveals our attitude toward Scripture everywhere else.  But those who pick and choose "acceptable" subjects to discuss or take a stand, this amounts to judging God on what we like and what we don’t like in His Word. It's also to avoid seeming strange.  If we allow the culture to win over Christians on Genesis, then the culture can win over the Bible anywhere else.

A few years ago there was a report done by the Christian Coalition who had polled 105 “Christian” colleges on the subject of Creation, among others. Only 5 (five!) believed in the literal Genesis account! In God’s plan of events, Creation is a primary issue in the Gospel.  I Corinthians 15:22 tie Gospel and Creation together, when it says for the first man created (not evolved):

 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 

Adam and Christ—the first and the last—the created and the Creator--are also explained in Paul’s Gospel teachings in Romans as well as other New Testament Scriptures.  These comparisons of Adam and Christ are important salvation opposites.  Consider belief in Christ a "restart" button, creating a new life--since you are born again (John 3), and a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17), you get to start over, repenting from the old ties to the world, and live a righteous life.

What is the purpose of Creation—for us?  It glorifies God for His creation power.  The comparison of Adam and Christ points to God’s redemptive purpose; God is gathering a bride for His Son. God determined Redemption before the world began.  Then He performed Creation.  While we’re on earth, we know we are accountable to God.  We have forgiveness for our sins.  We are the Church, to display His grace and mercy, His compassion and kindness.  A redeemed humanity will glorify God and Jesus Christ forever, and will always stand up for His Word. 

Created in Christ Jesus for Good Works

 

Most true Christians in Ethiopia can worship freely and openly, but those who leave Islam or the traditional Ethiopian church (Orthodox) to follow Christ face opposition.  Multiple large-scale attacks during the last few years have devastated Christian communities.  Many church buildings have been destroyed.  Here is an example:  From Voice of the Martyrs, November 2021. 

Negasi grew up in a traditional Orthodox church in Ethiopia (northeast corner of Africa; it borders Sudan, just south of Egypt), but he also attended a special school to learn how to cast demons, curses, and cause people to lose their minds.  He became so proficient at witchcraft that he was honored with a title reserved for the best students.  Later, after moving to the spiritual capital of Ethiopia, he opened a pharmacy to supplement his income.  One day a customer asked him if he would heal his sister, who was seriously mentally ill—she had become a penti—a derogatory term for a biblical Christian.  Negasi could only cast his spell if she were present, but when the customer finally arrived with her. he had forgotten.  Since he had already been given half the money, the customer filed charges against him, and after a trial, he was sent to almost 4 years in prison.

As a police officer escorted Negasi to jail, they passed a group of young boys playing games with some strange coins.  Out of curiosity, Negasi asked the boys if he could have one of the coins.  When they obliged, he put their gift in his pocket.  He didn’t know it, but it would one day become a treasured keepsake. 

Negasi began to think God was punishing him for practicing witchcraft; he feared the consequences of his sins more than he feared death.  Too miserable even to eat, he went 20 days without food. Then one day he cried out to God with a broken spirit.  “I know that I am a sinner, and I don’t deserve to be in Your home with You in heaven; but if there is any place that is outside Your home for me, please allow me to go there.”

Burdened by the weight of his sins, Negasi confessed to an Ethiopian Orthodox priest at the prison, believing that confession to a priest was required for forgiveness. But he still didn’t feel any comfort. Seeking some kind of penance for his misdeeds, Negasi devoted himself to the central church teachings.  He celebrated a different saint each day, just as the church does, and checked out an Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, in the ancient language of Ge-ez.  Every time he tried to study one of its 81 books, he fell asleep—even when he wasn’t tired.  He also borrowed another Bible, with 66 books, that he found in the prison library.  That was in the native Tigrinya language, and it captivated him, and he soon noticed passages that contradicted many things that he had believed. 

Then one night, Negsi had a dream in which he was told that the salvation he was seeking is found in the Gospels.  And after a deeper study of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (which he had never read or heard anything about), he concluded that salvation is found in faith in Christ alone.  Overcome with joy, Negasi began to share this revelation with everyone he could.  During times when he was allowed to leave his cell, he walked cell to cell telling other prisoners about Christ.  He would explain as much as he could before the inmates or guards grew angry and forced him to move on.  (Note:  Ethiopia is 50% Muslim, 40% mostly Orthodox/Coptic, and 10% Animism.  “I couldn’t understand why this message was not being taught,” he said.  Negasi had no idea the Tigrinya Bible was the same one used by penti, from biblical churches in Ethiopia.  And he didn’t realize the gospel that had suddenly changed his life was the principal message of biblical churches worldwide. “I thought I was sharing something that was completely new to the world.  I became passionate about telling this message, even to the point that I forgot about my years in prison.“

Each month, some prisoners gathered to worship depictions of the angel Gabriel.  But after coming to understand the gospel, Negasi refused to join them, explaining that only God is worthy of worship.  As a result, many of the inmates threatened him, calling him a penti and a heretic.  When guards had learned that Negasi had been sharing the gospel, they ordered him to stop.  And when he refused, they transferred him to a maximum-security cell and placed shackles on his legs. 

Shortly after he was released from maximum, he met a fellow prisoner, Ephrem, who had the same religious upbringing that he had before.  But now Negasi led him to the Lord.  But when authorities learned that a second prisoner had begun sharing the gospel, they decided to take action. He was back in solitary confinement.  They sent another prisoner, named Dinaw, to check on him and bring his daily rations.  Dinaw was serving a three-year sentence for assaulting a neighbor. 

Fellow prisoners had warned Dinaw about the gospel message being shared by Negasi and Ephrem.  But as Dinaw brought his daily meals to solitary, he became friends with Negasi and Ephrem.  Although Dinaw wanted to follow Jesus, he feared the repercussions.  “When persecution comes, I will not stand with you; we are all suffering in prison, but you are suffering even more.”  Negasi encouraged Dinaw with passages from Romans 8 and John 16, explaining that trials, tribulation, and persecution are part of following Jesus Christ.  And after gaining a better understanding of what it means to be His disciple, Dinaw placed his faith in Him. 

Some of Dinaw’s relatives who worked as local police officers soon reported his “heretical” faith to his father, who decided to gather his brothers and friends and go have a talk with him.  “Did you become a penti?” they asked Dinaw.  He replied, “I have given my life to Jesus.”  His father was so angry that he wrote a letter to the police chief, urging him to keep his son behind bars beyond his eligibility for release.  When guards told Dinaw about his father’s letter, his response surprised them. “I like prison; I can read my Bible every day here, so don’t worry about that.” 

Some local biblical pastors came to visit, and opened Negasi’s eyes that his beliefs were biblical Christian, and there were many more believers like him.  The pastors discipled the three, and before long, 15 prisoners came to faith in Christ. 

After release, the three men soon found out that following Christ is more difficult outside prison than behind bars.  When Negasi’s wife learned of his faithfulness to God, she divorced him and took their daughter with her.  And Dinaw, from a small village, had no one to share his faith with, and couldn’t fit in.  He returned to his home village, where he faced continual threats.  They found out that as biblical Christians have shared the gospel and planted churches in the north of Ethiopia, some members of the Ethiopian Orthodox church carried out violent attacks against them.  And in some cases, traditional Orthodox have sided with Muslims against the biblical Christians, considering them a common enemy. 

About 18 months after Dinaw returned home, the threats turned to violent persecution against his family.  One night when he was sleeping in a field near his house, to care for one of his cows, a group of villagers came to his home.  They tied the door shut from the outside with rope, trapping Dinaw’s wife and children inside as they slept.  Dinaw awoke to the smell of smoke and the sight of his house burning a few hundred yards away.  After running home, he untied the rope, and got his family out just in time.  They lived in a wood wall and a tarp, with no money, until Voice of the Martyrs heard of them and arrived, and rebuilt their home two years ago. 

Despite the challenges, all three men have remained firm in faith.  And Dinaw, who once resisted following Christ, now accepts persecution as integral to the Christian faith.  As he says, “I knew the Lord led me to sleep next to my cows, to be able to save my family. As I watched my house burned, the story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego came to my mind.  They were asked like me, to worship another god, and I said no.  So they tried to convince me with fire.  But our real home is in heaven. They burned my earthly house, but my heart is not full of hatred, and I pray for them.” When asked why he has stayed in his village, under continual threat of death, Dinaw explained that he has no fear of death.  “My life belongs to God, and I believe He put me here where He is working.  If He allows me to be killed, I am ready to die.” When Negasi reflects on the past few years, he, too, sees how God has worked in his life.  Upon his release from prison, the guards returned all of his original belongings.  And in the pocket of his clothing, he found the coin that the boys had given him on his way to jail.  On one side of the coin was printed “John 3:16,” and the words “Those who have the Lord Jesus have eternal life.”  On the other side of the coin was the question, “Where is your eternal home?”   He says, “I thank God that He put me in prison for a purpose.”  Negasi is at a Bible college and hopes to become a full-time pastor.  He has paid back all the money he owed the man who filed charges against him, and they are now good friends.  Negasi hopes that he will become a believer soon. “You are my everlasting good person because you put me in prison; I will not forget you, because you helped me find eternal life.”