Articles
Science and the Bible
The Bible begins with these words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” There are many people in the world who do not believe that statement. Some say God does not exist, and therefore, the Bible cannot be His Word. Some may even argue that the Bible is not scientifically accurate and therefore has no merit. However, whenever the Bible makes a statement relating to a scientific principle, it is completely accurate. Let us notice some examples of the harmony between science and the Bible.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). This was written by Moses through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit about 1500 B.C. In 1820 A.D. a man named Hubert Spencer gave the world five scientific principles by which man may study the unknown. They are time, force, energy, space, and matter. However, Moses, by inspiration, gave us those scientific principles in Genesis 1:1. “In the beginning”—time; “God”—force; “created”—energy; “the heavens”—space; “and the earth”—matter. All of Spencer’s scientific principles are right there in Genesis 1:1.
For many years man has estimated the number of stars in the heavens, and man has increased the estimate many times. Finally, in the 1900’s, man determined that the stars could not be counted. God’s book has always told us this fact. Notice Genesis 15:5. The text reads, “Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’" God was telling Abraham that just as the stars in the heavens cannot be numbered, Abraham’s descendants would be more than could be numbered. If man had paid attention to this verse, he would never have tried to count the stars!
In the book of Job, the inspired writer in one verse reveals two scientific principles that were not known to man until much later. Job 26:7 says, “He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.” There is a place in the North where no stars exist. Not even telescopes can pick up stars in this place. How did the writer of Job know this? Also, the same verse declares that God hangs the earth on nothing. We know this is true, but we could not prove it until centuries after the book of Job was written.
The Bible is not a geography book or an archaeology book. However, whenever the Bible makes a statement relating to these sciences, it is completely accurate. Notice the Lord’s statement for example, in Luke 10:30. The text reads “Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.” Now, Jericho is northeast of Jerusalem, and normally we do not speak of going down when we refer to going north. We generally speak of going down south and up north, don’t we? Why did the Lord say the man went down from Jerusalem? It is because Jerusalem is some 2,500 feet above sea level. When one leaves Jerusalem he goes down to go anywhere in the area. Therefore, our Lord’s statement is completely accurate, and is recorded accurately by inspiration. No, the Bible is not a geography book, but it is geographically accurate in every instance.
Many other examples of the harmony between science and the Bible could be given. However, the ones we have examined are sufficient to show that the Bible is God’s Book. As the apostle Paul declared, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:16-17).
