Scripture Reading: Psalm 14:1-6
Bible Miracles and Scientific Explanations
Intro.
1. Skeptics and unbelievers turn to science & the natural world to explain (discount & disprove) the miracles of the Bible. (cf. Jno. 11:45-47; Acts 4:16)
a. Science: “to know, having knowledge” (Merriam-Webster).
b. Humanism views science is “fact” and interprets everything through the template of naturalism. (Organic evolution is the religion of humanism.)
2. Example: Plagues of Egypt (from “The Reaping” movie).
3. Some brethren have made similar efforts, notably, regarding the days of creation.
4. Human science will not & cannot explain divine miracles, and such attempts need not undermine & destroy faith in God & confidence in the Bible as the word of God.
I. SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE, Psa. 19:1, 7-11.
A. Science is the Human Knowledge (and quest of knowledge) of the World & how it Operates. (Forces, phenomenon, causes & effects, “laws” of nature; cf. Human body, planets/stars, geology, oceans...)
B. The Bible is Revelation from God that Explains the World’s Cause (including His power, miracles).
C. Science Changes with the Increase of Human Knowledge; The Bible is the Source of Divine Knowledge and Truth that does not Change.
1. Science can be false (1 Tim. 6:20): Ptolemaic System (Ptolemy, 2nd c.) … Copernican System (Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543 AD).
2. Moses (Acts 7:22). Yet, no trace of Egyptian theories of origins:
a. World came from a flying egg; Man came from white worms of the Nile.
b. Instead, Moses wrote of creative God, Gen. 1:1 (26-27); 2:7.
II. WHEN THE MIRACLES OF THE BIBLE ARE REJECTED FOR NATURAL EXPLANATIONS, INESCAPABLE CONCLUSIONS RESULT.
A. A Denial and Rejection of God, Rom. 1:18-21, 28.
1. Bible: “God said” (Gen. 1; Psa. 33:6-9); Exo. 7:20 (Plagues).
2. Science (human knowledge): Natural processes of evolution over 20 billion years.
B. A Denial of the Deity of Jesus.
1. Bible: Jesus is God & Creator, Jno. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16.
2. Science: Historical figure, great philosopher, not deity.
-What science & human wisdom cannot answer: The Resurrection of Jesus, 1 Cor. 15:3-8.
C. A Denial of the Inspired Word of God. (When miracles are rejected, the word they produced is also rejected!)
1. Bible: Verbally-inspired message, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; “thus says the Lord” (more than 2,000 times in OT); Zech. 7:12; 1 Cor. 14:37.
2. Science: Can never explain the Bible’s unity, harmony, fulfillment of prophecy & endurance through the ages.
D. A Denial of Sin and Salvation.
1. Bible: Introduction & results of sin, death & a Savior, Gen. 3:1-15; Rom. 5:12, 15.
-The miracles of the Bible testify that Jesus is the Savior, Jno. 10:25 (20:31).
2. Science: Can never explain the origin of the human conscience and can never solve the problem of shame and guilt.
-Humanism: “No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.” (Humanist Manifesto I & II)
-By rejecting miracles, the sinners reject the testimony given to persuade him to believe, repent & be saved (Acts 17:30-31).
E. A Denial of Personal Faith.
1. Bible: Personal faith in God:
a. Is produced by His inspired word, Rom. 10:17; 1:16-17.
b. Is necessary to be saved by God’s grace, Eph. 2:9.
c. Necessary to please God, Heb. 11:6 (2 Cor. 5:7).
2. Science: Rejects personal faith for the acquired knowledge of men, 1 Tim. 6:20-21 (Jer. 10:23; Prov. 16:25).
F. A Denial of the Soul and of Eternity.
1. Bible: Answers the deepest questionings of mankind:
a. Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? (Psa. 8:3-9; Eccl. 12:13-14)
b. “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14)
2. Science: Man is an evolved animal; physical only without immortal soul; no heaven and hell; death ends all existence.
Conclusion
1. Man’s knowledge, if not directed by divine revelation & tempered by true faith, leads to madness! Acts 26:24-25
2. Do not lean on your own understanding; lean on the Lord God, Prov. 3:5-6.
______
Scientific Theory for Egyptian Plagues (from “The Reaping”, a movie starring Hillary Swank)
One theory is that the ash found in the area of the Nile comes from Santorini, because chemically, the composition is identical to the composition of the ashes found on the remains of Santorini itself.
The Santorini eruption occurred between 1500-1650 B.C.
Scholars date the ten plagues of Egypt between 1400-1550 B.C.
So, you’ve had this steady build-up of activity over a period of maybe months, and that could’ve led to a range of phenomena occurring in Egypt. The fallout may have caused the river water to change its composition affecting the eco-system, and here we go with this chain of events.
Here is how she (Hillary Swank’s character) described it in the movie, and I quote:
“In 1400 B.C., a group of nervous Egyptians saw the Nile turn red, but what they thought was blood was actually an algae bloom which killed the fish, which prior to that had been living off the eggs of frogs. Those uneaten eggs turned into record numbers of baby frogs who subsequently fled to the land and died. Their little rotting frog bodies attracted lice and flies. The lice carried the blue-tongue (?) virus which killed 70% of Egypt’s livestock. The flies carried glanders (?), a bacterial infection, which in humans, causes boils. Soon afterward the Nile Rive Valley was hit with a three-day sandstorm, otherwise known as the plague of darkness. During the sandstorm, intense heat combined with an approaching cold front to create not only hail, but also electrical storms, which would’ve looked to the ancient Egyptians like fire from the sky. The subsequent wind would’ve blown the Ethiopian locust population off course and right into downtown Cairo. Hail is wet – locust leave droppings – spread both on your grain and you’ve got micro toxins. Dinnertime in ancient Egypt meant the firstborn child not the biggest portion, which in this case meant he ate the most toxins so he died. Ten plagues equal ten scientific explanations.”
--WOW! It MUST be true when you put it THAT way!! (And who said skeptics don't have faith!)