Astronomy and the Bible

Astronomical Miracles in the Bible

• Attempts have been made to reconcile the six literal days of Genesis with billions of years in the cosmos using relativistic mathematics and gravitational time dilation implied in Einsteinian relativity theory.
• Dr. Russell Humphreys' book "Starlight and Time" presents a scientifically and biblically impressive treatment of this issue, though it has received mixed reactions from specialists in the field.
• The Bible records remarkable astronomical miracles, including the long day in the tenth chapter of Joshua, depicting the miraculous event of the sun and moon standing still.
• The long day was a vital demonstration of divine intervention for the promised invasion and conquest of the land of the Canaanites.
• The account of the long day is supported by historical confirmation found in legends and traditions of ancient civilizations worldwide.
• The Bible also records other astronomical miracles, such as the reversed shadow on the dial of Ahaz and the supernatural darkening of the sun at the time of the crucifixion.
• These miracles meet the necessary criteria for acceptance, and their inclusion in the Bible is significant as it is considered God's Word.
• The star of Bethlehem is a special case of an astronomical miracle that will be further explored, along with the prophetic role stars are yet to play in respect to the earth.
• Throughout history, people have associated stars in constellations, and these groupings have been recognized in the Bible, implying divine origin.
• The constellations, such as Arcturus, Orion, Pleiades, and the crooked serpent, are specifically referenced in the Bible, further supporting their divine recognition.
• The consistency of these constellations in ancient and modern times suggests their divine origin, recognized both by astronomers and astrologers.
• The Bible's inclusion of these constellations reinforces their divine significance, regardless of individual belief in its inspired words.

Resolving the Objection to Recent Creation

• Common objection against biblical teaching of recent creation
• Creationists' proposed resolutions to the problem
• Possibility of light traveling in curved space called Riemannian space
• Study by P. Moon and D.E. Spencer indicating light from infinitely distant source reaching Earth in less than 16 years
• Rejection of the idea by most astronomers due to its compatibility with a young universe
• Suggestion that the velocity of light has been decreasing since its creation
• Barry Setterfield's observation of higher values for the velocity of light a century ago
• Few astronomers accepting the analysis, citing scattered and equivocal scientific data
• The need for stars to be visible on Earth soon after Adam and Eve's creation
• The suggestion that the universe was created fully functioning from the start
• Objections against the concept of the universe appearing "old"
• The paradox of stars appearing to have experienced events millions of years ago
• Difficulty in reconciling such events with a young universe and the potential means of doing so

The Bible and the Constellations

• The Bible contains explicit references to constellations and imagery drawn from them, suggesting a divine origin for the constellations and their associated figures.
• The practice of astrology based on these phenomena is sharply rebuked in the Bible, emphasizing the impotence of astrologers to understand God's ways.
• The phrase "the host of heaven" in the Scriptures is used interchangeably to refer to both the angelic hosts and the starry hosts, indicating the close association between stars and angels in ancient worship.
• The close correspondence of meanings between stars and angels suggests that the realm of the stars is the realm of the angels, both being said to be innumerable.
• The fallen angels, or demons, seek to usurp the worship due to God alone and persuade men to worship the creature more than the Creator, constituting "spiritual wickedness in high places."
• Astrology has exercised a great hold over the minds and lives of people through the ages due to the influence of not just physical stars, but also powerful spirits identified with the stars.
• The association of corruptible beings with the stars led to the formation of idols on earth, often energized by evil spirits, creating a complex system of astrology, pantheism, polytheism, idolatry, animism, and spiritism.
• Satan, the highest of all angels, rebelled against God and led a third of the angels with him in his rebellion, forming the "angels," "principalities," and "powers" who seek to estrange men from God.
• The New Testament condemns the worship of angels, emphasizing that angels were created as "ministering spirits," not "gods."
• The Bible rebukes the worship of "the host of heaven," which was associated with stars and angels, and was a common practice in ancient nations.
• The imagery of the conflict between the serpent and the seed of the woman in the Bible seems to be depicted in a number of constellations, suggesting a symbolic significance to the constellations.
• The Bible frequently associates stars and angels, with the "stars of heaven" in Revelation identified as the "angels," indicating a close correspondence between the realm of the stars and the realm of the angels.

The Bible and the Constellations

• The Bible contains explicit references to constellations and imagery drawn from them, suggesting a divine origin for the constellations and their associated figures.
• The practice of astrology based on these phenomena is sharply rebuked in the Bible, emphasizing the impotence of astrologers to understand God's ways.
• The phrase "the host of heaven" in the Scriptures is used interchangeably to refer to both the angelic hosts and the starry hosts, indicating the close association between stars and angels in ancient worship.
• The close correspondence of meanings between stars and angels suggests that the realm of the stars is the realm of the angels, both being said to be innumerable.
• The fallen angels, or demons, seek to usurp the worship due to God alone and persuade men to worship the creature more than the Creator, constituting "spiritual wickedness in high places."
• Astrology has exercised a great hold over the minds and lives of people through the ages due to the influence of not just physical stars, but also powerful spirits identified with the stars.
• The association of corruptible beings with the stars led to the formation of idols on earth, often energized by evil spirits, creating a complex system of astrology, pantheism, polytheism, idolatry, animism, and spiritism.
• Satan, the highest of all angels, rebelled against God and led a third of the angels with him in his rebellion, forming the "angels," "principalities," and "powers" who seek to estrange men from God.
• The New Testament condemns the worship of angels, emphasizing that angels were created as "ministering spirits," not "gods."
• The Bible rebukes the worship of "the host of heaven," which was associated with stars and angels, and was a common practice in ancient nations.
• The imagery of the conflict between the serpent and the seed of the woman in the Bible seems to be depicted in a number of constellations, suggesting a symbolic significance to the constellations.
• The Bible frequently associates stars and angels, with the "stars of heaven" in Revelation identified as the "angels," indicating a close correspondence between the realm of the stars and the realm of the angels.