Hello I'm Stan Hudson.
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I'm a speaker
for In The Beginning.
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Today I we take a look at what
I consider to be the very best
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question that proponents
of evolution asked those of us
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who believe in God.
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That is if there
is a God, Where is He?
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It seems like this
world is devoid of evidences
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of a loving God.
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All the death and suffering
all around, it seems like the
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biblical God is absent.
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To me that is a very
good question and it needs
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to be addressed.
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When we take a look for
instance at the fossil record,
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we see evidence of death.
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A record not so much of
evolution, at least that is
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what I would say, but much
evidence of death and violence
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in the past
history of this earth.
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You can't really address these
questions with good answers
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strictly in our
observation of nature.
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When we take a look at nature
we can see evidences of that
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suffering, we see death.
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We see survival the
fittest like Darwin saw.
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But we don't see necessarily,
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evidence of loving Creator.
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We see design,
but where is the love?
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We see systems that
relate with each other.
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We see some care apparently
and some needs being met.
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But again we see the
claw, we see the tooth,
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we see suffering.
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And you just can't get all
the answers you need to those
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great questions strictly
from your study of nature.
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That is really why you need
another source of information
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to answer those great questions.
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That is where the Bible
comes in, if we didn't have
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revelation, a source of
information we believe from God,
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through the aspiration of
godly people writing these
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words we could never get
the great questions answered
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that people ask
where suffering comes from?
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It is in this book that
we find out about Lucifer?
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We find out about Adam and Eve
and the great mistakes they made
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in the garden of Eden that led
to a world that is suffering the
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effects of sin and selfishness.
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We see in the first
generation after Adam and Eve,
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Cain and Abel.
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Already violence is being
perpetrated on the human family,
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from within.
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We see violence getting so bad
that, as we see in the fossil
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record, by the time the flood
came God apparently had to do
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something drastic to protect the
human race from a world that was
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becoming increasingly violent.
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For instance let me show
you these teeth from two sharks.
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This smaller white one is
actually from a great white
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shark and because it is
about an inch and a half long,
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it represents a
fish of about 15 feet.
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That is a serious size shark.
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When you compare it to a
pre-flood great white shark's
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tooth, you can see that
this represents a fish that was
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about 50 feet long.
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You wouldn't want to be
in the water swimming around
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with these in the water.
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So the fossil record shows
evidence of a violent world,
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even more violent
perhaps prior to the flood.
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Certainly in the animal world
and that is one of the reasons
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why the animal world was
targeted by God in the flood.
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But why there is pain
and suffering in the world,
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is one question.
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Another question, that is kind
of related, is why is there even
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death in the world?
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When you speak to evolutionists
about death, there is no real
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great reason
biologically for death.
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There is benefits in the
sense that you eliminate some
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species and other species
can rise to fill the void in
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nature, I guess.
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So there is a purpose of
death there, but in terms of
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evolution, the idea of death
is still unclear because all
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living systems have
repair systems in place.
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We all have repair
systems in our body.
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But it seems they are
not quite able to keep up
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with everything.
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But from an evolution stand
point it is very difficult to
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explain why a creature can't
seem to repair itself and exist
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on long enough to pass
on genetic information.
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Why is it then that
things are falling apart?
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Aging even is
death incrementally.
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It is the repair system is
not quite able to keep up with
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things and keep replenishing
parts of the body that decay.
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It's interesting but the
Bible also gives us a bit of an
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explanation of why there
is decay in God's creation.
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From Romans 8:19 it
says, "the creation waits in
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eager expectation
from the sons of God to be
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revealed, for the
creation was subjected to
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frustration, not by its
own choice, but by the will
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of the one who subjected
it in hope that the creation
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itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay and
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brought into the
glorious freedom of
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the children of God. "
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We know that the whole creation
has been groaning as in the
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pains of childbirth
right up to the present time.
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So the Bible tells us why
there is decay in the world.
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Why there is corruption the
King James version talks about.
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Why things seem
to be falling apart,
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why there is
death and suffering?
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It all points back to
Genesis, in the beginning,
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when Adam and Eve made
that fateful decision in
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the Garden of Eden.
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In a sense they were asking
God to step back, and when God
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steps back things
sometimes are affected.
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But God did not go very far,
according to the apostle Paul
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when he spoke to those
at Athenian philosophers on
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Mars Hill, he said, "God is
not very far from any of us,"
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"just a prayer away. "
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The good news is that even
if the creationist subjected to
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decay, it said it is subjected
in hope because God has plans
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for this creation.
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The groanings are
birth pain groanings.
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In other words
something is about to happen.
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Something great is
going to take place in the
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future of this world.
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Decay will become a distant
memory and the second law of
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thermodynamics will be changed,
there will be no more decay.
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Jesus talked about a new heaven
and new earth where there is
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no moth or rust corrupting
things, decaying things.
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So the animal and the chemical
world seems to be changed
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and there's no more decay.
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There is no more death or
suffering or sorrow of any kind,
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that is the promise.
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God promises to
give us something to look
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forward to, it's hope.
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As a pastor I can not say
enough about the importance of
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hope, it is what makes funerals
tolerable that someday we
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will see those loved ones again.
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We will see them no longer
destroyed by disease or age,
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but we will see them
internally young and healthy.
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We won't see any more the
effects of decay and corruption.
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We will not see what we
see in this planet operating,
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we will see something beautiful,
something God intended from
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the very beginning and that
is what He wants to give us,
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a future and a hope.
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Something to look forward to.
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So today as your taking a
look at this important topic of
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In The
Beginning, Where did God go?
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Just remember, He hasn't
gone far and He's coming back.
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Thank you very much and again
we appreciate you coming and so
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as we talk tonight
about issues involving
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In the Beginning,
whenever we do a debate,
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whenever I have been involved
in a public debate on this
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subject, the question
always comes back aimed at the
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Christian, aimed at
those who believe in God.
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Why is there suffering?
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Why is there pain in the world?
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If God is really here and in
charge, then what is going on?
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So today we're going to talk
about that on In The Beginning.
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In the beginning, and
the question tonight is
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In The
Beginning, Where Did God Go?
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You know it was Richard Dawkins
the famous atheist who so
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much in front of the discussion
and debates on this topic.
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When he was asked, in a recent
movie, and perhaps some of you
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see the movie Expelled.
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When he was asked about a future
imaginary meeting with God,
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thought he would say, should
he meet God, what would he say?
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He would say something like:
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That is a good question.
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In fact it is one of the reasons
I want this to be the second
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topic because I feel it
is that important, it is that
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significant, that good of a
question and it takes a little
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effort to address it.
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So today we are going to
ask the question, Is God hiding?
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Now we talked briefly
about Epicurus and the Epicurean
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riddle is what we are
going to take a look at.
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Remember Apostle Paul
encountered Epicureans in Athens
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The riddle of Epicurus was this.
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And you have probably heard
this in some form or another.
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Now that sounds like
a pretty sound argument,
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pretty sound argument.
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We are going to take a
look at that reasoning tonight.
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If God is willing to
prevent evil, Why hasn't He?
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So that is the question.
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Evolutionists have made
this argument and brought it out
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as they observe nature.
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They say:
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these are typical comments
made by evolutionists as they
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look at the evidence,
as they look at nature,
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they see things broken.
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If there is a loving God,
why are these systems broken?
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Why is there pain and suffering?
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Why is there
wastefulness and so on?
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So we will talk about that
tonight because those are very
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good questions, I mean if
you think about the history of
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this planet with the sickness,
with the disasters of war and
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so forth, with pestilence,
with famine, with crop failures,
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personal disasters, and losses.
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When we look at such things
as natural disasters as well,
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like volcanoes and so
forth as the picture shows.
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We see the
devastating effects of war.
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When we see children dying
from starvation we ask a good
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question, Where is God?
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When we see the beautiful
things of nature whither and
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almost no
evidence of loving God.
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What do we do
with that information?
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Even we look at the fossil
record, we see evidence of
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violence of ferocity, we see
suffering, we see dog eat dog.
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It is a dog eat dog world.
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In this case it's a
stork eat lizard world.
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We see this kind of thing and
try to imagine, is this the way
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God originally
intended to set up the world?
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I mean did God design
mosquitoes to do what they do?
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These kind of issues are
raised, mosquitoes are raised
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as a point against
the loving Creator God.
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Of course the basic
question of Why is there death?
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Incidentally I think that is
a pretty good question to aim
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towards evolution as well.
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Why is there death, you
would think by this time some
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animal might have developed
a way for all of the repair
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systems that are in animals
and plants for that matter,
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they should be able to
stay ahead of the game.
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They are never
quite able to keep up.
00:12:31.33\00:12:33.15
So why is there death?
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If God is in
charge why is there death?
00:12:35.18\00:12:37.84
The question has been asked if
you could ask God one question,
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this is a typical poll question
by the Barnes Institute.
00:12:42.47\00:12:46.57
The question comes back:
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so if they only had one
to ask it would be that.
00:12:53.86\00:12:55.92
Darwin also had
questions about a loving God,
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a benevolent God.
00:12:59.98\00:13:01.25
He made this comment to a
pastor who was writing to him.
00:13:01.28\00:13:04.41
He said now Charles was the
easy on God and talk about this.
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Then Charles answered,
pastor this is what I see.
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While it is
anticipating eating that mouse.
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Why would it have this
kind of cruelty in the world?
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So we use these two examples
to try and make a point of how
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he could not see a benevolent
God in charge of this planet.
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Good questions.
Good observations.
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Reasonable questions.
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Yet having said all that, do
you not see beauty in the world?
00:13:58.18\00:14:03.55
You have this lingering image
of beauty and design in the
00:14:05.41\00:14:08.48
world, you see colors and
colors that don't seem to be
00:14:08.51\00:14:12.21
necessary for strictly survival.
00:14:12.24\00:14:15.07
You see colors and
designs of beauty and wonder,
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Why is there beauty?
00:14:18.06\00:14:19.57
Systems that appear to
be designed for each other,
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interrelated systems
like the bee with the flower,
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pollination and so forth.
00:14:27.21\00:14:28.74
To imagine this
to happen by chance,
00:14:28.77\00:14:31.40
there seems to be design.
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There seems to be evidence
of a potential designer and yet
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with all these other
problems in the world,
00:14:37.76\00:14:39.46
What has gone wrong?
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Where did God go if He
did, in fact, put us here?
00:14:40.91\00:14:47.41
Now it was Sir
Francis Bacon who said this:
00:14:47.44\00:14:52.35
Study both.
00:15:10.90\00:15:12.65
So even in those days there
were arguments going back and
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forth between people of
religion and people of science.
00:15:20.15\00:15:24.21
And not necessarily applying
charity to the argument.
00:15:24.24\00:15:28.26
So we let
Francis Bacon say this:
00:15:28.30\00:15:31.54
He established this idea
for us, idea of two books,
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and the author still being
God, one author, two books.
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Nature and revelation.
00:15:39.82\00:15:42.67
Remember yesterday we
talked about narrative and
00:15:42.71\00:15:47.15
observation as
sources of information.
00:15:47.18\00:15:49.56
And remember that the
Greeks were among the first ones
00:15:49.60\00:15:52.61
to discard narrative, to
discard the idea of historical
00:15:52.64\00:15:55.61
records to
account for us being here.
00:15:55.65\00:15:57.60
No, no gods making us,
let's just observe nature
00:15:57.64\00:16:01.97
and let's come up
with our own answers.
00:16:02.00\00:16:03.71
It was during the period of
Isaac Newton that scientists
00:16:03.75\00:16:07.41
took narrative and observation
and put them together to
00:16:07.45\00:16:11.08
come up with a complete picture.
00:16:11.12\00:16:12.55
From Darwin's period on, the
influence of humanism derided
00:16:12.58\00:16:18.82
and put down narrative, put
down Scripture as a reliable
00:16:18.85\00:16:22.71
historical source of
information, and strictly
00:16:22.74\00:16:24.91
went with observation.
00:16:24.94\00:16:26.66
Looking back to traditionally
we are considering now nature
00:16:28.51\00:16:32.06
and revelation to help us
to deal with this question.
00:16:32.09\00:16:34.77
I would like to tell you
tonight, you cannot get from the
00:16:34.80\00:16:39.27
study of nature, from
that one book alone, an answer
00:16:39.30\00:16:43.03
to the question of suffering.
00:16:43.06\00:16:44.77
No matter how hard you look
at nature you will never find
00:16:44.80\00:16:47.58
answers as to why there is
pain and suffering, by simply
00:16:47.61\00:16:50.45
looking at nature in my opinion.
00:16:50.48\00:16:52.86
So there needs to be
another source of information.
00:16:52.89\00:16:55.91
Enter the Bible, enter in
particularly on the subject
00:16:55.94\00:17:01.32
of origins, the book of Genesis.
00:17:01.35\00:17:03.47
I would like to talk
to you about the origin,
00:17:03.50\00:17:05.06
the genesis of Genesis.
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.63
This is what we believe
about this ancient book.
00:17:07.66\00:17:11.81
We believe it was written by
Moses, Moses is a classic figure
00:17:11.84\00:17:15.81
in Hebrew history.
00:17:15.84\00:17:17.45
Some people question whether
he ever existed, or whether he
00:17:17.48\00:17:21.10
had anything to do with what
eventually became the book of
00:17:21.13\00:17:24.01
Genesis, but some of us feel
it is reliable and we will give
00:17:24.04\00:17:28.37
some evidence for it.
00:17:28.40\00:17:29.72
But Moses as the stories
goes was actually raised to be a
00:17:29.75\00:17:32.65
leader in Egypt, the story
was that Pharaoh's daughter
00:17:32.68\00:17:35.86
found him in a basket,
and you remember all that.
00:17:35.89\00:17:38.68
We believe that took place
during the period of the 18th
00:17:38.71\00:17:42.47
dynasty in Egypt, a
historical period of time.
00:17:42.50\00:17:45.55
There is evidence and we
could go into some of the
00:17:45.58\00:17:48.42
information that we think
supports the Exodus account.
00:17:48.45\00:17:51.89
It was during this time that
Israel was a slave in Egypt.
00:17:51.92\00:17:55.66
And during that period Moses
was absence, you may remember
00:17:55.69\00:17:59.26
the story of Moses going off
into the desert, fled there for
00:17:59.29\00:18:02.46
his life and was there 40 years.
00:18:02.49\00:18:04.63
We believe that while he was
in the desert, whether he was
00:18:04.66\00:18:08.80
inspired directly by God in
a miraculous way, whether he
00:18:08.83\00:18:12.71
talked with his future
father-in-law Jethro, who had
00:18:12.74\00:18:17.34
some knowledge of God.
00:18:17.37\00:18:19.35
We believe he composed the book
of Genesis during that period of
00:18:19.38\00:18:24.13
time to answer some questions
that Israel might have.
00:18:24.16\00:18:26.93
Now it is very interesting
in the history of writing,
00:18:26.96\00:18:30.18
the history of writing prior
to the time of Moses all writing
00:18:30.21\00:18:34.43
was pretty much done in
Cuneiform or what we would call
00:18:34.46\00:18:38.55
Hieroglyphics, picture form,
symbols of words in a sentence
00:18:38.58\00:18:44.24
structure, but not an
alphabetic writing system.
00:18:44.27\00:18:49.78
An alphabetic system did not
come around until some people
00:18:49.81\00:18:53.37
say as late as
about 1000 BC or 1200 BC.
00:18:53.40\00:18:56.67
Some of us feel it is probably
a little bit older about the
00:18:56.70\00:18:59.71
time of Moses, about the time
when alphabetic writing started.
00:18:59.74\00:19:04.51
It is conceivable because some
of the earliest writings are
00:19:04.54\00:19:09.23
found were alphabets, an
proto-sinaitic script they found
00:19:09.26\00:19:15.68
out in the desert in a couple
places where apparently it
00:19:15.71\00:19:20.20
was the first attempt to use
an alphabet system for writing.
00:19:20.23\00:19:24.19
They were moving
away from hieroglyphs.
00:19:24.22\00:19:25.80
It's funny that in the Negev,
in the desert, between Egypt
00:19:25.83\00:19:31.91
and Israel are the oldest and
these may date to as early as
00:19:31.94\00:19:35.51
15th century BC,
depending upon whom you talk to.
00:19:35.54\00:19:38.24
That would be about
the time of the Exodus.
00:19:38.27\00:19:40.87
So it's potential that
Moses may be in one of the first
00:19:40.90\00:19:44.95
people to write with an
alphabetic system of writing.
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.62
It's potential, and
it's arguable either way.
00:19:47.65\00:19:50.06
Let's assume for a moment
that there is the potential that
00:19:50.09\00:19:54.00
somebody as educated as Moses
may have been able to record
00:19:54.03\00:19:58.99
this information in
the book of Genesis.
00:19:59.02\00:20:01.36
That far back, there are a
lot of code words in the book
00:20:01.39\00:20:04.88
of Genesis that
clearly date to that period.
00:20:04.91\00:20:07.46
Well he wrote not only the
book of Genesis, I believe,
00:20:07.49\00:20:11.20
but he also wrote another
book and the book is Job.
00:20:11.23\00:20:15.31
These two books were probably
written by Moses at about the
00:20:15.34\00:20:17.92
same time and carried with
him back to Egypt for the famous
00:20:17.95\00:20:21.99
Exodus account, the story.
00:20:22.02\00:20:23.86
Why would he write Genesis,
and why would he write Job?
00:20:23.89\00:20:26.78
What was in his mind,
what was he thinking about in
00:20:26.81\00:20:29.17
writing these two great books?
00:20:29.20\00:20:30.89
First of all Genesis we can
call the Book of Beginnings.
00:20:30.92\00:20:33.74
If you ever think of Genesis
in any way, think of it like
00:20:33.77\00:20:36.49
this, it is The
Book of Beginnings.
00:20:36.52\00:20:38.55
The Book of Beginnings we
are introduced to many things.
00:20:38.58\00:20:41.77
These are all recorded
in the Book of Beginnings.
00:21:07.31\00:21:09.06
These things are reasonably
important and significant
00:21:09.09\00:21:11.69
in your life today.
00:21:11.72\00:21:13.04
You may find some interesting
parts of it in The Book of
00:21:13.07\00:21:16.30
Beginnings, the book of Genesis.
00:21:16.33\00:21:18.39
Now the other book
that is significant, oh!
00:21:18.42\00:21:22.19
I should say about
The Book Of Beginnings,
00:21:22.22\00:21:24.07
The Book Of Beginnings
are important because,
00:21:24.10\00:21:27.15
for instance it talks
about the beginning of Israel
00:21:27.18\00:21:30.27
and a special and unique
call that God gave to Israel,
00:21:30.30\00:21:33.80
to be a people that would
retain the knowledge of the
00:21:33.83\00:21:37.24
creator God and
share that with the world.
00:21:37.27\00:21:39.64
In a world that had all kinds
of glasses and world views,
00:21:39.67\00:21:43.84
cosmologies of different kinds
of gods and how we got here.
00:21:43.87\00:21:48.14
It was to preserve this unique
account of the creator God
00:21:48.17\00:21:52.81
in the world, Israel was chosen
and especially to retain that
00:21:52.84\00:21:56.20
knowledge and disseminated
in a world that had forgotten a
00:21:56.23\00:21:59.30
lot of their roots.
00:21:59.33\00:22:01.14
So Israel is mentioned, Babylon
is mentioned and then Babylon
00:22:01.17\00:22:04.32
shows up in the Book
of Endings as well in the
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.64
book of Revelation, we
will talk about that in a bit.
00:22:06.67\00:22:08.36
But why write the book of Job?
00:22:08.39\00:22:10.11
Israel needed to know where
they came from so Moses brought
00:22:10.14\00:22:14.01
that book back and try to
tell them that they were special
00:22:14.04\00:22:16.01
people, I know you are slaves,
I know you are suffering but
00:22:16.04\00:22:18.47
you are a special people
and God has a special future for
00:22:18.50\00:22:21.03
you, so he shared that
story with them, their history,
00:22:21.06\00:22:23.98
their roots.
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.48
But also he wrote the book
of Job, and why is the book of
00:22:25.51\00:22:27.93
Job significant, because it
records the introduction of a
00:22:27.96\00:22:32.20
key person in the
question of pain and suffering.
00:22:32.23\00:22:36.19
That person is Lucifer, or
Satan as the book calls him.
00:22:36.22\00:22:40.83
Let's talk about this person.
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.27
His name means in
Hebrew Morning Star.
00:22:43.30\00:22:49.38
It is actually a beautiful
name although I am guessing that
00:22:49.41\00:22:53.38
none of you named
your children Lucifer.
00:22:53.41\00:22:55.32
What that be fair to say?
00:22:55.35\00:22:56.65
Or even your pets, well
maybe a pet depending on their
00:22:56.68\00:23:02.47
personality, but Morning Star
is the name of what apparently
00:23:02.50\00:23:06.89
was an angel created by
God with the freedom of choice.
00:23:06.92\00:23:13.07
Freedom of will to choose
and apparently at some ancient
00:23:13.10\00:23:16.54
time he chose to be a rebel?
00:23:16.57\00:23:18.92
He went from Morning Star, into
a new Hebrew name he acquired
00:23:18.95\00:23:24.26
and that name means the
adversary, or the enemy.
00:23:24.29\00:23:27.15
You know that name as
Satan, and that is what it
00:23:27.18\00:23:30.13
looks like in Hebrew, Satan
and that is how he evolved,
00:23:30.16\00:23:35.46
pardon the pun, into a
new character, a new person.
00:23:35.49\00:23:39.22
If you look at the book of
Job you will see this person
00:23:39.25\00:23:43.03
that challenges God and
challenges the peace and
00:23:43.06\00:23:47.53
happiness of
God's created planet.
00:23:47.56\00:23:50.22
He messes around with Job's
happiness in his life by a lot
00:23:50.25\00:23:54.62
of different ways.
00:23:54.65\00:23:55.87
Let's take a look at
story and you will see it.
00:23:55.90\00:23:57.59
Jesus had some
to say about Satan.
00:23:57.62\00:23:59.67
He said that he was a murderer
from the beginning and does
00:23:59.70\00:24:01.84
not stand in the truth,
because there is no truth in
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.73
him when he speaks a lie when
he speaks from his own resources
00:24:04.76\00:24:07.22
for he is a liar
and the father of lies.
00:24:07.25\00:24:10.54
So the father of lies
is who this person is.
00:24:10.57\00:24:14.69
All deception, all error,
originates, he is the creator,
00:24:14.72\00:24:20.34
shall we say of it.
00:24:20.37\00:24:22.30
Here is this new character, you
would not get this by studying
00:24:22.33\00:24:25.47
nature, how could you
get that by studying nature?
00:24:25.50\00:24:27.91
You couldn't, all you will see
is a broken messed up planet.
00:24:27.94\00:24:31.40
So you really do need to
understand that if you want to
00:24:31.43\00:24:37.06
get a complete and accurate
worldview of this planet,
00:24:37.09\00:24:39.92
you need to combine Revelation.
00:24:39.95\00:24:41.97
Now here's where I go with this
a little bit, just work with
00:24:42.00\00:24:45.59
me from a strictly
point of logic, just logic.
00:24:45.62\00:24:49.15
I struggle sometimes with logic.
00:24:49.18\00:24:52.96
Okay here we go.
00:24:52.99\00:24:54.26
Logic: A. if there is a God
and B. if He has something to
00:24:54.29\00:25:01.01
do with us being here,
which is not always following in
00:25:01.04\00:25:04.12
some peoples thinking, but
assuming He has something to
00:25:04.15\00:25:05.98
do with us being here.
00:25:06.01\00:25:07.42
Wouldn't it seemed logical
that He would want to share that
00:25:07.45\00:25:12.06
information
with us in some form?
00:25:12.09\00:25:14.81
Communicate with us, I
would assume He would think
00:25:14.84\00:25:16.86
we would want to know.
00:25:16.89\00:25:18.16
Would you like to
know where you came from?
00:25:18.19\00:25:19.59
If He has any caring in us
at all, I would assume that the
00:25:19.62\00:25:24.74
answer would be
yes, He probably would.
00:25:24.77\00:25:27.10
But in what way would He
communicate that with us?
00:25:27.13\00:25:29.81
Well, you think He would
just say hi, I'm God and here is
00:25:29.84\00:25:34.70
the information you need.
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.32
Let Me just tell you the story.
00:25:36.35\00:25:37.71
Somehow or other there is a
problem with God being in the
00:25:37.74\00:25:40.76
room with us right now
uncovered and in person.
00:25:40.79\00:25:44.25
There is something
the matter with that.
00:25:44.28\00:25:45.71
There is some problem with
that, actually the Bible records
00:25:45.74\00:25:49.49
says that there
has been a separation.
00:25:49.52\00:25:51.38
The story is recorded in Genesis
about how Eve chose to trust
00:25:51.41\00:25:56.42
Lucifer against God and by
that choice we selected a new
00:25:56.45\00:26:01.95
leader in our life.
00:26:01.98\00:26:03.55
God honors choice, He
believes in freedom of choice.
00:26:03.58\00:26:08.13
We would not have Lucifer
running around if God didn't
00:26:08.16\00:26:10.58
believe in freedom of choice.
00:26:10.61\00:26:12.45
So He honors choice, and He
honored this plan, this choice
00:26:12.48\00:26:17.43
at the time, and
took a step back.
00:26:17.46\00:26:19.41
Not entirely
leaving, but took a step back.
00:26:19.44\00:26:22.66
There is a distance, a gulf
there even though God is still
00:26:22.69\00:26:28.78
reaching out to us,
and still very near to us.
00:26:28.81\00:26:31.00
There is never the less a gulf.
00:26:31.03\00:26:32.97
You would not get that
from studying nature, you would
00:26:33.00\00:26:36.51
not get that story
from just looking at nature.
00:26:36.54\00:26:38.87
You really need another source.
00:26:38.90\00:26:40.48
I believe that God inspired
people to write Scripture.
00:26:40.51\00:26:44.37
Let's talk about
that a little bit here.
00:26:44.40\00:26:45.96
The word doctrine means
teaching, useful for teaching.
00:26:51.07\00:26:53.42
It is helpful in getting under-
standing on the basic truths.
00:26:53.45\00:26:56.99
All Scripture, it
doesn't say part of Scripture,
00:26:57.02\00:26:59.84
and here's where
we get into trouble.
00:26:59.87\00:27:01.36
Some critics of the Bible
will say the later books are
00:27:02.76\00:27:05.15
probably okay, but the earlier
books, especially Genesis,
00:27:05.18\00:27:08.53
has got the be full of myth.
00:27:08.56\00:27:10.51
Let's face it, the later books.
00:27:10.54\00:27:12.89
And yet that's not the claim
of the Scripture itself, it says
00:27:12.92\00:27:17.23
all Scripture, as though that
maybe was even an issue when it
00:27:17.26\00:27:19.86
was written, maybe with
an issue then and wanted it
00:27:19.89\00:27:22.46
underlined, oh no, all Scripture
is by the inspiration of God.
00:27:22.49\00:27:26.63
Let me tell you what the word
inspiration of God is in the
00:27:26.66\00:27:30.02
Greek, it is an
interesting phrase.
00:27:30.05\00:27:31.92
All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God that is
00:27:31.95\00:27:34.88
actually the Greek
word Theo-pneumatos.
00:27:34.91\00:27:39.04
You see the pneumatos
there, pneumatic tires.
00:27:39.07\00:27:44.38
It's a word for air,
it is a word for breath.
00:27:44.41\00:27:48.42
Theo, theology is God,
the Greek word for God.
00:27:48.45\00:27:51.83
So God breathed, God an
inspiration, in the spirit.
00:27:51.86\00:27:59.05
Inspiration, He
inspired writers.
00:27:59.08\00:28:02.47
Now it's funny, my image, when
as a kid, I was taken to church
00:28:02.50\00:28:07.23
as a kid and I remember
thinking the idea of inspiring
00:28:07.26\00:28:10.67
the Bible, the writers,
maybe what would that be like?
00:28:10.70\00:28:13.70
Maybe an angel was
just talking to them like,
00:28:13.73\00:28:15.97
okay now write this.
00:28:16.00\00:28:17.84
In the beginning God,
no in the beginning God,
00:28:17.87\00:28:21.81
every word just so.
00:28:21.84\00:28:24.14
You know like
dictation or something.
00:28:24.17\00:28:27.24
But we know as we study,
and I studied Greek because
00:28:27.27\00:28:30.47
I am a minister and
they teach us Greek, right?
00:28:30.50\00:28:32.77
I studied Greek in the New
Testament and the Greek of the
00:28:32.80\00:28:35.10
New Testament writers
varies from author to author.
00:28:35.13\00:28:37.96
You can tell Paul's writing
because he uses $.50 words.
00:28:37.99\00:28:41.51
You can tell John's writings
because he uses very simple
00:28:41.54\00:28:45.40
Greek, so when God inspires
writers He doesn't make them
00:28:45.43\00:28:48.98
robots, it's not
robotic like writing.
00:28:49.01\00:28:53.49
It is not mechanical writing.
00:28:53.52\00:28:55.32
He inspires people to use
their own language and their own
00:28:55.35\00:28:58.62
words, but the thoughts
apparently, at least the claim
00:28:58.65\00:29:02.21
is rather high, that
the thoughts are God's.
00:29:02.24\00:29:04.78
All Scripture is breathed by
God and profitable for doctrine.
00:29:04.81\00:29:09.34
Jesus had a very
high view of Scripture.
00:29:09.37\00:29:13.03
When He said:
00:29:13.06\00:29:14.58
then He goes on to quote several
scriptures from, dare I say
00:29:19.58\00:29:25.02
it, the books of Moses.
00:29:25.05\00:29:27.04
For Him the books of Moses,
when it said it is written, He
00:29:27.07\00:29:32.43
thought they came
from the mouth of God.
00:29:32.46\00:29:34.57
So He had a very
high view of Scripture.
00:29:34.60\00:29:37.04
Some people say that
Jesus didn't know everything.
00:29:37.07\00:29:43.29
But it is written from
the mouth of God for Him,
00:29:43.32\00:29:48.51
He had a high view.
00:29:48.54\00:29:50.82
Now when we look at Genesis
and we are introduced to God,
00:29:50.85\00:29:53.36
the very first thing God
does is speaks, He speaks.
00:29:53.39\00:29:57.19
So we do not have a God
that is inclined to be quiet.
00:30:01.65\00:30:03.69
We have a God who is
inclined to communicate and talk
00:30:03.72\00:30:07.11
and reveal information.
00:30:07.14\00:30:08.51
And this is the kind of God,
I believe, Scripture reveals.
00:30:08.54\00:30:12.38
He does want to
give us information.
00:30:12.41\00:30:14.79
Okay, question:
00:30:14.82\00:30:16.43
This is from one of our agnostic
friends, no atheist friend.
00:30:21.41\00:30:27.14
Based on predictions coming
true very good and reasonable.
00:30:37.88\00:30:45.95
How about this:
00:30:45.98\00:30:47.12
All these things were predicted
and in many of these cases,
00:31:13.46\00:31:16.03
especially the later ones on
that list, we have manuscripts
00:31:16.06\00:31:20.69
that predate the actual event,
so you cannot say they were
00:31:20.72\00:31:23.97
not predicted, or written
down after they had happened.
00:31:24.00\00:31:26.55
That's what people say
on some earlier things.
00:31:26.58\00:31:28.70
Let's take a look a little
bit at the history of the Bible
00:31:28.73\00:31:31.07
briefly, on the left you
see an old manuscript of Hebrew.
00:31:31.10\00:31:34.97
Can you read Hebrew?
00:31:35.00\00:31:36.65
From right to left, Hebrew
is written from right to left,
00:31:36.68\00:31:39.86
like Arabic is and this
is a little more modern.
00:31:39.89\00:31:43.67
This is actual modern Hebrew
script, not the old Hebrew
00:31:43.70\00:31:46.45
script, it's
actually Aramaic script.
00:31:46.48\00:31:48.28
The Hebrew script goes from
right to lift and it originally
00:31:48.31\00:31:51.63
didn't have any spaces,
didn't have any punctuation,
00:31:51.66\00:31:55.70
and you had to really know your
language and imagine all the
00:31:55.73\00:31:58.93
letters running together.
00:31:58.96\00:32:00.62
And actually ancient Greek is on
the right and the Old Testament
00:32:00.65\00:32:04.41
was written in Hebrew, the
New Testament written in Greek.
00:32:04.44\00:32:07.30
That manuscript on the right
dates to only about 100 years
00:32:07.33\00:32:11.71
after the original was
written on this book of the
00:32:11.74\00:32:14.76
New Testament, but on the
left, and this is an issue,
00:32:14.79\00:32:17.98
our oldest Hebrew manuscript
only went back to about 1000,
00:32:18.01\00:32:22.88
or 900 AD prior to a
very famous discovery.
00:32:22.91\00:32:28.59
I'm going to take you to
the Dead Sea now in 1947.
00:32:28.62\00:32:32.09
The Dead Sea is in Israel
and just to the west of the
00:32:32.12\00:32:35.90
Dead Sea on the West
Bank there is an area where
00:32:35.93\00:32:38.81
these canyons are.
00:32:38.84\00:32:40.53
There is an Arabic boy with
some sheep and so forth and as
00:32:40.56\00:32:44.10
kids tend to do with
they have time on their hands,
00:32:44.13\00:32:46.77
he was throwing rocks.
00:32:46.80\00:32:48.75
He saw a nice cave up there and
picked up a rock and wondered
00:32:48.78\00:32:53.51
if he could hit
that cave from there.
00:32:53.54\00:32:54.98
And he threw a rock and it went
into the cave and went crack.
00:32:55.01\00:33:00.81
It had hit something.
00:33:00.84\00:33:03.27
So he did a little investigating
and found some pots that
00:33:03.30\00:33:06.86
looked like this.
00:33:06.89\00:33:08.76
He went and got some folks
and pretty soon they discovered
00:33:08.79\00:33:12.31
what became known as
the Dead Sea scrolls.
00:33:12.34\00:33:15.94
They found dozens and dozens
of manuscripts that dated to the
00:33:15.97\00:33:21.74
time of Christ or
even 100 or 200 BC.
00:33:21.77\00:33:25.41
They found Hebrew
books of the Bible.
00:33:25.44\00:33:28.82
They found a
complete Isaiah scroll.
00:33:28.85\00:33:31.23
They found a number of
wonderful scrolls and of course
00:33:31.26\00:33:34.65
immediately scholars were
excited about this because we
00:33:34.68\00:33:37.52
had nothing older
than about 900 AD in Hebrew
00:33:37.55\00:33:41.56
Old Testament manuscripts.
00:33:41.59\00:33:43.41
So everybody was wanting to
know, well for that thousand
00:33:43.44\00:33:47.00
years has the Bible changed?
00:33:47.03\00:33:49.31
Has the Old Testament changed,
has somebody added some things,
00:33:49.34\00:33:52.11
or taken some things out?
00:33:52.14\00:33:53.42
What do you
suppose the answer was?
00:33:53.45\00:33:56.06
It was extremely accurate,
only a couple of insignificant
00:33:56.09\00:34:01.23
words were
found to be different.
00:34:01.26\00:34:02.80
It put the Old Testament 1000
years older in accuracy than
00:34:02.83\00:34:09.63
it had previously been known.
00:34:09.66\00:34:11.05
The Hebrew way of thinking
about the Bible, you can't allow
00:34:11.08\00:34:15.03
a manuscript to fall apart,
that is showing disrespect to
00:34:15.06\00:34:18.46
the word of God.
00:34:18.49\00:34:20.00
So unlike the Greek New
Testament manuscripts that could
00:34:20.03\00:34:23.75
just practically fall apart with
no problem on a shelf somewhere,
00:34:23.78\00:34:27.31
they would not allow the
Hebrew scripture should do that.
00:34:27.34\00:34:30.25
So when it came that they
were too bad a shape and they
00:34:30.28\00:34:33.93
would destroy them because
that was more respectful to the
00:34:33.96\00:34:37.53
word of God than to
let them fall apart.
00:34:37.56\00:34:39.14
So we had nothing
older than about 900 AD.
00:34:39.17\00:34:41.50
So at this point the Dead Sea
scrolls were discovered and why
00:34:41.53\00:34:45.00
they were found intact
near a community apparently
00:34:45.03\00:34:48.50
somebody had
apparently hid them there
00:34:48.53\00:34:53.05
expecting to go back and get
them and something happened to
00:34:53.08\00:34:56.31
them so they could not
go back and get them and
00:34:56.34\00:34:58.30
they were left there.
00:34:58.33\00:34:59.93
So a big library was discovered
from the time of Christ.
00:34:59.96\00:35:04.18
So the Dead Sea
scrolls were established.
00:35:04.21\00:35:06.94
Another significant development
in the history of the Bible
00:35:06.97\00:35:10.33
is the printing press.
00:35:10.36\00:35:11.73
Gutenberg Bibles, you heard
of the Gutenberg Bibles in the
00:35:11.76\00:35:14.65
1400s when the
printing press was developed.
00:35:14.68\00:35:17.13
One of the very first things
that was printed was the Bible.
00:35:17.16\00:35:20.22
It was suddenly available,
prior to that only rich people
00:35:20.25\00:35:24.33
could own a Bible and
they were all hand written.
00:35:24.36\00:35:28.13
Often you just owned books of
the Bible because you couldn't
00:35:28.16\00:35:30.13
afford a whole Bible.
00:35:30.16\00:35:31.60
It wasn't until the printing
press came along, and when the
00:35:31.63\00:35:34.80
printing press came along
and made the Bible available,
00:35:34.83\00:35:37.27
in this case in Latin, not
many people could speak Latin,
00:35:37.30\00:35:40.82
or read anyway, it wasn't until
shortly after that that the
00:35:40.85\00:35:45.76
Bible suddenly became available
as it was being translated
00:35:45.79\00:35:48.96
in modern languages.
00:35:48.99\00:35:50.35
Suddenly there was an incredible
increase of knowledge of
00:35:50.38\00:35:53.66
the Bible, and it was during
that atmosphere of increased
00:35:53.69\00:35:56.66
knowledge and excitement
in the discovery of the Bible.
00:35:56.69\00:35:59.35
I would say it is not
disassociated in any way
00:35:59.38\00:36:03.27
it's when Western
science also took off as well.
00:36:03.30\00:36:07.04
As people were discovering
things about God and His Word,
00:36:07.07\00:36:09.72
they were discovering
things about God in nature.
00:36:09.75\00:36:11.91
It went hand-in-hand
and increased knowledge
00:36:11.94\00:36:13.66
really took off.
00:36:13.69\00:36:15.91
Okay so events in the history
of the Bible, just real quickly
00:36:15.94\00:36:19.47
summarize, the Old Testament
was apparently written:
00:36:19.50\00:36:22.61
With Moses and
Genesis and Job and so on.
00:36:25.81\00:36:27.89
To 400 BC like Ezra,
Nehemiah, which were written
00:36:27.92\00:36:31.77
in Persian period.
00:36:31.80\00:36:33.28
Septuagint which is the
first translation of the Old
00:36:33.31\00:36:35.82
Testament into Greek
by Greek Jews at 250 BC.
00:36:35.85\00:36:41.68
Some of those also still exist,
not quite that old but the
00:36:41.71\00:36:45.34
Septuagint version
is the oldest testament.
00:36:45.37\00:36:47.36
The Council of Gemini in
AD 90 put together the books
00:36:47.39\00:36:51.74
of the Old Testament and
made it an complete record.
00:36:51.77\00:36:53.87
So much so that pretty
much from that point on nothing
00:36:53.90\00:36:57.12
could be added or subtracted.
00:36:57.15\00:36:59.19
This was what we would call
the Old Testament, the Hebrews
00:36:59.22\00:37:02.17
called the Hebrew Scriptures.
00:37:02.20\00:37:03.84
The New Testament was written
during a period of roughly 50
00:37:03.87\00:37:07.64
years from 50 to 100 A.D.
00:37:07.67\00:37:09.81
The New Testament Canon, again
the Canon is a collection of
00:37:09.84\00:37:13.77
the accepted authoritative
collection which was established
00:37:13.80\00:37:18.39
by the Roman
period of AD 300, roughly.
00:37:18.42\00:37:21.91
So those are some
significant things.
00:37:31.90\00:37:33.75
It has been argued that a
lot of stories in the Bible have
00:37:33.78\00:37:36.52
not been
supported archaeologically.
00:37:36.55\00:37:38.83
When you can't find
archaeological evidence,
00:37:38.86\00:37:40.78
you wonder about the
historicity of those stories.
00:37:40.81\00:37:43.18
Yet archaeology does keep
finding things that are very
00:37:43.21\00:37:46.78
interesting, for instance David.
00:37:46.81\00:37:48.52
Up to recently there has been
some skeptics say that David
00:37:48.55\00:37:51.79
was a mythological
figure, David didn't exist.
00:37:51.82\00:37:54.42
Until a few years ago when
they found at Dan, which is the
00:37:54.45\00:37:58.40
northern part of it
Israel settlement called Dan.
00:37:58.43\00:38:01.61
They were excavating there
and found a broken monument
00:38:01.64\00:38:06.75
and on it was written
from about 900 BC this monument
00:38:06.78\00:38:12.60
recording a Syrian king who
had defeated the house of David.
00:38:12.63\00:38:17.45
Prior to that we had nothing
anywhere near that old that
00:38:17.48\00:38:22.49
would describe David
outside of the Bible.
00:38:22.52\00:38:25.24
Now we believe there is
evidence for David in the Bible.
00:38:25.27\00:38:28.77
Some people this is not
an issue, but it is for some.
00:38:28.80\00:38:31.10
Then over on the right there
a monumental piece was found
00:38:31.13\00:38:35.75
in Caesarea, on
the coast of Israel.
00:38:35.78\00:38:37.89
It is the only place outside
of the Bible, at least the only
00:38:37.92\00:38:40.85
reliable place outside the
Bible, that actually mentions
00:38:40.88\00:38:43.77
Pontius Pilate, there it says
Tiberiam and Pontius Pelotas
00:38:43.80\00:38:49.91
and it says perfectos u
daia, which means the prefect of
00:38:49.94\00:38:55.46
Judea, so there is
this title as well.
00:38:55.49\00:38:57.05
Pontius Pilate Prefect of Judea,
there it is in the monument.
00:38:57.08\00:39:01.21
Prior to that there has
been some questions of if
00:39:01.24\00:39:03.21
Pontius Pilate had ever been
a genuine historical figure.
00:39:03.24\00:39:08.27
And speaking of Caesarea,
I have to just throw this in.
00:39:08.30\00:39:11.87
A little slide I had the
opportunity of a few years ago
00:39:11.90\00:39:15.00
being in archaeological
dig in Caesarea Israel.
00:39:15.03\00:39:18.59
There's my handsome
self way back when, so.
00:39:18.62\00:39:20.74
Oh boy, look at
that and you can see.
00:39:20.77\00:39:23.80
There was some
very interesting people
00:39:23.83\00:39:25.25
that we worked with in
doing archaeology there,
00:39:25.29\00:39:28.37
so I recommend it.
00:39:28.40\00:39:29.72
Their students here, a lot of
students here, if you ever get
00:39:29.75\00:39:32.28
a chance to do
archaeology dig, jump at it.
00:39:32.31\00:39:34.44
It is a great way to get
college credit and get out of
00:39:34.47\00:39:36.62
the classroom, it is very good.
00:39:36.65\00:39:38.55
It was Robert Boyle who said:
00:39:42.76\00:39:45.30
so what he is saying there
is that two books written by the
00:40:05.93\00:40:08.38
same author,
nature and scripture,
00:40:08.41\00:40:10.52
if understood
correctly, should agree.
00:40:10.55\00:40:13.08
That makes sense doesn't it?
00:40:13.11\00:40:14.97
That does make sense if you
believe in God having something
00:40:15.00\00:40:17.54
to do with us being
here and potentially sharing
00:40:17.57\00:40:22.03
information with us about that.
00:40:22.06\00:40:23.62
Now poor science statements.
00:40:23.65\00:40:25.96
Every once in a while someone
will raise an argument about
00:40:25.99\00:40:28.39
the Bible has terrible science,
00:40:28.42\00:40:30.04
there's some
silly things in there.
00:40:30.07\00:40:31.55
For instance, doesn't it
say that the world is square,
00:40:31.58\00:40:34.15
or flat, or something
and they will mention a
00:40:34.18\00:40:38.32
statement like this.
00:40:38.35\00:40:39.70
You can see the science, if
this is a scientific statement,
00:40:44.40\00:40:47.26
it is not a very good one.
00:40:47.29\00:40:48.41
Well I have to say that you
need to understand the Greek in
00:40:48.44\00:40:51.72
this particular case, the
word for corners can mean angle
00:40:51.75\00:40:54.43
or direction as well.
00:40:54.46\00:40:56.14
But take a look and see if
you think these statements are
00:40:56.17\00:40:58.85
not too bad scientifically.
00:40:58.88\00:41:00.73
Back in the ancient day it was
generally thought that planet
00:41:06.24\00:41:10.65
Earth rode on the back of
something, like a turtle or an
00:41:10.68\00:41:13.37
Atlas's shoulder, something had
to hold to hold the earth up.
00:41:13.40\00:41:16.42
It is not a bad statement if
I can say by Richard Dawkins,
00:41:16.45\00:41:20.08
usually says that the writers
of the Bible were camel herders
00:41:20.11\00:41:23.12
from the Middle East.
00:41:23.15\00:41:24.40
It is not a bad
guess by the camel herders.
00:41:24.43\00:41:27.51
He hangs the Earth on nothing.
00:41:27.54\00:41:29.71
How about this one:
00:41:29.74\00:41:30.71
the word circle in Hebrew
can also be translated, sphere,
00:41:34.15\00:41:36.69
a separate word
for sphere or ball.
00:41:36.72\00:41:38.85
Now that is really interesting
because the tense of the verb
00:41:49.22\00:41:51.93
there is present tense.
00:41:51.96\00:41:53.44
So it literally says that God
is stretching out the heavens
00:41:53.47\00:41:56.41
like a curtain, currently
doing that and how would camel
00:41:56.44\00:42:00.14
herders know that the
universe is expanding currently?
00:42:00.17\00:42:03.04
I just throw these out as
potentially interesting things
00:42:03.07\00:42:07.32
to talk about if ancient
writings in the Bible having
00:42:07.35\00:42:12.00
some science in them.
00:42:12.03\00:42:13.74
But I will be the first
one to say that the Bible,
00:42:13.77\00:42:15.69
is not, repeat
not, a science textbook.
00:42:15.72\00:42:17.88
It is not, but every once
in a while it makes a science
00:42:17.91\00:42:20.72
statement that isn't too bad.
00:42:20.75\00:42:22.31
Okay, so Isaac Newton said this:
00:42:22.34\00:42:26.03
Newton is one of our
heroes in this subject.
00:42:26.07\00:42:29.80
Quite a scholar he was.
00:42:33.36\00:42:34.84
The question of pain and
suffering, Where did God go?
00:42:37.35\00:42:42.24
Why is the world
apparently in turmoil?
00:42:42.27\00:42:45.89
Here's this long
statement but follow it with me,
00:42:45.92\00:42:48.24
if you would.
00:42:48.27\00:42:49.24
This is very
interesting language.
00:43:20.87\00:43:22.52
The creation was subjected
to futility, something was
00:43:22.55\00:43:25.78
broken in nature,
something isn't working right.
00:43:25.81\00:43:29.45
It is within God's plan for
that to be going on temporarily.
00:43:29.48\00:43:34.54
He has a hope
for it in the future.
00:43:34.57\00:43:37.12
There is a bondage of corruption
the word corruption there,
00:43:37.15\00:43:40.48
is an old English word.
00:43:40.51\00:43:41.85
Especially the King
James version uses it a lot.
00:43:41.88\00:43:43.93
The word corruption there
simply means decay, decay.
00:43:43.96\00:43:47.40
If you think about that, decay
is a significant issue in this
00:43:47.43\00:43:52.29
universe, especially in our neck
of the woods it is an issue.
00:43:52.32\00:43:55.85
Yet the Bible seems to
have something to say about it.
00:43:55.88\00:43:58.76
But there is a bondage, there
is something controlling nature
00:43:58.79\00:44:02.39
it seems to me causing nature
to groan under the oppressive
00:44:02.42\00:44:07.50
conditions that it is in.
00:44:07.53\00:44:08.83
Well let me just mention that
this has been observed and it
00:44:08.86\00:44:12.60
is called the second
law of thermodynamics.
00:44:12.63\00:44:14.85
You have probably heard
that in entropy happens.
00:44:14.88\00:44:17.39
You have science students
here and entropy happens.
00:44:17.42\00:44:20.86
That ought to be
a bumper sticker.
00:44:20.89\00:44:22.25
Entropy happens, in fact it
usually happens after a big test
00:44:22.28\00:44:27.55
And basically it is decay
that is talking about decay.
00:44:43.53\00:44:45.80
Everything assuming room
temperature on a universal scale
00:44:45.83\00:44:48.93
So this is the direction of
the universe towards entropy
00:44:48.96\00:44:52.75
right now, this is
not a theory, it is a law.
00:44:52.78\00:44:55.98
It is testable and laboratories
and that is why it has gotten
00:44:56.01\00:44:59.55
to level of law.
00:44:59.58\00:45:01.12
So I would like to show you
a little experiment right now.
00:45:38.73\00:45:41.60
I'm sure this
will be a tricky thing.
00:45:41.63\00:45:45.68
When we talk about things
organizing against the second
00:45:45.71\00:45:49.56
law of thermodynamics, what
we are generally talking about
00:45:49.59\00:45:53.41
is a tendency for
things to become disorganized.
00:45:53.44\00:45:56.96
Now one of the things that
is usually used as an argument
00:45:56.99\00:46:00.78
against that, that therefore
could allow organization, and
00:46:00.81\00:46:06.23
life, and evolution, and
so forth happens in spite of
00:46:06.26\00:46:09.95
entropy is that energy
can be added to a system.
00:46:09.98\00:46:13.12
Energy in some way,
energy gets put into the system.
00:46:13.15\00:46:16.19
Now generally speaking,
and this is an old example and
00:46:16.22\00:46:20.09
I'll probably
have some problems.
00:46:20.12\00:46:22.37
Here we go.
00:46:22.40\00:46:23.45
Here is the system and let's
see how organized I can get this
00:46:23.48\00:46:26.86
by adding some random forces.
00:46:26.89\00:46:33.20
Now random energy, have I
organized this anymore by adding
00:46:33.23\00:46:37.96
random energy?
00:46:37.99\00:46:40.78
Usually random energy will dis-
organize things, not organize
00:46:40.81\00:46:45.59
things and yet the theory of
evolution includes that things
00:46:45.62\00:46:51.12
get more organized as energy
has been added in some form.
00:46:51.15\00:46:54.86
Well that doesn't explain
everything but at least it is
00:46:54.89\00:46:59.23
one illustration.
00:46:59.26\00:47:01.01
It seems like energy does
not, by itself, organize things.
00:47:01.04\00:47:05.40
The secrets of
evolution are time and death.
00:47:05.43\00:47:08.35
So death is part of evolution
and yet remember what I said
00:47:13.96\00:47:18.82
a little earlier in the evening?
00:47:18.85\00:47:20.18
I said I am still wondering
why evolution hasn't produced
00:47:20.21\00:47:24.15
something that doesn't die
yet, I wonder about that because
00:47:24.18\00:47:27.83
all the systems of
repair are present.
00:47:27.86\00:47:30.33
All systems of repair are
in some rudimentary form are
00:47:30.36\00:47:34.89
present, it is like it is
almost barely unable to keep up
00:47:34.92\00:47:39.96
at some point and as time goes
on it is less able to keep up.
00:47:39.99\00:47:43.48
You would think at some
point something, somebody,
00:47:43.51\00:47:46.37
somewhere would evolve
to where the repair systems
00:47:46.40\00:47:49.87
are working properly.
00:47:49.90\00:47:51.49
It does seem in my opinion
there is a place where nature
00:47:51.52\00:47:54.06
seems to agree with the
biblical statement of creation
00:47:54.09\00:47:57.69
groaning under some kind of
form of corruption or decay.
00:47:57.72\00:48:01.32
Entropy, Karl Hagan
said: now here is my problem
00:48:01.35\00:48:08.28
theological, and I know some
people say religion and faith
00:48:08.31\00:48:10.91
are compatible, I mean religion
and science are compatible
00:48:10.94\00:48:13.44
the theory of
evolution, and so forth.
00:48:13.47\00:48:15.27
Here is where theology
enters into the problem
00:48:15.30\00:48:18.04
of this combination.
00:48:18.07\00:48:19.65
Did God create death?
00:48:19.68\00:48:22.28
Was it on His
chalkboard to make?
00:48:22.31\00:48:25.95
Because the Bible
doesn't seem to say it was
00:48:25.98\00:48:30.16
God's plan for death.
00:48:30.19\00:48:31.97
According to
Romans 5:12 it says:
00:48:32.00\00:48:34.14
Now that is a
pretty clear statement.
00:48:40.84\00:48:42.82
The Bible says it wasn't part
of the original design of God
00:48:42.85\00:48:45.78
but it came through a
decision that was made early on.
00:48:45.81\00:48:49.50
Now Jesus had these things that
He accomplished in His life,
00:48:49.53\00:48:53.93
Folks at some rudimentary
level you and I fear death.
00:49:09.79\00:49:13.52
At someplace, somewhere in
our souls and hearts we fear it.
00:49:13.55\00:49:17.59
We'll duck when
something is coming our way.
00:49:17.62\00:49:20.76
It is a natural reaction
and God has created us that way.
00:49:20.79\00:49:23.46
It is hardwired into us
and there is a fear of death.
00:49:23.49\00:49:28.28
God would like to somehow
deliver us from fear of death.
00:49:28.31\00:49:34.32
It is a bondage.
00:49:34.35\00:49:35.41
Why would God create death
and then go to such a tremendous
00:49:46.51\00:49:51.16
amount of effort
to get rid of it?
00:49:51.19\00:49:53.40
Okay, it is a thought!
00:49:53.43\00:49:56.17
Again the book of Endings, the
book of Revelation which ends
00:49:56.20\00:49:58.85
all the things you saw that
long list, or in other words how
00:49:58.88\00:50:02.43
things end up for
those subjects in the Book of
00:50:02.46\00:50:05.03
Beginnings, the Book
of Endings says this:
00:50:05.06\00:50:07.08
so a new order is now re-created
or restored and there is
00:50:20.49\00:50:24.47
no more death, as
though death were an intruder.
00:50:24.50\00:50:26.66
Again did God create
death is part of His plan?
00:50:26.69\00:50:28.90
That is a question!
00:50:28.93\00:50:30.91
Notice that this atheist has
correctly observed, he has got
00:50:30.94\00:50:34.78
this nailed down when
Richard Bozarth said this:
00:50:34.81\00:50:37.18
Why?, Let's see
this is what he said:
00:50:50.83\00:50:52.73
There is no purpose to
Christianity according to
00:51:15.73\00:51:18.63
Richard Bozarth, the atheist
and I think he is correctly
00:51:18.66\00:51:21.66
seeing that dilemma.
00:51:21.69\00:51:23.71
So we look at the book
of Genesis and we see in it
00:51:25.60\00:51:28.16
information that describes
how this planet got into this
00:51:28.19\00:51:31.37
predicament and if you do
not believe this you are going
00:51:31.40\00:51:34.53
to call it a myth.
00:51:34.56\00:51:36.15
Then suddenly you are making
God really responsible for death
00:51:36.18\00:51:39.84
as part of what
we see in the planet.
00:51:39.87\00:51:42.50
Here is a description of
where He was not the ultimate
00:51:42.53\00:51:45.80
responsible source, that it
was this other character that we
00:51:45.83\00:51:50.08
described in the book of Job
mournfully, and that is Lucifer.
00:51:50.11\00:51:53.55
So your image of God
is what is at stake here.
00:51:53.58\00:51:58.16
There is nothing more important
in any teachings, on any
00:51:58.19\00:52:02.09
subject, how it will
eventually boil down to
00:52:02.12\00:52:04.80
your view of God.
00:52:04.84\00:52:05.96
If you believe God created
death and suffering in this
00:52:05.99\00:52:09.81
planet as a way of creating
new life and species, evolving
00:52:09.84\00:52:13.71
then through millions of years
of clawing and fighting and
00:52:13.75\00:52:17.28
struggling for limited resources
if that is your image of
00:52:17.31\00:52:20.81
a loving God it
clashes with other images.
00:52:20.84\00:52:24.81
The Riddle of
Epicurus again was this:
00:52:24.84\00:52:28.77
I want you to throw into
this Riddle this possibility.
00:52:44.02\00:52:46.98
Let's assume for a moment that
God honors freedom of choice.
00:52:47.02\00:52:52.10
He wants people to be interested
in Him like He is interested
00:52:52.13\00:52:57.18
in them, but only by
their freedom of choice.
00:52:57.21\00:53:00.36
So He can't force anybody,
that is against His nature.
00:53:02.54\00:53:05.81
How is He going to allow
evil to exist, but then deliver
00:53:07.40\00:53:13.28
the universe from the pain
and suffering that it causes in
00:53:13.31\00:53:19.15
such a way that it still
honors freedom of choice?
00:53:19.19\00:53:22.76
Not force, or cause people to
serve out of fear or whatever.
00:53:22.79\00:53:28.19
Might it be that God is allowing
planet Earth to become an
00:53:28.22\00:53:33.59
experiment, and I know
this is a loaded thought, an
00:53:33.62\00:53:37.87
experiment to let a planet
show what it is like to try a
00:53:37.91\00:53:42.58
different path and to
ask God to step away from it.
00:53:42.61\00:53:47.70
And God honors that request
in letting it do its own thing.
00:53:47.73\00:53:52.26
Letting the planet
deal with its own thing.
00:53:52.29\00:53:55.95
At some point God has promised
to end the bad news we see
00:53:55.98\00:54:01.14
and bring it back to where
it needs to be, but He wants
00:54:01.18\00:54:06.02
to do it in such a way as
to make sure that evil never
00:54:06.06\00:54:10.87
ever comes back
by freedom of choice.
00:54:10.91\00:54:15.83
It will never be chosen again
because the experiment will
00:54:15.86\00:54:18.73
have proven that what He was
saying originally in the garden
00:54:18.77\00:54:21.60
of Eden was right.
00:54:21.64\00:54:23.22
Maybe God is
honoring this Riddle in a way.
00:54:23.25\00:54:29.47
He is willing to do good than
evil and He is able to keep it
00:54:29.50\00:54:34.70
from happening, but He has
to honor freedom of choice.
00:54:34.74\00:54:38.03
So He is a little bit
restricted to what He can do.
00:54:38.06\00:54:42.06
Now if you believe in an
omnipotent God, God could wipe
00:54:42.10\00:54:46.02
us all out and start over with
people who look just like you
00:54:46.06\00:54:48.98
and me, they are much nicer.
00:54:49.01\00:54:50.83
Isn't that right?
Sound like you act like you.
00:54:50.87\00:54:54.91
It might even have
your own DNA to some extent.
00:54:54.95\00:54:58.92
He could do that, but God
would know, no one else, but God
00:54:58.96\00:55:03.14
would know that He wasn't
honoring freedom of choice.
00:55:03.18\00:55:06.19
He would rather you choose.
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.08
I mean parents would you like
to have clones of your children
00:55:08.11\00:55:12.82
that were just kind, and I
would open the door, and do the
00:55:12.86\00:55:16.48
laundry, and pick up the
dirty clothes, and do everything
00:55:16.52\00:55:20.41
like that, and say yes or
hello mom and dad, I love you,
00:55:20.45\00:55:24.68
knowing full well that they
are that were not from choice,
00:55:24.71\00:55:28.10
because they are pre-programmed
to do it only that way?
00:55:28.14\00:55:32.08
Would that ever be the
same versus somebody that did it
00:55:32.12\00:55:36.03
because they wanted to?
00:55:36.06\00:55:37.94
It would never be quite
the same and God knows it.
00:55:37.98\00:55:41.98
So God is restricted,
He has restricted Himself
00:55:42.02\00:55:45.98
in this regard.
00:55:46.02\00:55:48.33
Is He going to deal with
evil? Yes He is, but by honoring
00:55:48.36\00:55:51.05
choice, individual
choices that we are all making.
00:55:51.08\00:55:54.92
He made you in the image of God.
00:55:54.96\00:55:56.38
Jesus said this about a sparrow,
and I want you to compare
00:55:56.42\00:56:00.64
this was the theory of evolution
that says that creatures,
00:56:00.67\00:56:04.80
new species are created
after periods of suffering and
00:56:04.84\00:56:08.93
adapting to new environments.
00:56:08.97\00:56:11.34
Jesus said this:
00:56:11.37\00:56:12.73
Now many translations say your
Father's will, but I looked at
00:56:19.52\00:56:23.38
the original and it does not
have a will in there, will is
00:56:23.42\00:56:27.25
supplied, it literally
says no sparrow falls alone,
00:56:27.28\00:56:32.44
God is there.
00:56:34.53\00:56:35.80
Now if no sparrow falls alone,
no sparrow falls without God
00:56:35.83\00:56:41.28
noticing and being touched by
that loss, does that jive with
00:56:41.32\00:56:46.73
millions of years
of pain and suffering?
00:56:46.77\00:56:50.34
I wonder, you have
to deal with the image.
00:56:50.37\00:56:53.87
Jesus said this, and this
is one of the saddest verses
00:56:53.91\00:56:58.05
in the Bible:
00:56:58.08\00:56:59.87
now you see, He knew God to be
a loving person, but the world
00:57:22.40\00:57:26.05
for the most part, is
not acquainted with Him.
00:57:26.08\00:57:29.76
I hope through this week
you will get evidence that you
00:57:29.80\00:57:35.18
consider that
maybe He is not so bad.
00:57:35.21\00:57:38.31
At our next presentation
we will talk about where these
00:57:38.34\00:57:42.27
issues
especially impact all of us.
00:57:42.30\00:57:45.01
This is where the rubber
meets the road on the subject
00:57:45.04\00:57:47.04
of origins, that is
where mankind came from.
00:57:47.07\00:57:49.69
We will see you at
our next presentation.
00:57:49.72\00:57:52.30