Starke Reality: Question of the Week: Is the earth set on pillars or hanging on nothing?

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Answers Weekly - Answers in Genesis

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In this issue . . .

Q&A: Is the earth set on pillars or hanging on nothing?
Video On Demand: The Origin of Humans, Part 2 (Sidebar)
Ken's Blog (Sidebar)
News to Note Quick Look
Biblical Authority Devotionals
Answers ... with Ken Ham
After Eden
Network with Us!
Job Opportunities at Answers in Genesis (Sidebar)

Q: Is the earth set on pillars or hanging on nothing?

A: At first glance, verses such as the following may appear to contradict each other: how can the earth rest on pillars and at the same time hang on nothing?

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He has set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:8)
He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. (Job 26:7)

In addition, the idea of earth having "pillars" and "foundations" seems to defy observations made by astronauts who have seen our planet from afar. To some, it may even sound vaguely like certain pagan beliefs, such as the Hindu idea that the earth is supported on the backs of four elephants that stand on the shell of a gigantic tortoise.
But we should not view these biblical statements as myths, because God's Word is truth (John 17:17). The supposed contradiction quickly disappears when we examine the context of each passage and recognize it as figurative language.

Continue reading to learn how applying a proper biblical hermeneutic resolves this and many other so-called "contradictions" in Scripture.

News to Note Quick Look

Death Star's demise: Nemesis, the death-dealing star no one has ever seen, was invented to explain the "perceived periodicity of mass extinctions on Earth." Nemesis is supposed to have regularly disturbed the Oort cloud—the purported birthplace of cometsâ€"causing the Oort cloud to periodically spew forth a hail of comets peppering the earth and killing things. Read more.

Building blocks in space rocks: The verdict is in: the "building blocks of life" are found in meteorites. About five percent of meteorites contain organic matter. Whenever organic molecules are found in these rocks, investigators must consider whether the material really came from space or hopped aboard after arrival on earth. Goddard Space Flight Center's new study provides good evidence that molecules like DNA's components are genuine meteorite baggage. Read more.

Also:

Biblical Authority Devotionals

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

After Eden

Network with Us!


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