Robert Rose’s Earth-Centered View vs. Truth
First, Mr. Rose’s “something to think about...” and his conclusion.
The Holy Bible
(Job 38: 4 – 7) Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its CORNERSTONE while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
The Book of Enoch
(I Enoch 18:2-3) I surveyed the STONE which supports the CORNERS of the earth. I also beheld the four winds, which bear up the earth, and the firmament of heaven. And I beheld the winds occupying the exalted sky.. Arising in the midst of heaven and of earth, and constituting the pillars of heaven. I saw the winds which turn the sky, which cause the orb of the sun and of all the stars to set, and over the earth I saw the winds which support the clouds.
Robert Rose’s Conclusion
If an inspired Prophet saw the STONE, which supports the corners of the earth, which is also mentioned in the Holy Bible, how inexpiable the guilt of men, who fostered skepticism through the heliocentric theory of a world coursing swiftly around the sun.
NASA and World Governments wouldn't lie to us...so please keep moving along.
My Response:
Most importantly, Mr. Rose’s judgment that those greater thinkers like Newton and Galileo have committed the unpardonable sin (inexpiable guilt) for their promotion of the “heliocentric theory of a world coursing swiftly around the sun” reveals his gross misunderstanding of the Gospel and whose power it is to extend grace, even to the evilest of us men. Even though I’m a lesser thinker, I assume that Rose would that I be included in the hell-bound group as I am an unrepentant heliocenterist (locally). I admit to ‘swallowing the cool-aid’. I guess I thought that debate was over CENTURIES ago. Wide is the path of those of us whom believe the earth is NOT the center of the universe and nor does the universe revolve around it (physically or figuratively). It honestly didn’t take the entity of NASA or an evil World Government conspiracy to convince me or any of the other millions of back-yard astronomers. Our eyes apparently deceive our minds into properly discerning planetary motions. Maybe my parents bought me a deceptive telescope. Everything does appear upside-down… hmm.
Seriously Mr. Rose, my understanding of Earth’s orbital mechanics is no more unpardonable than your belief in an old wives tale. I would expect that a mature Christian would follow Paul’s mandate: Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good. Our interpretation of the Bible may be in error, we may apply metaphors for fact and vice versa. However, I can unequivocally say that God’s Word and the testable, provable physics of His creation will NEVER contradict each other. Some things are unknowable in this life, other things are undeniable.
You condemn learned-men for ‘fostering skepticism’ through a perfectly plausible and Biblically possible scientific paradigm. I would say that the greater sin is on the part of Christians that insist upon denying an obvious scientific truth simply because it doesn’t agree with their Biblical understanding. From your words declaring heliocentric apostles ‘inexpiable’, I assume you would have had no problem setting Bruno afire. The origins of skepticism against Biblical truth lie square on the shoulders of overly dogmatic Christians like the ones who condemned Bruno for the very same unpardonable guilt as you accuse. I’m not saying Christians should throw the sail to every wind of doctrine to see if it will drive. However, if a Biblical view seems to come in conflict with a new certain truth, a more sure word of prophecy is the result of a better light to read by.
II Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Pharisaical interpretations of God’s Word sent Jesus to the Cross. Men who leaned on their own private interpretation condemned Jesus because He didn’t fit their Biblical view of the Messiah. They were wrong, not understanding the correct interpretation due to their own bias. Paul internally and externally battled that problem from both sides:
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Confronted with the obvious truth of Jesus, Paul had to revamp his understanding and put away the fallacies. I believe the Book of Hebrews is his personal appeal to fellow Jews who refused to accept the obvious truth of Christ.
As for the Earth’s foundation and stone: Biblically, there was a time when the Earth was without form and void (Gen. 1); God then assembled the elements of our planet’s core and mantle by His power and established its granite by his wisdom; The laws of God’s design are immutable and unchangeable (that is WRITTEN IN STONE); There are exactly FOUR WINDS that “constitute” the pillars of heaven and bear up the earth. There are EXACTLY FOUR FUNDAMENTAL INTERACTIONS which are together the FOUNDATION of all physical existence. They are: Electromagnetism; Strong Nuclear Force; Weak Nuclear Force; and Gravitation. Though invisible as the wind, these four fundamental forces, fine-tuned by God’s hand are the foundation and causation of all physical phenomena including weather, orbital mechanics, matter, the ocean tides, and CERTAINLY THE SPIN OF OUR PLANET although it hangs upon NOTHING (Job 26:7); God control’s the rate of expansion of the universe which is also fine-tuned by His discretion (Jeremiah 10:12). Clearly all the morning stars have moved away from the other. They don’t sing in close proximity any longer, although they utter speech all the day, every day. (Psalms 19) Astronomers listen to the stars with their radio-telescopes during the day and gain knowledge of them night after night.
Finally, all that exists is by God’s Word. Jesus is the Word. Jesus is the CORNER STONE, BEFORE ALL THINGS and by HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST. God is NOT an illusionist or a figment. Consequently, He is not the Author of confusion even though we sometimes confuse the truth with our illusions and figments.
Colossians 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Jeremiah 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
Jeremiah 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, [and] the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts [is] his name:
Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Psalm 19:2 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
In Christ,
Kevin Heckle
Still not a flat-lander.