| Scripture was not written by scientists for | | | | • God is outside His creation: The gods |
| scientists; it was written by men living in ancient | | | | of the ancients were represented by natural |
| times. The Genesis account, penned by Moses | | | | phenomena, usually the sun (the Egyptian god Ra) |
| around 1450 BC, was written when people were | | | | or moon (worshiped as Thoth by the Egyptians). |
| living in the late Bronze Age. Primitive stone and | | | | In Genesis, God created the universe: "In the |
| bronze tools were used to work the land, to | | | | beginning God created the heavens and the earth" |
| make weapons, and to build homes. Writing as we | | | | (Genesis 1:1). |
| known it was recently introduced, but not a | | | | • There was a beginning: Most ancient |
| widespread skill. The great emphasis of | | | | religions believed the universe had existed forever. |
| day-to-day life was to find food for survival. | | | | Until the middle of the twentieth century even |
| Natural science was limited to personal | | | | many scientists still believed the universe had |
| observation. Many in those days were polytheistic; | | | | always existed. Only during our generation has |
| they worshiped natural phenomena such as the | | | | science - astronomy in particular - proved |
| sun, the moon, stars, fire, and water. | | | | conclusively that the universe had a starting point |
| Moses, author of the creation account in Genesis, | | | | (Big Bang). How was Moses aware of this? |
| had been educated in Egypt. Ancient Egypt | | | | • The beginning was not by chance. The |
| flourished from 3000 BC until the first centuries | | | | beginning did not just happen; it occurred because |
| AD. Its successes were largely based on the | | | | God caused it ("God created…"). Big Bang |
| irrigation of the Nile valley, early development of | | | | cosmology still has no answer to that claim. |
| basic writing, trade with surrounding regions, and | | | | • Original conditions were not suited for |
| military strength. Egyptians believed in a complex | | | | life: Whatever the precise condition of earth's |
| network of multiple gods and an afterlife that | | | | primordial atmosphere might have been, scientists |
| emphasized the preservation of the body; hence, | | | | agree it could not have supported life. Genesis |
| mummies. Moses' Egyptian background is also | | | | confirms added steps were needed once the |
| evident in his choice of words throughout the | | | | earth was created. |
| Hebrew text. | | | | • Non-life preceded life. Vegetation |
| This is the background against which the Genesis | | | | preceded animal life: According to Genesis, God |
| account should be read and understood. People | | | | created plant life at the end of the third day. This |
| 3,500 years ago had no concept of "knowledge" | | | | is consistent with natural science, which claims |
| like we have in our time. That which could not be | | | | amino acids form proteins or RNA which lead to |
| seen or experienced personally would be beyond | | | | living organisms. Vegetation is essential to produce |
| their ability to understand. | | | | oxygen for our atmosphere so that animal life |
| In Genesis, much emphasis is placed upon creation | | | | could appear. |
| "days" (translated from the Hebrew word yowm | | | | • Simple preceded complex: The fossil |
| In English-speaking circles these days are | | | | record leads to the conclusion of natural science |
| commonly interpreted to be 24-hour days. As | | | | that simple organisms preceded more complex life |
| noted above in chapter 2, these "days" should not | | | | forms. Genesis describes the same order of |
| be the focal point of discussion. Given the | | | | events. |
| background of Jewish people, including Moses, | | | | • Mankind appears at the end: According |
| events far distant in time would make little sense | | | | to scientific observations, modern man appeared |
| and likely could not be understood. The use of | | | | once recently in the geological record, later than all |
| yowms to describe the process of creation | | | | other life forms. Genesis teaches that God |
| seems a logical choice to convey a difficult | | | | created mankind on the last day of creation. |
| concept in a language and account that could be | | | | Amazing, even mind-boggling! Those words come |
| grasped by Moses' contemporaries. | | | | to mind when one realizes how accurately the |
| Independent on whether yowm is a 24-hour day | | | | 3,500-year-old Genesis account describes what |
| or some other expression of time, the text of | | | | human science has only figured out over the last |
| the first chapter of Genesis shows some | | | | 50 years or so. More than any generation before |
| remarkable insights: | | | | us, we have the scientific knowledge that shows |
| • There is one God: The vast majority | | | | that Moses was correct. But how could Moses |
| of ancient religions are polytheistic, just like the | | | | have known - unless by revelation from God - |
| Egyptian beliefs. Genesis sets forth the concept | | | | how our world came to be? |
| of One God. | | | | |