The Word of God, the biblical account of the sun, moon, and stars differs from what we are taught in school regarding the Big Bang and the heliocentric model. Historians usually pose the church as the villain which resists the progress of science and truth. We are centuries past the introduction of the Copernican heliocentric theory’s general acceptance and the uproar that accompanied it. The church acquiesced, and what was previously debated is now regarded as fact, even though it has not been empirically proven using the so-called scientific method.
The conflict between Scripture and what is called science is age old and tests whether we will esteem God’s Word higher than the theories and pronouncements of men.
The passage of time tends to generate a general acceptance of what was once only a theory. Enormous pressure exists in the scientific community to accept the status quo, but real science and truth only advance when questions are asked and answers tested. The problem is that questions regarding cosmology and origins defy empirical testing.
I have already known a long time that we do not yet have proof for the system of Copernicus, but I shall not take the risk to be the first one attacking it —Alexander von Humboldt(1769-1859), Quoted in F.K. Schultze’s synopsis and translation of F.E. Pasche’s “Christliche Weltanschauuing
In this article I question some parts of our current reigning cosmology in pursuit of biblical truth.
I humbly ask you to consider what the Bible says in contrast to what so-called science claims and afterward make a decision regarding where you will stand in the matter.
I have come to believe that Satan must experience a perverted pleasure from convincing us to abandon God’s truth and embrace his lies. Jesus was not overstating things when he called him the “father of lies” (John 8:44), and Revelation tells us that he deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The longer I live, the more my eyes have been opened to the magnitude of the deception and the enormous numbers of people who participate in it.
Satan’s deceptions are always designed to make us question God’s words, hide God’s glory, and enslave us.
The Bible says that the devil’s lies create spiritual strongholds which resist God’s truth. (2 Cor. 10:4-5) Another name for this is brainwashing. When a lie is repeated to us over and over again, we tend to believe it, especially if those doing the lying are esteemed by us. In our culture, I believe that scientists are often the culprits. We have been trained from childhood that their proclamations are true, even if they are based on mere speculation. When a brainwashed person is confronted with truth, he or she initially resists it, thinking that it is false because it runs counter to their programming. Sometimes it takes repeated encounters with truth before we start to open ourselves to it.
My hope is that you will at least consider what I have written here, even if it challenges your own status quo. I hope we can agree that the pursuit of truth is a worthwhile journey.
The Bible vs “Science”
Here is what Genesis teaches us about the heavenly luminaries.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Genesis 1:14–15 (NKJV)
The Hebrew word for “light” means a luminary, light bearer or producer, or lamp. God gave us these luminaries to “divide the day from the night,” generally to provide light for us, and to be for signs, seasons, days, and years. Our days are regulated by what the Bible calls the “circuit” (Psalm 19:6) of the sun. It has been measured at 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59.99… seconds, essentially 24 hours – the solar day. The moon’s “circuit” is different and has “phases” that have been used for centuries to measure months in 28-day cycles. The stars’ circuit around Polaris, the north star which for centuries has remained fixed over the north pole, is called the sidereal day and lasts 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 41 seconds. Astronomers have developed a complex theory of celestial motion to try to explain why the solar day is a different length from the sidereal one, since both depend on the rotation of the earth, if we use the heliocentric explanation of things. For the average person, this explanation is “beyond our pay grade,” which invites us to lay aside our own reasoning power and rely on the “experts.”
In one year, the stars always return to their same position in the sky, which is quite remarkable (I would say unbelievable.), if we accept the Big Bang tenet of faith that the entire universe is constantly expanding at incredible speeds. If one does an internet search to find out how fast, one realizes that the answers are largely unintelligible for the average person. Some say our galaxy is racing through the universe at over a million miles per hour. This obviously requires us to take a leap of faith that the “experts” are telling us the truth. I find that such thinking is unbelievable, considering that the stars have remained in fixed positions in the night sky through the centuries. The only way that heliocentrists can somehow try to account for this is to say that they are so incomprehensibly far away that there is no observed parallax. This would require the stars to be phenomenally large. The Bible makes no such claim. It says they are in the firmament and are not “sun” but are luminaries.
Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: ‘Ye must have faith.’ —Max Planck
Theoretical physics is derived from math, not experimentation. Nicola Tesla, generally regarded as one of the most brilliant true scientists of all time, and a contemporary of Einstein, had little regard for the latter’s work.
Today’s scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality. —Nikola Tesla
A prominent modern theoretical physicist and string theory proponent, Michio Kaku, agreed with Tesla.
Nobody that I know of in my field uses the so-called scientific method. In our field it is by the seat of your pants, leaps of logic. It is guesswork. —Michio Kaku, C-SPAN Interview (Source)
After talking with Kaku about string theory and dimensions, William Shatner of Star Trek fame said that he concluded that science and science fiction are the same thing.
A good example of obfuscating the truth behind incomprehensible math is Einstein’s theory of special relativity, which he developed after the surprising findings of the Michelson-Morley experiment. That experiment shot a light beam east-west and north-south, expecting there to be a difference based on the assumed motion of the earth around the sun. The unexpected result was that there was no difference, leading Morley to conclude that the earth was not moving.
The data [of Michelson-Morley] were almost unbelievable… There was only one other possible conclusion to draw – that the earth was at rest. – Physicist Bernard Jaffe, Michelson and the Speed of Light, 1960, p.76.
Einstein was a confirmed Copernican and developed his theory of special relativity to explain away the results. He employed a logical fallacy called “begging the question” by “proving” the motion of the earth by assuming the motion of the earth. Einstein took the “leap of faith” that the metal enclosure contracted because of the earth’s motion, thus accounting for the unexpected results. This gave theoretical physicists an imaginary mathematical solution, which has never been empirically verified, which allowed them to keep the Copernican system intact. I believe that Einstein and others have chosen to “suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18) because they are unwilling to consider that what the Bible claims is true: the earth is at rest with the heavenly bodies moving around it. I believe this is another case of the religion of pseudoscience masquerading as the truth.
Personally, if I must take a “leap of faith,” it will be to assert God’s Word is true, even if it contradicts the generally accepted theories of modern astrophysicists.
Returning to our exploration of what God says about the sun, moon, and stars, the Bible tells us that these luminaries are located in the firmament, which I believe is a mysterious firm boundary which separates the waters above and the third heaven where God’s throne is located from what lies below. (See previous article.)
Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:16–19 (NKJV)
The exact nature and extent of the firmament is unknown to us, but the Bible affirms that it is the location of the sun, moon, and stars. This seems to preclude that they are “astronomical” distances from us. Since God chose to withhold details from us, we must accept his words without having complete understanding. God created us to operate by faith. (2 Cor. 5:7) Everyone operates by certain unprovable assumptions (presuppositions) and must believe in someone or something because no one knows everything. This is true for the Christian as well as the theoretical physicist.
Whether we choose to believe in God or “science,” it takes faith.
The Bible says that the sun and moon are both light sources, which opposes accepted science that claims the moon is a spherical reflector of the sun’s light. If science is correct, one would expect the moon to reflect light as a sphere would, which would be brightest at the center of sphere and fading toward the edges.
However, the moon is evenly lit across its surface. Something does not add up about this luminary. There are things about the moon and cosmos that we do not yet understand. I believe it is a mistake to dismiss God’s Word as our authority when it comes to heavenly bodies just because it does not agree with accepted theoretical physics.
I believe it is safe to say that the Bible is true not only regarding morality but also the creation.
Does this not seem to be yet another case of “has God really said?” Have we been guilty of bowing our knee to “science” instead of to God and his words?
Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word... Isaiah 66:5 (NKJV)
About now I think I can hear the objection that NASA landed people on the moon, proving that it is a sphere. Did they? There is a vast amount of evidence that the entire thing was a sham. NASA spent billions on the Apollo project, but has quite inexplicably “lost” all the original video, audio, telemetry data, and rocket engine designs, and “destroyed” the technology. Don Pettit is a space station astronaut who has spent months there. Listen to his words.
In addition, more recently other occupants of the International Space Station have said that we have never been beyond lower earth orbit.
Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it, considering our government claims that we landed on the moon several times?
All government agencies lie part of the time, but NASA is the only one I’ve ever encountered that does so routinely. —George A. Keyworth, Science Advisor to President Regan in testimony before Congress, March 14, 1985
And let us not forget that today we have the ability to manufacture a false or virtual “reality” like never before in history. Those of us saw the movie, Gravity, were impressed by the amazing simulations of weightlessness and “outer space” that were produced in a movie studio with a large, but limited budget. From our point of view, it was impossible to tell it from the “real thing.” What could NASA produce with its yearly budget in the billions? If, as more and more people believe, the moon landings were an elaborate hoax filmed by the renowned director Stanley Kubrick, we have no direct proof that any claims made by NASA about the nature of the moon are true. Additionally, there are no true photographs of the earth from space, only computer generated images.
Robert Simmon, NASA’s Lead Data Visualizer and Information Designer, said, “My role is to make imagery from Earth sciences data. I turn data into pictures.” He came up with what is known as the blue marble image of a globular earth that is so ubiquitous today. (Not surprisingly, NASA has removed the video of his admitting that the blue marble rendition of globe earth was photo shopped.) Several versions have been released, which surprisingly show continents having differing sizes. Hmmm…
But we do have God’s unchangeable Word that never lies. (Numbers 23:19)
Psalm 19 supplies us with more truth regarding the sun.
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. 6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1–6 (NKJV)
Here the firmament is described as a tabernacle or tent for the sun, under or within which it travels a circuit or circular course.
Simply put, the Bible states that the sun moves, not the earth.
That this is the proper understanding is confirmed in the following passage from Joshua.
Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. Joshua 10:12–13 (NKJV)
Martin Luther, a contemporary of Copernicus, rejected his heliocentric theory based on the verse above combined with other scriptures, such as Psalm 19:6, Ecclesiastes 1:5, and Psalm 93:1, which state that the earth does not move, but the sun does.
Once again we are confronted with a crisis of faith: will we believe what the Bible says or what modern “science” tells us?
Since the Renaissance, the church has felt compelled to compromise the Word of God to make it conform to theoretical physics. We sometimes adopt a hermeneutic that God simply accommodated himself the the limited understanding of the authors of the Bible. Am I the only one uncomfortable with believing that God fudged the truth? My wife and I refused to lie to our children about Santa Claus lest we damage their faith somehow. Surely God would not lie to us, would he?
Personally, I am willing to assume that God is the one telling the truth, even though it requires me to assume others are lying. I certainly do not wish to call God a liar.
The stars, viewed with a powerful optical lens, look quite different than we have been led to expect by NASA. They seem to be shimmering luminaries as might appear if seen through water. Remember: the Bible tells us that there is water above the firmament.
My research leads me to believe that we have been fed a steady diet of CGIs regarding “outer space” instead of the truth?
In our day, I believe that “science” is the government’s religion, and scientists are its high priests.
If we dare question these high priests, we should be prepared to suffer for it in some way, even if it is simply to be dismissed as ridiculous. At this point, I cannot help but remember how Fauci claimed that Covid vaccine opponents were science deniers. We opposed the religion of the state and encountered its push back.
Scientists are not the paragons of rationality, objectivity, openmindedness and humility that many of them might like others to believe. —Marcello Truzzi, Professor of Sociology
It can be argued that Copernicus’ heliocentric theory was more of a religious / philosophical proposition than pure “science.” It elevated the sun to a sort of god status that holds things together; whereas, the Bible states that Jesus created and holds everything together through the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3). Here are Copernicus’ own words. Judge for yourself.
In the middle of all sits Sun enthroned. In this most beautiful temple could we place this luminary in any better position from which he can illuminate the whole at once? He is rightly called the Lamp, the Mind, the Ruler of the Universe: Hermes Trismegistus names him the Visible God, Sophocles’ Electra calls him the All-seeing. So the Sun sits as upon a royal throne ruling his children the planets which circle round him. The Earth has the Moon at her service. As Aristotle says, in his On Animals, the Moon has the closest relationship with the Earth. Meanwhile the Earth conceives by the Sun, and becomes pregnant with an annual rebirth. —Nicolaus Copernicus , De Revolutionibus, Of the Order of the Heavenly Bodies
Interestingly, the supposed missions to the moon were named after the Greek sun god, Apollo, who stands for Lucifer, the light bearer.
Science cannot be “scientific” without adhering to the scientific method. Modern astrophysics makes empirically unprovable pronouncements which we must accept by faith. This seems more like religion than science.
The motion of the sun, moon, and stars can be predicted without the heliocentric theory, as is proved by centuries of astronomers having accurate knowledge of celestial movements, including eclipses, before the advent of modern astronomy.
People need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the observations, For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its center, and you cannot disprove it based on observations. You can only exclude it on philosophical grounds. In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical criteria in choosing our models. A lot of cosmology tries to hide that. —Cosmologist George Ellis, in Scientific American, “Thinking Globally, Acting Universally”, October 1995
J.D. Bernal stated:
[Copernicus’] reasons for his revolutionary change were essentially philosophic and aesthetic,” and in a later edition he is more convinced that the “reasons were mystical rather than scientific —J. D. Bernal, Science in History, 1st edition, London, Watts, 1954; 2nd edition, 1965).
Nevertheless, now, many generations after his death, anyone who disputes his theory is deemed to be a scientific heretic and worthy of scorn. The actual scientific method encourages questioning, however.
Just as the serpent dismissed and scorned God’s words of warning in the garden so long ago, the hiss of the serpent can be detected in the way that which is called science casually and routinely dismisses the Bible’s claims.
Many modern “scientists” haughtily scorn God and the Bible while indoctrinating our society with anti-biblical “truths” with the purpose of pushing people further away from seeing the glory of God in his creation. The more we buy into an anti-God “scientific” narrative, the further we are likely to drift from the Bible’s truth and an appreciation for the Creator.
[Copernicus’] work, published in 1543, was called On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres. It stated that the center of the universe was a spot somewhere near the sun…The scheme met the requirements of philosophical and theological belief in circular motion. In every other respect, however, Copernicus struck at the heart of Aristotelian and Christian belief. He removed the Earth from the center of the universe and so from the focus of God’s purpose. In the new scheme man was no longer the creature for whose use and elucidation the cosmos had been created. His system also placed the Earth in the heavens, and in doing so removed the barrier separating the incorruptible from the corruptible. —James Burke, The Day the Universe Changed, p. 135
Conclusion
I believe there is an anti-God agenda in full swing on the earth, which influences every area of society and life beginning with cosmology, extending to theology, and ending perhaps with sexuality.
Satan wants us to doubt and dismiss every single word of God.
He starts by telling us that this world, instead of being fashioned by a loving and wise Creator, is random and chaotic, birthed by an explosion and is in danger of being annihilated at any moment by a wandering asteroid, a virus, war, pollution, climate change, or an alien invasion. He tells us that there are too many people and not enough food, even though God commanded us to be fruitful and multiply. He insists that humans are an evil “virus;” even though God says we are his highest creation, made in his image and likeness. He tells us that Christianity is bad; even though we proclaim the truth about the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer. He tells us that sex outside of marriage is normal, natural, and fulfilling; even though God forbids it, and we can clearly see how it has ravaged society. He tells us that children in the womb are not human at all and should be subject to the whims of the mother regarding being allowed to come to term and be born or not; even though God is involved with our development in the womb and knew us even before we were conceived. He tells us that we cannot be sure of what gender we are, when God says we are male and female. He encourages us to mutilate our bodies in the pursuit of trying to be different from how God made us, instead of humbly acknowledging our Creator in all things.
Would it be out of character for Satan and his minions to lie to us about the nature of the earth, sun, moon, and stars?
Obviously not, especially if doing so will interfere with our being able to recognize the Creator’s handiwork.
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)
I believe it is time for God-fearing Christians to reaffirm our allegiance to God’s Word as our authority on all of life, including the creation. As the apostle Paul said:
...Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar... Romans 3:4 (NKJV)
