Firstly, great emphasis is given that the contents of this series are intended to give Biblical information and insights on some of its contents. They are not intended to scare or offend anyone. It is one’s prerogative to read and never be shoved into one’s throat.
This piece is a simple sharing of bible passages. It doesn’t endorse any specific faith, religion, denomination, system of beliefs or theology aside from those in the bible.
It is in the “exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference” as provided by The Philippine Constitution that this article was made.
If you find them scary, intimidating or offensive, please feel free to take them with a grain of salt and regard them like a badly written movie script.
The bible is not a science book
This series would like to give proofs that there are scientific facts mentioned in the bible way before they were proven to be such.
Before going to the scientific facts, the bible made clear what kind of book is it. It is intended for those who want eternal life. It is not a medicine, science, logic, or history book. Many tend to forget this.
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40, New King James Version
So, this piece is not to be used as a scientific reference. This piece is made to point out that the bible is giving accurate and truthful information, even in the scientific field.
Biblical reliability enhanced by immunity to changes
There’s a saying change, along with death, are the only permanent things in life. While change applies to many situations, it is not to several biblical stories.
When the bible speaks of general scientific knowledge during its time, the truth of the claims it laid out then are immune to changes bound to happen. This immunity to change of biblical claims makes them still factual, both during the time it was written and today.
It is by the presence of these claims that one cannot simply ignore this book and its contents. When this book claimed scientific facts that are not outdated and still applicable to this day, there is a good chance the spiritual matters it is talking about are true as well.
The bible’s scientific calling card
Isaiah 40:22 (see first topic in the list) is likely the “calling card” of the bible for this series, it shows at least three claims that are proven by multiple scientific facts to be undeniably true. The fact that this was written years before sufficient scientific advancement produced evidences to back its claims showed the bible contains scientific knowledge still undiscovered during its writing.
Here are some samples of scientific biblical information that was stated way before their time and proven to confer with future discovery of their evidences:
The number of stars approximates the number of grains of sand in the sea shores
This comparison is most certainly the greatest mathematics statement the bible made and one of the best scientific facts it it declared.
God once made a promise to Abraham, saying: 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. …” Genesis 22:17, New International Version
This is a bold statement made by Moses, the supposed writer of Genesis, if he came up with this comparison on his own. By sheer observation during the time Genesis was written, it is foolish and craziness to conclude stars are as many as the sand grains along seashores of the earth.
According to scientific estimates, the naked eye can see about 10,000 stars at most. Given the ball shape of the earth and daylight is shining on half of it, only about 5,000 at most can be seen at a time.
It would take hundreds of years later for modern scientific knowledge to confirm the number of stars approximates the number of grains of sand along the earth’s sea shore.
Just how many stars are in the sky and grains of sand on earth’s seashore? Here’s what science says:
According to an article of Fraser Cain in universe.com, there are 100 to 400 billion stars in the Milky Way and more than 100 billion galaxies in the Universe, maybe as many as 500 billion.
By simple multiplication of stars by galaxies, at the low end, you get 10 billion billion stars, or 10 sextillion stars in the Universe, a 1 followed by 22 zeros. At the high end, it’s 200 sextillion.
On the other hand, Cain referred to the calculation of Dr. Jason Marshall that there about 700 trillion cubic meters of beach of earth, and that works out to around 5 sextillion grains of sand. Marshall said his math is a rough estimate, and he could be off by a factor of 2 either way. So it could be 2.5 sextillion or there could be 10 sextillion grains of sand on all the world’s beaches.
So, if one compares the lowest estimate of the number of stars to the highest estimate of the number of grains of sand, they are about same.
However, on the average, stars likely outnumber the grains of sand all the world’s beaches by 5 to 10 times.
In conclusion, there is no way Moses could make this comparison if he was just relying what is seen in the sky at night.
It would take somebody knowledgeable about space and galaxies at the time Genesis was written to accurately declare this comparison.
It is beyond human capability during the time Genesis was written to be ascertained that both stars and grains of sand on the shore are “infinite” because they could not be physically counted.
For more science in the bible, click to go straight to specific scientific fact mentioned in the bible:
Isaiah 40:22, the bible’s scientific calling card
The number of stars approximates the number of grains of sand in the sea shores
Stars have different glories
There is alternate day and night on different parts of the earth
The earth is habitable and given to men but the heavens are God’s
The earth is free-floating in space
Heavenly bodies have an end
It is hot inside the earth
Molting of Eagles
The bible mentions water cycle
Isaiah 40:22: the earth is a circle, its inhabitants are likened to grasshoppers, and a “tent” envelops and makes it habitable when viewed from above
This particular verse in the book of Isaiah paints one of the most accurate biblical scientific pictures described at a time way before science discovered and proved them to be absolutely true.
The bible claims laid down by this verse were then considered “laughable”, silly theories at the time they were made.
“It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” Isaiah 40:22 ESV
This verse hits several birds with one stone.
The prophet Isaiah painted a picture of God looking at earth from above and what He would see. That picture was proven to 100% accurate in at least three aspects.
- The Bible said the earth is circular, or a circle, when viewed from space. There should be nor argument here as many well-publicized evidences, from the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan completing a voyage around the earth, to powerful telescopes used on land and in the air and satellite pictures now confirm Isaiah’s picture to be a hundred percent accurate with respect to the earth’s shape.
- The earth’s moving inhabitants, humans and animals, are likened to grasshoppers. Accurate again. This is not hard to prove, just imagine viewing a flat, grassy land below full of grasshoppers atop a hill. The analogy is perfectly applicable.
- God spread “the heavens” like a net or tent around the earth so man will have a suitable home. This is the aspect that makes this the scientific calling card of the bible. It shows somebody must have been designing how the final outcome of the earth should be.
Even though the earth is technically not the center of the solar system, science discoveries from man’s perspective will make one feel the structure or construction of the system is geared towards life preservation on this small planet.
The atmosphere
Firstly, here’s how the atmosphere plays the “tent”. It supports all life forms on earth because it essentially provides the air humans and animals breathe and plants use to manufacture their food in a wonderful cycle.
Humans and animals start the cycle by undergoing respiration process where humans and animals convert oxygen into carbon dioxide. Plants then complete the cycle through the photo-synthesis process where plants use sunlight convert carbon dioxide in the air into oxygen.
Consider this scientific fact: In normal situations, man can live for few weeks without food, few days without water, but only a few minutes without air.
Second, it supports proper combustion that is essential to life but harmful when uncontrolled.
Science established that fire is one of the basic needs for life survival.
If the oxygen level is increased, man will lose vegetation due to fires. This is so because even a small fire, which feeds off oxygen, would be difficult to put off, making it uncontrollable.
If the oxygen level is lowered, it would not be enough to start one.
Thirdly, there are several other wonderful uses of the atmosphere permanently etched around the earth:
3.1. It offers protection from ultra violet rays which have various harmful without the ozone layer.
3.2. It regulates the earth’s temperature to levels tolerable by earthly life forms. It traps heat from being released into outer space. This is known as the greenhouse effect.
3.3. It serves as medium for completion of the water cycle and other weather patterns through precipitation
3.4. It Protects humans from falling meteorites and other space debris.
3.5. It makes voice communication possible because sound waves travel through air.
3.6. It allows humans and animals to cover distances faster through air travel.
3.7. It allows modern technology to advance by hosting satellite orbits.
The outer space near earth
Lastly, consider the marvel of heavenly bodies working in unison for comfortable life on earth.
The sun, through its heat and light, is one of the basic necessities for life to survive on earth.
The Sun warms the seas, stirs the atmosphere, generates weather patterns, and gives energy to the growing green plants that provide the food and oxygen.
The other planets and heavenly bodies are collaborating in order for each and every one of them to follow a certain path or orbit for the completion of a wonderful pattern and avoid collision that will lead to chaos. It’s a wonder how the earth is not crashing into the sun despite its being a bigger body with greater gravitational pull.
Not to mention the effect of this shift to the other planets and heavenly bodies in the solar system.
Here are other bible authors confirming God’s bird’s eye view perspective:
24for He views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. Job 24:28, NIV
13The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. 14From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; Psalms 33:P13-14, NKJV
Stars have different glories
Photo credit: Hubble Space telescope (https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic0607a/)
There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.1 Corinthians 15:41 , NKJV
To simplify the scientific understanding of this bible quotation, consider classifications of stars according to spectra and their temperature. There are seven main types of stars. In the Morgan–Keenan (MK) system, stars are classified as O, B, A, F, G, K, and M, in order of decreasing temperature.
Just compare the sun with other kinds of stars to appreciate the differences of glory that the bible is speaking of.
The sun is classified as a G star. Its surface temperature is about 5,778 K, (degrees Kelvin). That is about 5,505 °C. Its radius is about 696,340 kilometers (km)
According to http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu.com, the earth receives light that is equivalent to 13 100-watt bulbs + 1 70-watt bulb over a 1 meter x 1 meter area.
“O” stars have surface temperature over five times that of the sun, radius 15 times longer, 1.4 million times more luminous, and is 60 times denser.
Compared the sun, “B” stars have surface temperature 2-5 times hotter, radius that is 7 times longer, 20,000 times brighter, and 18 times denser.
“A” stars have surface temperature 1.5-2 times hotter than the sun, radius that is 2.5 times longer, 80 times brighter, and 3.2 times denser.
“F” stars have surface temperature 1-1.5 times hotter than the sun, radius that is 1.3 times longer, 6 times brighter, and 1.7 times denser.
“K” stars have surface temperature 15-40% colder than the sun, radius that is shorter by 10%, 60% dimmer, and density of 80%.
“M” stars have surface temperature that is at least 40% colder than the sun, radius that is shorter by 60%, has luminosity of only 4% of the sun, and density of 80%.
Even though Paul can clearly observe that there are stars brighter than others, the range of variations on surface temperatures, radius, brightness, and density clearly proves the scientific truthfulness of the “difference in glory’ appearing in the verse written at a time when these measurements were not yet available.
There is alternate day and night on different parts of the earth
30“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Luke 17: 30, 34-35, NIV
Notice the situation insinuated: Jesus Christ painted a picture that some people are asleep during the night while others are performing daytime chores in a farm or field on the day he will be coming back.
We now understand that this situation is only possible if one side of the earth is facing a light source while the other is covered from the light source.
This declaration on day and night events simultaneously happening was made way, way before the discovery of the earth rotating on its axis while receiving light from a stationary sun.
The earth is habitable and given to men but the heavens are God’s
15May you be blessed by the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 16The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men. Psalm 115:15-16, New King James Version
Let’s simplify it: whatever the purpose of heavenly bodies outside the earth’s atmosphere is in God’s hands. Anything inside the earth’s atmosphere are intended for humans to live in and enjoy.
18For this is what the Lord says – he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited – he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:18, NIV
When these were written, the amount of knowledge on planets and heavenly bodies was very, very pale compared with what we know today.
Ironically, advancement of science and technology reinforced the validity of this biblical claim.
While many enjoyed sci-fi series like Star Wars and Star Trek, bringing human life permanently out of the earth by means of human-made processes to expand the habitat area is fiction based on realistic conditions today.
It is not surprising that there are unbelievable scientific discoveries and improvements related to matters within the earth’s atmosphere. However, the discovery for habitat expansion for mankind in outer space is moving slower than the laziest walking turtle there is.
As it sits today, scientists and astronomers could not even consider Mars or Venus, earth’s nearest neighbor planets, a viable habitat for humans. The same goes for the nearest heavenly body to our planet, earth’s own moon.
NASA confirms temperatures on the moon’s lunar equator at daytime will reach a boiling 120°C while nighttime temperatures get to a chilly -130° C.
First, the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle must be mimicked if humans are to live there, Then, even if this happens, the sudden swings of temperature on the moon must be remedied if living conditions provided by the earth are to be duplicated.
Lastly, here’s Gerard t’Hooft, a Dutch theoretical physicist and and co-winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics, stating why it is improbable to entertain trying to find a human home in any part of space outside the earth’s atmosphere:
No wonder powerful and rich countries would rather spend their resources to expand or defend their earthly territories rather than focus on racing to find new homes in outer space.
They must have concluded it is not worth going after space travel. Simply said, outer space is reserved for God as the bible clearly set more than a couple of thousand years ago.
The earth is free-floating in space
He stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. Job 26:7, NKJV
Job is the one speaking here, describing God’s majesty.
The picture illustration from NASA above speak for itself. All planets, including the earth, hangs free of physical support while orbiting the sun.
What is amazing about this bible claim is while people of this generation doesn’t have much argument on this fact having been informed in elementary schools, this revolutionary idea was presented hundreds of years ago when this NASA picture was not even remotely imagined by the human mind!
This adds demonstration to the kind of knowledge the authors of the bible have. Job must have lots of guts to say this about God’s work because if this is debunked hundreds of years after it is written, all contents of the bible would become highly dubious. This is why believers are firm on their belief that the scriptures are inspired and preserved by God Himself.
It turned out the earth is indeed hanging from nothing as the the bible states, a claim now reinforced with modern discoveries.
Heavenly bodies have an end
25Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26They will perish, but You will endure; Psalm 102: 25-26, NKJV
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35 and Luke 21:33, NKJV
Science indeed confirm this. An article by NASA confirms stars will eventually burn out.
According to NASA, a star’s life is a constant struggle against the force of gravity. Gravity constantly works to try and cause the star to collapse. The star’s core, however, is very hot which creates pressure within the gas. A star is okay as long as the star has equilibrium between gravity pulling the star inwards and pressure pushing the star outwards.
During most a star’s lifetime, the interior heat and radiation is provided by nuclear reactions in the star’s core.
When the star runs out of nuclear fuel, it comes to the end of its time on the main sequence. The nuclear reactions to produce internal heat will no longer generate sufficient heat to support the star against its own gravity and the star will collapse.
Earth’s sun, a star, will spend about 10 billion years during the time when its interior heat and radiation is provided by nuclear reactions in the star’s core. However, a more massive star uses its fuel faster and may only be on the main sequence for millions of years.
Eventually the core of the star runs out of hydrogen. When that happens, the star can no longer hold up against gravity. Its inner layers start to collapse, which squishes the core, increasing the pressure and temperature in the core of the star. While the core collapses, the outer layers of material in the star to expand outward. The star expands to larger than it has ever been – a few hundred times bigger!
What happens next depends on the mass of the star.
Medium-sized stars (up to about 7 times the mass of the Sun) will shed most of its mass, forming a cloud of material called a planetary nebula. The core of the star will cool and shrink, leaving behind a small, hot ball called a white dwarf. A white dwarf doesn’t collapse against gravity because of the pressure of electrons repelling each other in its core.
Massive stars, however, a more spectacular ending: exploding tremendously, called a supernova. About 75% of the mass of the star is ejected into space in the supernova. If the left-over core is about 1.4 to 5 times the mass of our Sun, it will collapse into a neutron star. If the core is larger, it will collapse into a black hole. (Source: NASA)
If the earth’s sun dies, life on earth will likely be wiped out long before that happens. That’s because the sun is actually already growing brighter.
All the rocks and fossils and remains of the creatures that have lived here will be gobbled up by the sun’s growing orb, wiping out any lingering trace of humanity’s existence on Earth.
Not all scientists agree with this interpretation. Some suspect the sun will stop growing just before fully engulfing our planet. Other scientists have suggested schemes for moving Earth deeper into the solar system by slowly increasing its orbit. (Source: Discover Magazine)
It is hot inside the earth
5As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire; Job 28:5 NKJV. 5Food grows on the ground above. But underground it is different, as if everything were melted by fire. Job 28:5, Easy To Read version.
Here’s National Geographic’s description of the earth’s interior:
The Earth’s interior is composed of four layers, three solid and one liquid, not magma but molten metal, nearly as hot as the surface of the sun.
The deepest layer is a solid iron ball, about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) in diameter. Although this inner core is white hot, the pressure is so high the iron cannot melt.
The iron isn’t pure—scientists believe it contains sulfur and nickel, plus smaller amounts of other elements. Estimates of its temperature vary, but it is probably somewhere between 9,000 and 13,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5,000 and 7,000 degrees Celsius).
Above the inner core is the outer core, a shell of liquid iron. This layer is cooler but still very hot, perhaps 7,200 to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit (4,000 to 5,000 degrees Celsius). It too is composed mostly of iron, plus substantial amounts of sulfur and nickel. It creates the Earth’s magnetic field and is about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) thick.
The next layer is the mantle. Many people think of this as lava, but it’s actually rock. The rock is so hot, however, that it flows under pressure, like road tar. This creates very slow-moving currents as hot rock rises from the depths and cooler rock descends.
The mantle is about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) thick and appears to be divided into two layers: the upper mantle and the lower mantle. The boundary between the two lies about 465 miles (750 kilometers) beneath the Earth’s surface.
The next layer is the mantle. Many people think of this as lava, but it’s actually rock. The rock is so hot, however, that it flows under pressure, like road tar. This creates very slow-moving currents as hot rock rises from the depths and cooler rock descends.
The mantle is about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) thick and appears to be divided into two layers: the upper mantle and the lower mantle. The boundary between the two lies about 465 miles (750 kilometers) beneath the Earth’s surface.
Molting of Eagles
1Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 5Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1,5 NKJV
It is interesting that the comparison used is an eagle. Just how is the youth of an eagle renewed?
Well, the bird’s feathers are replaced throughout its life. The process is called molting.
According to the American Eagle Foundation, Eagles go through a molting experience with their feathers. The molting process is still not precisely understood. Molt can be affected by a variety of biological and welfare factors (such as food supply, density of other eagles, and others), and not all molts are always complete molts.
Once they achieve their final “adult” plumage, it is likely that Bald Eagles molt their flight feathers just about every year. However, some evidence of molting can be seen at almost any time of the year.
This flight feather molt is not simultaneous; rather, matched flight feathers are generally lost at separate times, so the birds are never left flightless.
Do the Psalmist know these facts at the time he wrote this? Very unlikely. Whoever wrote this verse must have a good understanding of modern biology of eagles.
The water cycle
The bible mentioned about the water cycle at a time when this fact was probably not understood although it may have been observable.
As many would probably know, the water cycle shows how water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and falls again to the surface as precipitation.
The water then travels on land through rivers and lakes, soil, and much of it flows back into the oceans, where it will once more evaporate.
Here’s some of the bible’s version of this sequences:
All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. (Ecclesiastes 1:7, NKJV)
And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ (2 Kings 3:16-17, NKJV)
“He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth – The Lord is His name. (Amos 9:6, NKJV)
“For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. (Job 36: 27-28, NKJV)
He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries. (Psalm 135:7, NKJV)
Master of the universe
The bible is clear on how all things started:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1.
These scientific facts contained in the bible just add more proofs to the credibility of this sweeping statement and the probability of its truthfulness.
Purpose of the bible
The bible made clear what kind of book is it. It is intended for those who want eternal life. It is not a medical, science, logic or history book. Many tend to forget this.
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. John 5:39-40, New King James Version
It also made its theme clear. While there are many tales narrated by the bible, one thing remains clear from start to finish: Humans caught in a crossfire between powerful adversaries and one of them, a loving God, is offering redemption/salvation.
The bible says the devil rebelled and continues to rebel against God and dragged humans along to be involved in this godly battle he started.
7And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. Revelation 12:7-8, NKJV
…she [Eve] took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband [Adam] with her, and he ate… And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the serpent…I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed…. Genesis 3: 6, 14-15, NKJV
12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:12, NIV
God’s love and the danger posed prompted Jesus to come to earth and provided everyone a way to get out of the mess.
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16, NKJV
8He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8, NKJV
These verses encapsulates what the new testament is for. If you are encourage by these verses, you are invited to search the bible deeper and find out more about Jesus and his teachings.
Conservative approach
The presence of spirits and unexplainable events and multiple scientific, medical, and logical reasons that supports the bible and its authors’ credibility project a possibility that God do exists. If you are still unconvinced of the existence of God despite these proofs, being conservative might be the best alternative here.
Accountants describe conservatism as selecting the option that would show the worst possible financial standing of a business entity when two or more unproven alternatives are available. This is to remove the user of the account’s output be exposed to a bigger risk in case the worst possible scenario happens.
As it stands, the risk of not believing in and obeying God far outweighs the benefits of doubting his existence. It might be best to act conservatively, believe what the bible says, until you have absolutely proven that there is indeed no God nor hell.
By: Armando M. Bolislis
If you are inspired and want to give Jesus a try, continue a deeper search of the bible, especially the New Testament. This will show you how to become his disciple. Always ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in your search.
If you feel the want or need to belong to a Christian church or organization, find one that preaches the Word of God and will help you improve your relationship with Christ and lead you to his eternal promises.
The theologies and doctrines about faith contained in this article are solely from God through the bible. The author is just an instrument used to spread the word for the glory of God. The personal opinions and suggestions on issues outside of biblical coverage from the author doesn’t necessarily reflect the stance of Baguio Herald Express management and staff.
Science is not a collection of facts. Science is a process for discovering the principles that govern how the universe works. Science was invented in the 17th century by men.
Science in the Bible? One thing that is unassailable, literally everything in creation has a mathematical foundation. Our existence as humans would not be but for the Genetic Code! Yet, before science could even begin to comprehend, John 1 says. In the beginning was the Word! The Logos! the Calculation or code. ….And without the Logos was not anything made which was made.!! Science even refers to the Genetic Code as being like a machine code, but way beyond any computer code we can imagine creating ourselves for some far future time.