In each of the following cases, the Biblical writer had an
opportunity to either state the widely held erroneous belief of his
day, or to state a
factually true description. In each case what was stated was true,
demonstrating knowledge beyond the writer's ability and thus
necessarily from God.
| FACT AS STATED IN BIBLE | BIBLICAL REFERENCE | COMMON BELIEF OF DAY IN WHICH AUTHOR LIVED |
| Blood is essential to life. | Leviticus 17:11-14 | Disease and spirits reside in blood. To cure disease, bleed patient. |
| Both male and female possess "seed of life." | Genesis 3:15; 22:18 | Male has baby in him. Woman = incubator |
| Eating blood of animals forbidden. | Leviticus 17:12,14 | Raw blood used as beverage. |
| Do not eat animal that died naturally. | Leviticus 17:15 | No restrictions on manner of death. |
| Quarantine of certain diseases. | Leviticus 13-15 | No isolation of diseased. |
| Do not eat pork, scavengers (in Moses' day). | Leviticus 11 | No food restrictions. |
| Principles of avoiding bacterial contamination--one person to another. | Leviticus 15:19-33 | No rules of hygiene or isolation. |
| Human waste products to be buried. | Deuteronomy 23:12-14 | Human waste left on ground. |
| Human body can be opened for surgery. | Genesis 2:21 | First operations done secretly because populace threatened doctors. |
| Burning clothes, washing self after contact with deceased man or animal. | Numbers 19:5-22 | No recognition of contagion problems. |
| Earth is round, day and night taking place simultaneously. | Isaiah 40:22
Proverbs 8:27 Luke 17:34 |
Earth is flat. |
| Earth is not physically supported. | None mentioned and Job 26:7 | Earth held up by four elephants or Atlas (a man), etc. |
| The North is empty (our North Pole points out of our galaxy). | Job 26:7 | Seeing a few stars to the North refuted this idea until 1932. |
| Space and stars are too large to be measured or counted. | Genesis 15:5 | Attempts to number the astronomical bodies went on until 1932. |
| The creation sequence--plants, water creatures, birds, mammals, man, in that order. | Genesis 1:11-28 | Most had man first. All varied from correct concept. |
| The age of everything in the creation is the same. | Genesis 1:1 | Different times for different objects. |
| The continents have "floated" away from a singular original land mass. | Genesis 1:9 Genesis 10:25 |
Each continent was autonomous (until 1970). |
| Herbert Spencer's scientific principles. | Genesis 1 | No scientific system of statements. |
| Lighting is produced naturally. | Jeremiah 10:13; 51:16 | Gods throw lighting bolts. |
| All men are blood relatives. | Acts 17:26 | Men have different origins. |
| The water cycle. | Ecclesiates 1:7
Job 36:27, 28 |
Gods pour new water on land continuously. |
| Use of genetics in livestock. | Genesis 30:30-43 | No recognition of inherited physical properties. |
| Snow and ice seen as valuable. | Job 38:22 | Snow and ice seen as a scourge and waste. |
| Seaworthy ratio for ship construction-30 x 5 x 3. | Genesis 6:15 | Ships ratio not considered; only the beauty. |
| Concepts of id and ego. | Romans 7 | God induced behavior explanations. |
| Animals can be changed (mutated). | Genesis 3:14 | No change possible. |
| Directional correctness. | Luke 10:30 | Directional error. |
| Distance accuracy. | Luke 24:13 | Errors in distances. |
| Hittite nation's existence. | Genesis 10:15; 23:10; 25:9 |
Denied until 1906. |
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5/1/2009