Hello, Nate...
I'm interested in hearing your take on something. As a man of God, how would you interpret the passages Ivory and I looked at earlier?
Job 26:7........He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Job 26:10.......He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
Isaiah 40:21....Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Isaiah 40:22....[It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof [are] as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Proverbs 8:27...When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:If you have the time, could you please translate these passages into layman's terms...considering the overall context? I'm curious as to whether I'm reading these passages correctly or not.
Thank you in advance, sir. ;D
What's up Beej? One of the loving characteristics about God is that, though there are many things we will never understand until this age is over, there are some revealed attributes about God in the bible spoken in anthropomorphic terms. That is, God speaks in terms that humans can understand. He does this by working through us that relate to the times we live and the situations that occurs in our lives.
Job 26:7........He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing.
This passage seems to speak about the earth, and it's truest theory. The hanging or suspension of earth in the emptiness or void in space is stated. The north, as we all know in geographic terms, always seems to speak of being the pinnacle or as spoken of in scripture, is the highest point of the earth ( Isa 14:13 ). A stretched out tent or canopy is thought of or equal to heaven's vault which is the northern hemisphere. This passage demonstrates the omnipotence of God. Everyplace in the heavens declares God's handywork and supernatural "craftmanship."
Job 26:10.......He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
The circle of Earth's horizon is indicative of earth's globed shape. The earths's round form or globe (whenever i say globe, i always think of that model in almost every classroom) is compared to the southern hemisphere( Job 9:9 Again God's incredible power is displayed though his creation and the holding together of this world. When i look all around me, His infinite power is seen everywhere, whether it is in the heavens on earth or under the earth. Gen 1:4, 6, 9 say that the bounding of the light from darkness is similarly brought into range with the bounding of the waters.
Isaiah 40:21....Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Whether a person is a Christian, Atheist, Buddhist. Christian Scientist, Hindu, Muslim or whatever, they, we have known deep within us that there is an infinite or supernatural being at work in the univerese. His glory in the heavens shows whether the skies are clear or cloudy. Since the beginning, humankind has known that someone greater than ourselves has initiated creation. Nothing we could do by way of description or explanation could accurately do God justice for who He is and His invisible attributes that are clealy seen through creation. There is no God above or besides Him, the one true King of the universe.
Isaiah 40:22....[It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof [are] as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Though it may not seem like it, God Is In Control. Nothing that happens takes Him by surprise or catches Him off guard. He knows the end from the beginning. Even Satan can do nothing without the permissive will of God. Evident of this is when He had to asks God for permission to afflict Job and also to "sift Peter as wheat". Scientist say that the universe is ever expanding. God is still moving His had over His creation. He sees the whole picture while we see only in part and what is temporal. "All souls are Mine" and "everything that is in it is Mine", declares God.
The following is a commentary by Matthew Henry:
22. "He that has the special residence of his glory in the upper world maintains a dominion over this lower world, gives law to it, and directs all the motions of it to his own glory. He sits undisturbed upon the earth, and so establishes it. He is still stretching out the heavens, his power and providence keep them still stretched out, and will do so till the day comes that they shall be rolled together like a scroll. He spreads them out as easily as we draw a curtain to and fro, opening these curtains in the morning and drawing them close again at night. And the heaven is to this earth as a tent to dwell in; it is a canopy drawn over our heads."
Proverbs 8:27...When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth
By faith we believe that God created the universe by His wisdom. His wisdom is Christ. Christ the God man, fully God and equal to God before creation and the God man, fully God and man when He walked the earth (that's complicated isn't it?) and Everything was made by, for and through Jesus. Jesus was with God (who is the uncaused first cause of all things) from eternity past.
Matthew Henry Pens:
The nature and riches of Wisdom.
Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence. Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He hates pride and arrogance, evil ways and froward conversation; these
render men unwilling to hear his humbling, awakening, holy instructions. True religion gives men the best counsel in all difficult cases, and helps to make their way plain. His wisdom makes all truly happy who receive it in the love of Christ Jesus. Seek him early, seek him earnestly, seek him before any thing else. Christ never said, Seek in vain. Those who love Christ, are such as have seen his loveliness, and have had his love shed abroad in their hearts; therefore they are happy.
I am neither a scholar or theologian, yet i hope i have shed some light on what you have asked through my own personal interpretations, the bible and Matthew Henry. There are a multitude of works out there Beej;
By scholars and authors such as Norman L. Geisler:"Apologetics in the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism" with David K. Clark
"Signs and Wonders"
"When Critics Ask" with Thomas Howe
Ravi Zacharias:
"Who Made God?: And Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith " with Norman L. Geisler
"Can Man Live Without God "
"The Real Face of Atheism"
"Kingdom Of the Cults" by Walter Martin-updated and revised by Ravi Zacharias
Lee Strobel:
"The Case For Christ"
"The Case For A Creator"
"The Case For Faith"
"The Case For Easter"
God Bless You and family.
-Nate "Boomer"
