| The Book of Nature- Part One -- What We Can Learn About God From Nature by Warren Krug (January-February, 2007) |
What would the reader think if he was told there is another revelation of God besides
the Holy Bible? Well, it's true, but we're not thinking about any "holy book" such as the
Book of Mormon or Koran that comes to us from another faith. We're talking about the
book of nature or what theologians refer to as the natural knowledge of God.
This revelation ought not to be so readily dismissed. We're told in Romans 1:18-20
(NIV), “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness
and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness since what may be
known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since
the creation of the world God's invisible qualities---his eternal power and divine
nature---have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that
men are without excuse.”
Simply put, this natural knowledge of God is so powerful that by merely looking at the
created world, people should realize there is a God. This knowledge should be enough
for them to amend their sinful ways and to begin searching for Him (“God did this so that
men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far
from each one of us.” Acts 17:27). On Judgment Day, nobody will have a good excuse
for unbelief. However, as we know, the natural revelation is incomplete—it does not tell
us nearly everything we need to know about sin and salvation.
I. What We Can Learn About God From the Book of Nature
A. God is powerful. The LORD in His discourse with Job referred many times to His
power. “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’ ”?
(Job 38:34-35)
1. Storms and Floods. We only have to think back to the devastation along the Gulf
coast after Hurricane Katrina to acknowledge the power of water when it comes in the
form of flooding. The best levees devised by engineers could not withstand the storm
surge, and up to 80% of New Orleans was flooded as well as many other cities near the
coast. The power of moving water can also be seen in the enormous amounts of
electricity produced by generators run by rivers, falls, and tides. 1
2. Lightning. A bolt of lightning can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That's about five
times the temperature of the surface of the sun. Lightning is powerful enough to turn
sand into glass. Lightning strikes the earth on average 100 times a second, and for
those people who believe lightning can't hit the same place twice, think again. The
Empire State Building on average gets hit by lightning 100 times a year. Lightning can
start forest fires, split trees, and, unfortunately, kill people, but your odds of being hit by
lightning during your lifetime are only about 1 in 280,000. 2
3. The sun. Every second 5 million tons of pure energy are released by the sun.
Compare this to the energy of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima whose power was
equivalent to only about 13,000 tons of TNT. The temperature inside the sun reaches
27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. We know about the ability of the sun's rays to burn
skin, to be turned into electricity by means of solar cells, and, of course, to maintain life
on this planet. 3
B. God has an eye for beauty. When speaking to Job, God also saw fit to point some
of His most beautiful creatures, the stars (Job 38:31--32), “Can you bind the beautiful
Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in
their seasons or lead the Bear with its cubs?” The Pleiades, sometimes called the “
Seven Sisters”, is part of the constellation Taurus. Orion is a well-known constellation.
“Bear” here undoubtedly refers to the constellation Ursa Maior or Great Bear, part of
which is the group of stars called the Big Dipper. 4
1. The stars. Is there anything more beautiful than the stars on a clear, dark night?
People ages ago saw pictures in the constellations. Stars today appear on our flag and
the flags of other countries, on Christmas trees, and even on football helmets. Paper
stars that glow in the dark are sometimes affixed to the ceilings of children's bedrooms
to soothe and comfort the youngsters and maybe help them fall to sleep. Our famous
singers, actors and athletes are called stars. Truly stars are near the top of God's
beautiful creatures.
2. Flowers. There are about 250,000 different kinds of flowering plants. 5 Not all of their
flowers are particularly attractive, but certainly there are scores of attractive flowers that
most everyone loves to look at and admire. Flowers are a symbol of affection or
thoughtfulness and are associated with weddings, sicknesses, celebrations, funerals,
and, yes, even worship services. Flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many
businesses owe their existence to the growing, sale, and delivery of flowers.
3. Snowflakes. We know that all snowflakes are more or less symmetrical and all have
six arms but otherwise can look far different. Scientists think the arms which grow
independently respond in a similar way to the environmental conditions around them as
they form, thus giving them all a similar appearance. 6 Snowflakes make lovely
ornaments for Christmas trees or room decorations. Newly fallen snowflakes together
make for a beautiful winter scene. Can anyone sing “I'm Dreaming of a White
Christmas?”
C. God is a wise and benevolent Designer. “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce
vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it,
according to their various kinds. And it was so...God made the wild animals according to
their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along
the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.’” (Genesis 1:
11 & 25)
1. Reproduction. According to the "mainstream" theory on origins, it is just a long series
of happy accidents that every one of the vast array of living creatures has found a
method of reproducing itself. This is difficult to believe because the original of every
species would have died out without this capacity. But we know from the book of
Genesis that the ability to reproduce was built into every creature right from the
beginning. Not only does every creature reproduce other creatures just like themselves,
but God sees to it that conditions are favorable for the survival of the species. For
instance, with rare exceptions, God has given to the mothers of the higher animals the
knowledge and desire to protect and care for their offspring. Among mammals, the
mothers' milk is perfectly suited just for that particular species so that the babies grow up
healthy and strong.
2. The solar system. Everything about our solar system is just right for the survival of
life on earth. The sun is the right color. If it were redder or bluer, photosynthesis in
plants would not be as effective. If the sun were larger, there would be too much high
energy radiation. If it were smaller, fewer species could survive on earth. If the earth
were nearer the sun, most water would boil away. If it were farther away, most of our
water would freeze. The earth's gravity, rotation period, tilt, magnetic field, crust
thickness, water vapor and ozone levels are among features that are just right for life on
this planet. 7
3. Ice. Water, unlike most other substances, expands as it freezes. This makes ice less
dense than liquid water and thus able to float on the surface, even if it is in the form of
a giant iceberg. Moreover, this tendency to expand doesn't begin until the cooling water
reaches 39.2 degrees F. The result is that icy cold water will move to the surface of a
lake or the ocean and warmer water will sink. If the water surface does freeze, water
below the ice will remain above the freezing point and the fish are protected. 8 Had not
God designed water to act in this way, ice would sink to the bottom and pretty soon the
entire lake or ocean would be frozen and the fish would die.
Many more examples could be given from nature showing the power, wisdom, and
benevolence of our loving Creator. Only a fool (Psalm 14:1) can believe there is no
God. It is truly unfortunate that there appears to be so many learned people with all
their master degrees and doctorates who would fit this description. LSI
References
1. http://www.nola.com/katrina/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/
3. http://www.solarviews.com/
4. http://www.astro.wisc.edu/
5. The World Book 2001
6. http://www.its.caltech.edu/
7. http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/510.asp
8. http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v20/i1/water.asp
Go To Part Two: Why the Book of Nature isn’t Enough
Go To Part Three: Is There a Conflict Between Nature and the Bible?
the Holy Bible? Well, it's true, but we're not thinking about any "holy book" such as the
Book of Mormon or Koran that comes to us from another faith. We're talking about the
book of nature or what theologians refer to as the natural knowledge of God.
This revelation ought not to be so readily dismissed. We're told in Romans 1:18-20
(NIV), “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness
and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness since what may be
known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since
the creation of the world God's invisible qualities---his eternal power and divine
nature---have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that
men are without excuse.”
Simply put, this natural knowledge of God is so powerful that by merely looking at the
created world, people should realize there is a God. This knowledge should be enough
for them to amend their sinful ways and to begin searching for Him (“God did this so that
men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far
from each one of us.” Acts 17:27). On Judgment Day, nobody will have a good excuse
for unbelief. However, as we know, the natural revelation is incomplete—it does not tell
us nearly everything we need to know about sin and salvation.
I. What We Can Learn About God From the Book of Nature
A. God is powerful. The LORD in His discourse with Job referred many times to His
power. “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’ ”?
(Job 38:34-35)
1. Storms and Floods. We only have to think back to the devastation along the Gulf
coast after Hurricane Katrina to acknowledge the power of water when it comes in the
form of flooding. The best levees devised by engineers could not withstand the storm
surge, and up to 80% of New Orleans was flooded as well as many other cities near the
coast. The power of moving water can also be seen in the enormous amounts of
electricity produced by generators run by rivers, falls, and tides. 1
2. Lightning. A bolt of lightning can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That's about five
times the temperature of the surface of the sun. Lightning is powerful enough to turn
sand into glass. Lightning strikes the earth on average 100 times a second, and for
those people who believe lightning can't hit the same place twice, think again. The
Empire State Building on average gets hit by lightning 100 times a year. Lightning can
start forest fires, split trees, and, unfortunately, kill people, but your odds of being hit by
lightning during your lifetime are only about 1 in 280,000. 2
3. The sun. Every second 5 million tons of pure energy are released by the sun.
Compare this to the energy of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima whose power was
equivalent to only about 13,000 tons of TNT. The temperature inside the sun reaches
27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. We know about the ability of the sun's rays to burn
skin, to be turned into electricity by means of solar cells, and, of course, to maintain life
on this planet. 3
B. God has an eye for beauty. When speaking to Job, God also saw fit to point some
of His most beautiful creatures, the stars (Job 38:31--32), “Can you bind the beautiful
Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in
their seasons or lead the Bear with its cubs?” The Pleiades, sometimes called the “
Seven Sisters”, is part of the constellation Taurus. Orion is a well-known constellation.
“Bear” here undoubtedly refers to the constellation Ursa Maior or Great Bear, part of
which is the group of stars called the Big Dipper. 4
1. The stars. Is there anything more beautiful than the stars on a clear, dark night?
People ages ago saw pictures in the constellations. Stars today appear on our flag and
the flags of other countries, on Christmas trees, and even on football helmets. Paper
stars that glow in the dark are sometimes affixed to the ceilings of children's bedrooms
to soothe and comfort the youngsters and maybe help them fall to sleep. Our famous
singers, actors and athletes are called stars. Truly stars are near the top of God's
beautiful creatures.
2. Flowers. There are about 250,000 different kinds of flowering plants. 5 Not all of their
flowers are particularly attractive, but certainly there are scores of attractive flowers that
most everyone loves to look at and admire. Flowers are a symbol of affection or
thoughtfulness and are associated with weddings, sicknesses, celebrations, funerals,
and, yes, even worship services. Flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many
businesses owe their existence to the growing, sale, and delivery of flowers.
3. Snowflakes. We know that all snowflakes are more or less symmetrical and all have
six arms but otherwise can look far different. Scientists think the arms which grow
independently respond in a similar way to the environmental conditions around them as
they form, thus giving them all a similar appearance. 6 Snowflakes make lovely
ornaments for Christmas trees or room decorations. Newly fallen snowflakes together
make for a beautiful winter scene. Can anyone sing “I'm Dreaming of a White
Christmas?”
C. God is a wise and benevolent Designer. “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce
vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it,
according to their various kinds. And it was so...God made the wild animals according to
their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along
the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.’” (Genesis 1:
11 & 25)
1. Reproduction. According to the "mainstream" theory on origins, it is just a long series
of happy accidents that every one of the vast array of living creatures has found a
method of reproducing itself. This is difficult to believe because the original of every
species would have died out without this capacity. But we know from the book of
Genesis that the ability to reproduce was built into every creature right from the
beginning. Not only does every creature reproduce other creatures just like themselves,
but God sees to it that conditions are favorable for the survival of the species. For
instance, with rare exceptions, God has given to the mothers of the higher animals the
knowledge and desire to protect and care for their offspring. Among mammals, the
mothers' milk is perfectly suited just for that particular species so that the babies grow up
healthy and strong.
2. The solar system. Everything about our solar system is just right for the survival of
life on earth. The sun is the right color. If it were redder or bluer, photosynthesis in
plants would not be as effective. If the sun were larger, there would be too much high
energy radiation. If it were smaller, fewer species could survive on earth. If the earth
were nearer the sun, most water would boil away. If it were farther away, most of our
water would freeze. The earth's gravity, rotation period, tilt, magnetic field, crust
thickness, water vapor and ozone levels are among features that are just right for life on
this planet. 7
3. Ice. Water, unlike most other substances, expands as it freezes. This makes ice less
dense than liquid water and thus able to float on the surface, even if it is in the form of
a giant iceberg. Moreover, this tendency to expand doesn't begin until the cooling water
reaches 39.2 degrees F. The result is that icy cold water will move to the surface of a
lake or the ocean and warmer water will sink. If the water surface does freeze, water
below the ice will remain above the freezing point and the fish are protected. 8 Had not
God designed water to act in this way, ice would sink to the bottom and pretty soon the
entire lake or ocean would be frozen and the fish would die.
Many more examples could be given from nature showing the power, wisdom, and
benevolence of our loving Creator. Only a fool (Psalm 14:1) can believe there is no
God. It is truly unfortunate that there appears to be so many learned people with all
their master degrees and doctorates who would fit this description. LSI
References
1. http://www.nola.com/katrina/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/
3. http://www.solarviews.com/
4. http://www.astro.wisc.edu/
5. The World Book 2001
6. http://www.its.caltech.edu/
7. http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/510.asp
8. http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v20/i1/water.asp
Go To Part Two: Why the Book of Nature isn’t Enough
Go To Part Three: Is There a Conflict Between Nature and the Bible?
