| The Book of Nature-Part Two -- What Nature Doesn't Tell Us by Warren Krug (March-April, 2007) |
Go To Part One -- What We Can Learn About God from The Book of Nature
II. Why the Book of Nature Isn't Enough
If the Book of Nature were our only revelation, we would be left with some important
unanswered questions. Who is the Creator Who has displayed such power, beauty, and
wisdom in His act of creating the universe? With all the marvels so evident in the
created world, why are there defects in nature and in mankind? What can be done
about the sins that trouble our consciences? For answers to these questions we must
turn to the Book of Books.
A. Only the Book of Books Reveals the Identity of the Creator?
If all we had was the natural revelation, we would be in the same boat as the men of
ancient Athens who put up an altar to the “Unknown God” (Acts 17:23). But the Bible
reveals the Creator. “I am the Lord; that is my name!” God proclaims in Isaiah 42:8. We
learn from the Bible that the Lord is a Spirit (John 4:24) and that He is infinite (1 Kings 8:
27), eternal (Psalm 90:2), omniscient (1 John 3:20), holy (Isaiah 6:3), righteous (Psalm
92:15), almighty (Luke 1:37), good (Psalm 145:9), and loving (1 John 4:8). We know His
true nature is beyond our understanding in that He is a triune God, three Persons within
one Godhead (Matthew 3:16). We know God is not distant but is involved in our lives
and knows and fulfills our every need (Matthew 6:25-34).
With such a wonderful Creator, how is it that our natural world has so many
imperfections? We see dangerous storms, feel earthquakes and droughts, get sick and
have to put up with the evil deeds of our fellow human beings. For each of these
conditions, scientists and other experts can explain, or at least theorize why the
condition exists. However, there is no answer in the Book of Nature why such
imperfections should have arisen in such a well-planned and beautiful universe in the
first place.
B. Problems in Nature
1. Hurricanes. Hurricanes grow from complexes of thunderstorms over the ocean. For
these storms to become hurricanes, the ocean water must be warmer than 81O F, and
there must be high relative humidities in the lower and middle troposphere. The heat
and moisture from the warm water is the source of energy for hurricanes. When a group
of thunderstorms comes together for a long enough time, it may develop into a tropical
depression with winds from 23-39 mph in the center, then a tropical storm with winds
from 39-73 mph (now blowing in a more circular direction), and finally a hurricane, with
wind speeds above 74 mph. 1
2. Earthquakes. When two blocks of earth suddenly slip past each other, an earthquake
occurs. The surface where they slip is called a fault. Scientists believe a thin skin
separates the earth's crust from the layer called the mantle below it. This skin is made
up of many pieces called tectonic plates. The edges of these plates are called tectonic
boundaries. Most earthquakes happen when two of the tectonic boundaries slip past
each other after being stuck together for a time while the rest of the plates keep moving.
Energy is stored up during the period when the edges are stuck and then is released
when they become unstuck. The released energy radiates through the earth from the
fault causing seismic waves that shake the earth. 2
3. Droughts. A drought is defined as an extended period of deficient rainfall compared
to a multi-year average for the region. What causes a drought? Scientists say a drought
is related to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns and the location of high-
pressure systems. Sometimes whirling masses of air separate from the westerly airflow
and interfere with the usual west-to-east direction of weather systems. Droughts can
occur when these “blocking systems” last for extended periods of time. Climatologists
also believe that droughts are associated with global patterns of abnormal sea surface
temperatures such as El Nino. During an El Nino, the warm equatorial Pacific Ocean
waters warm the atmosphere above it which can lead to the above-mentioned
changes. 3
C. Problems With People
A. Diseases. How many are there? Wikipedia says there are over 6,000 diseases or
other medical conditions. Diseases and other harmful medical conditions can affect
every part of the body. They can be caused by viruses, injuries or genetic defects.
They are responsible for early death, a poor quality of life, and lost time at work or
school. While medical science has had success in almost eliminating some diseases
such as polio and measles, others such as AIDS have risen to take their place while still
others such as cancer and the common cold have resisted elimination.
B. Crime. The U. S. Bureau of Justice reports 1,823,400 cases of violent crime in the
country in 2005. Fortunately, that is down from 4,190,000 in 1993, but that's still a lot of
rapes, armed robberies, aggravated assaults, and homicides. Over 7,000,000 people
are in jail, prison, on parole, or on probation for crimes committed. Is there anyone who
has not been a victim of crime? At the very least, we have to pay higher taxes because
so many people cannot obey the law. 4
C. Wars. Wikipedia lists 20 wars including the Iraqi conflict currently going on in the
world. In addition to ongoing wars, the website 5 has 8 other pages consisting of
nothing more than long lists of wars since B.C. times. According to Wikipedia, almost a
million Americans were killed in the Civil War and about 62 million died worldwide
because of World War II. Historians, of course, can give reasons why each of these
conflicts has arisen, but they can't give a reason for the basic question of why humans
feel the need to kill other human beings in warfare.
D. Only the Bible Provides the Underlying Reason for these Imperfections.
The Book of Nature has no answer for why the imperfections we find in nature and in
human beings should exist in such a beautiful and well-designed universe. We must turn
to the Book of Books for a clear and definitive answer to this question.
We call the imperfections in human nature sin, the breaking of God's laws. Sin is
extremely serious; it always leads to death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). God holds us
individually responsible for our sins and He demands perfection (Matthew 5:48).
Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. After Adam's sin,
God told him, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you." (Gen. 3:17b-18a) All
sorts of bad things began happening to God's perfect creation because of the intrusion
of sin into the world.
And it would get worse for Adam's ears. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your
food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to
dust you will return." (Gen. 3:19) Now work would not be pleasant and death would be
his earthly destiny.
The sin of Adam and Eve left the entire universe reeling ever since. St. Paul tells us,
"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right
up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22), but previously he also said, "I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The
creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-
19)
The glory that will be revealed in us will happen on the day of judgment when we will
inherit a perfect, sinless body and be allowed to live in a sinless, defect-free world called
heaven. How can it be that our sins condemn us to death; yet we can look forward to
paradise?
E. We Can't Discover God's Plan of Salvation from Nature.
Only the Holy Bible, the Word of God, the Inspired Scriptures, and not the natural
revelation can tell us how this salvation is possible.
The Bible clearly reveals God's plan of salvation. First He sent His only Son, Jesus
Christ, to live a perfect, sinless life and to fulfill the demands of the Law (1 Peter 2:21-22;
Galatians 4:4-5). Then he directed Jesus to suffer and die for all of our sins, thereby
meeting the need for justice, bringing us total forgiveness for all our sins, and lifting the
penalty for sin from off our backs (Isaiah 53:5; John 1:29; Romans 3:23).
The Lord offers us this forgiveness and salvation as a complete gift (Romans 6:23).
Through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:16) this gift of salvation and
eternal life in heaven becomes ours. Our consciences need be troubled no longer. This
salvation is a gift that can't be earned, but it is one that can be rejected with disastrous
results. (Mark 16:16)
The Bible is clear and emphatic regarding this plan of salvation. Nature by itself can tell
us nothing about salvation. But we rejoice that both revelations give us reason to praise
and honor our Creator God. LSI
References
1. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc. edu
2. http://earthquake.usgs.gov
3. http://earthobservatory. nasa.gov
4. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars
Go To Part Three -- Is There a Conflict Between Nature and the Bible?
II. Why the Book of Nature Isn't Enough
If the Book of Nature were our only revelation, we would be left with some important
unanswered questions. Who is the Creator Who has displayed such power, beauty, and
wisdom in His act of creating the universe? With all the marvels so evident in the
created world, why are there defects in nature and in mankind? What can be done
about the sins that trouble our consciences? For answers to these questions we must
turn to the Book of Books.
A. Only the Book of Books Reveals the Identity of the Creator?
If all we had was the natural revelation, we would be in the same boat as the men of
ancient Athens who put up an altar to the “Unknown God” (Acts 17:23). But the Bible
reveals the Creator. “I am the Lord; that is my name!” God proclaims in Isaiah 42:8. We
learn from the Bible that the Lord is a Spirit (John 4:24) and that He is infinite (1 Kings 8:
27), eternal (Psalm 90:2), omniscient (1 John 3:20), holy (Isaiah 6:3), righteous (Psalm
92:15), almighty (Luke 1:37), good (Psalm 145:9), and loving (1 John 4:8). We know His
true nature is beyond our understanding in that He is a triune God, three Persons within
one Godhead (Matthew 3:16). We know God is not distant but is involved in our lives
and knows and fulfills our every need (Matthew 6:25-34).
With such a wonderful Creator, how is it that our natural world has so many
imperfections? We see dangerous storms, feel earthquakes and droughts, get sick and
have to put up with the evil deeds of our fellow human beings. For each of these
conditions, scientists and other experts can explain, or at least theorize why the
condition exists. However, there is no answer in the Book of Nature why such
imperfections should have arisen in such a well-planned and beautiful universe in the
first place.
B. Problems in Nature
1. Hurricanes. Hurricanes grow from complexes of thunderstorms over the ocean. For
these storms to become hurricanes, the ocean water must be warmer than 81O F, and
there must be high relative humidities in the lower and middle troposphere. The heat
and moisture from the warm water is the source of energy for hurricanes. When a group
of thunderstorms comes together for a long enough time, it may develop into a tropical
depression with winds from 23-39 mph in the center, then a tropical storm with winds
from 39-73 mph (now blowing in a more circular direction), and finally a hurricane, with
wind speeds above 74 mph. 1
2. Earthquakes. When two blocks of earth suddenly slip past each other, an earthquake
occurs. The surface where they slip is called a fault. Scientists believe a thin skin
separates the earth's crust from the layer called the mantle below it. This skin is made
up of many pieces called tectonic plates. The edges of these plates are called tectonic
boundaries. Most earthquakes happen when two of the tectonic boundaries slip past
each other after being stuck together for a time while the rest of the plates keep moving.
Energy is stored up during the period when the edges are stuck and then is released
when they become unstuck. The released energy radiates through the earth from the
fault causing seismic waves that shake the earth. 2
3. Droughts. A drought is defined as an extended period of deficient rainfall compared
to a multi-year average for the region. What causes a drought? Scientists say a drought
is related to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns and the location of high-
pressure systems. Sometimes whirling masses of air separate from the westerly airflow
and interfere with the usual west-to-east direction of weather systems. Droughts can
occur when these “blocking systems” last for extended periods of time. Climatologists
also believe that droughts are associated with global patterns of abnormal sea surface
temperatures such as El Nino. During an El Nino, the warm equatorial Pacific Ocean
waters warm the atmosphere above it which can lead to the above-mentioned
changes. 3
C. Problems With People
A. Diseases. How many are there? Wikipedia says there are over 6,000 diseases or
other medical conditions. Diseases and other harmful medical conditions can affect
every part of the body. They can be caused by viruses, injuries or genetic defects.
They are responsible for early death, a poor quality of life, and lost time at work or
school. While medical science has had success in almost eliminating some diseases
such as polio and measles, others such as AIDS have risen to take their place while still
others such as cancer and the common cold have resisted elimination.
B. Crime. The U. S. Bureau of Justice reports 1,823,400 cases of violent crime in the
country in 2005. Fortunately, that is down from 4,190,000 in 1993, but that's still a lot of
rapes, armed robberies, aggravated assaults, and homicides. Over 7,000,000 people
are in jail, prison, on parole, or on probation for crimes committed. Is there anyone who
has not been a victim of crime? At the very least, we have to pay higher taxes because
so many people cannot obey the law. 4
C. Wars. Wikipedia lists 20 wars including the Iraqi conflict currently going on in the
world. In addition to ongoing wars, the website 5 has 8 other pages consisting of
nothing more than long lists of wars since B.C. times. According to Wikipedia, almost a
million Americans were killed in the Civil War and about 62 million died worldwide
because of World War II. Historians, of course, can give reasons why each of these
conflicts has arisen, but they can't give a reason for the basic question of why humans
feel the need to kill other human beings in warfare.
D. Only the Bible Provides the Underlying Reason for these Imperfections.
The Book of Nature has no answer for why the imperfections we find in nature and in
human beings should exist in such a beautiful and well-designed universe. We must turn
to the Book of Books for a clear and definitive answer to this question.
We call the imperfections in human nature sin, the breaking of God's laws. Sin is
extremely serious; it always leads to death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). God holds us
individually responsible for our sins and He demands perfection (Matthew 5:48).
Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. After Adam's sin,
God told him, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you." (Gen. 3:17b-18a) All
sorts of bad things began happening to God's perfect creation because of the intrusion
of sin into the world.
And it would get worse for Adam's ears. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your
food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to
dust you will return." (Gen. 3:19) Now work would not be pleasant and death would be
his earthly destiny.
The sin of Adam and Eve left the entire universe reeling ever since. St. Paul tells us,
"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right
up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22), but previously he also said, "I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The
creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-
19)
The glory that will be revealed in us will happen on the day of judgment when we will
inherit a perfect, sinless body and be allowed to live in a sinless, defect-free world called
heaven. How can it be that our sins condemn us to death; yet we can look forward to
paradise?
E. We Can't Discover God's Plan of Salvation from Nature.
Only the Holy Bible, the Word of God, the Inspired Scriptures, and not the natural
revelation can tell us how this salvation is possible.
The Bible clearly reveals God's plan of salvation. First He sent His only Son, Jesus
Christ, to live a perfect, sinless life and to fulfill the demands of the Law (1 Peter 2:21-22;
Galatians 4:4-5). Then he directed Jesus to suffer and die for all of our sins, thereby
meeting the need for justice, bringing us total forgiveness for all our sins, and lifting the
penalty for sin from off our backs (Isaiah 53:5; John 1:29; Romans 3:23).
The Lord offers us this forgiveness and salvation as a complete gift (Romans 6:23).
Through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:16) this gift of salvation and
eternal life in heaven becomes ours. Our consciences need be troubled no longer. This
salvation is a gift that can't be earned, but it is one that can be rejected with disastrous
results. (Mark 16:16)
The Bible is clear and emphatic regarding this plan of salvation. Nature by itself can tell
us nothing about salvation. But we rejoice that both revelations give us reason to praise
and honor our Creator God. LSI
References
1. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc. edu
2. http://earthquake.usgs.gov
3. http://earthobservatory. nasa.gov
4. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars
Go To Part Three -- Is There a Conflict Between Nature and the Bible?
