All cultures have a story of how the earth or universe was created. I know that some also have a story of how the earth will end. The end of the world had been predicted from the time of Christ by Christians. I havent made a study but I would assume that other sects and cultures have made their own predictions. The Israelites who lived in Egypt and Babylonia interpreted their own beliefs about the creation by using Egyptian and Babylonian science. Such science was mingled with gods so the Israelites screened out the gentile gods from the science and wrote their story using their single god. Because of editing and because the scribes who wrote in Babylon knew little about the Egyptian period, we have two versions of the creation in the bible, and inconsistencies generated by combining documents. The Israelites evidently wanted to show actually how the earth or universe was created. They knew that God had created the earth and the universe. They wanted to know how he did it. (Some scientists believe that the sequence in the bible is close to the geological record.) If the Israelites had been cast into our society Im sure that they would have started with the Big Bang and gone on from there, trying to be scientifically accurate. I doubt that they would have denied God the right to create by both innovation and evolution or using survival-favorable mutations. God by definition is all powerful so they would not have restricted him as many modern-day Christians do. Man has decided that he is more valuable than other creatures on the earth. He sites his big brain and ability to intimidate all other creatures except the Great White Shark, the Black Mamba, and the Man-eating Tiger. He has decided that he is a special creation of God. Because of this, the End Times are discussed only in terms of man and what will happen to him. There is no immediate concern for the other creatures in most end-time stories. The day of the end is not known but is continually predicted by Christians and others. The New Testament says that no one knows the time of the end but God the Father. If He only knows, then the time could be any time from right now to never. We might have to wait for the sun to creep out into our neighborhood and incinerate us. The criteria given in the bible for end-time prediction have not worked so far. The end times are associated with bad times and then good times. Finally, things will be perfected including the heavens and the earth. Weeds wont grow and meteorites wont cause extinctions. Man shall not catch cold or die of the plague. Christ will drop by every day to see each of the billions of earths inhabitants and pat them on the head. (From what I read Christ is not a wet nurse or a puppy dog to hug. He is a God and a King. He may have a few other important things to do. Maybe he will only drop by on Fridays.) The thing that worries me about the end times is that some think they will be here next week so it doesnt matter how we treat this earth and each other. I think it would be better to be like the Eskimos and think about now and about what we are doing right now to make each other miserable and also the other creatures of the earth. The Genesis charge was that man was to subdue the earth and be its guardian. We need to stop killing each other and we need to take care of this planet so that meaningful life can live in peace here. Maybe then God will think about sending His Son. The End |
