I love reading the word of God - the Bible - and sharing it with those around me. There are two topics you can count on me enjoying discussing; horses and the Bible.
This winter my oldest son has expressed an interest in the Bible, it's accuracy and it's truthfulness. I have been studying the scriptures for several years, being taught by my Mom and I was excited to share it with my son. Over the years I have learned so much from research, pastors and especially the Creation Truth Foundation. There is so much packed into the first 11 chapters of Genesis and I found myself sharing these with my son. But that wasn't enough for me, I wanted to have it available for others as well. So I wrote it down.
Following is an excerpt from what I wrote and if you want a full copy please contact me. I started with Genesis 1 and went through the first part of chapter 11 telling the story as I see it and adding in facts, both historical and scientific, that supports the accounts of our beginnings. I am neither a scientist, historian, theologian or a Bible scholar, but I am a lover of all of the above. Do not take my words as gospel, but as hints of where to start your own journey to discover the Truth.
The Last Chapter of History of the World - The Biblical account of the creation of the world
We can know that the linage in Genesis and where the people settled is true, not only because the word of God is true (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:18, John 17:17 and 3:33), but because there is historical evidence that supports what the Bible says.
History traced and recorded by several men, who all lived at different times, found that the Biblical history is accurate to that of world history. These historians are Simlicius whom lived in the 6th century AD, Porphyry (he was anti-Christian) who lived in the 3rd century AD, and also a Byzantine historian named Constantines Manasses, who lived during the 12th century AD. All these men found that world history aligns with Biblical history in events and timeline.
Historians also note that Babylon, Egypt and Greece all spoke different languages. This lines up again with Biblical history. These three kingdoms were founded in this order: Babylon first in 2234 BC, Egypt second in 2188 BC and Greece in 2089 BC. Babylon was founded at the center of the world created by God. After the confusion of the language men traveled towards Egypt and Greece. Egypt was founded first because it is closer to Babylon than Greece.
What is interesting is people that research and study history to form their own thoughts about history and ignore the Bible (because they don’t believe it) still come to the idea that civilization – organized living with a government – began in the area of Biblical Babylon and moved out from there just as the Bible says in Genesis 11.
A historian named Manetho, from the 3rd century BC, wrote that the tower of Babel happened 5 years after Peleg was born. The Greek historian named Herodutos, from the 5th century BC, actually saw the Tower of Babel while traveling through Babylon and described it in his writing. He didn’t see the actual tower of Babel that Nimrod built, but it was a replica that Nebuchadnezzar (of the book of Daniel) built it trying to complete the history of his ancestors. In short he rebuilt it to complete the work of Nimrod. This is the tower that Herodutos saw.
No matter what historians of the world believe and write we can be confident that the Bible is true because God is true. The Bible is the word of God and is useful for teaching, correcting and training people in the ways of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Through faith we are justified to God and by our faith we will be great in the sight of God (Hebrews 11). The Bible has been supported greatly both by science and history in recent years. This can only help support and grow our faith in God. The evidence cannot prove God, but it can reaffirm his actions as recorded in the Bible.
Man depends on his own thoughts and ideas which will always fail (Jeremiah 17:5, Galatians 6:3) but those who trust in God will always be right because God is true.
Many oral traditions – stories passed down from one generation to another – sound similar to the Genesis 1 account of creation.
All of them have some form of a god as the beginning of the world. This shows that man cannot rely on himself to start the world, that an outside force or deity had to create the earth and everything in it. We cannot get away from the need of a god. This is where we are at an advantage, because we know THE God – the creator of everything (Acts 17:24-25).
Many of them, including ones from Germany, Greece, Egypt and Mesopotamia, start with nothing or everything covered in water. Doesn’t this sound familiar to Genesis 1:2?
The Enûma Eliš – the Babylonian Creation myth with the god Marduk being the supreme power – was found in the ruined library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh, which is now Mosal, Iraq. The Babylonian Creation myth is very similar to the Genesis 1 creation account and serves as evidence of Satan being a crafty being and twisting the design and word of God. It is inscribed on 7 clay tablets in the Ancient Babylonian language.
It begins again with water and having two parts, one male and the other female which is also described as sweet water (fresh water) the god Apsu – the male - and salt water the god Tiamat – the female. War ensues with Tiamat wanting to become the ultimate ruling god of the world but is defeated by Marduk – one of her offspring who then creates the world.
I see evidence from Genesis 1, 2 and 3. One being it starts with water (Genesis 1:2), two there are male and female (Genesis 1:27 & chapter 2), and three there is a great war with the female wanting control – which sounds like the events of Genesis 3, namely verse 16. Also, the world, when at war, seems to be in great turmoil – that sounds a lot like the events of the flood in Genesis 6 & 7.
The older creation story from India starts with gods who sacrifice a lone man. From the sacrifice of this man his head becomes the sky and the earth are from his feet. The Lord proclaims in Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” This is no coincidence, Satan does nothing but pervert the word of God.
Continuing on in this creation story, the man’s eye becomes the sun and the moon is from his mind. Then the birds and animals come from the fat that drips from his body during sacrifice. Now this is where it gets scary close. Sacrifices to God are always described in the Old Testament as a burnt offering, as in Noah’s barbecue, and God claims the fat that drips off the meat as His portion of the sacrifice in Leviticus 3:16.
The later creation story from India starts with a god and nothing, and the god first creates water. This is much like the beginning of Genesis 1. From here he deposits an egg to the earth which this god is then born from and the two halves of the egg become heaven and earth. This isn’t too far off from how God works either for in His curse to Eve she would have a child (seed) and the fulfillment of this is Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:35).
The creation story from Greece again begins with gods and Zeus is the chief god who is the ruler of the sky. Again, the heavens are His throne. Zeus is actually the offspring of the gods; the Son of THE God, Jesus, has been given all authority (Matthew 28:18). The story begins with nothing – again, like many of the others and exactly how God started – which the Greeks call Chaos, and from it emerges the earth, following is much like the account in Genesis.
As the story goes on Zeus is fed up with man – sounds like Genesis 6:6 does it not? – and then sends a flood to the earth to wipe out all mankind; except for the two that escape in an ark and from these two men the earth is again populated – again very much like Genesis 6-7.
The number one thing you have to understand about God’s enemy, Satan is that he cannot create an original idea. Satan can only pervert the truth and this is evident by these accounts of creation by man, they sound so close to the original, but they are counterfeit. Just like a counterfeit dollar bill looks like the real one, but just enough is changed that it is not the same.
Hebrews 11:3 says that it is by faith we understand that the world we know was formed at God’s command and that what is seen did not come from anything that can be seen. Paul explains in Romans 1:25 that man has exchanged the truth of God for a lie to support their wickedness.
For your own research
If you would like to investigate more into the accuracy of the Bible please check out these links:
As I said in the beginning I love discussing the Bible and would love to do so with you. You can contact me to do so, but please do not contact me to try and debate me or change my mind on what I have presented. I hold true to the Word of God and the evidence that has been presented to me and so I will not engage in an debate with you but would love to answer questions you may have.
Our mission at the farm and with the Cornerstone Fellowship Ministry is to share the Word of God with others and help build a foundation on His Truth to walk boldly with Jesus.
Blessings,
Greta