Chester asked the Master. "Let me see if I have this straight. You are saying that the fossil records that indicate that life has been on this planet for billions years are correct. Gen 1:1 states God created the heavens and the earth, and you claim science does not contradict that statement with the Big Bang Theory."
The Master simply nodded.
Chester said, "You are saying that the definition of was, in Gen 1:2 could better be translated as the phrase 'It came to pass'. Your Master taught you that the original Hebrew meant And it came to pass that the earth became a lifeless wasteland empty and chaotic, and that Lucifer's rebellion is what brought about this tragedy. But Genesis plainly says that God created the Sun and Moon on the fourth day."
The Master sat back. "Why would God put plants on the earth on the third day before creating a sun on the fourth day? Science knows the Sun came before the Earth. Genesis does not contradict Science. I can clear it up but hear me out before you start your debate." The Master looked relaxed and unconcerned.
Chester nodded. "Ok, go ahead."
Day 1: Black Smoke and Dark Clouds covered the Earth
"My Master explained it like this to me. "He asked me to imagine the world as being frozen and covered with a dark atmosphere, choking with smoke and clouds, air so thick with corruption that no light could glimmer through it. Lucifer's destruction was so complete that only a few deep sea creatures were still alive. The seas were close to freezing up and if the Spirit of God hadn't intervened then eventually even the deep sea creatures would have died. Genesis 1:2 begins with the The Spirit of God hovering over the water. Obviously science understands the universe was not created from water. By believing both Science and Genesis we can have understanding."
Conditions Similiar to Nuclear Winter
Chester nodded his head, so far it was logically consistent. "Sounds almost like a nuclear winter. In fact your theory might explain why the mammoths were frozen so quickly that many had food still in their mouths. That has always been a puzzle as to how or why they became frozen so quickly and suddenly. Research indicates many species disappeared over night geologically speaking. Somewhere between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago we lost mammoths, saber toothed tigers, giant armadillos and such. The best current scientific theory is violent climate changes. Perhaps Lucifer was responsible for the violent weather changes and volcanic eruptions. "
The Master recited. "God divided the light from the darkness." The Master explained, "On the first day God cleared the atmosphere enough for light to penetrate. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night."
Chester followed in the Bible trying to spot any error in The Master's story.
Day 2: The Ice Melts
"Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." The Master explained, "The temperature of the earth was so cold that the seas were beginning to freeze and the land was covered in deep ice and snow. God warmed the earth so that water separated from the ice to became water below and rain and clouds above. This is what is meant to divide the waters from the waters to create the heavens. And the evening and the morning were the second day."
Chester quickly looked up the word heaven in the concordance and read outloud the definition for the word heaven as referenced in Gen 1:8. "visible heavens, sky." Chester motioned for the Master to continue as he had no challenge yet."
Day 3: Dry Land and Plants Appear
The Master smiled and said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas." The Master explained further. "Warming the Earth and melting the ice created massive flooding."
Even Chester could see the obvious meaning of Gen 1:10 and needed no further explanation. "Ok, so the water finally settled in the low areas revealing the land. Funny, I had never seen that possible meaning but it makes sense. Ok, go on."
The Master's eyes were closed as if he was remembering something. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ... And the evening and the morning were the third day." The Master offered more commentary, "The cold had killed all the plants. Plus God needed the plants to be in place before he could place animals on the Earth. After all they had to have something to eat."
Chester said, "So far so good, but you still can't explain why God is creating the Sun and Moon and Stars on the fourth Day!" Chester was agitated for he was sure he had found the flaw in the Master's story.
The Master seemed unconcerned as he replied, "You forget the atmosphere. On Day 2 the ice had just turned into water and clouds but the atmosphere wasn't clear yet. Clouds still covered the earth heavily on day three. As it rained and flooded, God brought the water loving plants back into the world but the cloudy steamy atmosphere prevented a clear view of the celestial heavens."
Chester was momentarily stumped. Chester flipped back to Genesis and said, "The tense is present tense on day four not past tense. It doesn't say 'God had made' it says 'God made'."
Day 4: Sun, Moon and Stars Revealed
The Master simply smiled and recited, "And God said, Let the lights in the firmament of the heaven divide the day from the night for they are the signs of days, seasons, and years. The lights in the firmament of the heaven will give light upon the earth. And God made the heavens shine with two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. The stars also were seen in their glory shining from the heavens. For God had set the sun and stars in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
Chester looked puzzled, "It does make sense that the Sun and Stars preceded the Earth." Chester ran his hands through his hair, "I want to make sure that I understand what you are saying. What God did on the fourth day was finish cleaning up the air and break up the cloud cover? Ahhhh.... the Sun, Moon and Stars were hidden up to this time because the atmosphere had become so polluted and dark by the War of the Angels. Your theory at least matches the scientific record. Obviously the sun came before the earth and certainly wasn't created a day after God put plants on the Earth."
The Master said, "Gen 1:1 plainly says God created the heavens and the earth. The Sun and Moon and Stars are part of the heavens. At the beginning of this conversation I told you God created the heavens and earth. Verse 2 is later in the timeline, it is not a detailed commentary of verse 1. Verse 1 stands alone. God created the heavens and the earth, period. We see the heavens mentioned again in verse 4. Billions of years later than verse 1 in the timeline. The Sun, Moon and Stars existed before the Rebellion of Lucifer and were hidden by the darkness created by Lucifer. God cleared the air for the plants restored on day 3 so they could have sunshine.
Biblical Hebrew is not a 'tense' language
Genesis 1 is a record of God repairing the damage caused by Lucifer's war. On the fourth day was the day the clouds were cleared by God so that the sun, moon and stars could be seen. Maybe it will help if you understood that there is no such thing as 'tense' in biblical Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew is not a 'tense' language. Modern grammarians recognize that it is an 'aspectual' language. This means that the same form of a verb can be translated as either past, present, or future depending on the context and various grammatical cues. So, when it references the Sun and Stars, the original Hebrew does not indicate when the Sun and Stars were made, (i.e. present tense) but simply a statement that God made them to be for times and seasons and so forth."
Chester rubbed his hands and finally said, "Ok, I will look into this further, but go ahead."
Day 5: Fish and Birds restored
The Master recited again. "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth in the waters did God create. And every winged fowl after his kind did God place for his pleasure.
Chester realized their were no new challenges, so he let the Master continue his recitation.
The Master took a deep breath and said, "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Day 6: Animals and Mankind restored
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Chester finally said ok, You don't have to recite the rest, I get the point. I can see how Lucifer's rebellion could create the illusion that Evolution and the Genesis are paradoxes. I have to hand it to you, you are the Master fence sitter. When do you ever take a stand?"
The Master said quietly. "The Sabbath is the where I make my stand."
Chester said, "And on the seventh day God rested and God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. You seem to make a big deal out of the Sabbath."
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