Public by Mike L Anderson on cateogry Christianity views 5 word count 579.
Who lost a day? Not God by Mike L Anderson
According to the story of the Lost Day, scientists in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) made a discovery confirming the truth of the Bible. This story, which I found in my email box, seems to have originated with Harald Hill, a computer consultant in the NASA space program.
"Space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland, were using a computer programme to determine the position of the sun, moon and planets when they came across a missing day. They were stumped over how to account for it. In the department, however, there was a Sunday school teacher who had the answer. He showed them passages from Scripture (Joshua 10:8, 12, 13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11) which recovered the missing day. God had miraculously caused the sun to stand still for Joshua and move backwards for Hezekiah."
At first blush this looks like a wonderful story that Christians should welcome because it helps to confirm the truth of the Bible. It has the apparent support of tough-minded scientists from a prestigious institution.
Well, how should Christians respond to the story? This might appear to be a strange question. Surely the issue turns simply over the facts. The question is whether scientists did discover a missing day. Everyone (Christian or not) should simply humbly bow down before the facts.
However, behind the story there is an assumption made which must be evaluated biblically - that Christians have some need for extra-biblical assurances for their faith. Is this true? Let's look at the Bible.
How does Jesus deal with those whose faith is faltering? Two of his disciples who had this problem were travelling on the road to Emmaus. It was just after the crucifixion of Jesus and their faces are described as downcast. Preliminary reports about his missing body served only to perplex them further. They were greatly in need of faith. How does Jesus counsel these men? (By the way, there is a problem in using Jesus as a model. The Teacher's mere presence is enough to bolster the pupil's faith. We don't have that option. However, on that road to Emmaus the disciples were prevented from recognising him. The Lord can be used as a model after all). So, what does Jesus do? He rebukes them! "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? (Endnote 1).
Isn't this a bit harsh? Remember that the only Scripture the disciples had to go on was the Old Testament. They didn't even have the New Testament (or any discoveries by NASA scientists). Is the Old Testament really enough? Jesus apparently thought so. Think about it. What better proof could the two have had than his resurrection? Jesus could have triumphantly announced it to them. He didn't. Instead "... beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." And it worked.
They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scripture to us?" Note that this response occurred before Jesus opened their eyes to recognize him. The message is clear: Scripture is enough. Do those who deny this really know the Christ of the Scriptures? Even the Old Testament alone provides enough basis for faith. The New Testament and the resurrection provide more than we need and reveal God's abundant grace towards us. The Christian faith is worthless without the resurrection (Endnote 2). but the two disciples were assured that the suffering and resurrection of Christ must occur on the basis of the Old Testament alone. Let us be grateful for having more, much more, than these two and not seek for further "proof" from science. "Come on" some might want to say, "surely Christians should be interested in all truth." God is certainly glorified when we pursue truth wherever it may be found. However, while we should be interested in truth (small t) all that faith needs is Truth (big T). The Christian's faith is centred in a Person - Jesus Christ.
But, let us go hunting for truth. Public Relations Officers at NASA have stated that a missing day was not discovered and that if there was a missing day they do not have the means to discover it (Endnote 3). .They also say that Harald Hill was not a consultant in the space program, but involved in "diesel engine operations and maintenance contracting (Endnote 4).. Astrophysicist and biblical scholar Prof. Robert C Newman has studied this case extensively. He points out that the main features of the story predate NASA and computers! In 1890 a Prof. Charles Totten claimed such a discovery but failed to provide the necessary evidence. In the interests of truth the Lost Day story has to be rejected. Newman has strong words for those who would use falsehood to defend the Bible: "This is trying to do God's work using Satan's tactics! (Endnote 5).
Christian philosopher James Sire says it well: "Put simply, the best reason for believing that the Christian religion is true is Jesus, and the best reason for believing in Jesus is Jesus Himself (Endnote 6). The biblical way is for Christians to be "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Endnote 7). Christians so built have no need for dubious extra-biblical stories.
Mike L Anderson, PhD Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology (Wits University), writes, develops educational resources and software and plays Starcraft.
=> His books are available here
Notes
1. Luke 24:25-26.
2. 1 Corinthians 15: 14.
3. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970325g.html
4. Loftin, R.W. (1991) Origin of the Myth About a Missing Day in Time. Skeptical Enquirer 15:350-351.
5. http://www.57piano.com/scispks.htm
6. Sire, J.W. (1994) Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All. IVP, Downers Grove, Illinois.
7. Ephesians 2:20.
4. Loftin, R.W. (1991) Origin of the Myth About a Missing Day in Time. Skeptical Enquirer 15:350-351.
5. http://www.57piano.com/scispks.htm
6. Sire, J.W. (1994) Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All. IVP, Downers Grove, Illinois.
7. Ephesians 2:20.
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