How Could Job’s 3500 B.C. Description of the Earth Match a Modern Astronaut’s View from Space?
How could what modern astronauts are seeing from space and what is written in the ancient book of Job perfectly coincide? The short answer for Christians was given by the Apostle Peter when he wrote: “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of the Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy at any time was produced by the will of man, but holy men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
Yes, the world has many skeptics about the Scriptures—but it totally confounds them to try to explain how Job could have precisely described an earth hanging from nothing in space, circular in nature and having a visible dividing line between day and night.
The adventurous among us eagerly look forward to the day when we can become space tourists and see the earth suspended from nothing. Consider the reaction of Apollo 12 Astronaut Alan Bean’s reactions as chronicled in a 2012 Science Channel presentation entitled NASA’s Unexplained Files. He made these comments about the launch and his first impressions of the earth from space:
“The thought that ran through my head was, ‘I hope the metal in this space ship is strong enough to withstand the vibration. It is more than I ever imagined that machinery could stand and still operate. I looked for the wire that is holding this earth up for a second. You can’t suddenly change from an earthling to a spaceling.'”
So Job wrote the same thing as modern astronauts have observed? Here is what Job wrote in chapter 26 (highlighting added here for emphasis).
7. He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth on nothing.
8. He binds up waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
9. He holds back the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.
10. He has compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
From his observations about the earth hanging from nothing, the waters compassing the earth in a circular fashion and the view of the day-night dividing line, Job was certainly far advanced beyond his “flat earth” contemporaries.
Carl Armstrong is a Bible teacher and a retired Chemical Engineer. He has taught seminars in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Haiti and Africa. He serves on the board of an interdenominational Christian transitional shelter for those in crisis. His web site is watersofcreativity.com.
