Main Timeline Chart
Biblical history from the beginning of time.
He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moveda[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps104:5|Ps 104:5|(|).]^^ They then argue that the statement is scientifically false because the Earth moves around the Sun, and from this, they conclude that the early chapters of Genesis must also be symbolic or figurative language. Whether intentional or not, such reasoning is misleading and dishonest toward the written Word of God. This quotation sums it up perfectly:^^
If we say that we believe the Bible to be the Word of God, we must say that about the whole of the Bible, and when the Bible presents itself to us as history, we must accept it as history. I would contend the early chapters of Genesis, the first three chapters of Genesis, are given to us as history. We know that there are pictures and symbols in the Bible, and when the Bible uses symbols and parable it indicated that it is doing so, but when it presents something to us as history, it requires us to accept it as history.- (MLJ) ||||text-start] 6_[See also:] a_[/bible/web/43-john.html#john1:1-5 |John 1:1||,] a_[/bible/web/51-col.html#col1:15-17 |Col 1:15||,] a_[/bible/web/58-heb.html#heb11:3 |Heb 11:3||] ~ {gen1:6} ![/charts/images/day2.png] ^bc*[Day 2 - Sky/Atmosphere|text-blue] d[The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. a[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps19:1-2|Ps 19:1-2|(|)] | The atmosphere requires perfectly balanced gas levels to sustain plants, animals, and humans. Before creating life, God established the perfect environment on earth to support it.^^ Other planets, such as Mars, are not designed to sustain life and therefore do not require an atmosphere like that of Earth.^^ Many of today’s leading thinkers imagine they can somehow terraform Mars to sustain life. Influenced by big-bang ideology, they believe that detonating nuclear bombs on the surface could accelerate the formation of a life-sustaining environment - by random chance. Yet in reality, explosions bring only ruin, destruction, and desolation.^^ The Genesis account of creation brings with it control and order. The imagination is guided and constrained by the words that have been written. Similarly, most designers and manufacturers provide a user guide or assembly diagram with their products to direct and constrain the end user, preventing confusion and ensuring proper use.^^ Is it not plausible that the Designer and Creator of the universe would also provide mankind with a written Manual, so we need not strive to figure everything out on our own? God has not been indifferent to us but has graciously provided all the information we need. Is it not foolish to flail around endlessly trying to fix something when a manual lies right beside you? By following what is written in the Bible, the problem can be solved in five or ten minutes. ||||] ~ {gen1:9} ![/charts/images/day3.png] ^bc*[Day 3 - Land and vegetation|text-green] d[Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. a[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen1:29|Gen 1:29|(|)] | Plants and vegetation were created a day before the sun came into existence. Since the sun is absolutely vital for vegetation to survive, its creation within the following 24 hours is a logical step in the process. Vegetation was necessary to regulate the balance of gases in the atmosphere and to provide food for animals and mankind. At the beginning there was no killing or eating of animal meat.^^ The creation account is logical and true to life. Just as you first prepare the body of a motorcar before installing the engine that brings it to life, and assemble computer hardware before installing the software that powers it. An airplane is designed and built before the passengers can board it.^^ In the beginning, God arranged everything in perfect order and harmony. ||||text-start|] ~ {gen1:14} ![/charts/images/day4.png] ^bc*[Day 4 - Sun, moon and stars|text-red] d[It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in a[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa40:22|Isa 40:22|(|)] | There was no chaotic "big bang" explosion as popularly imagined. From everyday experience, we know that random, uncontrolled explosions produce disorder - not the finely tuned complexity we observe in the universe. Yet many scientists build theories on assumptions about events they have never directly witnessed. For example, the idea that all matter was once compressed into a tiny ball and then expanded rapidly has never been observed, yet it is presented as settled science. By excluding the possibility of God or the supernatural from their explanations, they turn away from the very truth about how the universe was created and ordered. ^^ The many trillions of stars came into existence on the fourth day by God’s command. This was done to govern the night and the day and to declare the glory of God. It is a testament to God’s perfect power, design, and handiwork. With God, there is no difference in effort whether He creates one star or a trillion; all are made by His miraculous and eternal power. We know this from what God spoke to Moses, which was written down and faithfully preserved through the centuries by the Israelites.^^ Some may ask, "Why didn’t God create the sun, moon, and stars before the earth?" In the creation account, the stars are mentioned almost in passing, highlighting their secondary role in the broader scheme of things. The earth which is central to God’s purposes was created first. Humanity, made in God’s image, stands as the pinnacle of His creation. It appears that God intentionally ordered the days of creation to make this truth unmistakable. And above all, people must be reminded: it is not the creation that deserves our worship, but the Creator Himself.^^ The universe exists solely because of God’s purpose to create humanity in His own image, on the earth. Jesus, the only Son of God, also became a man. The Creator of the universe Himself took on humanity. As it is written,^^
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh, and lived among us. a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john1:1-5|John 1:1|(|,] a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john1:14|John 1:14||)].^^ The Big Bang theory, widely taught as established fact, cannot coexist with God’s Word. These are opposing beliefs, fundamentally at odds with each other. It is no surprise that modern cosmology has become a breeding ground for atheism, intentionally excluding God from the picture. Those who promote this view often demean mankind, portraying humanity as insignificant and merely the product of random chance. As expected, this leaves people without God and without hope in the world. ||||] 6_[See also:] a_[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps19:1-3|Ps 19:1||,] a_[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa42:5|Isa 42:5||,] a_[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa44:24|Isa 44:24||,] a_[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa51:13|Isa 51:13||,] a_[/bible/web/24-jer.html#jer10:12|Jer 10:12||,] a_[/bible/web/24-jer.html#jer51:15|Jer 51:15||,] a_[/bible/web/38-zech.html#zech12:1|Zech 12:1||] ~ {gen1:20} ![/charts/images/day5.png] ^cb*[Day 5 - Sea and flying creatures|text-cyan] d[There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. a[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps104:25-26|Ps 104:25|(|)] | We have all seen images of fish crawling out of the ocean. News articles will state that "our ancestors’ transition from water to land was a pivotal moment in evolution." This idea is presented as an established fact, and the public is expected to accept it. ^^ In reality, sea creatures and birds function according to their design. Those meant to live in water are able to do so, while those created to fly are designed for flight. It's actually quite simple: God made them according to their kinds to function exactly as He intended. As always, the creation account in the Bible aligns with both logic and observable evidence.^^ Some argue that Genesis 1 is merely allegory or poetic symbolism. They claim that expressions such as "let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky" should not be taken literally. However, this raises an odd implication - as if observable phenomena like birds flying in the sky are somehow unreal or metaphorical. In truth, these verses describe a world that aligns with what we can plainly see: birds do fly above the earth in the sky. To dismiss such descriptions as poetic denies both the plain meaning of the text and the evidence of our senses.^^ The Genesis account describes tangible realities - things we can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell even today. Its language is clear and direct, pointing to a literal understanding of creation. Yet, many in the academic world struggle to accept such simplicity, often preferring complex or symbolic interpretations that distance the text from its plain meaning.^^ The sin of intellectual pride is pervasive in today’s world. It can swiftly turn even the brightest minds into fools - minds that may speak eloquently, yet spread ideas devoid of truth. When human reasoning exalts itself above God, the result is always a worldview stripped of hope and meaning. Sadly, even Bible colleges are not immune to this pride and can often become breeding grounds for ideas that stand in opposition to the Word of God. ||||] ~ {gen1:24} ![/charts/images/day6.png] ^cb*[Day 6 - Land animals and mankind|text-brown] d[But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife, and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark10:6-8|Mark 10:6|(|)] | On the sixth day, animals were created according to their kinds. This would have included creatures we now call dinosaurs, though they were not known by that name at the time. The Bible describes a creature called the behemoth, who "sways his huge tail like a cedar tree," with strength in his thighs and great power in the muscles of his belly. There is also a description of the leviathan, which may be another depiction of a dinosaur creature. a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job40:15-41:34|Job 40:15|(|)]^^ The world generally resists the idea that dinosaurs lived alongside mankind, largely due to the widespread belief that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago - long before humans supposedly evolved. This view of history is often based on the order in which fossils are found in rock layers, with the assumption that these layers formed gradually over millions of years. The global flood in the days of Noah is commonly dismissed as a myth, even though it offers the most compelling explanation for the widespread, neatly layered sedimentary rock formations found around the world.^^ The flood is the reason we find billions of dead things buried in rock layers laid down by water, all over the earth. During that time, the entire geology of the earth was transformed: the mountains rose up, the sea valleys sank down to the place God appointed for them. As a7[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps104:6-9|Ps 104:6||] describes, God set a boundary for the waters that they may never again cover the earth. The terrain of the earth underwent a complete makeover during the year-long flood. This is why fossils of marine life are found at the tops of the highest mountain ranges.^^ When God created mankind, He made them perfect - very different from the way we experience life today. On the sixth day God formed Adam directly from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life. God then created Eve directly from Adam’s own body and brought them together in marriage. They were created in God’s image, male and female he created them. There was total perfection and they felt no shame. There was no rebellion or hatred towards God, but only perfect harmony and love. There was no curse, there was no death or sorrow or pain.^^ The origin of mankind presents a significant conflict between the history taught by evolutionary theory and the account given in the Bible. Evolution relies on death, survival of the fittest, and random chance as foundational principles - its framework depends on an endless cycle of death. In contrast, God’s Word reveals that death and suffering entered creation at a specific point in time, following Adam’s rebellion against God. This history could never be known unless it had been recorded and passed down through written revelation. ^^ We are currently living in and observing a cursed creation - far removed from the perfection that existed before the fall. Any attempt to reconstruct the events of the beginning based solely on present-day observations will always lead to error. All theories about pre-Adamic humans are false, as they rely on interpreting fossils that were buried after Adam’s fall. Sadly, this is the result when people reject the Manual given to them by their Creator. They struggle like fish out of water - forever learning, yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. a[/bible/web/55-2tim.html#2tim3:7|2Tim 3:7|(|).] ||||] ~ {gen2:1} ![/charts/images/day7.png] ^cb*[Day 7 - Sabbath Rest|text-purple] d[It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod31:17|Exod 31:17|(|)] | Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod20:8-11|Exod 20:11|(|)]^^ Here, the six days of creation are written into the law as a sign between God and His people forever. God's rest on the seventh day was to be reflected in the Sabbath commandment given to Moses, serving as a pattern for His people to follow. ^^ The six-day creation and the seventh-day rest were written by God on the stone tablets - commonly known as the Ten Commandments - at Mount Sinai. The Law is a profoundly literal document; it is never meant to be taken symbolically. Words carry their plain and intended meaning. The Israelites’ very lives depended on their understanding and obedience to what was written, so they could not afford to trifle with the meaning of God's words. ^^ Today, however, the meaning of the words written in God’s Law is under constant attack. This is the inevitable result when human philosophy and a flawed understanding of history are imposed onto the Bible. It’s now common to hear this New Testament verse quoted - often out of context - to undermine or reinterpret the plain meaning of Scripture:^^ "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day a[/bible/web/61-2pet.html#2pet3:7-9|2Pet 3:7|(|)]." ^^ This Scripture verse is often quoted in an attempt to dismiss the idea of a literal 24-hour day. A plain reading of the word "day" in both the Ten Commandments and Genesis 1 is viewed as an embarrassment to evolutionary theories. To many, it feels like an affront to human intellectual pride and the confidence placed in man's cleverness.^^ But the Word of God is like a hammer that breaks the rock into pieces. It brings human pride low to the dust. The loftiness of man is humbled, and the LORD alone is exalted. a[/bible/web/24-jer.html#jer23:28-29|Jer 23:29|(|, ] a[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa2:11-12|Isa 2:11||)]^^ The creation account given in God’s Word exalts and praises Him alone. Human philosophy, by contrast, always exalts the pride of mankind. People make grand and swelling claims for human knowledge, suppressing the knowledge of God in the process. Ultimately, either the Creator or the creature is worshiped - you cannot have both coexisting a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:18-32|Rom 1:18|(|).] ||||] ^6_[See also:] a_[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod20:9-11|Exod 20:11||] ![/charts/images/adam-and-eve.png] ^bc*[Adam|text-brown] d[From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts17:26-28 ~ {acts17:25} p[start] ~ ![/bible/images/one-blood.png] ^b6[From one man came all nations of men] ^a6[/articles/70-how-did-race-develop-blog.html |See article|||+|Issue of Race] |Acts 17:26|(See: |)] | The conflict between the many theories of evolution and the Bible is not a conflict between science and the Bible. It is a conflict between two separate accounts of history. In the Bible we have written historical documents that have been passed down to us from thousands of years ago, but with evolution it is based on the struggle to interpret the past by studying what is observed in the present.^^ Evolutionists do not have any written documentation that has come down to them about the past, but they tend to study fossils buried in rock layers. From that they have developed a belief system of minute, gradual changes over millions and billion of years. They say that these minute changes of natural selection has made everything we see in the world today. Because they reject the Bible, they also reject any idea of a worldwide flood that rapidly deposited the rock layers we observe today.^^ Two separate world-views have arisen out of these conflicting accounts of history. The one is man-made and relies completely on mankind's study and the ideas of the day. These beliefs are then passed onto the masses as fact and proven science. The other is given by God, written in plain language, and passed down to us in the Bible. ^^ When people design and make things they normally create a user-guide so the product can be easily understood by others. It is logical that the Creator of the universe would give us a user-guide or assembly-diagram of His creation. Do you really think that God would leave mankind to himself, with all the sweat and toil of digging in the dirt, in a futile attempt to piece together the history of the universe and the origin of man? Imagine a medical doctor sending you home to do your own research, when he has examined you and has the diagnoses of your disease with him. Would that be considered loving and kind for him to make you sweat and toil with anxiety, in order to do your own research?^^ But God has been very loving and kind by providing us with a detailed user-guide of the history of the universe and the origin of man. Yet many scientists have rejected God's written record of history, and have ended up with many made-up stories spoken in the name of science. These stories keep changing as they constantly find "new evidence" that always seems to rewrite their understanding of the past. God's word on the other hand is as solid as a rock. It never changes from generation to generation. Many toil and strive against the Biblical record, as they try to change the meaning of words. They tend to hate the phrase "six-days" and are forever trying to read into the Bible the popular theories of the day. ^^ Although those who believe in evolution claim to be wise, they have become fools, and have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the worship of man's faulty knowledge, in all his swelling arrogance and intellectual pride. With conceit they deny God the credit that is due to him. They have burnt the user-guide, so to speak, in order to propagate their own beliefs and tell their own stories. The have dug their own broken cisterns that cannot hold any water. a[/articles/10-what-is-an-evangelical-creation-not-evolution-blog.html|Read more...|(|)|+|Creation, not Evolution] ||||text-start|] h[
There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.
Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.
The poison of vipers is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace, they haven’t known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom3:10-18|Rom 3:10|(|)] ^^ As expected, one of the most contentious subjects known to mankind is the origin of death. Many seek to portray death as the natural norm - something that has existed since the emergence of a single cell millions of years ago. To the evolutionist, death is not an enemy but a trusted ally; without an endless cycle of death and survival of the fittest, the theory cannot stand. He rejects any notion of the fall of man and God’s subsequent curse on creation.^^ To the believer, death is the enemy that entered the world because of Adam's sin; it was not part of the original perfect creation. Death is mourned because it is an adversary by design—it was never meant to be here. It is oppressive, and nearly everyone tries to avoid it.^^ The last enemy that God will destroy through Christ is death a[/bible/web/46-1cor.html#1cor15:22-26|1Cor 15:26|(|)]. Christ Jesus defeated death on the cross, and He will finally and completely defeat it at the future resurrection. Jesus said,^^
Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement.a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john5:28-29|John 5:28|(|)]^^ To the believer in Jesus the death of this body is a passing through into the presence of the LORD. For the unbelieving, and those who practice evil and falsehood, death is a terrible thing. For those who are not covered with the righteousness of Christ, and who remain stiff-necked and rebellious against God and His Son, death will end in the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. a[/bible/web/66-rev.html#rev20:11-15|Rev 20:15|(|)] ^^ So then, the Bible teaches that creation began in a state of perfection. Animals and humans were given fruit and plants to eat - there was no hunting of animals for food; such a thing would have been unthinkable. There was no tooth-and-claw existence in the beginning. The lion would lie down with the lamb. There was no bloodshed of any kind. Adam and his wife lived in total perfection and felt no shame. There was no rebellion or hatred toward God - only perfect harmony and love. There was no curse, no death, no sorrow, and no pain.^^ But evil entered into God's perfect creation through Eve being deceived by Satan. This brought a curse upon creation and, subsequently, death and decay. Adam would no longer live forever but would be subject to aging and death. He would have to earn his bread through sweat and toil. The perfect rest he once had in God was lost, as sin became the dominating force in his soul. The power of sin took charge, inflaming every kind of lust in his body. Oh, what a wretched man he had become - now a slave to the wiles of the devil. He gained a practical knowledge of evil, and shame filled every fiber of his being. He lost direct access to God and was driven out of the garden. The path back to God could never be regained by his own effort. The damage was beyond Adam’s ability to fix. Only God could provide the remedy for mankind's sin and estrangement.^^ Scientists go wrong when they are ignorant of history, forgetting that death came in as an enemy when the whole creation came under the curse of sin, subjecting it to bondage and decay. At that time God gave our first parents the promise that the seed of the woman would one day crush Satan's head. A Saviour was to be born who would overcome the curse and defeat sin and death, and the fires of hell, for all those who believe. ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/seed.png] ^bc*[The Promise|text-yellow] d[But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. a[/bible/web/48-gal.html#gal4:4-5|Gal 4:4|(|)] | The promise of a Saviour runs throughout history, beginning in the garden of Eden. The Gospel did not start with the birth of Jesus about 2,000 years ago. It began at the beginning, on the very day Adam and Eve fell into sin. This would have been around 6,000 years ago when tracing the genealogies back to Adam.^^ Those who believe that mankind evolved from a common ape-like ancestor over millions of years face a dilemma. They arrive at mistaken conclusions about God. They imagine that heaven watched with indifference at the plight of man for hundreds of thousands or millions of years, and only acted for the first time about 2,000 years ago. Their "death and destruction, survival of the fittest" scheme fails them completely, and they grumble against God. They never stop to consider that they are at fault for embracing a history created from their own imaginations, a history that God did not give them. How insolent it is to make up our own stories and then blame God for what follows. ^^ It is troubling that many Christians have embraced the philosophy of "microbe to man" evolution. They have accepted the lie that rejecting the latest stories from scientists and the news media will create a stumbling block for scientifically-minded people seeking faith. They claim that six-day creation is not an essential doctrine of the Christian faith, even though the Bible clearly teaches it. They do not stop to consider that in doing so, they are undermining the very foundations of the Gospel. The unintended consequence is that this drives people away from the Bible and leaves the world with the mistaken idea that Scripture cannot be trusted. ^^ But we know from the written record (the Bible) that God created the world perfect and declared it all very good a[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen1:31|Gen 1:31|(|).] We know that our first parents conceived evil and bitter thoughts toward God and rebelled against Him. We know that God acted on the same day to cover their nakedness and shame a[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen3:21|Gen 3:21|(|).] God focused their minds and faith on the Redeemer who would be born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the curse of the law.^^ The believers who lived before Christ came into the world trusted God’s promise, and their faith was credited to them as righteousness. a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom4:3|Rom 4:3|(|, ] a[/bible/web/59-jas.html#jas2:23|Jas 2:23||)]. The believers who lived after Christ came into the world also believe in God’s promise, and their faith is credited to them as righteousness. Christ Jesus came at a specific point in history to do the work necessary to atone for sin. He came for those believers who lived before Him, as well as for those who have lived and will live after Him. As it is written,^^ God presented him (Christ Jesus) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom3:25-26|Rom 3:25|(|).] ^^ The promise of salvation through faith in the LORD Jesus Christ is proclaimed throughout the whole world. Yet many reject the message and place themselves under the judgment of their sin and the fires of hell.^^ This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed a[/bible/web/53-2thess.html#2thess1:6-10|2Thess 1:6|(|).] ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/cain.png] ^bc*[Cain|text-red] d[Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. a[/bible/web/62-1john.html#1john3:12|1John 3:12|(|)] | Cain was a man who was religious. Like so many, his practice of religion did nothing to change the state of his evil heart. He became murderous while practicing his religion. It was all outward form and ritual without any sense of repentance and a need for God's grace and mercy. ^^ Cain approached God on his own terms with his own efforts. He imagined that God would be pleased with the way he was doing things. There was no sorrow over his sin. He may have even thanked God that he was not like many of the others in his family.^^ Religious people were the ones who gave Jesus the most trouble. They were known as the Pharisees, Sadducees and teacher of the law. The were exactly like Cain, filled with jealousy towards Jesus and wanted to murder Him. The Pharisees had all the education, rules and regulations, but Jesus had the life of God living in Him and flowing from Him. Jesus said of them,^^ For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, and love the place of honour at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:1-12|Matt 23:1|(|).] ^^ There has always been conflict between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, between the religion of Cain and the faith of Abel. This conflict existed between Ismael and Isaac - the child born in the natural way and the child born through the promise.^^ We find this conflict at it greatest between the religious Pharisees and the faith of Jesus. This conflict is always between mankind's made-up religions and those who have faith in the Word of God.^^ Even in the field of historical "science", the belief or religion of evolution persecutes and ridicules those who have faith in what is written in the Bible. Its the same conflict everywhere. The one is striving by its own efforts and the other is resting in the promises of God. The one who strives to lift up his own ideas hates the one who abases himself and lifts up the LORD God to the highest place of worship.^^ The man who comes with his own pride and ideas is rejected by God, but the man who comes to God through faith in the promise is accepted a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke18:9-14|Luke 18:9|(|).] The one is cursed and the other is blessed a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt25:41-46|Matt 25:41|(|).] The one is filled with jealousy and hatred and the other is filled with love a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts7:54-60|Acts 7:54|(|).] ^^ So then, the religion of works and faith in the promise runs right through the Bible. Humanity is divided into these two groups. Even when people do not belong to a formal religion they are still practicing some for af religion, whether it be belief in oneself or in mankind as a whole. It may be the love of money or the love of self a[/bible/web/55-2tim.html#2tim3:1-9|2Tim 3:1|(|).] ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/pope.png] ^bc*[Religion of Works|text-blue] d[For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfilment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom10:1-4|Rom 10:1|(|).] | False religion tends to be made up of man-made rules a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark7:5-14|Mark 7:5|(|).] It is often directed towards the one true God, but it seeks to worship Him according to its own terms and ideas. The focus is entirely on externals and no attention is given to the thoughts and desires of the heart a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:25-28|Matt 23:25|(|).] We find this in the time of Jesus with the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt15:7-9|Matt 15:7|(|).] They thought that they were well pleasing to God with all their made-up rules, traditions and false interpretation of the Scriptures, but all their efforts were rejected by the Son of God as being a lie a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt22:29|Matt 22:29|(|).] ^^ You will find these things in many of the world’s religions. In Roman Catholicism, there are church traditions that present themselves as requirements from God. At some point, they decided to make Mary a mediator between the person and Jesus, when the Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between man and God a[/bible/web/54-1tim.html#1tim2:5-6|1Tim 2:5|(|).] They pray to the saints and teach that forbidding marriage is something good and holy. These teachings are presented as the way to achieve higher levels of holiness or to gain merit with God. The apostle Paul calls such doctrines "doctrines of demons" a[/bible/web/54-1tim.html#1tim4:1-5|1Tim 4:1|(|).] Many things have been added that were never taught or even mentioned by Jesus or the apostles - all man-made rules and traditions that Christ Jesus condemned in the Pharisees a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:13-39|Matt 23:13|(|).] ^^ So then, false religion normally teaches that if you follow certain rules, teachings, or traditions, God will be pleased. Cain was the first example of someone practicing false religion. The Bible does not explicitly say, but you may find that he was trying to build up credit with God by following his religious rituals, or doing things for the purpose of putting on a show for others to see a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:5-7|Matt 23:5|(|, ] a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke18:11-12|Luke 18:11||).] ^^ There was nothing in Cain's religion that humbled him as a wretched sinner before God, nor did he feel the need for grace and mercy from God. When his sacrifices were rejected, he became angry, filled with the desire for murder. He was far too proud to see that all his religious efforts were worthless. Bitterness and jealousy filled Cain's soul as he plotted and planned to kill his younger brother Abel, whose sacrifices were acceptable to God. He was a slave to his own lusts, dragging him down the path to the eternal fires of hell a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:33-36|Matt 23:33|(|).] ^^ Those who work hard for God’s approval - or for the approval of others - will always resent those who are resting and trusting in God’s promises. They become jealous when they see others, who appear idle, finding acceptance and approval with God while they themselves are busy striving and working, trying to be moral and religious a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke15:25-31|Luke 15:25|(|).] ^^ The Pharisees, like Cain, were full of restless evil when Jesus walked the earth. They constantly tried to set traps for Him a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt22:17-22|Matt 22:17|(|).] Like Cain, they sought an excuse to kill Him a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt12:14|Matt 12:14|(|).] When they did kill Jesus - who was raised from the dead on the third day - the nation brought curses upon themselves a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt27:25|Matt 27:25|(|).] They would never find rest and continued their murderous desires against the saints (followers of Jesus) as the years passed. ^^ Cain became a restless wanderer on the earth. The land was cursed beneath his feet, and he remained a fugitive for the rest of his life a[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen4:11-12|Gen 4:11|(|).] There is no rest for the wicked, and those who practice false religion will be forever restless, never knowing the blessed Sabbath rest and acceptance with God a[/bible/web/58-heb.html#heb4:9-11|Heb 4:9|(|).] They approach God on the wrong terms, with hearts full of vanity and pride a[/bible/web/03-lev.html#lev10:1|Lev 10:1|(|).] Despite all the painful striving and self-flagellation they pour into their religion, they expect God to be pleased with them, but they always run headlong into the brick wall of rejection. All their religious efforts only serve as fuel for the fire a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:37-39|Matt 23:37|(|).] ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/satan.png] ^bc*[Satan and Demons|text-red] d[Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. a[/bible/web/60-1pet.html#1pet5:8|1Pet 5:8|(|)] | Satan tempts Adam and Eve^ In the Bible, we read that Satan holds great power and authority in the world. He was able to defeat our first parents, Adam and Eve, even while they were in a state of perfection. Through deception, he cast them down into sin and death. He persuaded them with lies to rebel against their Creator, and they believed him, even though they were sinless, lacking nothing, and without any evil desire a[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen3:1-6|Gen 3:1-6|(|)].^^ We are not told why Satan was present in the garden at the beginning. What we do know is that he was an angelic being created by God, and at some point, he became evil and rebelled against his Creator. He led a rebellion in heaven among the angels, causing many to be cast out of heaven a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke10:18|Luke 10:18|(|)]. He then enticed Adam and Eve to rebel against God as well. Satan has remained active in the world and will continue to be until the very end, when he and his demons are cast into the lake of fire a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt25:41|Matt 25:41|(|)].^^ He is also called "the dragon," "the old serpent" a[/bible/web/66-rev.html#rev12:9|Rev 12:9|(|;] a[/bible/web/66-rev.html#rev20:2|Rev 20:2||)]; "the prince of this world" a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john12:31|John 12:31|(|;] a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john14:30|John 14:30||)]; "the prince of the power of the air" a[/bible/web/49-eph.html#eph2:2|Eph 2:2|(|)]; "the god of this world" a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor4:4|2Cor 4:4|(|)]; "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" a[/bible/web/49-eph.html#eph2:2|Eph 2:2|(|)]. The distinct personality of Satan and his activity among men are thus obviously recognized. He tempted our Lord in the wilderness a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt4:1-11|Matt 4:1-11|(|)]. He is "Beelzebub, the prince of the devils" a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt12:24|Matt 12:24|(|)]. He is "the constant enemy of God, of Christ, of the divine kingdom, of the followers of Christ, and of all truth; full of falsehood and all malice, and exciting and seducing to evil in every possible way." His power is very great in the world. He is a "roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" a[/bible/web/60-1pet.html#1pet5:8|1Pet 5:8|(|)]. Men are said to be "taken captive by him" a[/bible/web/55-2tim.html#2tim2:26|2Tim 2:26|(|)]. Christians are warned against his "devices" a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor2:11|2Cor 2:11|(|)], and called on to "resist" him a[/bible/web/59-jas.html#jas4:7|Jas 4:7|(|)]. Christ redeems his people from "him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" a[/bible/web/58-heb.html#heb2:14|Heb 2:14|(|)]. Satan has the "power of death," not as lord, but simply as executioner. - (Easton Bible Dictionary)^ Satan afflicts Job So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job2:7|Job 2:7|(|).] ^^ We read of Satan rising up against Job and bringing severe trials upon him. He had control over the weather, over entire groups of people, and could cause painful sores to break out across Job's body a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job1:12-19|Job 1:12-19|(|,] a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job2:6-8|Job 2:6-8||)]. Satan also influenced Job's wife, as she urged him to curse God and die a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job2:9-10|Job 2:9-10|(|)].^^ We are never told why God allowed Satan to test Job in the way He did. When God finally responds to Job, we are left to conclude that the reasons lie beyond human understanding. God answers Job's questions with questions that Job cannot answer a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job38:1-3|Job 38:1-3|(|,] a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job40:1-7|Job 40:1-7||)]. In the end, Job comes to see how limited and small he is in comparison to God. He realizes that his many questions were foolish, and he feels ashamed of himself a[/bible/web/18-job.html#job42:1-6|Job 42:1-6|(|)].^^ One might say that "Job was put through hell," but even his suffering does not compare to the hell that Jesus spoke about. Hell is both a place and a state where evil is no longer restrained by God. Every horror, both imaginable and unimaginable, is unleashed upon the person in hell. Jesus described it as a place "where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark9:48|Mark 9:48|(|)]. If you delight in evil here on earth, God will eventually remove His restraining hand and give you over to evil unrestrained in hell. The panic and terror will be so great that Jesus described it as "weeping and gnashing of teeth" a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt8:12|Matt 8:12|(|,] a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt13:42|Matt 13:42||)]. It will be terror beyond anything imaginable, with no hope of escape. There will be only blackest darkness and total, absolute isolation from all comfort and compassion a[/bible/web/65-jude.html#jude1:13|Jude 1:13|(|)]. Your cries of agony will never be heard. No one will ever come to rescue you. It will be complete and final abandonment that will never end.^^ But God has provided a way of escape from hell through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and faith in Him. Call on the name of the LORD, and you will be saved.^ Pharaoh's sorcerers and magicians perform miracles by Satan's power ^ Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod7:11|Exod 7:11|(|).] ^^ Magicians and sorcerers were able to perform signs through their secret arts. This was the work of Satan's power, used to deceive Pharaoh and harden his heart so that he refused to let God's people go free a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod7:11|Exod 7:11|(|,] a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod7:22|Exod 7:22||,] a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod8:7|Exod 8:7||)].^^ At a later time, under the law given to Moses, the practice of sorcery and other occult activities was strictly forbidden a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod22:18|Exod 22:18|(|,] a[/bible/web/03-lev.html#lev19:31|Lev 19:31||)].^^ In the New Testament, sorcery is listed as a work of the sinful nature a[/bible/web/48-gal.html#gal5:19-21|Gal 5:19-21|(|)]. When people believed in the LORD Jesus, they consistently renounced sorcery and other occult practices a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts19:18-20|Acts 19:18-20|(|)].^ Satan's dispute over the body of Moses ^ We are told that Satan had a dispute with the archangel Michael over the body of Moses. Michael, being of lesser authority and power, did not confront Satan in his own strength but invoked the name of the LORD to resist him. In his letter, Jude condemns those in the church who speak arrogantly and abusively against the devil a[/bible/web/65-jude.html#jude1:8-10|Jude 1:8-10|(|)].^ King Saul and the tormenting spirit ^ Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him a[/bible/web/09-1sam.html#1sam16:14|1Sam 16:14|(|).] ^^ King Saul was subjected to tremendous torment by the forceful working of an evil spirit upon him. He was thrown into fits of rage but found some relief through the remedy of the day - sweet-sounding music a[/bible/web/09-1sam.html#1sam16:15-17|1Sam 16:15-17|(|)]. From this, we can see that they had their own form of dealing with spiritual affliction - something resembling modern approaches to mental or emotional care. Music therapy was likely a common treatment for those tormented by evil spirits. The accounts of David playing his harp show that it was highly effective in bringing Saul relief a[/bible/web/09-1sam.html#1sam16:23|1Sam 16:23|(|)].^^ If Saul had been living in the 21st century, he might have been prescribed anti-psychotic medication to suppress brain activity and control his symptoms of rage, helping him to feel better. If he were to receive a diagnosis, it would likely be something like "Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)." The cause of the disorder would probably be listed as "unknown." The suggestion of a demonic influence behind the condition would be unthinkable by today's standards. If a psychiatrist were to suggest such a cause, they might risk losing their license to practice. Today, "truth" is determined by the scientific consensus of the moment, rather than by objective and ultimate truth.^^ With all the talk today about everyone having free will, we see that Saul did not appear to have it. He was governed by an external power that came upon him and seized him. One moment he was making oaths not to put David to death, and the next he was hurling his spear at him a[/bible/web/09-1sam.html#1sam19:6-10|1Sam 19:6-10|(|)]. By this time, it seems that the music therapy was no longer having much effect. When a demon has been exerting influence over a person for an extended period, it can cause lasting damage to the body, making healing far more difficult.^^ King Saul eventually turned to the practice of sorcery and divination for guidance a[/bible/web/09-1sam.html#1sam28:6-9|1Sam 28:6-9|(|)]. He had long before abandoned God and His Word, and now God no longer listened to his prayers. The practice of consulting the spirit world - demons appearing as angels of light - has run throughout human history. Later, the apostle Paul encountered a girl who had a spirit of divination, earning money through fortune-telling. She was sharing her so-called "light" with everyone, shouting the same phrase for days on end a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts16:16-19|Acts 16:16-19|(|)]. Paul became annoyed, commanded the spirit to come out, and ended her career as a fortune-teller. We also see that the church is crowded with false prophets making predictions in the name of the LORD that seldom, if ever, come true. This practice also often earns them much money and fame.^ David was tempted by Satan to count his fighting men ^ Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to take a census of Israel a[/bible/web/13-1chr.html#1chr21:1|1Chr 21:1|(|).] ^^ Satan rose up against Israel and tempted David, with great success, to count his fighting men in rebellion against God. Even after the king was warned not to do it, he still persisted. The Israelites were well aware that victory did not come from the size of their army but because the LORD was with them. David had turned to thinking about physical might rather than God's power. We also find that when Gideon went to war against the Midianites, God reduced his army to 300 fighting men against a Midianite army of around 135 around 000 a[/bible/web/07-judg.html#judg7:2-9|Judg 7:2-9|(|,] a[/bible/web/07-judg.html#judg8:10|Judg 8:10||)]. This was so they would not rely on their own strength and boast about it but on God's power. ^^ When we turn to the same account in 2 Samuel, we read that God was angry with Israel a[/bible/web/10-2sam.html#2sam24:1-4|2Sam 24:1-4|(|)]. This anger was due to Israel's unfaithfulness to Him. There is no contradiction, as God merely used Satan as His rod of discipline or judgment. God is longsuffering, but there comes a point of judgment when He hands people over to sin and all its terrible consequences. In this case, Satan was the instrument of God's judgment. When we read the Bible, we need to keep in mind that often many years or decades of rebellion pass before God acts and sends judgment. God prefers to show mercy and compassion so that people will turn from their sins a[/bible/web/59-jas.html#jas2:13|Jas 2:13|(|)].^ The lying spirit in the false prophets ^ A spirit came out and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him' a[/bible/web/11-1kgs.html#1kgs22:20-23|1Kgs 22:20|(|).] ^^ An evil spirit became a lying spirit in the mouths of the false prophets to entice Ahab to go to war and bring down judgment upon him for all the evil he had done. King Ahab was very evil, along with his wife Jezebel. The time was ripe for God to put him to death, and an evil spirit was used to bring it about a[/bible/web/11-1kgs.html#1kgs22:20-40|1Kgs 22:20-40|(|)].^^ The death penalty for certain types of evil has become very unpopular in the world. People have become so confused in their thinking that they imagine putting a serial killer to death is a terrible act that amounts to murder. This is one reason why many have turned away from the Bible. They hate the idea that evil should be punished and purged with a death sentence. What is often forgotten is that all humanity is already suffering the death penalty for sin. We are all facing death at some point, which will become the second death in the lake of fire for those who remain stubborn and refuse God's way of escape and free gift of eternal life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, as it is written, ^^ "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son a[/bible/web/43-john.html#john3:14-21|John 3:14|(|)."] ^ Satan accusing Joshua the high priest ^ He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the LORD's angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary a[/bible/web/38-zech.html#zech3:1-2|Zech 3:1|(|).] ^ Jesus tempted by Satan after fasting for 40 days ^ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt4:1|Matt 4:1|(|).] ^^ Jesus was subjected to the most intense temptations by Satan in the wilderness a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt4:1-11|Matt 4:1-11|(|)]. When His body was hungry and worn out, the tempter came to Him with subtle and evil suggestions. At every turn, the Son of God resisted Satan and would not surrender His will to the devil's enticements. Where Adam and Eve failed, Jesus overcame. The LORD Jesus Christ alone was able to put an end to sin, bring in everlasting righteousness, and seal up vision and prophecy a[/bible/web/27-dan.html#dan9:24|Dan 9:24|(|,] a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor1:20|2Cor 1:20||)].^^ Jesus was tempted in every way that we are but was without sin a[/bible/web/58-heb.html#heb4:15|Heb 4:15|(|)]. God is not like a manager of a company sitting in his office looking at His labourers sweating in the heat of the day. No, no! He took on human flesh, was born of a woman, and was subjected to everything and more of what we go through. More than that, He gave Himself up to death to free us from the power of death a[/bible/web/50-phil.html#phil2:7-8|Phil 2:7-8|(|)]. He suffered in our place a[/bible/web/23-isa.html#isa53:4-5|Isa 53:4-5|(|,] a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt20:28|Matt 20:28||)]. He took the punishment for our sin so that we may become the righteousness of God a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:17|Rom 1:17|(|,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom3:21|Rom 3:21||,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom4:5-9|Rom 4:5-9||,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom4:22|Rom 4:22||,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom5:18|Rom 5:18||,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom9:30|Rom 9:30||,] a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom10:4|Rom 10:4||,] a[/bible/web/46-1cor.html#1cor1:30|1Cor 1:30||,] a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor5:21|2Cor 5:21||,] a[/bible/web/48-gal.html#gal3:6|Gal 3:6||)]. Repent and believe the Good News.^ Jesus and His authority over evil spirits ^ They were all amazed, so that they questioned amongst themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!" a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark1:27-28|Mark 1:27|(|).] ^^ Disorders caused by evil spirits were common when Jesus walked on the earth. We know so much about them because the evil spirits would manifest when Jesus was nearby - the Light exposed the darkness a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke4:33-37|Luke 4:33-37|(|)]. Jesus had the power to cure them, and some of these healings were recorded in the Gospels. People would bring the sick out of their homes to where Jesus was, so the healings were often on public display a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt12:22-23|Matt 12:22-23|(|)]. ^^ The "common" people did not have to ask Jesus for a diagnosis or inquire of Him what was wrong with their loved one. They all knew and understood the symptoms of a demon manifesting in the body. There was no billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry putting out propaganda about chemical imbalances and things like that. Their minds were free to take things at face value and arrive at logical conclusions. The outward, physically observable state of the person determined what spirit was at work. The surprise and wonder to the people was that there was actually someone who could cure these conditions a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark1:27-28|Mark 1:27-28|(|)]. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, will produce life in the body of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control a[/bible/web/48-gal.html#gal5:22-23|Gal 5:22-23|(|)].^^ When evil spirits were about to be cast out, they often manifested by taking control of the body???s normal functions. The Bible describes the demon as seizing the person. In this state, the person was said to be possessed or demonised. They would often cry out loudly or be thrown into epileptic-like fits on the ground a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark1:34|Mark 1:34|(|,] a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark9:20|Mark 9:20||)]. At times, those under demonic power became extremely violent and had to be restrained. They could also display supernatural strength beyond normal human ability a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke8:29|Luke 8:29|(|,] a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts19:15-16|Acts 19:15-16||)]. ^^ In the gospels, we see cases of evil spirits causing deformities or infirmities in the body, such as making a person bent over or causing blindness or muteness a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke13:10-17|Luke 13:10-17|(|)]. Unclean spirits were able to work on the physical body to mimic or cause actual biological disorders, bringing great suffering. Jesus was able to heal all these illnesses, usually with just a word or command.^ The disciples of Jesus given power to heal ^ He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt10:1|Matt 10:1|(|).] ^^ For the disciples of Jesus to heal people and cast out demons, they needed the power of the Holy Spirit a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke10:17-21|Luke 10:17-21|(|)]. This power and authority were given to them by Jesus a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt10:8|Matt 10:8|(|;] a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke9:1-2|Luke 9:1-2||)]. However, this did not guarantee success in every instance. Scripture records a time when the disciples were unable to heal a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt17:19-21|Matt 17:19-21|(|)], which was due to the strength of the demon and their lack of faith and prayer necessary to confront such evil spirits a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark9:29|Mark 9:29|(|)]. The demon had deeply ingrained itself in the person???s body over a long period, making healing more difficult a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark9:21|Mark 9:21|(|)]. In response, Jesus taught them a lesson on faith, showing that through God???s power, what seems impossible can become possible a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt17:20|Matt 17:20|(|)].^^ For various reasons, the disciples of Jesus discovered that there was no set formula or ritual that guaranteed success. Their effectiveness depended on their relationship with and reliance on God. God alone has the authority to give or withhold His power according to His will.^^ We even see that Jesus was unable to heal some people because of their lack of faith a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt13:57-58|Matt 13:57-58|(|;] a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark6:4-6|Mark 6:4-6||)]. This was especially evident in His hometown, where many did not receive or believe in Him. As a result, God withheld His blessing and power. One could say that their spiritual condition - or lack thereof - affected their physical health in that instance. ^ Satan enters into Judas ^ Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke22:3|Luke 22:3|(|).] ^^ Satan entered Judas to give him the power and confidence needed to betray Jesus into the hands of the religious leaders. He was the driving force behind Judas' sin. Satan works through and influences people to carry out his evil purposes in the world, which is under his control. Although Judas was never described as being possessed or ill due to an evil spirit, he was nevertheless under Satan's influence in his thoughts and desires.^^ Sicknesses caused by evil spirits tend to make a person dysfunctional. However, Judas was able to function very well under the influence of the evil possessing him. He carried out his devious plan with skill and precision. In contrast, a sick person may become catatonic, agitated, severely depressed, filled with terror, or delusional. Such a person might not be able to function normally in society.^ Satan sifts Simon Peter ^ The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke22:31-32|Luke 22:31|(|).] ^^ Simon Peter was easily sifted by Satan and quickly denied knowing Jesus a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt26:73-75|Matt 26:73-75|(|)]. It was Satan's power working on his body and mind, as well as through the people around him. Here is a person totally devoted to Jesus, yet doing the complete opposite of what he desired when Satan attacked him. He didn't stand a chance against Satan's power, but God prevented him from falling completely and granted him repentance a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke22:32-34|Luke 22:32-34|(|;] a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke22:61-64|Luke 22:61-64||)].^^ You might say, "The devil made him do it," but we are always responsible for our own actions. The truth is that the devil took hold of the sin already within him, stirred it up, and gave it great power - thereby gaining control over him a[/bible/web/59-jas.html#jas1:13-15|Jas 1:13-15|(|)].^ Satan working a powerful delusion ^ Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders a[/bible/web/53-2thess.html#2thess2:8-10|2Thess 2:8|(|).] ^^ We read about a powerful delusion that will be unleashed on the earth in the last days a[/bible/web/53-2thess.html#2thess2:1-12|2Thess 2:1-12|(|)]. This delusion is the work of Satan, sent to deceive those who take pleasure in wickedness and to bring them to justice and eternal punishment. God allows this because people refuse to love the truth and be saved. In response, He hands them over to their own evil desires. All restraints - the barriers that once held them back from plunging fully into evil - are removed a[/bible/web/53-2thess.html#2thess2:7|2Thess 2:7|(|)]. They revel in their newfound freedom, boasting in their lusts, but it is all a delusion. Their consciences are no longer troubled by the message of the Bible, and there is no fear of God or the judgment of hell. ^^ We also see that God is increasingly spoken of only as a "God of love," while every other attribute revealed in Scripture is either ridiculed or dismissed. God-ordained boundaries for marriage, sex, and many other areas are cast aside as people are driven by their evil desires. Pride and confidence in man rise to epidemic proportions. Mankind begins to see himself as a god, believing that nothing is impossible for him. The true God, as revealed in the Bible, is replaced by the worship of man and his own abilities. During this time, the man of lawlessness rises up in the temple (the church), proclaiming himself to be God a[/bible/web/53-2thess.html#2thess2:8|2Thess 2:8|(|)]. Religious leaders emerge, claiming infallibility and placing themselves on equal footing with Christ. They call themselves "Holy Father" and adopt titles reserved for God alone - titles that Christ explicitly forbade them to use a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt23:9|Matt 23:9|(|)].^^ The slippery slope begins with denying God as Creator a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:20|Rom 1:20|(|)]. From there, man begins to boast in his own wisdom a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:22|Rom 1:22|(|)]. This leads to the worship of idols, followed by a descent into sexual immorality and unnatural desires a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:23-27|Rom 1:23-27|(|)]. Eventually, it results in a widespread corruption of all areas of life, filled with every kind of evil a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom1:28-32|Rom 1:28-32|(|)].^ Satan tempts Ananias and Sapphira, which led to their death ^ Satan tempted and overcame Ananias and his wife in the early church. They sold a piece of property and lied about the amount received. While pretending to give the full amount, they secretly kept back a portion of the money a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts5:1-11|Acts 5:1|(|).]^ Satan, or the god of this age, blinds people to the truth ^ Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor4:3-4|2Cor 4:3|(|).] ^^ Satan actively works to prevent people from hearing and understanding the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He does this through countless means.^ Some other references to Satan in the New Testament ^ Jesus was accused by the religious leaders of driving out demons by Satan's power a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt12:25-29|Matt 12:25-29|(|,] a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark3:23|Mark 3:23||,] a[/bible/web/42-luke.html#luke11:18|Luke 11:18||)].^^ Jesus refers to Peter as "Satan" when Peter tried to deter Him from going to the cross a[/bible/web/40-matt.html#matt16:23|Matt 16:23|(|,] a[/bible/web/41-mark.html#mark8:33|Mark 8:33||)].^^ Paul's commission to open up people's understanding so that they can turn from Satan to God a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts26:17-18|Acts 26:17-18|(|)].^^ Paul's rebuke and judgement on Elymas the sorcerer a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts13:8-11|Acts 13:8-11|(|)].^^ A spirit of divination driven out of a girl a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts16:16-19|Acts 16:16-19|(|)].^^ Paul's encouragement to people in Rome a[/bible/web/45-rom.html#rom16:20|Rom 16:20|(|)].^^ A man handed over to Satan for discipline a[/bible/web/46-1cor.html#1cor5:4-5|1Cor 5:4-5|(|)].^^ Avoiding the temptations of Satan in marriage a[/bible/web/46-1cor.html#1cor7:5|1Cor 7:5|(|)].^^ A call to avoid extremes so that Satan will not get the upper hand a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor2:8-11|2Cor 2:8-11|(|)].^^ False teachers in the church working in the same way as Satan does a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor11:13-15|2Cor 11:13-15|(|)].^^ The apostle Paul was given a thorn in the flesh (or messenger of Satan) to torment him and to keep him from becoming conceited a[/bible/web/47-2cor.html#2cor12:7-9|2Cor 12:7-9|(|)].^^ Satan blocked the apostle Paul from traveling to Thessolonica a[/bible/web/52-1thess.html#1thess2:18|1Thess 2:18|(|)].^^ Paul handing over members in the church to Satan to discipline them a[/bible/web/54-1tim.html#1tim1:20|1Tim 1:20|(|)].^^ Apostle Paul referring to people in the church who were following Satan a[/bible/web/54-1tim.html#1tim5:15|1Tim 5:15|(|)].^^ Leaders in the church must never be recent converts, else the devil will cause them to fall a[/bible/web/54-1tim.html#1tim3:6|1Tim 3:6|(|)].^^ Satan holds the power of death a[/bible/web/58-heb.html#heb2:14|Heb 2:14|(|)].^^ Believers called to submit to God and resist the devil a[/bible/web/59-jas.html#jas4:7|Jas 4:7|(|)].^^ The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour a[/bible/web/60-1pet.html#1pet5:8|1Pet 5:8|(|)].^^ Children of the devil a[/bible/web/62-1john.html#1john3:8|1John 3:8|(|)]. ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/lifespans.png] ^bc*[Very Long Lifespans|text-yellow] d[And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. a_[/bible/web/01-gen.html#gen5:27|Gen 5:27|(|)] | We are constantly told through evolutionary theory that mankind has been advancing in every way and now enjoys longer lifespans than ever before. This belief - that humans were once primitive, ape-like creatures - is so deeply embedded in modern thinking that few ever stop to consider the possibility that ancient man may have been just as capable, if not more so, than we are today.^^ The fact is that, in some respects, mankind's health and genetic robustness have declined over time. The gene pool has become more diluted, and harmful mutations accumulate, impacting overall health.^^ In ancient times, beginning with the children of the first man, Adam, people necessarily married close relatives. At that stage, such unions would not have resulted in harmful effects on their offspring. This continued until the time of Moses, when God gave the law, which forbade marriage between close relatives.^^ So then, we cannot go back in time to observe what conditions on earth were like before the global flood. All we have is the written record God gave to Moses, and the billions of dead things buried in rock layers, laid down by the floodwaters across the earth.^^ God has not remained silent toward humanity regarding our origins. He has spoken, and His words have been preserved in the ancient documents we now call the Bible. Theories of evolution have gained influence largely because many people do not want to listen to God or give Him the glory He deserves. Instead, they seek to create their own "knowledge" and write their own narratives. As a result, people give themselves over to a powerful delusion. This delusion is often illustrated visually, sometimes in pictures like this:^ ![/charts/images/manevolution.png] ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/fountainsofthedeep.png] ^bc*[Pre-flood Old World|text-yellow] d[the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. a_[/bible/web/61-2pet.html#2pet3:5-7|2Pet 3:5-7|(|)] | The earth underwent a complete transformation during the global flood. The world that existed then is not the same as the one we observe today. This cataclysmic event reshaped the entire planet. The psalmist vividly described this physical transformation of the earth:^^ He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. a_[/bible/web/19-ps.html#ps104:5-9|Ps 104:5-9|(|)] ^^ Because many modern scientists dismiss the flood as a myth, they are led into serious error when interpreting the history of the world. Scripture tells us that people are willfully ignorant - they deliberately exclude God, His revelation in creation, and His written Word from their thinking.^^ In an attempt to explain the sudden die-off of creatures - especially dinosaurs - found in the fossil record, many prefer the story of an asteroid colliding with the earth and causing global devastation, supposedly millions of years ago. While asteroids have indeed struck the earth, they deliberately dismiss the global judgment of the flood, having already decided that scientific investigation must exclude any belief in God or consideration of ancient historical documents - namely, the Bible.^^ Many scoff at the Bible, settling rather for the belief that everything has gradually evolved over billions of years. Yet they willfully forget the true reality: that the ancient world came under judgment from God just a few thousand years ago because of the wickedness of the people living at that time.^^ Because of this serious omission of the biblical record, all their theories are like castles built in the air - unsupported and unstable. It is only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down. ||||text-start|] ![/charts/images/tenplagues.png] bc^*[The Ten Plagues on Egypt|text-yellow] d[‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out, and serve me in this place.’ a[/bible/web/44-acts.html#acts7:7|Acts 7:7|(|)] | 1. Water turned to blood - The Nile and all water sources became blood, killing fish and making the water undrinkable. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod7:14-24|Exod 7:14-24|(|)]^^ 2. Frogs – Frogs swarmed into homes, bedrooms, and kitchens throughout Egypt. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod8:1-15|Exod 8:1-15|(|)]^^ 3. Gnats (or lice) – Dust turned into gnats that afflicted people and animals. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod8:16-19|Exod 8:16-19|(|)]^^ 4. Flies – Swarms of flies filled the houses and land of Egypt, sparing only Goshen. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod8:20-32|Exod 8:20-32|(|)]^^ 5. Livestock disease – A deadly pestilence killed Egyptian livestock; Israel's animals were unharmed. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod9:1-7|Exod 9:1-7|(|)]^^ 6. Boils – Painful boils and sores broke out on Egyptians and their animals. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod9:8-12|Exod 9:8-12|(|)]^^ 7. Hail – A destructive hailstorm struck down crops, people, and animals in the fields. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod9:13-35|Exod 9:13-35|(|)]^^ 8. Locusts – Locusts devoured what little vegetation remained after the hail. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod10:1-20|Exod 10:1-20|(|)]^^ 9. Darkness – A thick darkness covered Egypt for three days; the Israelites had light. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod10:21-29|Exod 10:21-29|(|)]^^ 10. Death of the firstborn – All firstborn in Egypt died, from Pharaoh's son to the lowest servant's child. Israel was spared through the blood of the Passover lamb. a[/bible/web/02-exod.html#exod11:1-12:30|Exod 11:1-12:30|(|)] ||||text-start|]
NOTE: The above chart is still in the process of being annotated and being made interactive.
When we open the Bible in the book of Genesis we are confronted immediately with God and the historical events of creation that took place over a timeframe of a week. There is never any hint of some uncontrolled explosion or long-drawn-out evolutionary process, but only of the Creator working with absolute perfection - like a master potter beginning with a lump of unformed clay, ready to create a masterpiece (The earth was without form, and void...and the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters - Gen 1:2).
At the beginning there was no death, decay or corruption. There is never any mention of God using a process of "death and destruction" or "survival of the fittest" to arrive at perfection. There was no "geological column" consisting of billions of dead creatures buried in layers of rock. Those things came in later after Adam sinned and further down the line to the world-wide flood. So then, the creation week was all perfect and very good and reflected God's absolute power, glory and holiness. (see comparison table)
The history of creation is so important that the whole gospel message rests entirely on it. How and why death entered the world is inseparably linked to the death of the Son of God and the reasons why He had to suffer death to rescue people from their sins. Any attempt to change the history of the Bible to align with the ever-changing philosophies of what they call science is an attack on the gospel of Jesus Christ (See article).
When we open the Bible in the New Testament we are brought face to face with the literal historical account of the LORD Jesus Christ - His origins, His person and the works He did for the salvation of mankind. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:14
So then, the creation, the fall and origin of sin and death, the promise, the world-wide flood, the origin of nations and languages, the call of Abraham, the giving of the law, the prophets, the Son of God clothing Himself in human nature and being born into this world, His crucifixion on a Roman cross, His physical bodily resurrection, His physical bodily ascension were all literal events that took place in the history of the world. The Christian faith in rooted very firmly in events that took place on the concrete plane of history.
The Bible is not a book of philosophy or for postulating theories. God has not left the human race to spend their time scratching their heads about where they came from. God did not hide the truth for all the centuries only until modern man arrived on the scene. No, no. He has spoken plainly and directly about our origins and it has been recorded in writing for thousands of years.
Having said that it needs to be stressed that the Bible also speaks of events that will happen in the future, like the second visible coming of Jesus Christ, the final judgement and the final state of each person, whether it be in heaven or in hell.
The message of the Bible remains the most urgent message for every person in the world to hear, to believe it and to submit themselves to its message.
Biblical history from the beginning of time.
Biblical history of the six-day Creation.
Biblical history of the Fall of Man.
Biblical history of the Flood.
Biblical history of the Exodus from Eqypt.