Don’t Pit the Bible Against Science
Today’s Bible reading* reminds us that it’s important to not pit the Bible against Science. Did you know that today’s reading talks about “Continental Drift” (aka plate tectonics)? Today’s reading also addresses the issue of the division by languages of people on our planet.
Genesis 10:25 tells us about a man named Peleg. Moses (who wrote Genesis) drops in a quick note about his name (divided): “for during his days the earth was divided” (Genesis 10:24 CSB) Evidently, Peleg lived during the building of the Tower of Babel and God’s confusion of people by languages. (Genesis 11:1-9) The implication is that as God confused the peoples’ languages, they gathered by language and the continents began to move into their current locations.
Farfetched? I think this passage explains continental drift as well as any other theory! And this explanation presents the view that the Bible is completely reliable (which it is!) and complements the Science of anthropology (the study of humanity) and geology (study of the physical history of the earth).
Application
Don’t let apparent contradictions between the Bible and Science distract you from holding a high view of the Bible’s authority. Just as apparent contradictions within the Bible can be explained, apparent contradictions between the Bible and Science don’t mean we have to throw out one or the other. The Bible and Science can live in harmony with each other, so long as recognizes that miracles can — and do — happen. In fact, Apologetics (the science of defending the faith) can answer most of these questions.
God can be trusted to have communicated and preserved His Word through the years. And He can be trusted to continue to speak to His people today and to transform us through His written Word.
The Bible is completely reliable!
And nothing is more relevant than God’s Word.
This devotional was originally published on January 6, 2021.
* Chapters covered in today’s reading:
Genesis 10
Genesis 11