PART THREE
Chapter One: Bible Tells Us Man Is Dependent Upon Nature
ALL TEXT AND PHOTOS © 2024 Marlene A. Condon
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| A pair of Red Milkweed Beetles mates on their host plant, Common Milkweed, illustrating the point of God’s explicit instructions to Noah to bring a male and a female of each kind onto the ark: Each sex was necessary to perpetuate the species. |
[Note: All Bible quotes in this chapter are from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard
Version, The World Publishing Company, 1962.]
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because
God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible
nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the
things that have been made.” [Romans 1:19-20]
Bible authorities agree that the previous passage informs us
that nature (the creation) proves God’s existence. However, they disagree on
how nature is supposed to make this fact apparent to us.
Some people suggest that nature is so wondrous that we should
stand in awe of its eloquence and complexity, which surely speaks to the
existence of a creator. “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who
have pleasure in them.” [Psalm 111:2]
Others argue that people recognize when a human being has
made something of complexity (such as an analog watch), therefore they should
be able to recognize that God must have made our complex world. Of course, some
scientists would argue these points differently.
The world-famous physicist (and atheist) Stephen Hawking is
quoted as proclaiming that, “Before we understand science, it is natural to
believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing
explanation.”
It is clear, then, that these differing views of whether nature
provides proof of God’s existence come from subjective interpretations
of either Bible passages or of nature itself. Therefore, if God wants us to
know He exists, the proof He has provided us must be external to our
minds, so that any individual can recognize the evidence without
question—regardless of personal beliefs, feelings, or opinions.
The Bible does inform us, again and again, that we can find
confirmation of His existence in the natural world. However, the convincing
proof that He exists does not become apparent until people obtain a valid
understanding of how the natural world works. And that accomplishment is only
possible when you carefully and unobtrusively observe nature.
What we find is that each creature provides services that
support the perpetuation of all life forms and thus fulfills necessary functions
in the environment. This factuality explains why God instructed Noah to bring
not just any two of every kind of animal onto the ark, but rather a male and a
female of each kind: “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring
two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male
and female.” [Genesis 6:19] With this
command, God was ensuring that each animal’s lineage would continue to exist
following the flood. It’s a crucial point because a variety of creatures are necessary
for the environment to function properly.
We should be able to recognize and understand this truism
because the Bible tells us [Genesis 1:1-26]¹ that God created the natural world
before He created humans. Obviously, mankind could not survive upon a barren
planet. Yet, many people doubt the importance of the environment to our lives.
They dismiss the idea that each creature fulfills a necessary function and should
be preserved to maintain the integrity of the environment.
But this disbelief, when looked at objectively, begs the
question, “Would God frivolously create organisms for no purpose, which we know
denies the truth of what the Bible itself has told us?”
This argument contends that man rules the planet because God
gave him dominion over all animals on the Earth. [Genesis 1:26]¹ In other
words, man can use the natural world howsoever he chooses, even if his actions
are detrimental to the other forms of life with which he shares the planet. But
no definition of “dominion” includes the demand that authority over other life
forms automatically includes bringing harm to them. Such a suggestion is a
corruption of the meaning of the word, undoubtedly the result of rulers throughout
the history of mankind who have abused their power by abusing their subjects.
Mirriam-Webster defines “dominion” for learners of the
English language as simply, “the power to rule.” The word’s etymology tells us
that dominion derives ultimately from the Latin words for “rule, ownership” and
“master, owner.” A man is certainly the master or owner of a pet, but no one
would contend that his dominion over the animal allows him to mistreat it.
Likewise, no one should insist that man’s dominion over the Earth allows him to
mistreat it, either.
Thus, it is exceedingly reasonable to suspect that the
negative connotation that “dominion” is understood to have nowadays results in
a misinterpretation and/or misunderstanding of the original text of the Bible. The
English, “to have dominion,” results from translating the Hebrew verb, “rada”,
meaning “to rule.” However, if we are to understand what God truly meant by His
statement, it is critically important that the translator choose the English
verb that best represents the genuine meaning of the Hebrew word at that time
in history.
Some people who have studied the original language of the
Bible feel that the use of the word “dominion” in this context is inappropriate
because of its current negative connotation. Language scholar Robert Alter translates
“rada” as “to hold sway” in his 1996 translation of Genesis 1:26. His
interpretation does away with the sense of absolute power people tend to
believe is inherent in the word “dominion.”
Mr. Alter’s translation implies merely “to have a controlling
influence.” This interpretation of “rada” is the only one that makes sense in
terms of real life. Envision a shepherd with his flock of sheep. A shepherd
recognizes the worth of his flock and therefore strives to ensure its wellbeing.
His guidance of the flock helps to sustain the sheep as well as himself since
he is dependent upon them for food and for clothing to protect him from the
elements.
The same relationship holds true for humans and wildlife. By
recognizing the worth of wildlife (which keeps the environment functioning
properly) and ensuring its wellbeing, people ensure the perpetuity of mankind—which
was exactly God’s plan.
But man, following his own council, has now made his own
rules regarding his existence upon the Earth, ignoring the biological laws that
govern all life forms. For example, when people attempt to banish many kinds of
God’s organisms from their yards and towns, as if these creatures don’t belong
there, their actions interfere with the natural system of checks and balances
that prevents overpopulations of plants and animals. Problems arise because an
overabundance of any kind of organism creates an imbalance that, if not soon
corrected, will domino throughout the rest of the environment.
This situation can bring about a total collapse of the
natural order, and if that occurs, the environment will become unstable and
unsustainable for mankind—for whom it was created. The result is inevitably a
variety of difficulties that people attempt to repair—albeit
unsatisfactorily—because they don’t recognize that they do not possess the
wisdom of the world’s Creator to solve such manmade environmental issues.
People need to understand that we must embrace the natural
(i.e., godly) environment given us, rather than constantly trying to change it
because we are convinced that we can “improve” it. However, man originally
considered everything in Eden to be good, as God Himself had declared it to be
as He worked on His creation [Genesis 1:4-31]¹, declaring seven times
that everything He had created was either “good” or “very good.”
Man had no reason to think otherwise. But once he partook of
the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil against God’s instructions [Genesis 2:
16-17]², man then decided he knew better than God how to run the natural world.
He became his own god, no longer revering the sanctity of God’s creations.
According to some Bible authorities, the word “good” in
Genesis 2:16-17 is taken from a Hebrew word that does not mean a sense of
righteousness, but rather something that is pleasant, agreeable, or valuable in
estimation. The Hebrew word translated as “evil” more typically means
unpleasant, disagreeable, or displeasing.
[http://www.meaningofgenesis.com/2011/09/and-lord-god-commanded-man-you-are-free.html]
Thus, man could now decide if something displeased him and he
could try to change his environment, even if doing so went against the Lord’s
will. Yet, it's illogical to believe that God created a home for man that
wouldn’t adequately support him, and that man would therefore need to “improve”
his living conditions.
However: “A scorner [who refuses to believe the importance of
maintaining a healthy environment] seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but
knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth [the value of the
environment].” [Proverbs 14:6, comments
in brackets mine] Consequently, man has irreparably damaged his home by giving
in to his own desires.
But “woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes…” [Isaiah
5:21] “Seeist thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool
than of him.” [Proverbs 26:12]
Indeed, people often quote Genesis 1:28 (“Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it”) as the excuse for more and more
people to exist with less and less wildlife. But the Bible doesn’t only tell man
to multiply. According to Genesis 1:22¹, “And God blessed [His creatures of the
air, ground, and sea], saying ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in
the seas, and let birds multiply upon the earth.’”
Obviously, humans are not meant to take up all the room on
the planet. They are supposed to share it with all the other kinds of creatures
God told to go forth and multiply—and with good reason: Man is dependent upon a
properly functioning environment, which is only possible by way of those other
kinds of organisms.
God granted man the authority and ability to make use of
other kinds of life forms to help him survive, but He made clear that such
power came with a moral responsibility regarding the welfare of those animals. For
example, God gave man permission to employ animals, such as oxen, to plow a
field in order that man could grow enough food for himself. But he was to take
care of the oxen properly, which is why God instructed man to give the animals
a day of rest: “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you
shall rest; that your ox and your ass may have rest…” [Exodus 23:12]
The Bible tells us that “A righteous man has regard for the
life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.” [Proverbs 12:10] Whether
it be farmed animals, lab animals, or a multitude of wild animals, society has
assuredly parted ways from the spirit of these Biblical texts.
Humans are loathe to recognize that they can’t change what
God has wrought, because “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and
understanding.” [Job 12:13] “In his hand is the life of every living thing and
the breath of all mankind.” [Job 12:10]
Long ago, I adopted a quote from Zeno of Citium (an ancient
Greek philosopher who lived from about 334 to 262 BC in this Phoenician-Greek
city of Cyprus) as my motto to live by. Writing that “The goal of life is
living in agreement with nature,” Zeno shared his realization that one would
acquire peace of mind by living in harmony with the natural world.
He promoted the idea that everything happens for a reason,
writing that “Divine Reason” sets into being natural laws of God’s design, and
that grasping those laws in their entirety is the path of knowledge. Zeno felt
that knowledge affords a strong defense in arguments, which is an indicator of
a virtuous mind in tune with the nuances of the universe.
[http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/westciv/stoicism.html]
The Bible is in full agreement: “Happy is the man who finds
wisdom, and the man who gets understanding, for the gain from it is better than
gain from silver and its profit better than gold. She is more precious than
jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right
hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of
her; those who hold her fast are called happy. The Lord by wisdom founded the
earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps
broke forth, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, keep sound wisdom and
discretion; let them not escape from your sight, and they will be life for your
soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely and
your foot will not stumble. If you sit down, you will not be afraid; when you
lie down your sleep will be sweet.”
[Proverbs 3: 13-24]
God gave man everything he needed in Eden so man could focus
on worshipping Him. Those folks who do not appreciate the necessity of living
in agreement with nature have overlooked the warning dispensed in Genesis
2:16-17, “the day that you eat of [the tree of knowledge], you shall die.”
Although most religious interpretations see this comment as referring to an
individual’s mortality, it makes perfect sense to read it as a reference to the
extinguishment of mankind on Earth.
It’s well known, historically, that civilizations collapse when their environments are despoiled. Everyone should be an environmentalist. The Bible—and nature—could not make this point any clearer.
“Let Heaven and
Nature sing.”
[From the English Christmas carol written in 1719 by the English minister and hymn writer Isaac Watts, the lyrics of which are a Christian reinterpretation of Psalm 98; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World]
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| Although the Common Raccoon is often thought of as a “pest”, this mama raccoon and her two young kits help to keep the environment functioning properly by recycling organic matter and limiting the numbers of other kinds of organisms, such as birds, when they feed upon chicks or eggs. |
FOOTNOTES:
¹Genesis 1:1-26
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then 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 birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
²Genesis 1:27-31
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God
said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and
have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every
living thing that moves upon the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given
you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and
every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every
beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps
on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green
plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and
behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth
day.
³Genesis 2:16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely
eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die.”
TOMORROW, PART FOUR:
Chapter Two: Observations of the Natural World Confirm the Existence of God
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