Space, Planets? Click here for something special

[mikeincanada]

Just clicked on the 'click here for something special' link on the home page, and just wondering if anyone knows of any scriptures to base a belief of what we're taught in science about space and planets? The bible refers to the sun, moon and stars.  Thanks Mike

[Extol]

Hi Mike,

Planets other than earth are not mentioned by name in the Bible, at least not the names by which we know them. This makes sense, because much of the Bible was already written before the Romans gave them these names. There are some places where a "star" is mentioned, which may be referring to a planet:

Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!

Many people interpret this as Venus. Ray pointed out how the word translated "star" (or "Lucifer") is better translated Howl: "How you have fallen from the heavens! Howl, son of the dawn! You are hacked down to the earth, defeater of all nations." (Concordant Literal OT). But I think we can still read it as Venus, the morning star, falling from heaven as a metaphor for the doom of Babylon's king.

Amos 5:26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

Benson's commentary for this verse says according to Vossius, it signifies the moon; but Aben Ezra understands it of Saturn, an interpretation which many learned men approve...

The star the Magi saw (Matthew 2:2) could have been a planet, if it was not a supernatural star.

Here are some good verses about "space":

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Isaiah 40:26 (NLT) Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

To address more specifically your question about the scriptures supporting science, we have these:

Isaiah 40:22 (NIV) He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

Psalm 104:2 (NIV) The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent

Regardless of what the Bible says about space and planets, I don't think there is any reason to not believe what scientists tell us. When you consider how knowledge has increased and technology has advanced, it should be no surprise that mankind is learning things that are not specifically mentioned in the Bible. The Bible may not mention black holes or supernovae, but it doesn't talk about automobiles and computers either.

[Dave in Tenn]

2 Kings 23:5


(BBE)  And he put an end to the false priests, who had been put in their positions by the kings of Judah to see to the burning of offerings in the high places in the towns of Judah and the outskirts of Jerusalem, and all those who made offerings to Baal and to the sun and the moon and the twelve signs and all the stars of heaven.

(Brenton)  And he burned the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Juda had appointed, (and they burned incense in the high places and in the cities of Juda, and the places around about Jerusalem); and them that burned incense to Baal, and to the sun, and to the moon, and to Mazuroth, and to all the host of heaven.

(CEV)  Josiah also got rid of the pagan priests at the local shrines in Judah and around Jerusalem. These were the men that the kings of Judah had appointed to offer sacrifices to Baal and to the sun, moon, and stars.

(CLV)  And he has caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah have appointed, (and they make perfume in high places, in cities of Judah and suburbs of Jerusalem,) and those making perfume to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the heavens.

(Darby)  And he abolished the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah, and the environs of Jerusalem; and them that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

(DRB)  And he destroyed the soothsayers, whom the kings of Juda had appointed to sacrifice in the high places in the cities of Juda, and round about Jerusalem: them also that burnt incense to Baal, and to the sun, and to the moon, and to the twelve signs, and to all the host of heaven.


(JPS)  And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to offer in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that offered unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

(JUB)  And he put down the religious persons whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places round about Jerusalem; likewise, those that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

(KJV)  And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

(KJV+)  And he put downH7673 (H853) the idolatrous priests,H3649 whomH834 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 had ordainedH5414 to burn incenseH6999 in the high placesH1116 in the citiesH5892 of Judah,H3063 and in the places round aboutH4524 Jerusalem;H3389 them also that burned incenseH6999 unto Baal,H1168 to the sun,H8121 and to the moon,H3394 and to the planets,H4208 and to allH3605 the hostH6635 of heaven.H8064

(LEB)  He removed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem and who offered incense to, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

(LITV)  And he caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had given place to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places around Jerusalem, and those burning incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to constellations, and to all the host of the heavens.

(YLT)  And he hath caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah have appointed, (and they make perfume in high places, in cities of Judah and suburbs of Jerusalem,) and those making perfume to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the heavens.

"Constellations" may be a better translation of the Hebrew, but that doesn't mean there are no "planets".  The end of the phrase covers everything that isn't mentioned specifically.

[lareli]

Off topic but speaking of Josiah..

What is the parable or lesson in the procession of Israels kings? It's been a long time but from memory, I think there was Saul, then David (after Gods heart), Solomon (wise but corrupt), followed by a string of evil kings, eventually Josiah who would turn the people back toward God, then immediately after Josiah a few more evil kings, then judgement and the exile.

Is there a parable in there for us in the life of Josiah?

[Jeff]

One day I was thinking about our solar system and how it works and I wondered how Earth got its name.  When I started looking onto it, I realized that every planet is named after a Roman god including the sun, except Earth.

[Dave in Tenn]

In English.  I'm betting before English became the dominant language of science and borrowed the names from the Greeks and Romans, other cultures called the known planets by other names.  I think they probably still do, in their own languages. 

[Dennis Vogel]

Regardless of what the Bible says about space and planets, I don't think there is any reason to not believe what scientists tell us. When you consider how knowledge has increased and technology has advanced, it should be no surprise that mankind is learning things that are not specifically mentioned in the Bible. The Bible may not mention black holes or supernovae, but it doesn't talk about automobiles and computers either.

Automobiles here?

Isa 2:7  Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:

I suspect computers are also alluded to somewhere. We just have not seen it yet.

[John from Kentucky]

Ezekiel 1 describes the throne of God carried by the four Cherubim.

Ezekiel 1:15-21 describes 4 wheels next to the Cherubim.  They were described as a wheel within a wheel.  Sounds like a gyroscope.  Some type of directional device that went with the Cherubim as they changed direction.  Like Ray once said, God has a very high I.Q.

[Musterseed]

Job 31-33.   About the constellations

Can you bind the chains of the PLeisdes
or loose the cords of Orion?
Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,
or can you guide the Bear with its children?
Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?

[theophilus]

One day I was thinking about our solar system and how it works and I wondered how Earth got its name.  When I started looking onto it, I realized that every planet is named after a Roman god including the sun, except Earth.

Excellent observation!