Grand Canyon

                                  Lessons from the Grand Canyon

                                    By Wayne Jackson

The Colorado River is approximately 1,400 miles long. It begins in Wyoming and ultimately spills into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of California (Mexico).
As it meanders toward its goal, the river passes through one of the most spectacular places on earth — the Grand Canyon. This yawning chasm is 277 miles long. Through its course, it spans four to eighteen miles wide. It has a maximum depth of some 6,000 feet.

Those who subscribe to evolutionary geology believe that the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon in the western wilderness over a vast span of history.
The evolutionary view of geology is known as uniformitarianism. Here is how uniformitarianism is explained: “The present is the key to the past.”

This theory assumes that presently operating geological processes that work at relatively constant and incredibly slow rates have in most part always functioned similarly in the past. It discounts the possibility that violent catastrophes in the ancient world could have fashioned many of the earth’s features in a significantly shorter time period.

All advocates of Darwinism concede that if evolution ever occurred at all, vast eons of time were required to accommodate the development. Dr. George Wald, an ardent evolutionist and one-time professor at Harvard, has called time “the hero of the plot” (1954, 45-53).
The dramatic characteristics of the Grand Canyon are frequently appealed to as proof that the earth has been in existence for millions of years. Professor Ronald Ives of Northern Arizona University has written:

Formation of the Grand Canyon took place in two major steps: the deposition of the beds that were later eroded into a gorge—a process lasting considerably more than one billion years—and erosion of the canyon proper, which required not more than 10 million years (1988, 163-165).

It should be noted, however, that even evolutionists confess that uniformitarianism is not provable. Rather, it is buttressed with assumptions.
John N. Clayton, a religionist who argues his own hybrid brand of theistic evolution (complete with uniformitarian undergirding), admitted in an article on the Grand Canyon:

All explanations of this kind are based upon the assumption that the only agents operational on the [Colorado] river were the ones we see operating today. This assumption, called uniformitarianism, is the basis of all geologic explanations made about the origin of the canyon (1988, 3).

He later acknowledged that uniformitarianism “is the basis for most of geology and some of the various theories of evolution” (4).
We have discussed this matter in greater detail in our little book, The Mythology of Modern Geology.

What Caused the Grand Canyon?

What evolutionists refuse to consider is that a catastrophe such as a great flood could have formed the Grand Canyon. That event along with perhaps other violent geologic activity could have constructed the features of the Grand Canyon in a relatively brief period (i.e., within a time-frame that is consistent with biblical chronology).

Of course, evolutionists and those sympathetic to their time scheme contend there is absolutely no time span (e.g., multiplied billions of years) that conflicts with the testimony of the Scriptures (Clayton, 5). To them, biblical chronology is wholly irrelevant and must be interpreted in light of “scientific” speculation!

Could the Grand Canyon have formed much more quickly than is commonly supposed?
Among the scientific evidence that supports a relatively “young canyon” age are the data being gathered since the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the state of Washington, exploded. There was a release of steam equivalent to twenty million tons of TNT. Within six minutes, a forest of one hundred fifty square miles was completely destroyed. Huge rock slides, water waves (at nearby Spirit Lake), steam output, etc., generated an energy release roughly equal to twenty thousand atomic bombs like those employed in Japan during World War II.

The effects of this local catastrophe have been carefully studied over the past several years and some surprising information has emerged.

First, in 1986 it was reported that new strata over six hundred feet thick have formed at Mount St. Helens since 1980 (Austin 1986, #157). That is an average of one hundred feet in less than one year!
If one hypothesizes that a similar or greater catastrophe was instrumental in forming (partially or completely) the Grand Canyon and that a comparable rate of deposition was involved (e.g., one hundred feet per year), the 5,700 feet of strata of the Grand Canyon could have been laid down in only fifty-seven years.

Second, there have been numerous subsequent mudflows in the aftermath of the St. Helens’ eruption.
For example, on March 19, 1982, a canyon that has come to be known as the little Grand Canyon was formed in one day—one hundred forty feet deep! The little Grand Canyon is a one-fortieth scale model of the big Grand Canyon. Thus, conceivably, the Arizona Grand Canyon could have been catastrophically fashioned in only forty days!

Evidence suggests, therefore, that it is not necessary to speculate that the Grand Canyon was carved out over ten million years of ancient history. It could have formed much quicker than that according to known catastrophic events.

The Grand Canyon and the Geologic Time Table

The geologic time table is a common feature in textbooks dealing with geology. Infographics attempt to demonstrate the development of living organisms from the ancient past to the present. They purport to reveal “evolutionary history” divided into four major eras.

The upper three eras are divided into twelve periods. These geologic periods are supposed to detail the various stages of evolving life-forms.
What most people do not realize is that the so-called geologic column as represented in the textbooks does not exist anywhere on Earth! It is purely an invention by geologists based on evolutionary assumptions.

According to the evolutionary theory, the life record in the various strata of the earth extends back almost two billion years. If these earth-layers were to be found anywhere on earth, they should extend to a depth of about one hundred thirty miles.

This, of course, is impossible since the sedimentary (water-laid) strata that contain fossils are never more than twelve to fifteen miles deep in any place. The earth’s crust is only twenty-five to thirty miles thick!

Though scientists concede that the geologic column does not exist anywhere in completed form, they nevertheless suggest that the Grand Canyon is one of the better examples of it.
As it turns out, though, the Grand Canyon is an embarrassment to evolutionary theorists, for huge chunks of the “textbook” time table are completely missing from the canyon record.

The following chart illustrates the periods of geologic history which should be represented in the strata of the Grand Canyon—if it had been formed according to the principles of uniformitarianism—but which are conspicuously missing from the record.

Missing Strata in the Grand Canyon
?
?
?
?
Permian
Pennsylvanian
Mississippian
?
?
?
Cambrian
Precambrian

M Note please: some *350 million years of alleged evolutionary history* are missing from the canyon record. More than *one-third* of what should be there is gone. Could it be it was *never* there?The truth is, the testimony of the earth strata in the Grand Canyon is against evolutionary uniformitarianism—not in favor of it. Dr. Clifford Burdick, who did many studies in the canyon, declares: “This gorge bespeaks catastrophism rather than uniformity” (1968, 3).

The Grand Canyon and Dinosaurs

Several years ago, Dr. Samuel Hubbard, curator of archaeology in the Oakland (CA) Museum, discovered carvings of dinosaurs on the cliff walls of the Havai Supai region in the Grand Canyon. One carving in particular, which resembles a Tyrannosaurus, measured 11.2 inches in height and 7 inches at its greatest width. (For a picture of this carving, see my book, Mythology of Modern Geology.) Dr. Hubbard declared: “Taken all in all, the proportions are good.” He further suggested that the huge reptile is “depicted in the attitude in which a man would be most likely to see it—reared on its hind legs, balancing with the long tail, either feeding or in fighting position, possibly defending itself against a party of men” (Verrill 1954, 155f).

The Indians of this region know nothing about, and have no legends of, these carvings. This evidence, of course, is in direct opposition to the evolutionary contention that dinosaurs became extinct more than sixty-million years before man evolved! The art of the Grand Canyon testifies against evolutionary chronology.

The Grand Canyon and Out-of-Place Fossils

According to the evolutionary scheme, no advanced mammals were present in the “age of dinosaurs.” The only mammals contemporary with dinosaurs were “small, mostly about mouse-sized, and rare” (Simpson, Pittendrigh, and Tiffany 1957, 781). It is unthinkable, in terms of evolutionary theory, that dinosaurs, and, for example, elephants (advanced mammals) could have lived at the same time. Dr. Hubbard’s discoveries in the Havai Supai area, however, have thrown a monkey-wrench into the evolutionary system. We quote Verrill again:

Another highly important feature of Dr. Hubbard’s report is the discovery of fossil footprints of both the three-toed carnivorous dinosaurs and the imperial elephant in the same locality. If, as it appears, both of these creatures left their footprints in the river’s sand or mud at approximately the same period, then we must assume that the dinosaurs continued to survive for millions of years later than scientists would have us believe, or else that the imperial elephants appeared on earth before their supposed arrival. But it seems highly preposterous, and entirely contrary to all known laws of evolution, to assume that these highly developed pachyderms were inhabiting the earth long ages before more primitive types of mammals (162; emphasis added.)

A more reasonable explanation is that the long ages, supposedly separating dinosaurs and mammals, simply did not exist!

The Grand Canyon and Pollen

It is commonly believed, based upon fragmentary evidence, that the various strata of the canyon, from the lower to the upper, reveal a sequence of organisms of increasing complexity which conform to the evolutionary scenario. New studies, however, are seriously calling this theory into question. Palynology is a relatively new study tool which deals with spores and pollen from plant life that have been discovered imbedded in the rocks of antiquity.

Since 1967 pollen studies have been done in the Grand Canyon. In these investigations, numerous spores from pine tree conifers and other forms of vegetation were discovered. The amazing thing was this: these spores were found at all levels of the canyon strata. Permian, Mississippian, Cambrian, and even Precambrian strata contained these conifer spores.

Dr. Burdick, who has labored much in this area, noted:

Our work through the University of Arizona has produced evidence of conifer spores in all formations [of the Canyon] from top to bottom, including the Cambrian where we found good specimens of pines, spruce, hemlock, and fir. Even in the pre-Cambrian Hakatai shale we found them (Burdick 1974, 65).

So shocking were these revelations that scientists immediately claimed that the samples had been “contaminated” (i.e. spores floated in from contemporary plants and were mixed in the rock), and thus did not reflect a true picture of ancient life.

Numerous additional samples were gathered, however, with great care being taken to avoid contamination, and the results yielded were the same! It hardly needs to be pointed out, of course, that no self-respecting evolutionist will concede the existence of pine trees, etc., in the lowest strata of the geologic column.

Again, the evidence here is clearly antagonistic to evolutionary ideology, with its uniformitarian presuppositions. It is, though, perfectly consistent with the idea that the various strata of the Grand Canyon were laid down relatively quickly—certainly not over a billion years of earth history.

Conclusion

In view of the facts chronicled above, it is abundantly clear that the testimony of the Grand Canyon does not support the evolutionary hypothesis. In truth, it is plainly against it. The person who believes in the reliability of the Holy Scriptures does not need to be intimidated by the baseless speculations of evolutionary propagandists. And those who have compromised biblical revelation in deference to pseudoscience need to reevaluate their untenable positions and return to an advocacy of truth.

Works Cited

• Austin, Steven. 1986. Mount St. Helens And Catastrophism. ICR Impact, July.
• Burdick, Clifford. 1968. Bible-Science Newsletter, April 15.
• Burdick, Clifford. 1974. Canyon of Canyons. Caldwell, ID: Bible-Science Association.
• Clayton, John N. 1988. Does God Exist? Nov-Dec.
• Ives, Ronald. 1988. Encyclopedia Americana. Danbury, CT: Grolier, Inc. Vol. 13.
• Simpson, G. G., C. S. Pittendrigh, and L. H. Tiffany. 1957. Life: An Introduction to Biology. New York, NY: Harcourt-Brace.
• Verrill, A. Hyatt. 1954. Strange Prehistoric Animals and Their History. Boston, MA: L. C. Page & Co.
• Wald, George. 1954. The Origin of Life. Scientific American, August.

Scripture References

Isaiah 66; 1 Thessalonians 5

Cite this article

Jackson, Wayne. "Lessons from the Grand Canyon." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: July 25, 2019. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1422-lessons-from-the-grand-canyon

The Last Days

                 THE LAST DAYS....ARE YOU READY?

                               A Study of Last Things
                                                   By WAYNE JACKSON

April 14, 2009


The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common language of the Mediterranean world. It was a tongue spoken in Rome, Alexandria, Jerusalem, etc., just as it was in Athens. That Providence chose this language for the composition of the New Testament is beyond doubt to any serious investigator. It is the most colorful, expressive form of communication ever known to man.

A study of the original words, even by the novice, can be one of the most thrilling endeavors of the Bible student. This procedure depends, of course, upon the student’s recognition that the very words of Scripture are sacred, and thus intended to convey a divine message (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Let us consider the word eschatos. It is the basis of our English word “eschatology,” a term theologians use of Bible teaching about last things, e.g., the return of Christ and the end of the world.

Eschatos is found fifty-two times in the Greek Testament. Mostly it is rendered as “last,” with but a few minor variations, e.g., “uttermost.” The New Testament writers employed the word in a variety of ways and there are some very interesting lessons derived from a study of this term.

The word could be used in a territorial sense. The gospel was to be spread to the “uttermost” part of the earth (Acts 1:8; 13:47), or as one might express it colloquially, to the “last place of the earth.”

Occasionally eschatos referred to the final portion of a quantity. When Jesus spoke of a man being thrown in prison and not being released until he had paid the “last” penny he owed, the Lord was suggesting an eternal punishment for the wicked (Matthew 5:26; cf. 18:34).

The most common use of the term has to do with the final thing of a preceding sequence. For example, it was on the “last day” of the Feast of Tabernacles (a seven-day celebration) that Christ extended the invitation for men to come and quench their spiritual thirst with the “water” he could provide (John 7:37).

In this article, I would like to illustrate how this New Testament word teaches some wonderful truths that instruct the serious soul.

Last Days

Several centuries before the birth of Christ, the prophet Joel foretold that the Spirit of God would be “poured forth” in the “last days” (2:28-29; cf. Isaiah 2:2-4). There is no question about when this prophecy commenced its fulfillment. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, quoted the text and announced, “[T]his is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16). He was, of course, referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on that occasion.

Many people labor under the illusion that the expression “last days” is a special signal indicating a time period just before the return of Christ. Would-be modern prophets point to certain “signs” they think they identify within the Scriptures and frantically declare, “The end is near; we are in the last days.” Of course we are in the last days. This era has already spanned two thousand years.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he spoke of certain “grievous times” that would characterize the “last days.” And then, to his young co-worker, he urged: “[F]rom these also turn away.” The verb is a present tense, middle voice, imperative form—a command to this effect, “Be turning yourself away from,” thus demonstrating that Timothy himself was living in the last days (cf. Hebrews 1:1; 1 Peter 1:20).

The truth of the matter is, the expression “last days” refers to the final dispensation of history—in contrast to the Patriarchal period (from Adam to Moses) and the Mosaic age (from Moses to Christ). If the world continues yet for thousands of years, it still will be the last days. Incidentally, if we are now in the last days, that leaves no room for a millennial period.

The First and the Last One

In an Old Testament context in which the Lord asserted his everlasting nature in contrast to the passing use of idols, Isaiah exclaimed: “Thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God” (44:6). Note the two persons referred to as “Jehovah” in this text.

In his appearance to the apostle John on the island of Patmos, Christ lifted a phrase from that text and made application to himself: “I am the first and the last, and the Living one” (Revelation 1:17-18; cf. 2:8; 22:13).

What is the significance of the expression “first and the last”? “It is the well-known attribute of God, the Eternal” (Alford n.d., 1790; cf. Thayer 1958, 253). The utterance is a firm affirmation of deity on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ. Compare the similar expression applied to the Father in Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God.” Compare that with the description Christ in Revelation 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.” The same expression is used of both the God and Jesus.

The Last Offer

In the week prior to his crucifixion, Christ gave several warnings of doom to those who were on the verge of killing him. In a parable commonly known as that of the wicked husbandmen, a man planted a vineyard, furnished it lavishly, and rented it out to husbandmen—or, as we might style it, sharecroppers. When harvest drew near, he sent a series of servants to collect his fruits. These were treated shamefully, some even killed. Finally, the landlord sent a “beloved son,” who was to be the “last” (eschatos) offer (Mark 12:6).

That is a significant announcement. The beloved son, of course, represents Jesus, and the clear implication is that Christ “is the last and crowning effort of divine mercy” (Trench 1877, 209). And if he is rejected, as the writer of Hebrews later observes, “there remains no more a sacrifice for sins” (10:26). There is no hope of salvation apart from Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6).

The Last Shall Be First

Several times in his teaching, Jesus employed the statement, “The last shall be first, and the first last,” or some equivalent.

The rich young ruler, because of his unwillingness to follow Christ, had gone away sorrowfully (Matthew 19:16-30). Subsequently Peter, perhaps somewhat boastfully, said, “Lo, we have left all.” Then, in an almost bargaining disposition, he asked, “What then shall we have?” (v. 27). The Lord promised ample blessings; however he cautioned, “But many shall be last that are first; and first that are last” (v. 30).

The Savior then told the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). A man hired workers for his vineyard. They were employed, however, at different hours of the day—from early morning all the way to the eleventh hour (note the twelve-hour work day). When time for payment came, amazingly those who had worked the least were paid the same wages! The other laborers complained that such was unfair. But the lord of the vineyard explained that the grumbling was inappropriate; as lord, he had the authority to do as he pleased, and such was entirely “lawful” (v. 15).

Jesus thus concluded with the statement, “The last shall be first, and the first last” (v. 16). Several important truths are implied. As sovereign, God may do as he pleases, and it always will be right (Genesis 18:25). Human assessments of his operations are far from perfect. The disciples were constantly making poor judgments and they needed to be taught better. They quarreled about who would be the greatest (Luke 22:24), and some petitioned for places of prominence (Mark 10:37). They down played Mary’s generous gift bestowed upon her Lord not long before his death (Matthew 26:8). They needed to learn the principle that God will exalt the humble (Matthew 26:13; cf. Mark 12:42; 1 Peter 5:5-6), and humble the exalted (cf. Daniel 4:28-37). There is much for all of us to learn from the last-first principle.

The Last Adam

In one of his Corinthian letters Paul characterized Jesus as the “last Adam.”

 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. As was the earthy, such also are they who are of the earth: and as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

What is the significance of this declaration? It is a rather complicated statement. But briefly: As man’s earthly life was derived from Adam (whose origin was out of the earth), we partake of the nature of the earth (Genesis 2:7). However, for those who yield to him as Savior, Christ becomes a giver of life.

First, there is the life that results from his incarnate role as an offering for sin, which brings a living fellowship with God. Ultimately though, in view of this context pertaining to the bodily resurrection, by virtue of his own resurrection (as “firstfruits” [vv. 20, 23]) Christ will bestow upon his people a new, living body in the final resurrection of the dead (Clandish 1989, 238ff). As the apostle wrote elsewhere, the Lord Jesus “shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

The Last State

Three times the expression “last state” (or an equivalent) is found in the New Testament. Each of these has an interesting application.

The Pending Fate of Judaism

In an unusual illustration, Christ told of a man who was possessed of a demon. The unclean spirit left the unfortunate man but presently returned with seven other spirits, more evil than itself. The “last state” of the man was worse than the first.

What was the Lord’s application? “Even so shall it be also with this evil generation” (Matthew 12:45), i.e., the generation alive when Christ spoke these words. Clearly the reference is to those events that led to the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the nation (cf. Matthew 23:36; 24:1-34). The tribulation suffered at the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70 was worse than anything the Hebrew nation had ever known (cf. Matthew 24:21). More than a million Jews were slaughtered and thousands were taken captive.

Some have suggested that this could not possibly refer to the destruction of Jerusalem. But Carson responds:

There have been greater numbers of deaths—six million in the Nazi death camps, mostly Jews, and an estimated twenty million under Stalin—but never so high a percentage of a great city’s population so thoroughly and painfully exterminated and enslaved as during the Fall of Jerusalem (1984, 501).

The Impact of Jesus’ Resurrection

Immediately after Christ died and was buried, the chief priests approached Pilate and informed him that Jesus had foretold his own resurrection—“after three days” he would rise from the dead (Matthew 27:63). They urged the governor to secure the tomb, lest the disciples come, steal the body, and proclaim a resurrection. Should that occur, they frantically exclaimed, the “last error” (deception) would be worse than the first (v. 64). The Jews were mortified at the thought that the body might disappear. And it did! And for twenty centuries they have struggled with trying to explain what happened; but neither they, nor anyone else, has been able to provide a logical explanation for the empty tomb—other than the resurrection.

The Horror of Apostasy

Peter wrote regarding certain Christians who had escaped the defilements of the world through their knowledge of the Lord Jesus. But he warned that should any apostatize, the “last state” for them would be worse than the former. It would be far better never to have known the gospel than, having embraced it, to then turn away (2 Peter 2:20ff). This text reveals that: (a) a child of God can fall from grace and ultimately be lost, and (b) there will be a greater level of culpability at the judgment for apostates than for those who never obeyed the truth (cf. Matthew 11:20ff; Luke 12:47-48; Hebrews 10:28-29).

The Last Enemy

In Paul’s marvelous chapter in defense of the bodily resurrection of the dead, the apostle proclaims, “The last enemy that shall be abolished is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Several truths may be extracted from this compact text.

Death is personified as an enemy. In Greek, the terms “hate” and “enemy” derive from the same root. Death is the result of Satan’s malicious hatred of both God and man (cf. Matthew 13:39). This enemy is the “murderer” of the human family (John 8:44).

Death is an enemy that ravages our mortal bodies. It robs of beauty, strength, and dignity. It immerses humanity in suffering. It steals our loved ones from us. It saps the strength of nations. It takes but never gives. Its monstrous appetite is never satiated.

The verb rendered “shall be abolished” (katargeitai) is present, passive form—literally, is being destroyed. This generally is regarded as a form that expresses “certain futurity,” conveying a tone of confidence; it does not merely predict—it affirms (Lenski 1963, 679). Some suggest it may also hint of a “process now being conducted” (Green 1907, 298). Death is “swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54), and Christ is the Victor! And his people share in the fruits of that victory.

The Last Day

Five times in the Gospel of John there is a record of Jesus speaking of the last day of human history (see John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 12:48), together with an additional reference to the last day by Martha (11:24). Some important truths can be extracted from this collection of texts.

Both the resurrected righteous (John 6:39-40) and the resurrected wicked (John 12:48) will be brought forth on the last day. Accordingly, the dogma of premillennialism is false, for it asserts that there is one resurrection for the righteous and another (one thousand years later) for the wicked. Logically, there cannot be two last days. This theory is also contradicted by Jesus’ affirmation that all of the dead will be raised in the same “hour” (John 5:28-29). Likewise there is Paul’s declaration that there is but a “resurrection” (singular) for both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15).

Since both the resurrection of the body and the day of judgment are to occur on the last day (John 11:24; 12:48), and as the last day has not yet occurred, the doctrine of radical preterism is demonstrated to be false. (This is the idea, alleged by a few misguided souls, that the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, and the end of the world all occurred in A.D. 70 at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction. The proponents of this view, of course, redefine these events to conform to their own theological agenda.)

Conclusion

A simple study of the term “last” is rewarding indeed, and this is but a sampling of the treasures that lie beneath the surface of the English Testament.

For further information see our books, The A.D. 70 Theory – A Review of the Max King Doctrine, and Treasures from the Greek New Testament. Both are available from Christian Courier Publications. Call toll free: 1-888-818-2463.

Sources/Footnotes
Alford, Henry. n.d.. The New Testament for English Readers. Chicago, IL: Moody.

Carson, D. A. 1984. Matthew. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Clandish, Robert S. 1989. Studies in First Corinthians 15. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel.

Green, Samuel. 1907. Handbook to the Grammar of the Greek Testament. London, England: Religious Tract Society.

Lenski, R. C. H. 1963. The Interpretation of First and Second Corinthians. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

Thayer, J. H. 1958. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh, Scotland: T. & T. Clark.

Trench, R. C. 1877. Notes on the Parables of Our Lord. London, England: Macmillan.

Nephilim

Who Were the Nephilim?

By Wayne Jackson

Who were the Nephilim as described in Genesis 6:4?

There is much confusion in the religious world regarding the following passage from Genesis.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose. And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years. The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown (Genesis 6:1-4, ASV).

The term “Nephilim,” as portrayed in the more recent translations of the Bible (ASV, RSV, NIV), is found in two Old Testament texts — here in Genesis 6:4 and in Numbers 13:33. In the King James Version, the original term is rendered by “giants.”

There is a common view that the Nephilim were the offspring of sexual relationships between men and angels (Laney 1997, 20-22). There is absolutely no evidence for that theory, which actually has roots in Greek mythology. In fact, this interpretation is contrary to the explicit testimony of Scripture.

Angels are spirits (Heb. 1:14) and do not possess, therefore, physical attributes (Lk. 24:39). While angels sometimes temporarily assumed the forms of men (cf. Acts 10:3, 30), they were not actual physical beings. Jesus emphatically stated that angels do not marry (Mt. 22:30; Mk. 12:25; Lk. 20:34ff).

The fact is, the language of Genesis 6:1ff does not demand that the Nephilim of verse six were the offspring of the unions mentioned in verse two. The presence of the Nephilim may be regarded as merely contemporary (“in those days”) with the marriages described in the context.

It also is exceedingly fanciful to suggest that the Nephilim were the offspring of “demonically controlled men and women of this period” (Morris 1976, 172).

Even more ludicrous is the novel notion that the Nephilim were an animal-human species on their way to becoming fully human via the evolutionary route.

The root meaning of the Hebrew term is debated. This is why most modern Bible versions have transliterated it rather than attempting a pure English rendition.

The King James Version “giants” derives from the Greek Old Testament (LXX), which has the word gigantes. Some suggest that the original word meant “fall,” perhaps yielding the sense of one who has “fallen”(Youngblood 1997, 678).

If true, this could hint of the apostate character of these people. Others view the term in the sense of “to fall upon,” i.e., an attack (Leupold 1978, 258), which might suggest a violent sort of men who assaulted others.

The contextual use of the term in later history does suggest that in that setting at least, the Nephilim were men of extraordinary size (Num. 13:32-33). There are other biblical references to exceptionally large people. Og, king of Bashan, had an iron bed that was some thirteen feet long by six feet wide (Deut. 3:11). Goliath, the giant slain by David, was about nine feet tall (1 Sam. 17:4).

Such great size may have been the result of genetic defects. For example, 2 Samuel 21:20 mentions a giant who had a total of twenty-four toes and fingers.

Archaeology has confirmed the existence of large people in the ancient world. One writer notes: “The remains of a man of enormous stature have been discovered at Grimaldi on the Mediterranean coast by the Franco-Italian frontier” (Atkinson 1957, 72).

When all is said, the derivation of the term remains obscure, as do these ancient people themselves. But there is no reason to surmise that the Genesis record has an aura of the mythological.

Related Articles

• Genesis 6:1 – The Nephilim
• Who Is the Mysterious Shiloh?
• The English Standard Version and Micah 5:2
• Did Balaam Prophesy Concerning the Messiah?
• The Bapto Word-family in the Septuagint
• The Old Testament and Incense
• The Silence of the Scriptures: Permissive or Prohibitive?
• The Creation Week—Reflections on Genesis
• What Happens To A Person At Death?
• The Magic of Kindness

Works Cited

• Atkinson, Basil F. C. 1957. The Book of Genesis. Chicago, IL: Moody.
• Laney, J. Carl. 1997. Answers to Tough Questions. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel.
• Leupold, H. C. 1978. Genesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
• Morris, Henry. 1976. The Genesis Record. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
• Youngblood, Ronald. 1997. Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. Vol. 4. Willem VanGemeren, ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Scripture References

Genesis 6:4; Genesis 6:1-4; Numbers 13:33; Hebrews 1:14; Luke 24:39; Acts 10:3, 30; Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:34; Genesis 6:1; Numbers 13:32-33; Deuteronomy 3:11; 1 Samuel 17:4; 2 Samuel 21:20

Cite this article

Jackson, Wayne. "Who Were the Nephilim?" ChristianCourier.com. Access date: July 24, 2019. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/278-who-were-the-nephilim

Law of the Excluded Middle

Verbally Inspired

The Holy Scriptures—Verbally Inspired
by Wayne Jackson, M.A.

In logic, there is a principle called the Law of the Excluded Middle. Simply stated, it is this: a thing must either be, or not be, the case. A line is either straight, or it is not. There is no middle position. Applied to the Bible, one therefore might declare: The Scriptures are either inspired of God, or they are not inspired of God. If the writings of the Bible are not inspired of God, then they are the mere productions of men, and as such would merit no religious respect; in fact, in view of their exalted claims, they would merit only contempt.
Paul, an apostle of Christ, wrote: “Every scripture is inspired of God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible asserts its own inspiration—of this there is no doubt. But to what extent does the sacred volume claim inspiration? This is a question that has perplexed many.

SOME POPULAR, BUT FALSE THEORIES

Some have suggested that the Bible is “inspired” only in the sense that other great literary productions are inspired. That is, they all are simply the results of natural genius, characteristic of men of unusual ability. Such a notion must be rejected immediately since: (a) it makes liars of the biblical writers who claimed the Holy Spirit as the ultimate source of their documents (2 Samuel 23:2; Acts 1:16); and (b) it leaves unexplained the mystery of why modern man, with his accumulated learning, has not been able to produce a comparable volume that has the capacity to make the Bible obsolete.

Others have claimed that only certain portions of the Scriptures are inspired of God. We often hear it said, for example, that those sections of the Bible that deal with faith and morals are inspired, but that other areas, particularly those accounts which contain certain miraculous elements, are merely the productions of good—but superstitious and fallible—men. Again, though, such a concept is not consistent with the declarations of the divine writers. They extended inspiration to every area of the Scriptures, even emphasizing, in many instances, those very sections that modernists dub as non-historical, mythical, etc. See, for example: Matthew 12:39-40; 19:4ff.; Luke 4:27; John 3:14-15.

Too, the allegation has been made that the Bible is inspired in “sense,” but not in “sentence.” By that, it is meant that in some sense the Scriptures are of divine origin, but that the very words of the Holy Book are not to be construed as inspired. Such a view is nonsensical. If the words of the sacred narrative are not inspired, pray tell what is inspired? Is the binding? The paper? The ink? The truth is, if the words of the Bible are not inspired of God, then the Bible contains no inspiration at all!

VERBAL INSPIRATION

What do we mean when we speak of the “verbal inspiration” of the Holy Scriptures? Frank E. Gaebelein has suggested that a sound view of inspiration holds that “the original documents of the Bible were written by men, who, though permitted the exercise of their own personalities and literary talents, yet wrote under the control and guidance of the Spirit of God, the result being in every word of the original documents a perfect and errorless recording of the exact message which God desired to give to man” (1950, p. 9). In his classic work, Theopneustia—The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, L. Glaussen, professor of systematic theology, Oratoire, Geneva, defined inspiration as “that inexplicable power which the Divine Spirit put forth of old on the authors of holy Scripture, in order to their guidance even in the employment of the words they used, and to preserve them alike from all error and from all omission” (n.d., p. 34).

Let us take a closer look at 2 Timothy 3:16. The Greek text says: pasa graphe theopneustos—“all scripture [is] God-breathed.” Something within this context is said to be “God-breathed.” What is it? All Scripture. The term “scripture” [graphe] denotes that which is written. But it is the words of the biblical text that are written; hence, the very words of the Bible are God-breathed! No one can appeal to 2 Timothy 3:16 as an evidence of Bible inspiration without, at the same time, introducing the concept of verbal inspiration. The truth is, the doctrine of the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures is abundantly claimed throughout the sacred canon. Consider the following examples.

More than 3,800 times in the Old Testament, the claim is made that the Scriptures are the word [or words] of God. For instance, “And Jehovah said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book...” (Exodus 17:14). David declared: “The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and his word was upon my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). God instructed the prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth” (Jeremiah 1:9). The Scriptures are exalted as the Word of God some 175 times in Psalm 119 alone!


Jesus Christ certainly endorsed the concept of verbal inspiration. He affirmed that neither “one jot nor one tittle” would pass away from the law “until all things be accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18). The jot was the smallest Hebrew letter, and the tittle was a tiny projection on certain Hebrew characters. Professor A.B. Bruce has noted: “Jesus expresses here in the strongest manner His conviction that the whole Old Testament is a Divine revelation, and that therefore every minute precept has religious significance...” (1956, 1:104). The Lord frequently made arguments based upon the text of the Old Testament, wherein He stressed very precise grammatical points. His argument for the resurrection from the dead in Matthew 22:32 depends upon the present tense form of a verb—“I am [not “was”] the God of Abraham....”

Within the same context, Christ quoted Psalm 110:1, showing that David, speaking in the Spirit, said, “The Lord said unto my Lord...” (Matthew 22:41ff.). Again, the emphasis is on a single word. Jesus (affirming His own deity) asked the Pharisees why David referred to his own descendant, the promised Messiah, as Lord. Not recognizing the dual nature of the Messiah (i.e., as man, He was David’s seed; as deity, He was David’s Lord), they were unable to answer. But had Christ not believed in the inspired words of the Old Testament, He could hardly have reasoned as He did (see also John 10:30ff.).


Christ promised His apostles that the words of their gospel declaration would be given them. He told them: “But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you shall speak” (Matthew 10:19). And, note Luke’s parallel that they were not to “meditate beforehand” how to answer their antagonists (Luke 21:14). That has to involve their very words!


It is quite clear that the penmen of Scripture were conscious of the fact that they were recording the words of God. Paul wrote: “I received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you” (1 Corinthians 11:23). Again, “This we say unto you by the word of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). “When you received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). When Philip preached in Samaria, those people to whom he spoke had heard “the word of God” (Acts 8:14).


In a remarkable passage, Paul asked: “For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him?” He means this: you cannot know what is in my mind until I, by my words, reveal to you what I am thinking. That is the apostle’s illustration. Here is his point. “Even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God...which things [i.e., the things of God] we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (1 Corinthians 2:11-13). There is not a more comprehensive statement of verbal inspiration to be found anywhere in the holy writings. The mind of God has been made known by means of the inspired words of those representatives whom He chose for that noble task.



The biblical writers considered one another’s productions to be inspired of God. In 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul writes: “For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire.” In this passage, the apostle has combined Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7, and classified them both as “scripture.” Similarly, Peter refers to Paul’s epistles as “scripture” in 2 Peter 3:15-16.
MECHANICAL DICTATION—A STRAW MAN

Whenever you hear someone accusing advocates of verbal inspiration of believing in “mechanical dictation,” most likely you are dealing with a theological liberal! The notion of “mechanical dictation” [i.e., that the Bible writers were only dictaphones or typewriters, hence, their cultural and personality factors did not enter into their works] is not taught by many conservative Bible scholars. Certainly, Paul’s writings differ in style from those of John, etc. But that does not negate the fact that after God used the individual writers of Scripture, in the final process, only the exact words that He wanted in the text appeared there!

HAS TRANSMISSION DESTROYED INSPIRATION?

“But suppose,” someone wonders, “the Bible was verbally inspired initially. Hasn’t the transmission of the text across the centuries caused a corruption of the original documents, so that verbal inspiration has been virtually destroyed?” No, not at all. The text of the Bible—both Old and New Testaments—has been preserved in a remarkable fashion. For example, after years of scientific research in connection with the text of the Old Testament, professor Robert Dick Wilson, who was thoroughly acquainted with forty-five languages, stated that “we are scientifically certain that we have substantially the same text that was in the possession of Christ and the apostles...” (1929, p. 8, emp. added). Evidence for the textual reliability of the New Testament is no less impressive. Scholars are now in possession of some 5,378 Greek manuscripts (in part or in whole) of the New Testament, and some of these date to the early part of the second century A.D. It has been estimated that textual variations concern only about 1/1000th part of the entire text (see Gregory, 1907, p. 528). Transmission, therefore, has not destroyed verbal inspiration.

DOES TRANSLATION AFFECT INSPIRATION?

Since the Holy Scriptures originally were penned in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, and since then have been translated into many languages, some are concerned that the translation process has destroyed the Bible’s initial inspiration. But there is no need for concern over this matter so long as accurate translation is effected. When a word is translated precisely from one language into another, the same thought or idea is conveyed; thus, the same message is received.

That translation need not affect inspiration is evinced by an appeal to the New Testament itself. In the 3rd-2nd centuries B.C., the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek. This version, which was begun in Alexandria, Egypt, is known as the Septuagint. Note this interesting fact: Jesus Christ Himself, and His inspired New Testament writers, frequently quoted from the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament Scriptures! For example, in Matthew 22:32, Christ quoted from the Septuagint (Exodus 3:6), and of that passage said: “Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God?” (22:31). The translation from Hebrew to Greek did not alter the fact that the message was the Word of God!

It also might be observed in this connection that scholars generally agree that the Septuagint is not as reliable a translation as is the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Yet in spite of this, the New Testament frequently quotes it. However, as one author observed: “The writers of the New Testament appear to have been so careful to give the true sense of the Old Testament, that they forsook the Septuagint version whenever it did not give that sense...” (Horne, 1841, 1:312). The fact is, when a New Testament writer was quoting from the Greek Old Testament, the Holy Spirit sometimes led him to slightly alter the phraseology to give a more accurate sense. Thus, inspiration was still preserved though a less-than-perfect translation was being used.

CONCLUSION

The Scriptures are the verbally inspired Word of God. This view has been entertained by reverent students of the Holy Writings for multiplied centuries. Fritz Rienecker noted that the Jewish “rabbinical teaching was that the Spirit of God rested on and in the prophets and spoke through them so that their words did not come from themselves, but from the mouth of God and they spoke and wrote in the Holy Spirit. The early church was in entire agreement with this view” (1980, 2:301).

Let us therefore exalt the Holy Scriptures as the living Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), and acknowledge them as the only authoritative source of religious guidance.

REFERENCES

Bruce, A.B. (1956), Expositor’s New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Gaebelein, Frank E. (1950), The Meaning of Inspiration (Chicago, IL: Inter-Varsity).

Glaussen, L. (no date), Theopneustia—The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (Chicago, IL: Moody).

Gregory, C.R. (1907), Canon and Text of the New Testament (New York: Scribners).

Horne, Thomas H. (1842), An Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures (Philadelplhia, PA: Whetham & Son).

Rienecker, Fritz (1980), A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Wilson, Robert Dick (1929), A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament (New York: Harper & Brothers).






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