The Bible Is More Than You Were Told

In at least 17 places, the Bible describes the heavens being "stretched out" or "spread out." This language, written thousands of years before modern astronomy, precisely describes what Edwin Hubble discovered in 1929—that the universe is expanding in all directions.

The Hebrew word used is "natah," which specifically means "to stretch" or "to extend," the exact phenomenon astronomers now observe through redshift measurements of distant galaxies.

"He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing." — Job 26:7

When Job was written (approximately 2000-1000 BCE), other civilizations had various myths about what supported the earth:

• Greek mythology suggested Atlas held up the world
• Hindu texts described the earth as resting on elephants
• Ancient Egyptian cosmology had the earth supported by pillars

Yet the biblical text accurately describes the earth as suspended in space, with no physical support—a fact that couldn't be confirmed until space exploration in the modern era.

The hydrologic cycle is described in Job 36:27-28: "For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man."

This accurately describes evaporation, condensation, and precipitation—the water cycle that wasn't scientifically documented until the 17th century by Pierre Perrault and Edmond Halley.

Even more remarkably, Job 38:16 asks: "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?" This appears to reference deep sea vents and ocean trenches that weren't discovered until the 20th century.

The Hebrew phrase "חֵקֶר תְּהוֹם" (cheqer tehom) in Job 38:16 literally translates to "searching the deep" or "recesses of the deep," suggesting knowledge of the ocean's complex topography.

The Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world's oceans at approximately 36,000 feet below sea level, wasn't discovered until 1875 and not explored until the 20th century.

How could ancient writers have known about these features of the deep ocean floor without divine revelation? The accuracy of these descriptions defies coincidence.

Leviticus 13-15 outlines specific quarantine procedures for infectious diseases, including isolation periods and decontamination protocols. These practices weren't adopted by modern medicine until the 19th century.

Leviticus 15:13 prescribes handwashing with "running water" after potential contamination—a practice not widely accepted in medicine until the 1840s when Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis demonstrated its importance.

The dietary laws in Leviticus 11 prohibited eating animals found dead (potential bacterial contamination), certain seafood (which are more likely to carry toxins), and mandated proper food handling—all principles that align with modern food safety guidelines.

Pork, prohibited in Leviticus 11:7-8, has been linked to increased risk of certain cancers in multiple studies. Pork products, especially processed meats, have been classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization.

Shellfish, also prohibited in Leviticus, are filter feeders that can accumulate toxins and heavy metals from their environment, potentially contributing to various health issues including cancer risk.

The prohibition against consuming animal fat (Leviticus 7:23) aligns with modern understanding of the link between certain animal fats and increased cancer risk, particularly colorectal cancer.

Leviticus 15 contains detailed instructions for hygiene after sexual activity, including washing with water and waiting periods before resuming normal activities—practices that reduce the risk of infection.

The prohibition against sexual activity during menstruation (Leviticus 18:19) may have served as protection against increased risk of certain infections during this time.

Circumcision, prescribed in Genesis 17 and reinforced throughout the Law, has been shown by modern medicine to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections, certain STIs, and penile cancer.

These health protections were given at a time when no understanding of germ theory existed, yet they align perfectly with modern medical knowledge.

Genesis states: "Then God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'; and it was so."

This description matches the scientific understanding of Pangaea—a supercontinent that existed approximately 335-175 million years ago where all land masses were connected as "one place."

The concept of Pangaea wasn't proposed until 1912 by Alfred Wegener, yet Genesis accurately describes this geological phenomenon thousands of years earlier.

The sequence of creation in Genesis—beginning with water covering the earth, followed by the emergence of a single landmass—aligns with current geological understanding of Earth's development.

Marine fossils have been discovered on mountain tops around the world, including the Himalayas, Alps, and Andes—evidence consistent with a global flood event.

Polystrate fossils (fossils that extend through multiple layers of rock) suggest rapid burial rather than gradual deposition over millions of years.

Sedimentary layers spanning entire continents indicate large-scale water deposition events rather than localized phenomena.

The biblical account in Genesis provides a framework for understanding these geological features that is consistent with catastrophic rather than uniformitarian processes.

Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), known as the "Pathfinder of the Seas," credited Psalm 8:8 for his discovery of ocean currents. After hearing this verse read, he said, "If God said there are paths in the sea, I am going to find them."

Maury went on to chart ocean currents and wind patterns, revolutionizing navigation and founding the science of oceanography.

The Hebrew word for "paths" (אָרְחוֹת, 'orchot) specifically implies regular, established routes—precisely what ocean currents are.

This biblical insight led to a major scientific discovery, demonstrating the accuracy of Scripture even in casual references to natural phenomena.

Ancient Near Eastern creation myths typically featured:

• Gods fighting chaotic monsters to create order (Babylonian Enuma Elish)
• Creation from the dismembered bodies of defeated deities (Mesopotamian myths)
• Gods creating humans as slaves to serve them (common in multiple mythologies)

In stark contrast, Genesis presents:

• Creation through peaceful divine speech, not violent conflict
• Humans created in God's image with dignity and purpose
• A universe made "very good" rather than emerging from chaos

This radical departure from contemporary mythological patterns suggests divine revelation rather than human invention.

The Bible's purpose is not to be a scientific textbook, yet when it touches on scientific matters, it demonstrates remarkable accuracy:

• The earth is spherical (Isaiah 40:22 - "the circle of the earth")
• The universe had a beginning (Genesis 1:1), confirmed by Big Bang cosmology
• The earth is suspended in space (Job 26:7)
• Stars are innumerable (Genesis 15:5), contrary to ancient beliefs that stars could be counted
• Light exists independent of the sun (Genesis 1:3-5, 14-19), consistent with modern understanding that light exists as an independent phenomenon

These scientific insights appear casually in Scripture, not as explicit scientific claims, suggesting they reflect the Creator's knowledge rather than human speculation.

Numerous scientific principles appear in Scripture that weren't discovered by science until centuries or millennia later:

• The universe is expanding (multiple "stretching" references)
• Air has weight (Job 28:25), discovered by Galileo in the 17th century
• Blood is essential for life (Leviticus 17:11), not fully understood until the 19th century
• The earth's water cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:7, Job 36:27-28)
• Quarantine procedures for disease control (Leviticus 13-15)
• Biodegradable waste management (Deuteronomy 23:12-13)

These scientific accuracies appear throughout Scripture, written by approximately 40 different authors over 1,500 years, suggesting a common divine source of knowledge rather than human insight.