“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this” (Job 12:7-9). In the last blog article, we looked at lessons from the beasts of the earth and the birds of the heavens. Now, we will look at some lessons gained from observing planet Earth.
The Earth – People are making many discoveries through studies of earth sciences. By observing the earth over many years, scientists have discovered a portion of the answers to the questions God asked Job, as recorded in Job chapters 38-41. The difficulty in correctly interpreting observations is stated in the first few rhetorical questions. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7). People were not present. The only witnesses were God and His angels. Correct analysis of observations and conclusions made requires a manual from the designer and builder Himself. That manual is the Bible.
The Foundation of the Earth – After many years of trial and error, mankind discovered the science necessary to place objects in orbit around the earth. This same science explains how the earth is hung in space, upon no physical foundation, but upon the natural laws that God dictated in the beginning. We now know that for a given distance above a planet, an object must travel at a speed that will counter the effects of gravity to stay in orbit. “He established the earth upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever” (Psalms 104:5).
The Water Cycle – The study of meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere and prepares people to forecast the weather. Most people today know about the cycle that takes water from a large lake or ocean, transports it in vapor form into the heavens where it condenses into clouds. The clouds are driven over the earth by the winds. When clouds reach a location when temperature and humidity are correct, the water precipitates out of the cloud and falls to earth as rain. Streams collect the rain into lakes and oceans where the cycle starts again. Long before people knew this cycle, God described it to His servants. “For He draws up the drops of water, They distill rain from the mist, Which the clouds pour down, They drip upon man abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, The thundering of His pavilion? Behold, He spreads His lightning about Him, And He covers the depths of the sea” (Job 36:27-30).
Other portions of the cycle include the lightning and thunder that start fires and frighten both people and animals. “Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine? Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, The wonders of one perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:15-16). Further scientific study disclosed that lightning helps free up nitrogen in the atmosphere. The rain washes the free nitrogen into the soil, where it nourishes growing plants. We see the result in the beautiful lawns, shrubs, and trees after a rain shower.
God’s Care – The earth exists and is cared for by the Grace of God. Jesus said, “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). God said through Isaiah, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). Everything about the earth speaks of a master designer, engineer, and builder. The planning and detail of the creator supply everything needed by His creatures and all that is necessary for our spiritual lives. God sent His Son and His Word to make us acceptable as His children (Titus 2:11-14).
The earth itself can heal and care for itself when people leave it alone. God commanded that Israel would not plant their fields every seventh year to allow the ground to recover. “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow” (Exodus 23:10-11). Land that is cleared for planting, and years later is abandoned, will return to its former condition of prairie, forest, or jungle in a very short time. The Earth obeys God, absorbs His grace, and returns to the purity of its beginning.
Nature has many lessons for us, and we will look at lessons from the sea creatures next.
