Do you believe the sun and moon stood still in the heavens ?

[Lazarus Short]

Parts of the Book of Joshua conquest account contradict the archaeological record (Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research, William Dever, 1990). I do not think the earth stood still for more than a fraction of a moment.

We should not judge easily or quickly, as we were not there to see it all happen, something moderns, in their arrogance, too often forget. We have the witness of the Holy Bible, and that of other ancient peoples reporting from their respective longitudes. The Book of Jasher may have something to say, but I can't say, as my copy is misplaced...

 

[Lazarus Short]

Probably because theses concepts are related to each other, geocentrism and flat earth.

OK, I looked at the link and decided that I need to read my copy of the Book of Enoch. A question: To settle the geocentrism/heliocentrism debate, would it require an observation from outside the solar system for a 100% confidence level?

 

[miknik5]

Joshua 10:12-15New King James Version (NKJV)
12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

So if the Earth is spinning around at a 1000 mph, how did it just stop?
It seems to make more sense that the sun and moon stopped going around the earth than the other way around.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2546864/How-fast-YOU-spinning-Earths-axis.html

What the people "saw" and attributed to the moon and sun standing still was the difference on the duration of day and night

And these would have been much more aware of the differences between day and night since they would have done everything dependent on the duration of the hours of daylight for that would be the time frame for work to be done before night came when no man usually worked

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

OK, I looked at the link and decided that I need to read my copy of the Book of Enoch. A question: To settle the geocentrism/heliocentrism debate, would it require an observation from outside the solar system for a 100% confidence level?

No.

 

[Steve Petersen]

OK, I looked at the link and decided that I need to read my copy of the Book of Enoch. A question: To settle the geocentrism/heliocentrism debate, would it require an observation from outside the solar system for a 100% confidence level?

No. Data is irrelevant when it comes to Biblical dogma.

 

[sdowney717]

What the people "saw" and attributed to the moon and sun standing still was the difference on the duration of day and night

And these would have been much more aware of the differences between day and night since they would have done everything dependent on the duration of the hours of daylight for that would be the time frame for work to be done before night came when no man usually worked

Joshua literally records the sun ceased its movement, standing still in the heavens for about a whole day and a day is 24 hours.
This would have been a dramatic miraculous event noticed by all people on the earth.
Then it resumed moving to a normal sunset.

A future miracle to come is when the Lord Jesus returns and every eye will see Him coming on the clouds and will mourn.
How easy for this on a flat earth, but on a globe His returning could not be witnessed by all people at the same time.


Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
Acts 1:9-11New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

That ALL eyes see Him even the ones who pierced Him shows that even those 'under the earth' in hell will see His coming on the clouds.
When He ascended into heaven, this was only witnessed by His people, but His returning will be witnessed by all people who have ever lived through all time and in every place, by those in heaven, those on the earth and those under the earth, so then every knee will bend and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

[Lazarus Short]

No. Data is irrelevant when it comes to Biblical dogma.

I wasn't asking about Biblical dogma - I was asking about an observation outside the system, as regards two scientific views.

 

[delaD3]

Joshua 10:12-15New King James Version (NKJV)
12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

So if the Earth is spinning around at a 1000 mph, how did it just stop?
It seems to make more sense that the sun and moon stopped going around the earth than the other way around.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2546864/How-fast-YOU-spinning-Earths-axis.html

Do you believe that the sun is the 'greater' light and the moon is the 'lesser' light?

 

[sdowney717]

Do you believe that the sun is the 'greater' light and the moon is the 'lesser' light?

That is what it says, which some say the moon has a light of it's own.
I don't really have an opinion on that, the moon could still reflect and modify the light from the sun into it's own moonlight.

Genesis 1:14
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
Genesis 1:15
and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
Genesis 1:16
Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
Genesis 1:17
God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,
Genesis 1:18
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

 

[FundyJohn]

Yes I believe it happened, no I cannot explain it.

 

[SkyWriting]

So if the Earth is spinning around at a 1000 mph, how did it just stop?

Becasue God holds each electron in it's orbit
changing things up is not a big deal.

And there would be no "natural"
explanation for the event
if it was not a natural event.

And thirdly, God can control time
as He chooses to.

 

[delaD3]

Becasue God holds each electron in it's orbit
changing things up is not a big deal.

And there would be no "natural"
explanation for the event
if it was not a natural event.

And thirdly, God can control time
as He chooses to.

Basically, HE just stopped the electrons just as He split waters in half...

I guess it can be theoretically proven to be possible with scientific terms and ideas.. But how any person or scientist is going to make an instrument or machine to stop electrons from doing their thing without killing it would be kind of difficult to achieve. I would assume that if you stopped a group of electrons from doing their electron thing, that the whole atom or group of atoms would get into the 'fission' or 'fusion' state of exploding. To stop the group of electrons from doing their thing, to me, would result in an internal withdrawing of the life matters, which will extend back out and the faster and faster that search for a safe place occurs, the result will be the big bang.

So did God use 'sound' to divide the Red Sea? Unheard sound? The Holy Bible does say that He caused a wind... His Wind may have His Sound within it.

And so this goes to show that even the unexplained miracles of the Wise Ones could be understood by human minds if they stopped long enough to look into the matters instead of flat out discrediting every possible good thing.

An example is: Climate scientists neglect the possibility that deep water or any form of 'oil drilling' into the earth can cause a significant change in the earth's temperature to increase the atmospheric temperature. And oceanographers disregard any possible notion that the temperatures and mass denisity of the deepest waters can be altered enough for any water temperature changes because of any forms of 'oil drilling' which may cause the inner Earth's core temperature to increase due to the agitation caused by the drilling to the molten within the earth.

In other words, they discredit the idea that drilling the earth for oil causes the earth's core temperature to rise which would cause the ocean waters' temperature to rise which would cause the atmospheric temperature to rise. They just flat out discredit that possibility.. And maybe they are right...

But then again.... The sun itself can't change too much, can it?

 

[Jamesbong]

As to whether the sun stood still or not, that is only the flesh and a physical event that none of us saw. What does that have to do with our souls? Nothing.

Should we not apply the words: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing;" (John 6:63)?

There is much deeper meaning than just the physical sun literally stopping.

Remember that the Bible is the world's greatest book of prophecy. If we just argue about the sun having stopped or not, you're taking the Bible as a mere history book, and missing the important aspect entirely.

I want to highlight the importance of John 6:63 again, by posting a link to a video: (

).

The video goes to show that the Bible has to be interpreted with the Bible, and that one can't go about making assumptions about the meaning of things in the Bible with just what he learned from other people.

 

[SkyWriting]

Basically, HE just stopped the electrons just as He split waters in half...

I guess it can be theoretically proven to be possible with scientific terms and ideas.. But how any person or scientist is going to make an instrument or machine to stop electrons from doing their thing without killing it would be kind of difficult to achieve. I would assume that if you stopped a group of electrons from doing their electron thing, that the whole atom or group of atoms would get into the 'fission' or 'fusion' state of exploding. To stop the group of electrons from doing their thing, to me, would result in an internal withdrawing of the life matters, which will extend back out and the faster and faster that search for a safe place occurs, the result will be the big bang.

So did God use 'sound' to divide the Red Sea? Unheard sound? The Holy Bible does say that He caused a wind... His Wind may have His Sound within it.

And so this goes to show that even the unexplained miracles of the Wise Ones could be understood by human minds if they stopped long enough to look into the matters instead of flat out discrediting every possible good thing.

An example is: Climate scientists neglect the possibility that deep water or any form of 'oil drilling' into the earth can cause a significant change in the earth's temperature to increase the atmospheric temperature. And oceanographers disregard any possible notion that the temperatures and mass denisity of the deepest waters can be altered enough for any water temperature changes because of any forms of 'oil drilling' which may cause the inner Earth's core temperature to increase due to the agitation caused by the drilling to the molten within the earth.

In other words, they discredit the idea that drilling the earth for oil causes the earth's core temperature to rise which would cause the ocean waters' temperature to rise which would cause the atmospheric temperature to rise. They just flat out discredit that possibility.. And maybe they are right...

But then again.... The sun itself can't change too much, can it?

If you can't recreate an event, then it's possibility is untestable.
Becasue God does not answer prayers after they are given
then the premise of answered prayer is untestable.

 

[SkyWriting]

The video goes to show that the Bible has to be interpreted with the Bible, and that one can't go about making assumptions about the meaning of things in the Bible with just what he learned from other people.

Odd to think that self analysis is the only valid method.

 

[Jadis40]

OK, I looked at the link and decided that I need to read my copy of the Book of Enoch. A question: To settle the geocentrism/heliocentrism debate, would it require an observation from outside the solar system for a 100% confidence level?

In my mind the debate is settled. We live on a spinning spherical earth which orbits the sun and the motion of the stars is determined by the rotation of the earth. So I'm firmly in the heliocentrism camp.

As far as the original question goes - I think it's poetic language and that the sun didn't literally stand still.

 

[Rhapsody]

Other nations besides Israel have recorded a long day in the time period of Joshua; it might be interesting to look into the side-subject of ancient records.

 

[sdowney717]

Other nations besides Israel have recorded a long day in the time period of Joshua; it might be interesting to look into the side-subject of ancient records.

Good point, I found this.
http://www.geocentricity.com/astronomy_of_bible/jld/
Joshua’s long day around the world: The solid black circles show locations with tales of a long night; open circles plot tales of a long day, and the half-white half-black circle in the Pacific shows the location of a long sunrise tale. Recently, after this figure was made, another long sunrise tale was reported in Hawaii.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

OK, I looked at the link and decided that I need to read my copy of the Book of Enoch. A question: To settle the geocentrism/heliocentrism debate, would it require an observation from outside the solar system for a 100% confidence level?

Not if you have 100% confidence in YHWH.
HE SAYS the earth is stationary,
and everyone believed this for what, 5000 years ?
Why change ?
(Does anyone really think carnal mankind would not willingly lie about this,
being as they are generally overall under control of the devil , science included?!)

 

[Joshua_5]

In my mind the debate is settled. We live on a spinning spherical earth which orbits the sun and the motion of the stars is determined by the rotation of the earth. So I'm firmly in the heliocentrism camp.

As far as the original question goes - I think it's poetic language and that the sun didn't literally stand still.

So how do you determine which parts are poetic language, and which parts are literal? Was the original sin literal, or poetic? The sinfulness of man and the Great Flood, and God's covenant sign of the rainbow? The tower of Babel and confusion of languages? God's calling of Abram and the sign of circumcision? The captivity of God's people in Egypt and the Passover? The crossing of the Red sea? The walls of Jericho? Where do you draw the line as to which is literal and which is poetic, if not your own opinion?