The Flat Earth Bible

[AV1611VET]

My buddy, Captain Dan, posted this link in a thread:

What Does the Bible Say About Flat Earth?

So I thought I would pick it apart by posting some of the verses (King James, of course) from time to time and commenting on them.

For the record, I think the only time the Bible mentions the physical shape of the earth is when It mentions the earth being "without form and void."

 

[Gregorikos]

It is He who sits above the  circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Isaiah 40:22 (NASB)

 

[trophy33]

Bible is not a scientific book.

The scientific view of the world (based on objective things) was developed much later.
Bible uses relational view of the world (based on relationships).

So it scientifically does not matter what the Bible says about the physical universe. What matters is the meaning the Bible gives to the physical universe.

For example - the saying "God examines our heart" has no technical, scientific value. It bears a different message.

 

[Paul4JC]

Dr. Mike Heiser teaches Biblical Cosmology, though he bows to science himself, at least he is honest to what the bible teaches.

Ancient Israelite Cosmology - Dr. Michael Heiser


Michael S. Heiser: Books, Biography,

 

[AV1611VET]

Okay ... let's look at the first one.

Isaiah 40:22a It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth,

If this is speaking of a flat earth, is drawing a circle on a globe, then standing over that circle and looking down, the same thing as saying that globe is flat? of course not.

And as far as what is specifically meant by "the circle of the earth" isn't clear.

Was it the Article circle, before the Arctic circle was drawn (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it a line of latitude before latitudes were lined (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it some circle on a map known to Isaiah and his generation?

To say it is referencing a flat earth is overlooking too many other explanations.

 

[Speedwell]

Okay ... let's look at the first one.

Isaiah 40:22a It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth,

If this is speaking of a flat earth, is drawing a circle on a globe, then standing over that circle and looking down, the same thing as saying that globe is flat? of course not.

And as far as what is specifically meant by "the circle of the earth" isn't clear.

Was it the Article circle, before the Arctic circle was drawn (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it a line of latitude before latitudes were lined (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it some circle on a map known to Isaiah and his generation?

To say it is referencing a flat earth is overlooking too many other explanations.

But some people go ahead and believe it anyway.

 

[AV1611VET]

But some people go ahead and believe it anyway.

Believe what? that it speaks of a flat earth?

If so, yes, some people go ahead and believe it, despite not taking into account other explanations.

I call those people: "educated."

 

[AV1611VET]

Let's look at another.

Revelation 7:1a And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth,

Take an orange and cut it into four equal wedges.

Find the center of mass for each wedge.

Put the wedges back together.

Stick a toothpick in each center, from the peel, through to the center of mass.

What do you have?

You have four toothpicks standing on the four corners of an orange.

What you don't have is a flat orange.

 

[AV1611VET]

Glossing over the next two because they are from books of poetry, we come to this one.

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And of course, the idea is that the Devil could not have shown Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, unless the world was flat.

But even if the world was flat, you can't see all the kingdoms of the world anyway because the proportion of your field of view diminishes with distance.

That's why railroad tracks seem to converge down the line.

So what exactly went on here?

Well ... we don't know, since we weren't there.

BUT, on the speculative side, let me propose this:

The Devil showed Jesus some kind of PowerPoint presentation of all the kingdoms of the world.

A vision, or maybe an fps book of drawings, or whatever.

Moving Him to a high mountain was a master stroke of genius, as it would have given Him a deeper longing for the wonders of the world, as He looked down on the towns and cities around that mountain.

Moses, if you recall, was summoned up a mountain and given the Ten Commandments.

And, as I pointed out earlier, God sat on the circle of the earth and saw everyone as grasshoppers.

In the end, it backfired on the Devil, as Jesus, assuming He emptied Himself of most of His omniscience, was given a deeper appreciation for the nations of the world.

He may even had that presentation in mind, while He was giving us the Great Commission.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Isaiah 40:22a It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth,

If this is speaking of a flat earth, is drawing a circle on a globe, then standing over that circle and looking down, the same thing as saying that globe is flat? of course not.

The text does not describe any drawing of circles, but merely 'the circle of the earth'.

And as far as what is specifically meant by "the circle of the earth" isn't clear.

It's clearly consistent with what we know of ancient near eastern cosmology.

Speaking of sitting on something, where would the sapphire throne that Ezekiel describes be? I see a lot of connection between that verse and this.

Was it the Article circle, before the Arctic circle was drawn (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it a line of latitude before latitudes were lined (i.e., an anachronism)?

Note that those lines are imaginary human conventions and indeed the very concept of such a line would be unknown to Isaiah. Your interpretation violates your other statement that God is using terms Isaiah would understand.

To say it is referencing a flat earth is overlooking too many other explanations.

@Speedwell : "Isaiah 40:22 does not imply, much less teach, anything definite about the shape of the Earth."

 

[essentialsaltes]

Revelation 7:1a And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth,
Take an orange and cut it into four equal wedges.
Find the center of mass for each wedge.
Put the wedges back together.
Stick a toothpick in each center, from the peel, through to the center of mass.
What do you have?

Beats me, but I rather doubt it's a correct explanation of what the author of this verse was thinking, or thought his audience would think.

 

[Strathos]

The Bible never says the earth is flat.

It never says it's round either.

God probably figured that we were smart enough to figure it out on our own.

Well, at least most of us...

 

[AV1611VET]

It's clearly consistent with what we know of ancient near eastern cosmology.

Did Isaiah subscribe to the same cosmology?

 

[essentialsaltes]

Did Isaiah subscribe to the same cosmology?

It seems quite likely, since it was the common view of the ancient Hebrews.

 

[AV1611VET]

Beats me, but I rather doubt it's a correct explanation of what the author of this verse was thinking, or thought his audience would think.

John was probably thinking of an apple.

 

[AV1611VET]

The Bible never says the earth is flat.

Correct.

Usually, when you hear that the Bible says the earth is flat, it's when it's coming from academia.

QV this article from Lock Haven University: The Flat-Earth Bible.

Note also:

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (LHU) is a public university in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

SOURCE

That's where our tax dollars go.

 

[AV1611VET]

It seems quite likely, since it was the common view of the ancient Hebrews.

You mean, before they went into captivity?

And for the record, some Jewish authorities say Isaiah was martyred under the direction of King Manasseh.

 

[AV1611VET]

Okay, moving along.

Since the next two entries are again taken from books of poetry, I'll skip to this one:

1 Chronicles 16:30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

This has zero to do with the earth being flat.

 

[topher694]

Okay ... let's look at the first one.

Isaiah 40:22a It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth,

If this is speaking of a flat earth, is drawing a circle on a globe, then standing over that circle and looking down, the same thing as saying that globe is flat? of course not.

And as far as what is specifically meant by "the circle of the earth" isn't clear.

Was it the Article circle, before the Arctic circle was drawn (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it a line of latitude before latitudes were lined (i.e., an anachronism)?

Was it some circle on a map known to Isaiah and his generation?

To say it is referencing a flat earth is overlooking too many other explanations.

Look at the context of the entire chapter.

What is the writing style(s)?
Who is the audience?
What is the theme?

Those answers make it very clear this scripture is not about the shape of the Earth.

 

[AV1611VET]

Those answers make it very clear this scripture is not about the shape of the Earth.

I totally agree.