Author, Hidden Treasures in The Book of Job(2011)
Founded Ministry, Reasons to Believe
Host, Reasons to Believe (TBN)
BS, Physics, University of British Columbia
MS & Ph.D., Astronomy, University of Toronto
Married, Kathy, 2 Sons
GUEST BIO
Hugh Ross: Hidden Treasures in The Book of Job
By
The 700 Club
TREASURES FROM THE BOOK OF JOB
Astrophysicist and author Dr. Hugh Ross says there are more commentaries about the book of Job than any other biblical book. These commentaries mainly focus on Job's suffering and God's providence but none of them explores how Job talks about creation. Job is likely the oldest book of the Bible and it predates the book of Genesis by 500-600 years.
Dr. Ross' focused on the science related content in Job, which he found was the book in the Bible that had the most comprehensive information creation and science. As he continued his research he discovered more treasures in the book of Job. He found connections between the biblical account of natural history. He also says Job emphasizes how the higher animals are designed to teach us about God and ourselves, and it predicted global warming and cosmic darkness.
Dr. Ross feels that Job is a forgotten resource for science-based apologetics and hopes Christians will consider the science and creation content in Job to help answer their questions about the Christian faith, heal divisions within the church, and challenge nonbelievers with biblical evidence they may not have thought about.
CREATION AND SOULISH ANIMALS
The book of Job shows many mistakes in Darwin's ideas. Genesis 1 describes three distinct origins of Earth's life: life that is physical (plants and insects); life that is physical and soulish (birds, mammals, and reptiles); and life that is physical, soulish; and spiritual (only humans). Job also gives significant information about these three sets of life-forms, how God designed them, and how they relate to one another. Genesis 1 also refers to the physical and soulish category of life by the Hebrew term nepesh. This is the word used for “soulish” creatures, or animals with the capacity for a limited range of thought, choice, and feeling, but without the spiritual [qualities] that humans have. Job shows how these higher animals relate to humans and how God gave each soulish animal unique capacities to serve and please humans in their own way. Ten specific animals (lion, raven, goat, deer, donkey, wild ox, ostrich, horse, hawk, and eagle) are shown to help in the launch of civilization and sustaining humans today. There are several lessons that humans can learn from observing and relating to animals.
LESSONS FROM THE ANIMALS
In Job 12 it says to look at the beasts and they will teach you. Here are some lessons we can learn from the animals:
*Animals will do what they normally wouldn’t do in their natural habitat to please and serve humans. When we develop a powerful relationship with God we will rise to the occasion and achieve what we
normally wouldn’t achieve
*We were created to serve God, but sin caused us to run from God. Just like sin causes animals
to run from humans.
*Like animals can form a strong bond with humans, we can form a strong bond with God.
*Every single animal species that is created serves a specific purpose. It is the same with humans.
Dr. Ross has always loved hiking. In his early 20s he wanted to do an experiment. He chose an area where the animals had no human contact in remote part of Canada. After a period of time the animals came close to him and interacted with him. They showed no fear. Dr. Ross concluded that this was how God originally intended it to be before sin entered the world.
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