Tag: Answers in Genesis

Why Did God Make Scorpions?

Why Did God Make Scorpions?

Several days ago I was sitting out on the porch with our Siberian huskies, Shimmer and Cayenne.

Shimmer is our new three-year-old.

We love her so much!

She’s one of the most observant dogs we’ve ever owned.

I noticed her ears had perked up at one point and she was intently staring at the big brown ornamental rock right beyond our porch.

What in the world is she looking at?

A few minutes later I saw it too.

Ohhhhh noooooooooo.

A scorpion.

The hideously-disgusting creature was scurrying along that rock, way too close for my comfort.

I’m pretty sure it was about twelve inches long (okay, probably closer to two inches.)

I heard a scream (actually it was from me) and the three of us ran inside so I could get my husband to kill it.

Chivalry is not dead.

Why did God make scorpions in the first place?

Why did God make scorpions?

Even the pictures gross me out

Cringe-Worthy Arachnids: Why Did God Make Scorpions?

Why did God make scorpions?

I’m glad you asked.

We don’t fully know, as God is our Sovereign Creator.

However, some of the things we do know from a human standpoint is that scorpions eat other creepy crawlies like silverfish and spiders – that’s a good thing.

Even better, did you know that scientists are studying the scorpion’s venom for its possible health benefits?

Researchers isolated compounds of the scorpion’s poison indicating potential for treating certain illnesses and infections.1

Yet, despite these redeeming qualities, it’s also hard to forget that, depending on the species, scorpions can also be dangerous.

Their painful stings are mentioned in the Bible.

Here’s one example:

First the context, hordes of locust-like creatures will be unleashed for a short period of time during the Final Judgment (the Tribulation) “to torment” unrepentant souls.

And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person. – Revelation 9:5, (NASB).2

The horror to come for those Tribulation souls is yet another reminder for unbelievers to repent and put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Cringe-Worthy Scorpions: Were They Ever Good?

Scorpions weren’t always the feared insects that we know them as today.

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:24-25, (NASB).3

Did you see that?

Scorpions were good.

I wanted to share Dr. Gordon Wilson’s perspective from Answers in Genesis:

A world where animals didn’t eat other animals is almost impossible to imagine. Though we don’t know how everything worked in a perfect world, we do know that scorpions didn’t harm human beings. That came after Adam’s sin brought death and suffering into the world. – Dr. Gordon Wilson, Answers in Genesis.4

Further, he writes . . . 

The scorpion is a vivid reminder of the Curse and the deadly consequences of our sin against a holy and just God. Adam’s one sin in the Garden of Eden brought all this pain and suffering into the world. But because of God’s love, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to experience death’s sting in our place and redeem sinful mankind (Acts 2:22–24; John 3:16). Someday God will redeem His fallen creation, as well. Then He will take away all predator-prey relationships— the poison and the pain, the fangs and the fears—and the scorpion will be restored to its original diet (Isaiah 11:6–9). – Dr. Gordon Wilson,Answers in Genesis.5

Another One?

Okay, so we know there’s both good and bad about present-day scorpions.

Even with the good, they’re still not my favorite creature in God’s Kingdom.

Meanwhile, we spotted a second scorpion at our house – this one was inside our house!

Oh heck no – we need to move.

Remind me to look down before I walk into a dark room.

# # # 

1 Source Credit, [2019] Stanford University. By Stanford News. From “Stanford researchers synthesize healing compounds in scorpion venom”, June 11, 2019. Web. Accessed 27th October, 2023. Retrieved from https://chemistry.stanford.edu/news/stanford-researchers-synthesize-healing-compounds-scorpion-venom

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

3 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

4 Quotation from Dr. Gordon Wilson (PhD, Environmental Science and Public Policy, MS in Entomology) – teacher, writer for Answers in Genesis. “Scorpions — Armed and Dangerous.” Courtesy of Answersingenesis.org. para.4. Web. Accessed 26th, October, 2023. Retrieved from: https://answersingenesis.org/creepy-crawlies/scorpions-armed-and-dangerous/

5 Quotation from Dr. Gordon Wilson (PhD, Environmental Science and Public Policy, MS in Entomology) – teacher, writer for Answers in Genesis. “Scorpions — Armed and Dangerous.” Courtesy of Answersingenesis.org. para.11. Web. Accessed 26th, October, 2023. Retrieved from: https://answersingenesis.org/creepy-crawlies/scorpions-armed-and-dangerous/

Share

Disrespect For Life

Disrespect For Life

Sometimes I think we’re living in bizarro world.

Are you a biological “machine?”

disrespect for life

Are your kids just simple “products,” or are they little boys or girls created by God?

“Products?”

No way.

“Biological machines?”

I didn’t think so. 

Are you outraged at this popular thinking? Because you should be.

Created by God

The fact that we are created by God offends many people. We must be compassionate and pray for them, but at the same time, never compromise our convictions.

God created the heavens and the earth

There are schools across the United States that teach evolution as THE explanation of how the world was created.

We might just as well have “evolved” from a rock.

But, Christians know better.

Jesus died for our sins.

His incomprehensible love is beyond our imaginations, it is that deep.

Don’t tell me His death on the Cross was for nothing.

The world doesn’t like our beliefs, but praise God, this world is not our final home.

If you reject God and His Word, then anything goes—there’s no absolute standard on which to base your thinking. In this view, children are just biological machines, the product of millions of years of evolution. They aren’t given to parents—they are just a “choice” parents made. – Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis,1

We are not products.

We are not biological machines.

It’s absurd thinking, but sadly people are buying into this.

In the Image of God

We live in a world where the majority of our nation’s leaders have no problem with women terminating pregnancies in the womb for convenience – a so-called “choice.”

With that destructive brand of thinking, how can we expect younger generations who are “lucky” enough that their parents let them be born, be expected to, in turn, “value” anything?

The ungodly have such a disrespect for life. We see the results of this on the news every night.

Is it too late to tear down the ideologies meant to degrade us, reduce us to simple “products”, and separate us?

I believe there is still time to change some minds, but not much time.

We have to face the facts.

The Enemy wants to capture the hearts and minds of your children . . . of all ages.

Taking A Stand

Defending the faith (apologetics) is vital teaching as your children get ready to face a hostile world.

This will mean a dedicated commitment of your time to invest in the Christian education of your loved ones while they’re at home.

It’s what God wants us to do.  

Think about your sons and daughters right now.

Do they recognize that God created the heavens and the earth?

Can your children (or teens) defend their faith (respectfully) to an authority figure? 

They desperately need your guidance.

Do you talk about Jesus with them?

Once or twice isn’t enough.

If you don’t teach them about Jesus, worldly agendas being forced on every aspect of our society will lead them astray. If you’re not sure how serious this is, research the growing attacks on Christians all over the world.

When the family is strong, the church is strong. And when the church is strong, the nation is strong. But when the family breaks down, the nation breaks down with it. I believe there’s a full-throated, all-out attack on the family in our nation today. It’s time for moms and dads to be the spiritual leaders in the home. And it’s time for grandparents to be spiritual leaders too. – Pastor Greg Laurie, Bible teacher and author.2

Disrespect For Life Culture

How can parents and grandparents protect their kids in this spiritual fight for their minds and hearts?

Besides prayer, it’s important to establish a foundation of faith early on in your home.

Read the Bible to your children.

Let them see YOU reading it.

You can even take something like a child’s favorite hobby and bring even that back to God’s wonderful provision.

child hobbies brought back to God

I like the way Pastor James Kaddis puts it . . .

That father says you know God gave you the talent to put that thing together kiddo. You want another one. Let’s pray to God. Let’s ask God to provide it for us.  And every single time father and son get together to do that very thing, it’s used as a lesson for the goodness of God in that kid’s life.
Let me tell you something. The next time that that kid goes and runs towards that hobby that he’s learned to do as a kid, he’s always going to bring the Lord into it.  And when he’s raising his generation up, he’s raising his children up, you know what he’s going to do? He’s going to teach his (own) children to associate the wonders and the goodness of God with the things that they love the most in life.  And thus, God is associated with that which is wonderful. – Senior Pastor James Kaddis, Calvary Chapel, Signal Hill.3

Christians – there’s still time until Jesus calls us home.

# # # 

1 Ken Ham quotation, courtesy of Answers in Genesis.org, “Who ‘Owns’ Children.” August 26, 2021. Retrieved from https://answersingenesis.org/family/who-owns-children/

2 Pastor Greg Laurie Daily Devotions, courtesy of oneplace.com., “It’s Time To Step Up”. August 23, 2021. para. 4. Retrieved from https://www.oneplace.com/devotionals/greg-laurie-daily-devotions/its-time-to-step-up-greg-laurie-devotion-august-23-2021-11848809.html

3 From Kaddis, Pastor James, “Which Way Will You Go, Part 2.” Courtesy of oneplace.com. Podcast, [18:31-19:12]. August 18, 2021. Web. Retrieved from: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/light-on-the-hill/listen/which-way-will-you-go-part-2-899676.html

Share

Sharing Your Faith

Sharing Your Faith

sharing your faith

Courageously Sharing Your Faith

To “share” or “not to share”, that is the question.

At least on this blog post. 🙂

Seriously though, does the idea of sharing a favorite Christian meme or Bible verse on social media give you pause?

If it does, I certainly understand.

Your “friends list” may consist of believers and unbelievers.

With that in mind, you just might get a negative reaction you didn’t expect. How should you respond?

If it were me, I would invite that unbelieving friend to take the discussion offline. It’s better to have a one-on-one conversation than to have it play out in a public forum. 

courageously sharing your faith

Why Not Be Prepared?

We have to be prepared for resistance to the true gospel message, both online and in person.

Fortunately, there are some online sources for you that are helpful.

Here are a couple of resources for you to consider:

Why not devote a portion of time each week to learning how to answer the hard questions?

You may get questions from someone like:

Why is there evil and suffering in the world? You can find the answer to that here.

Can a Christian lose his or her salvation? You can find the answer to that here.

I’m a student of Apologetics myself. I will never know all the answers, but my heart yearns to learn as much as I can. It’s an insatiable thirst.

The Courage to Share

Always use grace when sharing your faith, an encouragement well-expressed here by Christian apologist, Sean McDowell.

I hope it is helpful to you.

God bless

***

Share

The Ark Encounter

The Ark Encounter

internet newsI‘m always intrigued when I see an internet headline claiming that explorers have finally discovered the resting place of Noah’s Ark.

Are their findings legitimate?

I really don’t know. It’s possible. However, discerning Christians must always be careful about such “discoveries.” Certainly, they can be fake. It frustrates me when people just accept everything they see on the news as if it’s truth.

If, and that’s a big IF, God chooses to reveal to us where the Ark is located, it will be in His perfect timing.

What I Do Know

vintage Noah's Ark illustration

*Photo courtesy of Publicdomainpictures.net

What I do know is that I believe in biblical creation.

I believe Noah was a real human being and that the biblical Flood is a true event in world history.

It frustrates me when so-called “religious” leaders try to discount the Bible’s teachings. They are misleading their “flock” as well. Those people spreading falsehoods that the Bible isn’t true will be held accountable by God.

Mount Ararat or Williamstown, Kentucky?

No need to travel to Mount Ararat and try to find the real Ark yourself. The good news is that you can see a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark right here in the United States of America.

It’s called the “Ark Encounter,” located near Williamstown, Kentucky. It’s definitely on my future vacation list. We were going to go see it last year, but circumstances got in the way.

**Photo courtesy of JameyWiki

Have you heard about the Ark Encounter? It looks amazing and you can go inside. Check out the website and you’ll see what I mean.

Ken Ham, President of Answers in Genesis ministry, along with other partners, conceived this massive project which resulted in this stunningly phenomenal Ark replica.

The Ark Encounter

Just how big is the Ark Encounter?

I appreciate the fact that the replica Ark’s designers built it to the dimensions of the Bible. According to the official website, the Ark replica measures 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high. That’s longer than a football field!

Why did God want the Ark to be so big?

The Ark had to float, and it had to be sturdy. Considering all of the living creatures on board, God commanded the specific design to perfectly accommodate them all, according to their kinds.

A Lot of Noise

As for the Ark’s detractors, I’ll just give them a few brief sentences.

As if you couldn’t guess, there are atheist groups protesting the Ark Encounter.

Would we expect anything less? They continue in their quest to remove from the face of the earth anything that points to the Bible.

If they stop shouting long enough, they might learn something including that, despite their bullying, God still loves them.

Remember, the Bible warned us that there would be scoffers and those who will reject God.

I praise Him that our troubles and this fallen world are only temporary.

Keep praying and keep your eyes on the prize – yours and my Eternal Glory!

***17For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NASB

*Vintage Ark Illustration, courtesy of http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=76258&picture=vintage-noahs-ark-illustration

**The Ark Encounter photo, courtesy of : Wikimedia contributor, Jameywiki (own work). [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons”

***Bible reference: New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Share