Why Doubt God's Word ? by A. C. Ames

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 5, 1907

Why Doubt God's Word ?

By A. C. Ames

A. C. AMES

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3, 4.

Let us consider for a moment how little the conditions on this earth would have to change to render it unfit for human habitation. If all the water on the earth were spread evenly over its surface, it would be nearly three miles deep. The amount of water taken up and poured out over the earth in the form of rain will average about thirty inches each year. This is less than one six-thousandth of the whole amount. If this amount is increased or diminished by half, it results disastrously to plant growth, and how very little change comparatively it would take to make a flood or a famine that would destroy all mankind! Yet scoffers say there never could have been a flood in the days of Noah, as the Bible records. “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” 2 Peter 3:5, 6. It took only “the word of God” (verse 5) to bring a flood then, and it is only by the same “word of God” that the flood has not been repeated since. “And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Gen. 9:15.

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7.

The range of temperature from liquid air to melted platinum covers about six thousand degrees. The range in which man can live with any comfort is only about the one hundredth of that amount; but let the average temperature of the earth be permanently lowered or raised sixty degrees, and he could not exist; for on the one hand, we would have the conditions that exist in the polar regions, and on the other hand, the temperature would be as far above the torrid condition as the torrid is now above the temperate. A change of one per cent in the temperature would wipe all life out of existence. The only reason we do not have such changes is because the world is held by “the word of God” every day, the same “word” by which it was at first created. The following quotation which we take from the Pathfinder (Washington, D. C.) is very pertinent upon this point:—

“It takes but a little to upset the balance of nature which man has in his favor, and with all our boasted knowledge we would be powerless to preserve our position if some new element were to be brought into the case. The only reason for feeling any assurance is that things have held the even tenor of their way so long that there is little chance of any cataclysm now. Nevertheless it becomes man to be modest and not to forget that his whole race could be brushed off the earth like a fly, in a twinkle, if conditions which are absolutely out of his control should by any chance materially change. So far as our planet is concerned, everything depends on the sun. We know now that the intensity of heat given off by that orb varies considerably, and that our weather is largely influenced by solar weather; there is no scientific reason why some fiery cyclone in the sun should not any day reduce to ashes every trace of organic matter of every sort on our planet, so that life here would have to begin all over again. As we have said before, the only proof we have that this will not happen is that it has never happened in the few thousand years within man's ken—a mere tick of the clock, however, in the long day of creation.”

The fact that this has never yet happened is no proof whatever that it never will happen. Just as well might I say that the fact that I have never died is a proof that I never shall die. We may be sure, however, that it will never happen “by chance,” but that it will happen by “the word of God,” for “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. . . . Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:10, 13, 14.

Middletown, N. Y.