The Supernatural in our natural world

One of the startling revelations of the Bible is that what we see around us is not only the natural we experience with our senses.  Especially after Darwin’s ‘breathtaking observation’ that our world is only natural and nothing else, there are people who believe that our physical universe is all there was, is and will be!  It might have been fine, except for the following announcement by God Himself, 

‘In the beginning God [Supernatural] created the heavens and the earth [natural].’  Genesis 1:1

Genesis 1:1 reveals that,

• The eternal God created in the beginning. 
• The name used for ‘God (Elohim)’ is plural (more than one in the Godhead).  
• Yet the verb ‘created’ is singular (unity).  
• The ‘heavens and the earth’ is our present known universe.

This verse establishes the Supernatural in our world.  The Bible reveals that the Supernatural eternal Triune God existed before creation.  That is in stark contrast to those who believe the universe just popped into existence – from nothing – for no reason at all!  

The supernatural/natural mix of our world is an important revelation of the Bible.  It is because:

• At the end of time, God will destroy the natural earth, 

‘…The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.’  2 Peter 3:10

• The supernatural will replace the natural and will become eternal,  

‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth [natural] had passed away.’  Revelation 21:1

What does God teach us?  We live in a world where the supernatural is part of life.  It is dangerous to neglect it.

Focus on God’s power.

A big issue in the Church is the Bible’s account of creation.  Did God actually create in six days, did He somehow create through long ages, or did it just evolve by chance?  Yet it is more important for us to focus on the next big creation of God which will last eternally.  Some of God’s acts of power are:  

God will burn up this present universe,

‘But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare…. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.’  2 Peter 3:10,12b

God will create again,

‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.’  Revelation 21:1

God will have an eternal capital, the New Jerusalem,   

‘The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him.  They will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads.’  Revelation 22:3b,4  

Money will be no problem in that city,

‘The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.’ Revelation 21:18

Those things are only a small sample of what our super God promises for His people.  Because God created the first heavens and earth, the next will be no problem for Him.

Genesis 1-11, Part 2

Creation is described as follows in the Bible, 

‘…long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.’  2 Peter 3:5 

We know that all matter on earth, living as well as nonliving, are made of atoms.  The atoms are the building blocks of the whole universe.  

The Periodic Table is a summary of all the elements (an element has only one kind of atom).   For example, Hydrogen has one proton and one electron, helium has two protons, two neutrons and two electrons.  There is a systematic increase of protons and electrons all through the different elements as seen in the Periodic Table.   The change in atoms causes the different elements.  The universe has 92 or 98 naturally occurring elements.

The Bible teaches, 

‘By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the deeps were divided and the clouds let drop the dew.’  Proverbs 3:19,29

We live in an age where Creation by God is scoffed at and labelled as ‘unscientific.’  What is the alternative that is proposed?  Naturalism – everything just appeared by chance over billions of years.  In contrast Supernaturalism, specifically creation by God, is regarded as totally out, wrong, unscientific, et cetera.  

We want to pursue his issue.  However, we can never understand the two options of natural or supernatural creation, if we do not have a clear idea of the two opposing kingdoms of this age.