In 1993 a tract-sized booklet of 64 pages was published by Ed Manzi; it was printed by Globe Communications Corporation in Boca Raton, Florida. More information than that about the author is hard to come by. He lists no educational degrees, no religious background, and no endorsements (that part is not hard to figure, considering the contents). The front cover has only the title, Amazing Mysteries of the Bible, and a picture of Eve handing Adam a piece of red fruit, while a snake sticks out his forked tongue at her. The back cover contains the same picture, only considerably smaller and these words:
The Bible is full of strange and amazing stories that have puzzled experts for thousands of years. Read what some of them say inside.
This promotional blurb certainly makes the information inside sound interesting. On the two inside covers, however, are advertisements: the one on the front is advertising a health magazine with a Super Vitamin Guide; the one on the back is for The Big Super Word Book. Perhaps the inclusion of these two secular offers should serve as a hint about the religious nature of the booklet.
Introduction
The brief “introduction” lists as a purpose for the publication the goal that the reader might “learn a little more about the Bible” (2). They do acknowledge that a few stories that pertain “to UFOs and outer space” just possibly might “seem a little outlandish…” (3). Really? But they explain—they have tried to include the views of a number of writers, researchers, and scholars—none of whom they name! Although a few book titles or authors are mentioned, not one source is documented properly in the entire booklet, nor is there a list of Works Cited at the end. The reader is supposed to take the author’s word that he has consulted scholars even though he lists no credentials and does not provide the name of even one “scholar.”
Can it be tongue in cheek that the following sentiment is expressed: “We hope you keep an open mind and that these stories increase your faith in God, not your skepticism”? To borrow a little Internet lingo, LOL. What follows are 25 “Amazing Mysteries” of one to four pages in length.
Where did Adam and Eve go?
No, it is not what the reader expects. People frequently ask where Adam and Even went after God made them leave the Garden of Eden. The Bible does not name a location. It only assures us that “He placed cherubim at the east of the garden” in order to keep them away from the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). The next verse begins a description of the children Eve bore (Cain and Abel). No name is associated with whatever place this might have been; all we know for sure is that it was on the outside of the garden.
So what is the mystery? The only relevant comment provided regarding this “mystery” is that the “book of Genesis does not provide an answer…” (4-5). Manzi could not resist, however, adding the phrase, but according to one apocryphal story…. Unfortunately, he did not say where he obtained this apocryphal story. Who wrote it (and when) would be nice to know. We know that it was not recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus. Was it written in 200 B.C. or 1985?
According to the made-up story of dubious antiquity, Adam built a hut, in which he and Eve lamented their sin for seven days. Apparently, they notice after that time, that they had no food; so Adam began searching for some. Since he could not find any, he decided that they should do penance so that God would forgive their sin.
First, God had already proclaimed their punishment to them, and it did not include starvation. Second, He had promised the coming of One who would bruise the head of the serpent, which indicated His willingness to forgive them (Gen. 3:15). Third, where would Adam and Eve have gotten the notion of penance if God had not forgiven them? The notion of self-imposed punishment (penance) had not been introduced at this time into the world.
The punishment the first pair allegedly chose for themselves is very strange. They both decided to stand in a river up to their necks in water. Eve chose the Tigris and planned to stand on a rock for 37 days, while Adam decided to tough it out for 40 days in the Jordan River (5). Since these two rivers are hundreds of miles apart (the Jordan not being anywhere near the Garden of Eden), one wonders what caused Adam to choose a river he had never seen in a far-away place he had never been. Also, how did they expect to communicate with each other during this time without e-mail, a cell phone, a post office, Morse code, or even the pony express?
Alas! Poor Eve. She only made it 18 days when the devil invited her to eat food he had brought her on the riverbank. Adam interrupted his penance to rebuke her for falling into the snare of their adversary. She became sorrowful all over again. How did Adam, who was nearly 500 miles away know what Eve had done? Was he clairvoyant, or did a little birdie tell him? If he began traveling 30 miles a day the moment he knew it, it would have taken well over two weeks to arrive. One can readily see why this tale is called apocryphal: it contains no ring of Biblical truth, does not make any sense, and has no apparent purpose. But there is more!
Satan told Adam that it was his fault he was thrown out of heaven. “When you were formed I was expelled from the presence of God and banished from the company of angels” (5). Even if Satan were telling the truth (which would be rare), Adam had nothing to do with either of these two events. Also no Scripture remotely hints that Satan’s expulsion from heaven coincided with Adam’s formation. According to this tale, Adam appealed to God to send Satan far away from them, which He did. Then Adam finished his penance. Why was it wrong for Eve to interrupt her penance, but not Adam? This entire scenario is truly an “Amazing Mystery,” but it is not one that is found in the Bible, which is a strange way to begin the booklet.
“Flying Saucers: The Bible Connection”
The second Bible mystery quotes Bible “scholar” Barry Downing who wrote the book, The Bible and Flying Saucers (1968). Take almost anything that involves a light in the Bible, and it is transformed into a Flying Saucer story: the burning bush, the pillar of fire by night, the smoking mountain at Sinai, the star that the wise men followed, the mount of Transfiguration, the Ascension—it may be that Scotty beamed Him up!
In order to believe this theory, one must simply discount what the inspired writers said. The bush was on fire without being consumed; it was not a UFO. Does Downing not think Moses could have described a machine? And why would God need to use a flying saucer to do any of these miraculous things? What comes next—a submarine helping Jesus to walk on the water? No doubt, and it probably prompted the fish to appear twice, also. Probably, it rocked the boat when it was almost swamped with water. Maybe it released red dye into the Nile River. Hah! It makes as much sense as the UFO theory.
The point is that the miracles are not Bible mysteries. If God created something as vast as the heavens and the earth (and He did), then why is any miracle which involves a limited area within the earth considered too hard for Him to perform without extra-terrestrial help? The only purpose of such efforts is to attempt to remove the supernatural from the Holy Book.
MODERN FAMILY?
Randy Robinson
This is the title of a television program on the ABC network that debuted in September. Those who operate television networks attempt to convince the public that their programming merely reflects society at large, but anyone who has the capacity and the willingness to examine this claim objectively can see through that subterfuge and accurately conclude that television, as well as the rest of the media, is an eager participant in molding and shaping our culture.
Modern Family does nothing more than glorify rebellion against God’s will. God created the family when He created the man and the woman (Gen. 1:27). He brought the woman to the man and united them (v. 22). He then arranged for them to procreate (3:16), which they did (4:1). God’s intention was and is that the marital relationship be a permanent one. This is implied by the statement: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24—emph. RR). It is also explicitly stated by the Lord Jesus when, in quoting this Scripture, He added, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6).
Some have unfortunately concluded that man cannot put asunder what God has joined together, but then we must ask: “Why would the Lord issue a warning against doing something that cannot be done?” In all dispensations of time, mankind has disregarded God’s will concerning the permanence of marriage. The Lord provided one exception to God’s prohibition against divorce and remarriage:
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery (Matt. 19:9).
The patriarch of Modern Family is a character named Jay, played by Ed O’Neill, who interestingly enough, previously portrayed the apathetic moron, Al Bundy, on FOX’s Married With Children, another program notorious for its portrayal of family life that was completely opposed to God’s expectation and approval. Jay is recently married to Gloria, a native of Colombia, who is at least thirty years his junior. Gloria is described as “a passionate and sassy divorcee who comes with an 11 year-old son.”
Jay’s first wife has also made a loud, boisterous appearance and was portrayed as someone who obviously has some emotional issues. While the audience is not made privy to the details of either Jay’s or Gloria’s divorces, it is not a stretch to presume that it is highly likely that neither of them have a scriptural one. The vast majority of those involved in television could not care less what the Bible says about anything, much less marriage. Not to mention, many of them have also been involved in multiple marriages and “blended” families themselves.
Jay’s son, Mitchell, is a homosexual who is in an un-godly relationship with a man named Cameron. They have adopted a baby from overseas. Regardless of the feedback from the public at large, the media elitists are determined to shove homosexuality in our faces and portray it as “normal.” At this juncture, thirty-one states have voted against sanctioning homosexual marriage and yet these arrogant elitists presume to lecture us about “intolerance.” Why is it that tolerance seems only to run one way with these people? It would not matter one bit if every state in the union voted FOR this measure; God has called it SIN! It is an “abomination” (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). The word abomination is translated from the Hebrew word tow-a-bah, and is defined as: “something disgusting” and “an abhorrence” (Strong’s Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary 123).
Jay also has a daughter, Claire, who has been married to Phil for some sixteen years, and they have three children. The oldest child, a daughter, is described as “growing up too fast,” which presumably is a euphemism for “wild and rebellious.” The middle child (also a daughter) is a stereotypical nerdy, smart, “good girl.” The youngest is a son, also a stereotypical little brother who annoys everyone in the family. Apparently, Claire was somewhat of a “wild child” herself, but has now overcompensated for those days and is portrayed as being rather “uptight.”
On the other hand, her husband Phil has a roving eye and prides himself on being “the cool dad” (which he is obviously not, although he desperately wants to be). We can only imagine how different the world would be today if entire generations had chosen to actually parent their children rather than treat them like pals. Nor can we accurately gauge the damage that has been done because many parents have sought to be their children’s peers rather than respected by them.
Not surprisingly, ABC hails this as the “best new show of the season.” They have also garnered the expected praise from liberal television critics and other media outlets, etc. The media is determined to make the world over in its own sick, twisted image. We need only examine how they have glorified sin, while at the same time they mock and scorn anyone or anything that does not comport with their world view. Simply look at how those that are against abortion, homosexuality, or even casual sexual relations are portrayed on television. It is always—always, as the mean-spirited, intolerant, buffoon who is blinded by his/her own bigotry.
It is not mean-spirited, nor intolerant to uphold what the Bible says about any subject. Think about what those who make this accusation are actually saying. In essence, they are saying, “Overlook this, turn a blind eye to it and accept it as normal. And whatever you do—stop referring to it as sin.” Is this not, in a larger sense, merely another effort (or part of the same attempt) to remove God from our collective consciousness? We must not be mean or rude to those who have disregarded God’s will concerning the makeup of the home, but at the same time we must not cower or shrink from declaring what God has, through His Word, declared His will to be.
Two of the Lord’s closest disciples, John and Peter, through inspiration penned these warnings:
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19—emph. RR).
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul (1 Pet. 2:11—emph. RR).
There is a war going on right now—a spiritual battle for the souls of human beings. Those of us who are determined to take a stand for righteousness are clearly outnumbered, and the enemy has perhaps the most powerful weapon ever invented in spiritual warfare—mass communication. However, we have the gospel of Christ which the apostle Paul described as “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” (Rom. 1:16).
Furthermore, we must not be discouraged by the seeming disadvantage that we face as we persevere in this battle. Regardless of how bleak the outlook is, God has promised us victory if we remain faithful:
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15: 57, cf. 2 Cor. 4:17; Rev. 2:10).
By heeding God’s will concerning marriage and the home, we can make the “Modern Family” an intact family, and one focused on obedience and service to God.
From The Richwood Reaper (Richwood, Texas)
November 15, 2009