Meteors and the Apostle Paul's Conversion

Science and the Bible have seemed to be battling each other since the days of Darwin and molecules to man evolution.  I have met many that aren't too concerned about whether the Bible and science agree.  But the top story of NewScientist  this week might catch their attention in a new way.

"Falling meteor may have changed the course of Christianity."   What does this headline mean?  William Hartmann , co-founder of the Planetary Science Institute,  suggests that the bright light from heaven that the Apostle Paul witnessed at his conversion could be similar to the  fireball meteor that was seen in Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013.  

Check out the video below.   Watch up until 1:20 and then jump to 6:10-7:24. 

    

Hartmann believes the voice Paul heard could have been the explosion, and the shock wave could have knocked them all to the ground.   

Before continuing, read the following accounts recorded in the Bible.  Acts 9:1-19, 22:1-21, 26:1-22

One of my favorite books "Children of God" 

Just because the events may look similar on the outside, it does not mean that that is what happened.  First of all, a light from heaven does not need to be explained in a "natural" sense.  God is the light (John 8:12, 12:35, 1 Peter 2:9, Rev. 21:23).  

The presence of God has always been referred  to as or being accompanied by light.  At the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13) the disciples saw this on display.  Verse two describes,  "There he was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and his cloths became as white as the light". 

Paul makes it clear in His testimony that it was Jesus who was speaking to him.  It should come as no surprise that the resurrected and ascended Jesus  would choose to show Himself in light. 

Jesus also made it clear that not all who heard Him could understand what He was saying(Luke 8:10).  The message that Paul received that day was not one for all to understand.  God has the capability of opening the ears of some and not others.

 Lastly, shock waves do not need to be present for people to fall to the ground.  Just the light  itself would be enough to make me fall to the ground in fear and wonder. 

As Christians we need to be on guard when others try to explain away the miraculous acts of God, in human terms.  Speculation is not truth.   

If Christians doubt the miraculous of God in calling Paul to the mission of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, what else could they doubt?  Believing Hartmann's "scientific" view could encourage people to doubt the miraculous of Christ's work or even the resurrection. 

 Science always  points towards the beauty and power of God, it never takes away from it.

Resources:  NewScientist, Daily Mail 

Deicing Airplane Wings the Poison Dart Frog Way

Close your eyes for a second and picture  your favorite animal.  Why is that animal your favorite?  Is it a memory attached to that animal? How about its color, its abilities, its unusual quirks?

Do you realize that scientists observe animals to get new ideas concerning technological and scientific  innovations.   Men saw birds flying and they wanted to fly.  They looked at their anatomy and skeletal structure in order to replicate it. 

Now people can fly but they face new challenges.  So rather than looking at birds, the focus has turned towards frogs. 

 It is common for ice to gather on the wings of an airplane if it is too cold and there is too much moisture in the atmosphere.   The water that gathers and freezes on the wings can change the shape of the wings and effect the airplane's flying capabilities.  

No doubt many of us have found ourselves sitting in an airport waiting for better weather so planes can fly safely.   Many times these delays are made long so there will be enough time to spray down parts of the airplane with anti-freeze.

Arizona State University professor  Konrad Rykaczewski  decided to tackle the problem of deicing the wings of planes in a faster and more efficient way.

 A word you should know before continuing

Superhydrophobic 

repels water  so much that water drops roll off(or bead) instead of staying on the surface.   This is what happens to water when it hits a Rain-X coated windshield.

Photo by George Grall - National Geographic

Rykaczewski's inspiration was the poison dart frog.  He realized that airplane wings could have porous superhydrophobic material on their tops and bottoms.  The anti-freeze will be stored in the porous areas and when water begins to freeze on the surface the anti-freeze is released.  

This is modeled after the skin of the poison dart frog, which holds its poison in glands until it feels threatened.  At this point the toxins are released to protect the frog. 

Much research is yet to be done on this new innovation before it is used commercially on airplanes.  However, recent tests show that this process delays frost time 10x's longer than current practices in deicing. 

Please note that this video moves very quickly.  I suggest stopping it at points so you can get the whole idea

When I read this research,  I couldn't help but smile at the fact that scientists were looking at frogs to get ideas about deicing airplane wings.

God is so good.  He provided the frog with exactly what it needed to survive.  At the same time God lets us discover his creativity on our own.  This report helps all of us remember that man can only manufacture what God has already created. 

By the way, if you haven't guessed, my favorite animal is the frog.   

Resources: Popular Science, Nature World News, CBS News, Wiley Online Library- Advanced Materials Interfaces Journal , National Transportation Safety Board- report 

The Future of Wireless Technology- 5G part 2

"How can 5G wireless technology be used to aid in Bible translation and share Jesus Christ with the nations?"  I hope you have had some time to think about this question I posed in the last post.  Many times we hear about the negative perspectives of this evolving and invasive technology.  I think it is about time we focus on the positive results.

Courtesy of Wycliffe Associates  

In 1999 the leaders at Wycliffe BibleTranslators and Wycliffe Associates set the goal of starting Bible translation in every language by 2025.  Right now, there are close to 2,000 languages yet to be started. That means 200 translations need to be started every year for the next 10 years.   This enormous task could not be accomplished without  technological advancements. 

Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Associates 

One of the greatest technological aids are Bible Translation Acceleration Kits.  The kits include a solar panel, a satellite communication terminal, a battery, power supply, and a portable netbook computer.  This allows translation teams in remote villages to communicate with translation consultants that live half way around the world.

I mentioned that 5G technology is faster, carries more information, and aims for seamless language translation.  In five years Wycliffe will have technology at their finger tips which will accelerate the translation process on the global level.

Imagine translators receiving updates more quickly.  Imagine entire files of the New and Old Testaments being sent electronically to the people who need them.  Imagine translation teams from many language groups communicating with ease.

As a Christian it is exciting to see the possibility that every language group will hear the message of Jesus Christ in my life time.  It is encouraging to see how God puts together the goals and missions of His people and the work in the secular world, to bring about His glory. 

We as Christians can see how 5G wireless technology can aid in the work of God, however we should not forget that others can use it against the work of God.  5G wireless technology could be used to track down Bible translators in countries where it is illegal to be a Christian. 

Pray that God blesses the use of new technology in Bible translation. Pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters using this technology.  Pray for wisdom.  

Resources: Wycliffe Bible Translators, Wycliffe Associates