(Ron) A Biblical Anachronism

Brian Dean bridean@worldnet.att.net
Mon, 8 Jun 1998 19:51:12 -0400 (00897367872, 19980608233831.TSRY15374@briandea) 

TILL
*snip*

An anachronism is the representation of something as if it existed before
its actual historical time.  For example, if someone should write a history
of the civil war in which aerial combats were depicted between the northern
and southern air forces, that would be an anachronism, because airplanes did
not exist at that time.  In the Bible, we find examples of anachronism,
which are clear indications that the Bible was not verbally inspired by an
omniscient, omnipotent deity, for if it were, the real author of the Bible
would have known the proper time frames for everything and would have put
nothing outside of its proper time sequence. An example of anachronism is
found in a reference that the Bible made to Israelite priests before any
such priests had even been ordained.

When the Israelites were camped in the wilderness of Sinai, Moses "went up
unto God" (Exodus 19:3), which was no big deal in those days.  People were
always going up to God or God was coming down to them.  Anyway, Moses 
went up to God and Yahweh called to Moses out of the mountain and said that 
he would make a "holy nation" out of the children of Israel (vs:5-6).


*snip stuff already seen on the list*

RON
  First of all, keeping the Israelites back might have been easy, but 
all those plagues, the angel of death, and the parting of the sea would 
have been rather difficult to pull off. Besides this is just idle 
speculation on your part. You have no evidence for it either way.
  As to a priesthood existing before the Aaronic one - it is you and not 
the Scriptures which are in error. See Genesis 14:18 "Melchizedeck king 
of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God most high." See 
also Psalm 110:4, and Hebrews 5:1-10 which also deal with a primitive 
pre-Aaronic priesthood. This is a very important point from the 
standpoint of Christology. 
  These are the types of "errors" people come up with when they are not 
thoroughly familiar with the scriptures (I'm not claiming I am either!). 
They tend to "find" errors because they want to, not necessarily because 
they exist. Then it becomes the duty of the Scripture to somehow prove 
them wrong, guilty until proven innocent. Then just look what 
contortions they go to to protect their pet theory! Just because you 
don't understand something doesn't mean there is not an explanation for 
it. This is one of the reasons why if I notice an apparent error, I give 
the Scripture the benefit of the doubt. You might try it before jumping 
to conclusions.

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