I also receive Bruce Cameron's weekly Sabbath School material, however, I haven't been reading and using it lately. I guess I had better pay more attention to it.

Thursday's section is on Science and the Flood.

If you read Genesis 7:11-24 (which I will not quote here) you will discover that not only water came down from above, but that it also came up out of the earth itself. If you compare this to the fire that will consume the wicked and cleanse the earth for recreation, you will also notice that fire also came down from above (Revelation 20:9) and came up out of the earth (GC 1888 Edition, page 672, paragraph 2).


As water was literal water, so fire must have also been literal fire, but that's another issue that is being discussed in another topic.

What were the scientific implications of this great flood?

Experiencing my first volcanic eruption of Mt. Hekla in Iceland starting March 29, 1947, was a great awakening to me of the power of nature, the power of creation, and the power of God. If such things were possible in nature today, why not a flood, and the final events?

As a teenager I walked on the hard surface of liquid stone below, flowing down the mountainside. I see that majestic mountain today from our home, and I am reminded daily of the mighty divine power.

Also in the stars and in the Northern Light, as well as in the growth and beauty of spring and the buds on the trees.

Johann, were you away from Iceland when the Island of Surtsey was being formed in November 8, 1963 through June 5, 1967? Have you had the opportunity to visit the island?

This site has pictures of the eruption, plants, birds, and even fossils of the Surtsey Island. Check it out.

To me, a scientist is one who uses the scientific method. That includes those who believe in God. But, there are also biologists, chemists, and physicists who don't use the scientific method when coming to conclusions about how life came about and developed. IMO, they are not true scientists. Their beliefs are based on faith.

I came across this a couple of days ago. I find it very enlightening.



I believe that personal experience in the things of God is the only way to really settle the veracity of the Bible.

That's a good quote that covers both a true scientist and a true Christian.

Yes, I visited Iceland a few times during that period. On one occasion the pilot of the passenger plane I was on flew a circle around the new island to give us an added view of the volcanic activity. At one time I preached on the Westmann Islands then, and after church a youg man drove me and my wife to a point there from where we could get a good view of the volcano.

I read your post late Friday evening, and Sabbath morning - yesterday - the same man and his wife were visiting our local church, and I mentioned your post during the lesson study. Then he remarked that scientist had claimed that palgonite develops through millions of years, but there on Surtsey it developed within a few weeks.

Our Conference office called me a few days ago and asked me if I could preach on the Westmann islands on June 2. This is where my wife came from, so we will see her childhood home, and our ferry will take us right past Surtsey.

Another volcanic eruption destroyed much of her home town back in 1973, but she was not there then. The lava flow stopped a few meters from their house.

Wasn't it around 1980 tha Mt. St. Helens was in eruption? We saw that from the air too, as we flew from Seattle to Portland where my brother-in-law lived then.

So the earth is in motion. . .

Somebody told us in Sabbath School in a church where we were visiting yesterday that the earth is expanding at the rate of 1 cm. each year.

Johann, thanks for sharing your experience with Surtsey Island. The formation of the island, then the coming of plant life and birds to the island over the past 40 plus years is pretty amazing. Seems like scientist would need to rethink some of their theories.

Yes, Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. My cousin was the coordinator for the watershed restoration. She had to make about 18 trips to Washington D. C. to obtain funding for it. There is a Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam that shows in five minute updates the mountains current activity.

About 130 km south of Mt. St. Helens, in Oregon is another area of interest, the Three Sisters volcanic center of the central Oregon Cascade Range, part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire". The last eruption was about 1,700 years ago. Between August 1996 and October 2002 the region experienced 3 cm./yr. aseismic uplift, centered 5 km west of South Sister volcano. The area is currently being monitored.

Cascade Volcano Locations and 4,000 year Eruption Summary