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The Missing Link
See Genesis 1, 2.
“Inferences erroneously drawn from facts observed in nature have, however, led to supposed conflict between science and revelation; and in the effort to restore harmony, interpretations of Scripture have been adopted that undermine and destroy the force of the Word of God. Geology has been thought to contradict the literal interpretation of the Mosaic record of the creation. Millions of years, it is claimed, were required for the evolution of the earth from chaos; and in order to accommodate the Bible to this supposed revelation of science, the days of creation are assumed to have been vast, indefinite periods, covering thousands or even millions of years.
“Such a conclusion is wholly uncalled for. The Bible record is in harmony with itself and with the teaching of nature. Of the first day employed in the work of creation is given the record, ‘The evening and the morning were the first day.’ Genesis 1:5. And the same in substance is said of each of the first six days of creation week. Each of these periods inspiration declares to have been a day consisting of evening and morning, like every other day since that time. In regard to the work of creation itself the divine testimony is, ‘He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.’ Psalm 33:9. With Him who could thus call into existence unnumbered worlds, how long a time would be required for the evolution of the earth from chaos? In order to account for His works, must we do violence to His word?
“It is true that remains found in the earth testify to the existence of men, animals, and plants much larger than any now known. These are regarded as proving the existence of vegetable and animal life prior to the time of the Mosaic record. But concerning these things Bible history furnishes ample explanation. Before the Flood the development of vegetable and animal life was immeasurably superior to that which has since been known. At the Flood the surface of the earth was broken up, marked changes took place, and in the re-formation of the earth's crust were preserved many evidences of the life previously existing. The vast forests buried in the earth at the time of the Flood, and since changed to coal, form the extensive coal fields, and yield the supplies of oil that minister to our comfort and convenience today. These things, as they are brought to light, are so many witnesses mutely testifying to the truth of the word of God….
“When consideration is given to man's opportunities for research; how brief his life; how limited his sphere of action; how restricted his vision; how frequent and how great the errors in his conclusions, especially as concerns the events thought to antedate Bible history; how often the supposed deductions of science are revised or cast aside; with what readiness the assumed period of the earth's development is from time to time increased or diminished by millions of years; and how the theories advanced by different scientists conflict with one another, --considering all this, shall we, for the privilege of tracing our descent from germs and mollusks and apes, consent to cast away that statement of Holy Writ, so grand in its simplicity, ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him’? Genesis 1:27. Shall we reject that genealogical record,--prouder than any treasured in the courts of kings,--‘which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God’? Luke 3:38” (Education, pp. 129, 130).
THE MISSING LINK
In the early 1900s Charles Dawson, an amateur geologist, found the first of a series of bones that would come to be known as the Piltdown man. Dawson took the bones to the British Museum, where they were examined by the keeper of the Paleontology Department, Arthur Woodward, and pronounced to be the famed missing link, the evolutionary link between apes and modern man. For the next few decades the Piltdown fossils kept their place as the premier example of man’s nearest ancestor.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, other similar discoveries seemed to bring into question the authenticity of the Piltdown man’s remains, and so in 1953 the Piltdown remains were intensely reexamined. During those reexaminations it was discovered that instead of belonging to the famed missing link, the bones were combination of a human cranium, the jaw and teeth of an orangutan, and the tooth of what was probably a chimpanzee. The bones had been artificially stained with chemicals and the teeth had been filed down to simulate a human pattern of wear. All this had been done in a temporarily successful attempt to fool researchers into thinking that the bones came from the missing link.
While it is not known for certain who planted the bones, some well-substantiated theories have been proposed. The most likely of these involves a former employee of Arthur Woodward’s. In 1996 a trunk bearing he name of Woodward’s former employee, Martin A. C. Hinton, was discovered among the effects of the British Museum. The trunk contained other samples of bone stained by using the same process as the bones of the false Piltdown man. It is supposed that Hinton, who had been denied a pay raise by his employer, Woodward, planted the hoax in an effort to discredit his boss.
- Read Mrs. Ellen White’s account of the Flood in Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 99-101. How different was the earth after the Flood? (See pages 107-110)
- Highlight the paragraph that says “the earth presented an appearance of confusion.”
- What exactly changed? Give details from Patriarchs and Prophets.
- How does the story of the Flood support Creation?
“In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers of the field. ‘His strength setteth fast the mountains.’ ‘The sea is his, and he made it’ (Ps. 65:6; 95:5). It was He that filled the earth with beauty, and the air with song. And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the messages of the Father's love.
“Now sin has marred God's perfect work, yet that handwriting remains. Even now all created things declare the glory of His excellence. There is nothing, save the selfish heart of man, that lives unto itself. No bird that cleaves the air, no animal that moves upon the ground, but ministers to some other life. There is no leaf of the forest, or lowly blade of grass, but has its ministry. Every tree and shrub and leaf pours forth that element of life without which neither man nor animal could live; and man and animal, in turn, minister to the life of tree and shrub and leaf. The flowers breathe fragrance and unfold their beauty in blessing to the world. The sun sheds its light to gladden a thousand worlds. The ocean, itself the source of all our springs and fountains, receives the streams from every land, but takes to give. The mists ascending from its bosom fall in showers to water the earth, that it may bring forth and bud.” (Lift Him Up, p.46).
“Jesus said of the Old Testament Scriptures--and how much more it is true of the New—‘They are they which testify of me’ (John 5:39). . . . Yes, the whole Bible tells of Christ. From the first record of creation, for ‘without him was not any thing made that was made’ (John 1:3), to the closing promise, ‘Behold, I come quickly’ (Rev. 22:12), we are reading of His works and listening to His voice. If you would become acquainted with the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures. (The Faith I Live By, p. 12).
Here’s What I Think
From time to time people will sit down and debate in a formal setting. To begin the debate, each opponent has a long opening argument in which they outline their position and a few of the supports of their argument. Suppose that you were asked to defend the position of Creation at a debate in your school. You want to show both the logical necessity of Creation and the beauty of God’s love. For your opening argument, what ideas would you use to promote the truth of Creation over evolution? How would you combine God’s love with scientific fact?
Log on to www.guidemagazine.org/rtf to post your responses. Be up-front and honest. Say what you think. The lines below are provided as an alternative to posting. You may want to share your thoughts with your class.
Creation
Find the hidden words within the grid of letters. Remember, these are items from the week of Creation. After you find the words, try to remember on which day each was created. There is also a Bible verse hidden in the puzzle.
Look at the list of animals from the puzzle you just finished. It’s been a while since your Sabbath School teacher gave you felts to put on the board for each day of Creation. Can you remember what was created on each day? In the correct order?
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13-16, NIV).
The idea that we have a Creator who loves us should affect every part of our lives. It means that not only did God send His Son to die for us but He envisioned us and the whole world. We look around us and see so much beauty. Even in a sinful world we are surrounded by God’s majesty and splendor. When we believe in Creation instead of evolution, we can be sure that we have a purpose on this earth; we are all part of God’s plan. Instead of just believing that we evolved from koala bears or monkeys, we can think of God in the same way we can think of our parents, as someone who loved us enough to create us.
The reason so many people believe in evolution is that it appeared to be the product of facts instead of faith. For many, running from God was not an option until they had something to run to. Many people chose to “believe” on the premise that the world could have started that way, and the snowball grew as it bounced down the hill in the past 100 years.
Genesis says everything started with God, and Revelation it will end with God. In Psalms we are challenged to worship God as our Creator. In the Ten Commandments, the universal body of truth, we have a reminder of our Creator. In John 1:1-3, 14 the Creator is connected to the Savior who came to earth to live and die for us. For centuries believers have never questioned the origin of the earth or belief in God—until lately. Why? Because we are smarter? Well, in some ways we have discovered amazing things that make life better. But how much smarter can humans be when they can’t even tell that they are putting their hands over their ears and covering their eyes to hide from God’s truth? Evolution is on the way out, and the knowledge of God is the only answer that fits the questions.
- Have you ever discussed Creation vs. evolution with anyone?
- If Satan can get us to disbelieve Creation what else can he get us to forget about?
- When you think of the possibility of not having a Creator what else would you not have in your life?
- Does having a Creator give meaning to your life?
Match the verse with the phrase. These verses are taken from the NIV Bible. If you don’t have one you may go to www.guidemagazine.org/rtf. Click on RealTime links and go to Biblegateway.com. You will find an NIV Bible to read on the scroll-down menu.
- 1 John 2:20-22
- Genesis 2:4
- Titus 1:1-3
- Genesis 5:2
- Colossians 1:15-17
- Psalm 148:5
- Romans 1:25
- Isaiah 42:5, 6
- “This is the account of the heavens and the earth”
- “He created them male and female”
- “Let them praise the name of the Lord”
- “This is what God the Lord says”
- “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie”
- “He is the image of the invisible God”
- “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ”
- “But you have an anointing from the Holy One”
“But known unto God are all his works, and from eternal ages the covenant of grace (unmerited favor) existed in the mind of God. It is called the everlasting covenant; for the plan of salvation was not conceived after the fall of man, but it was that which was ‘kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested and by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith.’
“The purpose and plan of grace existed from all eternity. Before the foundation of the world it was according to the determinate counsel of God that man should be created and endowed with power to do the divine will. The fall of man, with all its consequences, was not hidden from the Omnipotent. Redemption was not an after thought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam, but an eternal purpose, suffered to be wrought out for the blessing, not only of this atom of a world, but for the good of all the worlds that God had created.
“Before Him who ruleth in the heavens, the mysteries of the past and future are alike outspread, and God sees beyond the woe and darkness and ruin that sin has wrought, the outworking of His purpose of love and blessing. Though clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 335). <
“Man is the crowning work of all that God has made. The proper study of every learner is man. Science, true and unadulterated, in all its achievements, is to be laid at the feet of the God of science. Man is a being to be prized.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 335)
What Does This Have To Do With Me?
God couldn’t conceive of living in a world without you, and so He created you. You are the crowning work of God’s creation. The Creation story doesn’t only tell us how the world began; it also tells us that God loved us enough to create a whole world for us, and to make us in His image. The Bible tells us that we are all the children of God, and the Creation story explains that thought in a literal way.
More important than the significance of the geological column, or at the depth fossils are buried, is the simple message of God’s love that the Creation story brings. When we corrupted the perfect world God had created for us, God decided that He would rather let His own Son die than to let us, His children, be lost forever. The beauty of the Creation story is in God’s love for you.
- Would you have created a planet knowing that it would rebel? Yet God did. When did He decide to let Jesus come to earth and die for our sins?
- Does that mean that He loved you before He created you?
- God loved us, He planned for us. Why does that make Satan angry?
- Who instigated the theory of evolution? For what purpose?
“The pure in heart discern the Creator in the works of His mighty hand, in the things of beauty that comprise the universe. In His written word they read in clearer lines the revelation of His mercy, His goodness, and His grace. The truths that are hidden from the wise and prudent are revealed to babes. The beauty and preciousness of truth, which are undiscerned by the worldly-wise, are constantly unfolding to those who have a trusting, childlike desire to know and to do the will of God. We discern the truth by becoming, ourselves, partakers of the divine nature.
“The pure in heart live as in the visible presence of God during the time He apportions them in this world. And they will also see Him face to face in the future, immortal state, as did Adam when he walked and talked with God in Eden. "Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 26-27).
How Does It Work?
Look for more information about Creation and evolution for the most current information, do a search at www.news.google.com for keywords “evolution” or “creationism.” For a Christian perspective on the Internet go to www.answersingenesis.org. If you are interested in the science behind creationism and evolution, a nonreligious book by Richard Milton entitled Shattering the Myths of Darwinism is likely the most thoroughly researched and scientifically respected work on the subject. Darwin’s Black Box, by Michael Behe, comes at the issue from both a Christian and a scientific perspective. Summarize what you learn in the space below: