Why did people in the Bible live so long? I have heard that after the Flood, it changed the climate dramatically, therefore having a huge impact on humans.  I was just curious what the real answer is or if it is just a ‘best guess’ kind of thing.

Sincerely,
Older By The Minute

Dear Older By The Minute,

There is no specific answer as to why God allowed the age of man to deteriorate down to seventy to eighty years (Ps 90:10) from the hundreds of years that people lived during the pre-Flood era, but many creation scientists attribute the drop to genetic degradation.  As mankind’s genetic pool has deteriorated from the perfect specimens of Adam and Eve, the length of our lives has suffered.  At least, that is one theory.

Think of it this way, Adam and Eve were the most healthy, well-made humans ever.  They were genetic royalty!  Everyone since them has been just a little less perfect.  That is the way genetics work.  Slowly over time, genetic mutations (like hemophilia, Down's Syndrome, etc.) have crept into the genetic code of mankind, and other genetic traits have been lost.  This slow process of erosion has brought us to the point where we are today.  Our bodies are genetically inferior to the earlier generations of mankind, and consequently, can't survive as long.  As you said, another factor may simply be that the post-Flood world is harsher than the pre-Flood world, and that has added to our shortened lifespans.

Like you said, there isn't a definitive answer – it's more of a ‘best guess’ thing.

    Recent research says that most of the first chapter of the Bible was written in 100 AD.  The part that is puzzling is that there are two ‘creation of man’ stories.  One is the traditional rib story, and the other is that He created them man and woman.  Which is true – if any?  Another part says that God created man in His image and likeness.  If God is a spirit, what are His image and likeness?

Sincerely,
Fabri-created?

Dear Fabri-created,

We don’t know what recent research you have been reading, but there is not a notable Bible historian on the planet that would say that the first chapter of Genesis was written in 100 AD.  Even if you only used the Dead Sea Scrolls, those manuscripts are dated around 100 BC.

As for the dual creation stories, the confusion comes when people read Genesis 1 and see that God made man and woman, and then read Genesis 2 and see God making man and woman all over again.  The key is to realize that chapter one is an overview of the entire six days of creation (which includes the creation of man on day six), and Genesis chapter two is a more detailed account of what happened when God made Adam and Eve.
Think of chapter two as a microscope honing in to get a closer look at the most important detail of the creation story – the creation of humans.

     Is it true that somewhere in the Bible it says all Christians who believe in God should lent and give something up for thirty days?  If it is true, please tell me where.

Sincerely,
Ready To Sacrifice

Dear Ready To Sacrifice,

The Bible never says that Christians must keep Lent.  Lent is a religious holiday kept by some denominations (such as Catholic and Greek Orthodox), but it doesn’t have Bible authority behind it.  Lent is a holiday where people commit to deny themselves of something for forty days, and they loosely tie it to Jesus’ fasting for forty days in the wilderness (Mk 1:13).  The Bible never commands Lent, and there is no need to keep it.

     I have an enormous fear of the Rapture and the return of Jesus.  It all started when I was, like, five years old.  My grandfather was an Assemblies of God pastor, and they showed a film about the Rapture (meant for adults) one Sunday night.  It was shot in the 70's.  This was, like, in 1988 or so... but I have had nightmares and feared it since then.  Now I find myself watching the news constantly and cherishing my time with my family.  I am seriously tortured.  I try to live a good life.  I pray everyday.  I am not much of a reader, but I try to read God’s word; I recently bought a devotional Bible to ignite my reading more.  I try and tithe 10%.  My only hang-up is that I cuss sometimes, but I am convicted of that.  I just want to make sure all my ducks are in a row, so I can make it to heaven, and I want to share with my family.  It's so hard to talk about these things with others.  It seems they don't understand.  Hopefully, someone can help me onto the right path.

Sincerely,
Tortured

Dear Tortured,

You don’t need to worry about the Rapture or some sort of apocalyptic tribulation following it because those events aren’t in the Bible.  They may make for a riveting movie to scare people, but it isn’t from the Bible.  On the other hand, you are right to want to prepare for heaven!  We’ll talk a little bit about preparing for the Judgment Day after explaining the Rapture.

The word ‘rapture’ means ‘caught up’ in Latin.  The term ‘rapture’ is used to describe an event that many think will take place right before the days of tribulation in Revelation.  The problem with this theory is that it is wrong.  There will be a time when all christians will be caught up into the air to be with Christ – the end of time (1 Thess 4:14-18).  The book of Revelation doesn’t describe events in the future; it describes events in the past.  The book of Revelation deals with problems that the church was to “shortly” see come to pass (Rev 1:1).

Furthermore, the tribulation taught by many denominations is based off of a misinterpretation of Matthew chapter twenty-four.  Matt 24 is dealing with the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Jewish temple that would happen in 70 AD.  If we carefully pay attention to the context, Jesus is talking about the Jewish temple’s destruction, not a worldwide trial thousands of years in the future (Matt 24:1-2).  Jesus specifically said that the tribulation would occur within that generation’s lifetime (Matt 24:34).

There will be a day when all the faithful are caught up to meet Christ in the heavens.  The day He returns (Acts 1:11), all mankind will be judged at the same time (Jhn 5:28-29).  In that great day (Jude 1:6), the whole world will be burned up with fire (2 Pet 3:10-12).  There will be no post-tribulation, pre-tribulation, semi-tribulation, etc.; there will only be the great Day of Judgment (2 Pet 3:7, 1 Jn 4:17).  There are five things the Bible says you must do to be saved and prepare for that great day.  Read “Five Steps To Salvation” and then email us back if we can help you find a faithful church that will teach the truth and help you get to heaven.

     God is all good and created only good in the beginning, including man.  Then evil entered into the picture, and there was sin.  God did not stop this from happening.  I don't understand.

In the end, when we are all judged and those who are allowed to become a part of the promised Paradise on Earth are left, can the same scenario as before occur?  Can evil once again enter the picture and put Paradise in jeopardy as it did before?

Sincerely,
Learning From History

Dear Learning From History,

Paradise isn’t going to be here on Earth, and we are told that it is a place where sorrow and death will never occur (Rev 21:4).  Therefore, we have a guarantee that God will protect heaven from what happened here on Earth.  1 Pet 3:10-12 tells us that eventually God will destroy the earth by fire.  After that, He will establish a spiritual universe (heaven) where those who love Him will exist forever.  Here is a list of verses that teach on that subject:

1) 1 Cor. 15:42-50
vs. 47 says our bodies will not consist of earthly components
vs 50 says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
2) Lk 20:34-38
a)    vs 36 says we will have bodies like angels
3) Jhn 14:2-4
a)    vs 2 says we will dwell where God dwells (heaven)
b)   vs 3 says Jesus is preparing a place for us now
4) 2 Pet 3:10-13
a)    vs 10 says that when God uses fire to destroy the earth, He will both destroy the works of the earth and the earth itself.
5) Heb 1:10-12
a)    vs 11 says the earth and heavens will perish like an old garment
b)   vs 12 says that the earth and heavens will be changed like one would change and put on new clothes
c)     the new heaven and earth will not be a redo of this earth, but an entirely new garment.
6) Matt 24:35
a)    Heaven and earth are temporary, unlike God’s Word
7) Heb 11:13
a)    faithful people are considered strangers and wanderers on this earth
8) Php 3:20
a)    our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth
9) Jhn 18:36
a)    Jesus refers to His kingdom as not being “of this world”