Does the Bible Answer Life’s Questions?
YES, the Bible does answer life’s questions and assists in meeting its challenges. How?
By first of all explaining the source of life to us. Says the psalmist: “O Jehovah . . . with you is the source of life.” (Ps. 36:5, 9) Jehovah God gives life. The person who believes the Bible is not left with the evolutionists’ dilemmas. Nor does he have to argue that life always comes from a living source and then say that life originally came from nothing.
The believer in the Bible knows who is responsible for the harmony and abundant beauty found in the universe and on this earth. He knows that a good, loving God, Jehovah, made it that way.
Why Animals Prey
But some might object that the harmony and beauty are only imaginary and not real. For example, Bertrand Russell once said:
“I do not understand where this ‘beauty’ and ‘harmony’ are supposed to be found. Throughout the animal kingdom, animals ruthlessly prey upon each other.”
It is true that some animals eat other animals. But unlike men, animals do not kill for sport nor in large-scale wars. Animals usually kill for food. Not even hungry lions run wildly through the herds “ruthlessly” killing, but take only what they immediately need.
Also, it should be remembered that the assumed aggressive behavior on the part of animals is not as widespread as popularly claimed. Says a review of the book Geographical Ecology in Scientific American (July 1973):
“In the diversity of natural environments the species blend is rich. Competition for resource use must go before aggressive competition; surely there is no point to fighting unless some commonly useful resource is to be gained. For this main reason aggressive behavior . . . is ‘far from universal in the animal kingdom.’”
Ecologists speak of a ‘balance in nature.’ They are impressed with the overall cycle of life, its order and continuation. But this does not mean that everything about the cycle is beautiful.
For instance, few persons will question that a majestic lion presents a certain beauty. Yet his lair may emit offensive odors; the animal’s excrement is hardly ‘beautiful.’ When a lion strikes a zebra, this, too, we may not enjoy watching; but in this way the lion eats. Further, it serves to keep the number of zebras in check. If they were allowed to continue reproducing without any interference, they would die anyway, likely of starvation. Who would call that ‘beautiful’? Therefore, now, at this time, the lion’s killing the zebra is part of a necessary cycle.
But why do we say “at this time”?
Because that is what the Bible says. The first chapter of Genesis shows what God originally provided for animals as to food: “And to every wild beast of the earth and to every flying creature of the heavens and to everything moving upon the earth in which there is life as a soul I have given all green vegetation for food.” (Gen. 1:30) Vegetation, not flesh, was what God purposed for animals to eat originally. Is it not logical that God would see that his own original purpose for animals is carried out?
In answer, consider what the Bible says in picturing a soon-to-come time in God’s new order:
“And the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and the maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. And the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”—Isa. 11:6-9.
While this may seem hard for many to understand, it is a fact that even today animals often thought to be enemies will dwell peacefully under certain circumstances. In the New York Times it was reported from Bonn, Germany, in 1968:
“A lioness lay down with lambs yesterday on a meadow near Mühldorf overlooking the Inn River, Bavarian police officials reported.
“The beast, a fugitive from a wandering circus, gamboled with the lambs, apparently delighting in leaping across their backs. Circus attendants let her rest with the lambs for a time before taking the lioness back to her cage.”
Not just the animals, but mankind too is ‘out of balance.’ The Bible shows that God made man and woman perfect and set them in a paradise garden of Eden. They themselves, however, sinned and brought death on the human race. For reasons of divine purpose he has temporarily allowed sin to exist.—Genesis chapters 2 and 3; Deut. 32:4, 5.
Since Adam’s time man’s history has been largely a shambles of violence, of wars and crises. Men and nations have often been ‘animalistic’ in their behavior. By following Christian principles, however, some persons who formerly were that way have made radical changes in their lives after studying the Bible. If God, through his written Word, can do that for ‘beastly’ men, certainly in his new order he can restore the balance that originally existed among the animals.—Jas. 3:15, 16.
This point leads us directly to another benefit that belief in the Bible brings.
Bible Believer Has Guidance
Knowing that a good God is the Source of life, the Bible believer can look to him for moral guidance in life. The very existence of man’s moral nature is explained in the Scriptures.
The creation account shows that man was made in the ‘image and likeness of God.’ (Gen. 1:26, 27) This obviously does not mean that man shares God’s physical likeness, for “God is a Spirit.” (John 4:24) Rather, he has moral traits or personality characteristics like those of his heavenly Maker, such as love and wisdom.—Compare Colossians 3:9, 10.
The Bible provides believers the finest moral standard by which to live. Man’s Creator tells him to avoid such things as fornication, adultery and homosexuality. (Heb. 13:4; Rom. 13:9, 10; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10) This is for man’s well-being. Those persons who reject belief in the Bible have often suffered the frustration, disease and insecurity that result.—Rom. 1:20-32.
Why the Worsening World Conditions?
Only the Bible, too, shows why man’s condition is steadily worsening. Said Bertrand Russell: “Ever since 1914, everybody conscious of trends in the world has been deeply troubled by what has seemed like a fated and predetermined march toward ever greater disaster.”
According to evolution, mankind should be improving. Why, instead, has there been a buildup of deadly nuclear arms that could wipe out the whole race? Along with this has come ever-worsening money, moral, food, racial, labor and social problems. Why?
The Bible answers: It shows that not just sin but an invisible wicked person, called in the Bible Satan the Devil, has aggravated man’s imperfect, greedy condition. Thoughtful persons do not scoff at the idea of the Devil. A good God is invisible. Why can there not be an invisible wicked person, a Devil? His presence is indicated by the consistently bad pattern man’s history has shown in spite of the desire of most humans to live relatively calm and peaceful lives.
But why are conditions so very bad now? The Bible shows that we today live in the “last days.” Read what Jesus and his first-century followers predicted for this time in Matthew 24 and 25; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Timothy 3; Revelation 6 and 11. The terrible conditions on earth since 1914 fulfill those prophecies.
In the year 1914 Jesus Christ started to rule, invisibly, over the “kingdom of the world.” Among his first acts was to cleanse the heavens of Satan’s presence, with the result: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Rev. 11:15; 12:9-12.
So the Bible alone gives solid answers to the questions and challenges before men. It alone explains the Source of life. It gives believers the highest moral standard by which to live. It tells why wickedness exists and is worsening. The accuracy of the Bible in foretelling our current crisis assures us that what it says about the near future will also positively come true.
But what does it say regarding the future? What about those who cling to the evolution theory?