THE EXTENT OF "THE EARTH," VIEWED UNDER DIFFERENT PERIODS. LESSON LXVIII. "And every living substance was destroyed, which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven." Gen. 7: 23. "And of them was the whole earth overspread." Gen. 9: 19. 1. Words are significant emblems of ideas. They may mean much more, under a general state of knowledge, than when uttered before that knowledge, appeared. Prior to Herschel's time, our 'planetary system consisted of its center, the sun, six primary planets, four asteroids, and eleven moons. We now have eight primary planets, over one hundred asteroids, and twenty moons. "The planetary world," before Herschel's time, meant much less than the term, as used to-day. 2. What is true of the heavens, is emphatically true of our lower world. Before Columbus' time, the extreme west of the earth was the Azore Islands. "All the earth" extended from the Indies to the Azores. In Paul's time, they knew nothing west of Europe, and nothing east of Hindoostan. Hence, the term in his time was still more restricted. 3. He wrote to the Christians at Rome, that their "faith was spoken of throughout the whole world." Could Paul have had reference to countries unknown to that generation, and upon whom christianity had shed no light? Speaking of apostolic teaching, he says: "Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world," i. e. Arabia, Northern Africa, India, Europe and Asia Minor. 4. Alexander fancied himself ruler of the world, when he had conquered Northern Africa, Asia Minor, Greece, Syria, and Persia. He imagined that a small campaign remained, to the west, and the "whole earth" was conquered. 5. We have every reason to believe that the knowledge of the world was still less in Noah's time. Noah was a prophet, and saw by inspiration that the Lord was going to cut off man and beast from the earth. We must not forget that God spoke by impressing the intuitions of the prophet's soul. If, therefore, an impression is made that the earth will be covered with water, will that impression concerning the world be as then known, or will there be a discovery in the impression, of unknown parts of the earth? 6. Christ was shown the kingdom of the whole world in a moment's time, but that was for the mightiest trial of his great nature. Have we any reason to believe that Noah saw by revelation every part of the earth? If he saw North and South America, as they are now situated it is strange the world should never have been blessed with, at least, some intimation of his knowledge. 7. Noah lived in Asia. He saw the general wickedness of man, as known in the so-called world he lived in. A calamity was about to befall the earth, which had been determined upon when Adam sinned. It was the curse of God now to be fulfilled. 8. He saw the world, as known to his people, submerged, and as a consequence, all flesh perishing. Their only hope was to repent, believe the truth, and take refuge, as he was about to, within the ark. One hundred and twenty years was spent as a preacher of righteousness to them, but without changing the world's course. 9. As the time drew near he was impressed to go in, take the animals, and be closed in the ark. The sequel showed that it was not too soon, for the same day "all the fountains of the earth were broken up," and in seven days more, the tidal wave was about the ark twenty-two feet high, and the forty days rain commenced. QUESTIONS. 1. What are words? What is said of them? Prior to Herschel's time what did our plane tary world consist of? What do we now have? What of the relative terms? 2. What farther remark? Before Columbus' time, how far west did they know land? How far east? What would "all the earth" east and west, mean? How far west in Paul's time? How far east? What of the term then? 3. What did he write to the Christians at Rome? Could that mean more than was known ? What does he say of apostolic teaching? 4. What was Alexander's idea? What campaign would finish? 5. What have we reason to believe? What was Noah ? Were prophets necessarily inspired, in reference to all the bearings of a question, which had been the subject of revelation?* How did God speak to prophets? What would be natural in such impressions? Is it probable that new discoveries of the earth were given him? 6. What was Christ shown ? What for? What question is asked? What makes it appear that he did not? When the waters abated, did he know it by seeing, as a prophet, or by experiments with birds? Gen. 8:11. 7. Where did Noah live? What did he see ? What was about to befall the earth? When was this determined on? Gen. 3: 17. Would the repentance of the antediluvians have saved the earth, or themselves? * What was the change then to be made? 8 What did Noah see? What as a consequence? What was their only hope? How long did he preach to them on this sub subject? Did he change their course? 9. As the time drew near, how was he impressed? What did the sequel show? What happened the same day? What in seven? What then commenced? On the assumption, that the then known earth only, was to be submerged, could not the animals travel directly to the ark? * |