How could a Christian justify the Bible saying that the earth is flat?

Kevin Fountain: How could a Christian justify the Bible saying that the earth is flat?
I’m a fairly new Christian, but I’ve never considered this before:

The Bible does not specifically claim that the earth is flat but it is strongly hinted in several places. It is also rarely hinted at that the earth is round, or a sphere, etc.

So if the Bible is God’s word, how could a Christian justify the Bible’s claims of our earth being flat, when God created earth?

Surely God should know that the earth is round, and so this should be said in the Bible?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Deven Pitt
The Bible states that the earth is SPHERICAL, but the word spherical doesn’t exist in the ancient Hebrew language that the Old Testament was written in, so spherical is described using terminology that could only have been revealed by God at that time.

I should start by pointing out that in Isaiah 40:22, the Hebrew word for circle is chug , and its Strong’s translation may be circle:

H2329
חוּג
chûg
khoog
From H2328; a circle: – circle, circuit, compassive

Likewise, the Hebrew word used in Isaiah 22:18 may mean circle, the english translators just chose to use ball, here is Strong’s definition of the ambigous Hebrew word used:

H1754
דּוּר
dûr
dure
From H1752; a circle, ball or pile: – ball, turn, round about.

Other answerers have pointed out the poetic use of language regarding the four corners of the earth, etc. so I’m not going to address that, but please take a look at Job 26:10.

Here it is in 7 different Bible versions:

Contemporary English Version: Job 26:10 On the surface of the ocean, God has drawn a boundary line between light and darkness.

English Standard version: Job 26:10 He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

Good News Bible: Job 26:10 He divided light from darkness by a circle drawn on the face of the sea.

King James Version: Job 26:10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

MODERN King James Version: Job 26:10 He has described a circle on the surface of the waters to the boundary of light with darkness.

Literal Translation of the Holy Bible: Job 26:10 He has described a circle on the surface of the waters to the boundary of light with darkness.

New Revised Standard Version: Job 26:10 He has described a circle on the face of the waters, at the boundary between light and darkness.

Now, dear reader, I’m going to point out several obvious things that a fifth grader should be able to understand…Job is undisputed among scholars to be the oldest book of the Bible. This was written long before Greek mathematicians.

If you take a flashlight and a ball into a darkened room, spin the ball and shine the falshlight on it, can you place the flashlight or ball in such a manner that the SHADOW made by the flashlight is NOT round, or a circle? Can you substitute any other geometric shape for the ball and have this little experiment work? Can you understand that the ball is the earth, the flashlight is the sun, and the shadow is the horizon where day and night come to an end?

How much of the earth is water? Answer: about 2/3, so MOST OF THE TIME, the boundary where day and night come to an end is ON THE SURFACE of the waters.

Can you see the shadow of the sun AT THE HORIZON (boundary of light and darkness) on the face of the waters from outer space, say, 25,000 miles above the earth?

How else could Job have known this without space travel EXCEPT it was divinely revealed to him?

I have been a fifth grade sunday school teacher, and used this scripture and experiment to show children that the bible says that the earth is spherical without using the word spherical, and they understand it, yet there are college educated people who deny it, or rather, WON’T see this.

None of the anti-christian flat earth websites that I have seen argue with, attempt to refute, or even present Job 26:10. Why not?

Well, gee, whatdyaknow? Science proves the Bible!! Cool, huh?

In Him,
John the Baptist

Answer by Brett
People are insane. Simple as that.

Answer by Anthony Roberts
As a new Christian, you will begin to find out many horrible things about your God. The minor discrepancy of the shape of the earth is minuscule compared to the heinous actions of your God in the Old Testament. Beware of big surprises to come!!! Unless you are really weak minded, you shouldn’t be concerned about being Christian for but a very short time!

Answer by Shimon N
The Bible never says the earth is flat the implications of it being flat aren’t meant for that purpose. As you said it is ever mentioned to be round but is never claimed to be flat only implied. These implications of a flat earth are based upon inferences from people trying to discredit the Bible not someone with a true desire to understand, the Bible also says the Earth is not the center of the universe yet the Catholic Church even said it was when Galileo was on trial for heresy, so even Christians can be guilty of manipulating God’s word for nefarious purposes.

Answer by Umboo LunQuay
Go climb something really tall then look around – the curve is natural.
If I hand you a lump of coal and tell you it is a glass of water……. use your own eyes.
The bible needs a smack.

Answer by Thomas Eddison
well it’s actually flat, only scientittits conspiracy they say it’s round . same goes to evolution, gravity ect

Answer by Frankinsense
.

Nowhere is there any verse that claims the earth is flat . . .

.

Answer by Weeper of The House
I don’t think the Bible says the Earth is flat or round. I think the early church assumed it was flat like everybody else did at that time. You have to remember there were no airplanes or satellites. People believed only what they could observe. And people could only observe flat land. Hence the Earth was flat.