Re: Numerics

Dick

Now the whole earth had one language and few words. (Genesis 11:1)

You say we need to stay within historical constraints, but I say that is a subjective judgement espoused by YECs. I am not a YEC, and I happen to believe that the Older Testament up to the appearance of Abraham is parable. I use the word 'believe' here because there is at present no way that we can know for sure. So the parable description, for me, best fits the circumstances (they cannot legitimately be described as facts). I also believe the use of the name Babel in Genesis 11 is figurative rather than literal, just as Babylon is figurative in the Book of Revelation.

As it happens, I am on the verge of adding the second page of my 'TheRingOfTruth' website. Before too long, I shall be adding a page that alludes to the flood story in much the same way, and just as clearly, as my first two pages refer to the life of Jesus Christ. At that point, the evidence for Genesis 1-11 being parable will be that much stronger, but obviously not irrefutable. I think that will be the best way for me to answer all queries. I trust you can be patient a while longer.

David

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Dick Fischer
  To: ASA
  Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 5:14 PM
  Subject: Re: Numerics

  David wrote (to George):

  I am content to accept any of your suggestions concerning God's first utterances. As long as we can agree it was in the universal language that preceded Babel.

  What universal language? The tower of Babel was the Mesopotamian ziggurat at Babylon originally constructed somewhere around 2300 BC (give or take a couple hundred years). The word bab-el means "gate of God" in Hebrew, and bab-ilu, from which Babtylon is derived, means "gate of God" in Accadian. At that late date, languages were all over the place, many originated in place. In Africa, disparate languages exist among tribes located only a few hundred miles apart.

  Many languages developed in situ whereas many modern languages derived from previously spoken languages and changed over time as people migrated. In the region of Babylon at the time that zigurrat building was all the rage two languages were in use, Accadian from which Hebrew is derived, and Sumerian a totally unrelated language. So even in southern Mesopotamia at the time of Babel there were two different languages being spoken.

  I know there is an overwhelming desire on this list to resolve all biblical difficulties, but we need to stay within historical constraints.

  Dick Fischer - Genesis Proclaimed Association
  Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History
  www.genesisproclaimed.org
Received on Tue Jun 7 16:23:16 2005