3:19 dust thou art. The Curse thus applies to man and woman, to the animals and to the physical elements, God’s whole creation. It is so universal as to have been discovered and recognized empirically as a general scientific law, the law of increasing entropy (“in-turning”). This famous Second Law of Thermodynamics is sometimes also called the law of morpholysis (“loosing of structure”). It expresses the universal tendency for systems to decay and become disordered, for energy to be converted into forms unavailable for further work, for information to become confused, for the new to become worn, for the young to become old, for the living to die, even for whole species to become extinct. One of the most amazing anomalies of human thought is that the concept of evolution, which has never been observed in action scientifically and is exactly the opposite of the universally proved scientific principle of increasing entropy. This theory is nevertheless believed to be the most fundamental principle of nature by almost the entire intellectual establishment!

25:32 at the point to die. It would have taken Esau only a few minutes to fix himself something to eat. He probably meant, however, that he would die some day, and the birthright would be worthless to him then. He knew that Isaac might well (indeed should) decide eventually to give it to Jacob. This way, he would at least get a good meal out of it! Esau, literally, “despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34). The amazing thing is that most modern Christians, like Isaac, tend to “love Esau,” and regard Jacob as the culprit in this transaction. Jacob, of course, should have simply trusted God to work things out according to His will and promise, rather than trying to devise his own means for getting this accomplished. Jacob’s sin, however, was simply that of insufficient faith and patience and, since he meant it for good, could more easily be forgiven.

26:44 not cast them away. The chosen people Israel have continued their existence as a distinct people for 3500 years, despite being without a homeland for most of that period. This constitutes an amazing testimony to divine inspiration and fulfilled prophecy. Before they had even entered their promised land, God had warned them they would be scattered away from it if they disobeyed. They were, indeed, scattered among the heathen again and again, yet God refused to “destroy them utterly” or to “break my covenant with them,” for He had made this promise to Abraham before they were born (Genesis 17:4-8).

31:8 Balaam. The sad end of Balaam indicates that no one, regardless of his great spiritual gifts, is immune from falling if he forsakes God’s revealed will for his own temporal advantage. Balaam knew God and had the gift of prophecy. Even in his self-willed compromise, he was still given marvelous revelations, uttering amazing prophecies that would be brought to fulfillment by God many centuries later. Yet, frustrated in his desire to advance his own position and wealth, and to promote his own people against God’s chosen people, he then counseled the Moabites to tempt the Israelites into adultery and idolatry with the Moabite women (Numbers 25:1-5; 31:16). He apparently sought to destroy by seduction those whom he could not destroy by might. Hence his sad end.

10:12 stand thou still. Next came the most amazing miracle of all, the stopping of the sun “in the midst of heaven” (presumably at mid-day) along with the simultaneous stopping of the moon in its own orbit about the earth. Since the earth rotates on its axis, the sun could only be made to “stand still” relative to earth by stopping the earth’s rotation. This amazing event could hardly have been a miraculous change in atmospheric refraction of the sun’s rays (as some have suggested) nor supernatural strength imparted to the Israelites, so that it only seemed like a longer day (as others have supposed). Neither would account for either the concurrent hailstones or the halting of the moon. A gradual deceleration of the earth to a stop, then later a gradual acceleration again to its normal speed would not produce any necessary tectonic disturbances in the earth’s crust or any displacement of objects on its surface. It would, however, generate profound atmospheric disturbances, since the normal circulation of the atmosphere is tied in closely with the earth’s rotation. It might even generate volcanic activity, since the earth’s interior magma circulation may also be influenced to some degree by its rotation. Thus a stopping of the planetary rotation and simultaneous stopping of the lunar revolution is the sole explanation satisfying all the descriptors of the event. The entire phenomenon (deceleration, stones from heaven, hailstones, acceleration, etc.) occupied “about a whole day,” so this long day was about twice the length of a normal day. This was surely a unique miracle, but not beyond the capabilities of the Creator of the sun and moon and planets. He started their motions, has maintained them through the ages, and is able to change them at will.

10:13 book of Jasher. The original book of Jasher, to which Joshua could appeal for corroboration of this amazing miracle, has been lost. There still exists a book of the same name, purporting to be a copy of the original, but this copy was probably written much later than the original. The other Biblical mention of the book of Jasher is in reference to the lament of David over the death of Saul and Jonathan (II Samuel 1:18). Therefore, the original book of Jasher must have been compiled sometime after the time of David. This reference in Joshua was most likely inserted by a scribe of this later period. In any case, the great miracle was clearly known and believed in these ancient times.

1:18 book of Jasher. The book of Jasher is also referenced in support of the amazing long day of Joshua (Joshua 10:13). This book was considered lost for many centuries, but a fascinating volume purporting to be the lost book of Jasher surfaced in modern times, and it does contain the two passages noted in the Bible. Its authenticity is very doubtful, but when and how it was written are unknown.

4:43 shall leave thereof. This miracle is a foregleam of the amazing feeding of the two multitudes by the Lord Jesus (Mark 6:41-44; 8:8-9,19-20).

18:3 did that which was right. It is a mark of God’s amazing grace that such a God-fearing king as Hezekiah could be the son of such a wicked king as Ahaz. Perhaps part of the credit should go to his mother Abi (II Kings 18:2), the daughter of Zachariah. One could speculate that the latter might have been the same as the godly prophet Zechariah who had served during the reign of King Uzziah (II Chronicles 26:5; 29:1). Also note below, on II Kings 18:5.

19:15 between the cherubims. The cherubims at Eden’s gate (Genesis 3:24) and their replicas over the mercy-seat in the tabernacle (Hebrews 9:5) indicated the presence of God as He came to meet with His people on earth. We can, like Hezekiah, enter His presence on His heavenly throne through the amazing privilege of prayer.