Realm of Mankind

 

While it is tempting to imagine the world as a smaller, more intimate realm, and indeed Scripture often speaks of our place within creation in deeply personal terms, the claim that the Bible explicitly teaches a flat Earth is a notion that has caused much unnecessary debate and confusion. Let us, in our consideration of this matter, approach it with the same spirit of careful reading and thoughtful reflection that we would apply to any ancient text, especially one as rich and layered as Holy Writ.

The notion of a "flat realm," while perhaps conjuring a sense of immediate proximity and comprehensible scale, is not, upon closer inspection, a doctrine consistently or literally presented in the sacred texts. To be sure, the language of the Old Testament, and indeed much ancient literature, often describes the world in ways that are rooted in the observable phenomena of the time. The sun "rises" and "sets"; the heavens appear as a vault above us. Such descriptions are phenomenological – they speak to how things appear to our senses – rather than cosmological pronouncements intended to define the physical shape of the Earth.

Consider, for instance, the Psalms, which speak of God establishing the earth firmly so that it cannot be moved (Psalm 93:1). Are we to take this as a scientific treatise on geocentrism? Surely, a more charitable and insightful reading recognizes the poetic and theological intent: to convey the steadfastness and sovereignty of God in His creation. The stability referred to is not necessarily physical immobility in a cosmic sense, but rather the reliability and order that God has established.

Similarly, when the Book of Revelation speaks of "the four corners of the earth" (Revelation 7:1), we must ask ourselves whether this is a literal geographical claim that the world is square or a symbolic expression denoting the entirety of the Earth, reaching to its furthest extents. Symbolic language is the very lifeblood of apocalyptic literature, and to interpret such imagery with wooden literalism is to miss the deeper theological truths being conveyed.

Now, let us turn to the idea of seeing the world as a "realm," a concept that resonates with a more personal and perhaps even spiritual understanding of our place within it. When we speak of a realm, we often think of a territory governed by a sovereign, a place where our lives and actions have consequence within a defined order. In this sense, the Bible certainly does present the world as God's realm, His kingdom. We are His subjects, and our lives are lived out within the boundaries of His creation and under His watchful eye.

This perspective, however, does not necessitate a flat Earth. Indeed, the vastness and complexity of the cosmos can serve to amplify, rather than diminish, the wonder of God's creation and His intimate involvement within it. The Psalmist, contemplating the heavens, the work of God's fingers, and the moon and the stars, cries out, "What is mankind that you are mindful of them?" (Psalm 8:3-4). The sheer scale of the universe makes God's care for humanity all the more astonishing, His love all the more profound.

Furthermore, to insist on a flat Earth as a biblical teaching creates an unnecessary and harmful conflict between faith and reason, between the truths revealed in Scripture and the truths discovered through scientific inquiry. Such conflicts often lead to a weakening of faith for those who find themselves unable to reconcile seemingly contradictory claims. Surely, our faith ought to be one that embraces truth from whatever source it may come, recognizing that all truth ultimately has its origin in God.

In conclusion, while the Bible undoubtedly speaks of the world in ways that are meaningful and relevant to our human experience, we must be careful not to impose upon its ancient texts a modern scientific literalism that was never intended. The concept of the world as a personal realm, governed by a loving God, is a powerful and enduring one. But this understanding does not require us to reject the idea of a spherical Earth. Rather, let us embrace the vastness of God's creation with awe and wonder, recognizing that whether our earthly dwelling is flat or round, it remains, in the deepest sense, His realm, and we, His beloved creatures.