At that time Joshua spoke to YHWH in the day when YHWH gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when YHWH heeded the voice of a man, for YHWH fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:12-14
A few years ago, I recorded this video addressing the idea that NASA or a computer could prove the historicity of Joshua's long day through mathematics and astronomical observations.
Someone (we'll call him Perry) commented on the video today, letting me know that Joshua's long day and Hezekiah's solar reverse disprove the heliocentric model of the solar system. How could the sun stand still or--even more amazing--go backwards if the earth revolves around the sun!?
I didn't reply to his comment. In fact, I removed it. I have no problem being friends with flat-earthers in the real world, as long as they're not evangelistic about it, but I have very little patience for it from strangers on the Internet.
I can see how someone who doesn't know anything at all about astronomy might believe that someone could calculate the exact date of an unusual event, like the earth pausing in its rotation, by observing the current positions, vectors, and velocities of hundreds of astronomical bodies and...doing some computer and math magic. It's a complicated problem. Since very few people have anything like a working knowledge of orbital mechanics, it's reasonable for most people to just shrug and say, "Sure, sounds like it could happen."
Perry, on the other hand, has made a pretty basic logical error, and you don't need any knowledge of astronomy, physics, or math to prove him wrong.
According to the flat earth model, the sun is somehow fastened to or suspended from the inner surface of a dome. It moves in a continuous circle at some relatively small distance above the earth. How would the sun stand still or move backwards in that case? Easy: God makes it happen.
According to the geocentric model, the sun and all the rest of the universe revolve around the earth (instead of the earth revolving around the sun) in a complicated system of cycles and epicycles. How would the sun stand still or move backwards in that case? Easy: God makes it happen.
According to the heliocentric model, the earth and the other planets in the solar system revolve around the sun. How would the sun stand still or move backwards in that case? Easy: God makes it happen.
Here's the thing about miracles: None of the usual rules apply. Although God usually works through the natural processes of the universe, a miracle is, by definition, an exception to the natural processes.
How did God separate light from darkness? By commanding it.
How did Yeshua raise Lazarus from the dead? By commanding it.
How did God make the sun stand still? By commanding it.
How did God make the sun move backwards? By commanding it.
In each case, trillions of trillions of separate events had to occur in concert and contrary to the natural order of things for the miracle to happen. That's God for you. He knows every star in the sky, every hair on your head, and every subatomic particle in the universe by name and commands them all to do his bidding whenever it suits his purposes. Gravity, entropy, inertia...all obey the word of YHWH.
Joshua 10 shows God's power over his own creation. It does not support flatearth notions in any way.
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