Uniformitarianism

One theory that has gained much credence in the past number of years is called Uniformitarianism. This belief states that world as we know it today has always been that way and will always function in the ways that we think it should. Although its popularity has increased in the last number of years, along with the related theory of evolution, it existed in Biblical times:

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (II 3:3,4).

This, however, is not the case. Let’s look at the weather, for instance. In the beginning, God gave the Garden of Eden a moderate climate with none of the wild fluctuations in temperature we sometimes hear about. There were no tornadoes or hurricanes. There wasn’t even so much as a drop of rain. The only form of precipitation was a mist He used to keep the Garden of Eden fresh. “But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground”(Genesis 2:6). In Genesis 3, we see that man fell into sin when he ate of the forbidden fruit that grew on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was as a result of this wickedness that God cursed the ground for man’s sake so that weeds would grow and make agriculture difficult for Adam and his descendants. Furthermore, this curse extended to the creation so that the weather would be more tumultuous and stormy. This was especially true after the world-wide flood, an event that’s widely treated as a myth today, although it actually occurred. Many evolutionists, including theistic evolutionists ignore this when trying to figure out why our weather is the way that it is today.

“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old. and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished”(II Peter 3:5,6).

Another good example of this is disease. Prior to falling into sin, Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect health. There was no sickness in them or in any of the plants and animals in the creation surrounding them. Afterwards, all kinds of illnesses entered into the world. Leprosy, malaria, typhoid fever, cancer and every other sickness under the sun resulted from this fall into sin. In short, things have not always been the same and God will continue to perfect His creation even though it “groaneth and travaileth in pain together till now”(Romans 8:22b). His ultimate purpose in all things that happen in this world is stated in I Peter 3:7. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”  In other words, the tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and diseases we experience are God’s way judging man’s sin for the evil that it is. There will come a time, though, when He will no longer need to use these means because all things will be made new and perfect. “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a  new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”(II Peter 3:13) May God work that faith, joy, hope and anticipation in us!

Kevin Rau