Moon Puzzle
Psalm 148:3: "Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light!"
Our moon is moving away from the Earth at the rate of four centimeters per year. That might not seem like much. However, that rate of movement away from the Earth presents problems for those who believe the Earth and moon have been around for 4.5 billion years.
At the rate the moon is receding, it would have been so close to Earth only 1.5 to 2 billion years ago that tidal friction would have melted Earth's surface rocks. Mathematical fiddlings help a little, but not enough. By mathematically increasing the rate of Earth's spin over supposed "billions" of years and figuring in a factor for assumed different tidal rates, one can inch the Earth‑moon relationship back to about 4 billion years.
Evolutionary scientists believe the problem can be solved to keep their 4.5 billion years of evolutionary history intact. But they admit that the assumptions being tried need investigation since the matter is far from solved. In other words, evolutionists admit they have a problem making the Earth‑moon relationship fit into their long‑age history.
The mathematical models rule out the theory that the moon was formed billions of years ago from the same dust cloud that supposedly formed the Earth. Also ruled out is the theory that the moon was captured by the Earth's gravity. Only one explanation seems to satisfy the data – that the moon was formed relatively recently, orbiting the Earth from the time of its creation.
Prayer: I thank You, dear Father in heaven, that Your Word to us in the Bible is true and can be trusted. With the creation I will bear witness to You as Creator, and with my mouth I will tell others of salvation in Christ. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Notes: Dye, Brad. 1988. "The moon revisited." Creation Science Dialogue, Spring. p. 4. Kerr, Richard A. "Where was the moon eons ago?" Science, v. 221. p. 1166.
For more from Creation Moments, please visit CreationMoments.com!
You can also listen to daily messages from Creation Moments on OnePlace.com.