ASTRONOMY
Modern Astronomy--Astronomy in the Classical Age--The Canon of
Holy Scripture closed before the Classical Age--Character of the
Scriptural References to the Heavenly Bodies--Tradition of
Solomon's Eminence in Science--Attitude towards Nature of the
Sacred Writers--Plan of the Book 3
CHAPTER II. THE CREATION
Indian Eclipse of 1898--Contrast between the Heathen and
Scientific Attitudes--The Law of Causality--Inconsistent with
Polytheism--Faith in One God the Source to the Hebrews of
Intellectual Freedom--The First Words of Genesis the Charter of
the Physical Sciences--The Limitations of Science--"Explanations"
of the First Chapter of Genesis--Its Real Purposes--The Sabbath 12
CHAPTER III. THE DEEP
Babylonian Creation Myth--Tiamat, the Dragon of Chaos--Overcome
by Merodach--Similarity to the Scandinavian Myth--No Resemblance
to the Narrative in Genesis--Meanings of the Hebrew Word
_tehom_--Date of the Babylonian Creation Story 25
CHAPTER IV. THE FIRMAMENT
Twofold Application of the Hebrew Word _raqia`_--Its Etymological
Meaning--The Idea of Solidity introduced by the "Seventy"--Not
the Hebrew Idea--The "Foundations" of Heaven and Earth--The
"Canopy" of Heaven--The "Stories" of Heaven--Clouds and Rain--The
Atmospheric Circulation--Hebrew Appreciation even of the Terrible
in Nature--The "Balancings" and "Spreadings" of the Clouds--The
"Windows of Heaven"--Not Literal Sluice-gates--The Four
Winds--The Four Quarters--The Circle of the Earth--The Waters
under the Earth--The "Depths" 35
CHAPTER V. THE ORDINANCES OF THE HEAVENS
The Order of the Heavenly Movements--Daily Movement of the
Sun--Nightly Movements of the Stars--The "Host of Heaven"--
Symbolic of the Angelic Host--Morning Stars--The Scripture View
of the Heavenly Order 55
CHAPTER VI. THE SUN
The Double Purpose of the Two Great Heavenly Bodies--Symbolic Use
of the Sun as Light-giver--No Deification of the Sun or of
Light--Solar Idolatry in Israel--_Shemesh_ and _[H.]eres_--
Sun-spots--Light before the Sun--"Under the Sun"--The Circuit of
the Sun--Sunstroke--"Variableness"--Our present Knowledge of the
Sun--Sir William Herschel's Theory--Conflict between the Old
Science and the New--Galileo--A Question of Evidence--A Question
of Pri
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