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Q&A

Question

Doesn't the Bible's claim that the sun stood still violate fundamental scientific principles?

Answer

The entire bible is about the constant battle everyone goes through in order to rise above the human egoistic nature, and attain the Creator's quality of love (bestowal). To understand the bible correctly, remember the following:👇

1. The goal of creation is for humanity to attain equivalence of form with the Creator's quality of love in the intention.

2. The human egoistic nature is the root of all sufferings, and evil in the world.

3. Using our egoistic desire with the intention of love (bestowal) toward people is the only method of correcting the evil in the world.

Now let's dig into Joshua 10:12-14

12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Interpreting the symbols in Joshua 10:12-14

1. Prayer: "Then spake Joshua to the LORD..."

• Literal Context: Joshua prays to God during a battle against the Amorites, asking for the Sun and Moon to stand still to prolong the day and secure victory.
• Bible Interpretation: Prayer represents an inner intention to align one’s desires with the Creator’s will. Joshua, as a spiritual leader, symbolizes a spiritual state of the soul that is ready for correction (recognition of evil), and connection with the the Creator’s quality of bestowal. His prayer reflects a request for divine assistance to overcome internal egoistic desires (the "enemies" by aligning with the higher spiritual governing force. Prayer is not about changing external circumstances but about transforming one’s egoistic desire with the right intention of love (bestowal), and to receive divine Light and correction.

2. Sun

• Biblical Symbolism: In the Bible, the Sun often represents God’s light, truth, or divine revelation (e.g., Psalm 84:11, "The Lord God is a sun and shield". It is the source of life, illumination, and spiritual energy.
• Bible Interpretation: The Sun symbolizes the attribute of Hesed (loving-kindness or bestowal), the masculine, bestowal force of creation. It represents the spiritual Light of the Creator that flows into the world, illuminating the soul’s path toward correction. In Joshua 10:12, the Sun standing still over Gibeon signifies divine assistance, leading to a moment where the soul achieves a state of readiness for the correction, and alignment with the Creator’s Light, transcending the "natural" flow of time, space, and motion, and the limitations of egoistic desires. Time doesn't exist in the spiritual worlds.

3. Moon

• Biblical Symbolism: The Moon symbolizes the feminine aspect, desire to receive. It reflects the Sun’s light, representing the human soul that is in need of correction.
• Bible Interpretation: The Moon corresponds to Malchut, the egoistic desire to recieve. It represents the soul’s capacity to receive and manifest the Creator’s attributes in the material world. In Joshua 10:12, the Moon standing still in the valley of Ajalon symbolizes the soul’s stabilization in a state of self annulment, and willingness, where it fully accepts the divine Light, leading to correction of the egoistic desires. The valley of Ajalon, a low place, represent a state of annulment to achieve correction.

• Full Moon Context:

The full Moon is not explicitly mentioned in Joshua 10, but its symbolic relevance can be inferred. A full Moon occurs when the Moon reflects the Sun’s light fully, symbolizing a state of maximum spiritual correction. In Bible Interpretation terms, a full Moon represents a perfected state of the soul (Malchut) fully corrected, and reflecting the divine Light (Hesed). While Joshua 10 does not specify a full Moon, the Moon’s role in the narrative complements the Sun, suggesting a balance of bestowal and reception forces.

4. Sun and Moon Stand Still

• Literal Context: Joshua commands the Sun and Moon to "stand still" (Joshua 10:12-13), and they remain stationary until Israel defeats its enemies, extending the day.
• Bible Interpretation: When the Book of Joshua says the sun stood still, it's not discussing astrophysics. The “sun” in bible symbolizes the ego’s governing force or illumination. “Standing still” represents divine assistance, leading to a halting of spiritual concealment, allowing for inner work of correction of the ego to take place. This event occurred not in the sky, but in the inner world of the soul. You cannot “demonstrate” that with corporeal instruments, only attain it within through spiritual development. Time is an inner perception of the soul’s progression toward correction. The "standing still" of the Sun (Hesed) and Moon (Malchut) represents a moment where the soul transcends its usual cycles of spiritual ascent and descent (day and night), as time doesn’t exist in the spiritual realm. This is a state of perfect alignment with the Creator, where the ego is corrected with the intention to bestow, and the soul experiences a state of divine connection, allowing it to overcome its inner "enemies" (egoistic inclinations).
• Miracles: Symbolize the soul’s ability to rise above its natural limitations through divine intervention, transcending the egoistic limitations of time, space, and motion to achieve a higher spiritual attainment.

• On the Alleged Contradiction Between the Bible and Science:

There is no contradiction because the bible speaks in the language of the branches, not physical history. The Bible is not a science textbook. It is encoded in the language of the branches, describing spiritual states. Science studies the material branch, while bible decodes the spiritual root. Without this lens, yes, the stories seem mythological. But through attaining appropriate perception, they are deep spiritual truths.
Biblical miracles are descriptions of spiritual transformations, not physical events, and thus do not require scientific validation.

5. Israel

• Biblical Symbolism: Israel represents God’s chosen people, often symbolizing those who strive for spiritual connection with the Creator (Genesis 32:28, where Jacob is renamed Israel, meaning "he who strives with God".
• Bible Interpretation: "Israel" refers to the collective soul or those who aspire to attain equivalence of form with the Creator (Yashar-El, "straight to God". In Joshua 10, Israel represents the spiritual seeker or the collective soul striving to overcome egoism and align with divine attributes (In this context, “Israel” bear no relation to a geographical location, or tribe). The victory over the Amorites symbolizes the triumph of the soul’s altruistic intentions over its egoistic desires, facilitated by divine Light (the Sun and Moon standing still).

6. Enemies

• Biblical Symbolism: The enemies, here the Amorites, represent opposing forces that challenge Israel’s mission or covenant with God.
• Bible Interpretation: Enemies symbolize the egoistic desires (Klippot, or "shells" that obstruct the soul’s connection to the Creator. The Amorites in Joshua 10 represent the internal barriers, selfishness, pride, or material attachments - that must be overcome for spiritual advancement. The battle against enemies is an inner struggle to correct one’s desires, transforming them from self-serving to altruistic.

7. Destruction of the Enemies

• Literal Context: Israel defeats the Amorites with divine assistance, as the prolonged day allows them to complete their victory (Joshua 10:13).
• Bible Interpretation: The destruction of the enemies symbolizes the soul’s triumph over its egoistic inclinations. When the Sun and Moon stand still, the soul receives an intensified flow of divine assistance (Light), enabling it to rise above its egoistic desires and align with the Creator’s will. This is not a physical destruction but a spiritual correction, where the soul transforms its negative attributes into vessels for divine Light. Such victories represent the soul’s ascent to a higher spiritual degree, achieving unity with the Creator.

Noteworthy

• Sun: Represents Hesed, the divine light of bestowal, illuminating the soul’s path.

• Moon: Represents Desire to receive (Malchut in Hebrew).

• Full Moon (Implied): Symbolizes a perfected state of the soul’s correction, and fully attaining equivalence of form with the divine Light, though not explicitly mentioned in Joshua 10.

• Sun and Moon Standing Still: A spiritual state where the soul transcends natural cycles of time, space, and motion, achieving the correction of egoism with the intention to bestow, (alignment with the Creator to overcome inner "enemies".

• Joshua: This a spiritual degree that is ready for correction. Every name in the bible represents a specific spiritual degree that is either ready for correction, or not.

• Israel: The collective soul or spiritual seeker striving for divine connection.

• Enemies: Egoistic desires that obstruct spiritual progress.

• Destruction of Enemies: The correction of egoistic desires, transforming them into altruistic vessels for divine Light.

• Scientific Contradiction: The account does not contradict science when understood through the lens of Bible Interpretation, as it describes spiritual processes, not physical events.

Related Topics

If you are a beginner in bible interpretation study, this is a good place for you to start engaging.👇
Uncover The Bible’s Hidden Secrets In Day 1 To Day 7 Of Creation | Gen 1:1–2:3 https://www.nairaland.com/8416146/uncover-bibles-hidden-secrets-day

Q&A: Why Am I Going Through The Wheel Of Suffering? https://www.nairaland.com/8430864/q-why-going-through-wheel

Q&A: Why You Feel The Sense Of Emptiness After Fulfilling A Corporeal Desire https://www.nairaland.com/8430188/q-why-feel-sense-emptiness

Q&A: Genesis Creation Account Contradicts Scientific Age Of The Earth & Universe https://www.nairaland.com/8428941/q-genesis-creation-account-contradicts

Q&A: If Adam Was The First Human, Where Did Cain’s Wife Come From? | BIS https://www.nairaland.com/8428318/q-adam-first-human-where

Decoding The Secrets Of The Garden Of Eden 1 To 7 | Bible Interpretation Study https://www.nairaland.com/8422121/decoding-secrets-garden-eden-1

Learn The Bible Attainment From Secret To Simple Explanation https://www.nairaland.com/8422766/learn-bible-attainment-secret-simple

Q&A: Did You Know That The Impure Forces Are The Creator’s Assistants? https://www.nairaland.com/8427475/q-did-know-impure-forces

DR. MELCHISEDEC BANKOLE (Bible Interpretation Scholar).
internalityofbible@gmail.com

BibleInterpreta:
...

advanceDNA:
Why are u trying to make a miracle account align with science...a miracle is supposed defy science in the first place......those don't believe the day became longer following joshua's prayer or that Jesus healed the sick or raise the dead should go and hug transformer...

BibleInterpreta:
This isn’t blind religion. Unlike the religious church system, with its over 40,000 denominations, often downplaying the role of science in understanding reality.

Dismissing skeptics not only fails to address their concerns but also weakens the integrity of the discussion. If the biblical insights are rooted in truth, one should be able to stand up to rigorous questioning, not avoid it.
Skeptics aren’t enemies of faith or spirituality; they are often truth-seekers who simply demand coherence, evidence, and honesty. That’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.

Miracles: Symbolize the soul’s ability to rise above its natural limitations through divine intervention, transcending the egoistic limitations of time, space, and motion to achieve a higher spiritual attainment.

Noteworthy:

The Bible and science are not in opposition, they complement each other. Recognizing this is essential for correctly perceiving reality.

advanceDNA:
. Skeptics/atheist will only make fun of ur explanation and call u desperate....At some point Jesus dismissed skeptics...infact they asked him for greater signs to prove himself.....he did not indulge them...

Jesus raised the dead....he walked on water, he healed the sick..turned water to wine...calmed the storms... He acts defied biology, chemistry physics and the environmental elements....try aligning these miracles with science and see if skeptic even care....

a man was healed of terminal stage glioblastoma multiforme and skeptics still denied it and called it lies.....
...if "how" a miracle happened doesn't defy science, then what makes it any different from a random coincidence in the cosmos??
....... Trying to forcefully align a miracle with science is watering down the very miraculous nature of a miracle....science can only to test the authenticity of an already happened miraculous event ......how it happened is always beyond science....and that's why it will always be lies to them.

LordReed:
Says it doesn't contradict science proceeds to say it wasn't a literal event. LoLz. What a barrel of laughs.

BibleInterpreta:
Dismissal is easy. Sincere inquiry is difficult. But I understand your frustration. I am a rational scientist, seeking truth. Bible Interpretation does not demand belief, it offers a way to transform your perception of reality, and that is the only true demonstration that matters.
If you're ever ready, the door is open.

LordReed:
My frustration? Bwahahahahahaha! I'm not the one trying to use a book of mythology to do imaginary science. LoLz.

BibleInterpreta:
Skeptics aren’t enemies of faith or spirituality; they are often truth-seekers who simply demand coherence, evidence, and honesty.
Instead of dismissing your claims, I invite you not to belief what I've written, but to try and work with your intention by using your egoistic desire with the intention of love (anyone can do it), as it is written, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8 ).
“Taste” refers to an inner, experiential connection with the Creator’s Light, the sensation of His quality of bestowal and love within one’s corrected desires. “See” signifies a higher perception, a spiritual clarity where one grasps the unified reality governed by the Creator’s force of unity. “The Lord is good” points to the Creator’s essence: pure, boundless bestowal, which brings joy, harmony, and fulfillment when we align with it.

LordReed:
I've had enough of imaginary relationships so thank you but no thank you.

DeepSight:
More than that, this refrain that their Lord is good is something that their Lord himself denies. He says he is both good and evil, both light and dark.

DeepSight:
More than that, this refrain that their Lord is good is something that their Lord himself denies. He says he is both good and evil, both light and dark.

LordReed:
The god is whatever they want him to be. It's projection of the most imaginary order.

BibleInterpreta:
Q: Who is God the Creator?

A: God the Creator is the quality of love (bestowal) - 1 John 4:7-8,16

Additionally, when we say love in bible interpretation, we refer to the intention, and not just the action.
The action of love that is lacking in the intention of love is hypocrisy.
When you are able to attain the intention of love and bestowal towards people, you are able to exist in the spiritual. That is what it means to be in the spirit.

LordReed:
I've had enough of imaginary relationships so thank you but no thank you.

DeepSight:
More than that, this refrain that their Lord is good is something that their Lord himself denies. He says he is both good and evil, both light and dark.

BibleInterpreta:
Do not believe what I've written, just experiment it by working with your intention. Use your egoistic desire with the intention of love (anyone can do it)

BibleInterpreta:
Isaiah 45:6-7 "That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light (altruistic desire), and create darkness (egoistic desire): I make peace (intention of love and bestowal ), and create evil (egoistic intention ): I the LORD do all these things."

DeepSight:
Why are you rewriting scripture. It is clear without your false interpolations.

Zodiac61:
In spite of the OP's valiant attempts to reconcile the false biblical narrative with science, the sun never stood still at any time.
Typical religious nonsense.

Everyday247:
OP, are you one of those who believe that biblical events are allegorical and not literal?

BibleInterpreta:

<sub>The entire Bible is divided into the following:
1. Pshat (simple interpretation (highest degree of Light));
2. Remez (allusion or hint);
3. Drush (allegory);
4. Sod (secret (Lowest Degree Of Light).
These are not just the 4 parts of the Bible, but rather the four ways of explaining the methodology of correction of the ego in this world.
However, in this world, these steps are turned upside down:
When one reads the text of the Bible in the language of the branches and understand it as history of nations, people or moral codes, it is called “a mystery (secret).”
However, the thing is that we don’t understand what’s written in the Bible at all.
Sod (secret) is when this method of correction is hidden from us behind many layers & clothe in names, history & moral codes.
Secret—this is exactly what people are used to - Language of the branches, whereas, the Bible only speaks of the ways of correction, spiritual levels, and stages of the elevation of a human being.
However, the highest degree of Spiritual Light is enclosed in the simple explanation” called Bible Interpretation or (the Internality of Bible where everything is open to man and can be easily explained in a plain form devoid of any clothing or layers of concealment.
Thus, the simple explanation of the Bible describes a desire that is egoistic by nature and thus has to be corrected.
For that, we need the Light that Reforms.
Moreover, bringing the egoistic desire to the right intention (bestowing) is called “correction;” to achieve it, we need a teacher of the Bible Interpretation (Internality of Bible), we have to participate in a group, unite with friends, and continue our Bible Interpretation study (Internality of Bible) in order to attain the progressive correction of the ego by the reforming Light.👇
Learn The Bible Attainment From Secret To Simple Explanation https://www.nairaland.com/8422766/learn-bible-attainment-secret-simple</sub>

Everyday247:
So which one is the story about the Sun standing still?
Is it Pshat, Remez, Drush or Sod?

Which one is the story of the garden of Eden?

BibleInterpreta:
Q&A: Why Biblical Claim Of The Sun Standing Still Doesn't Contradict Science👇
https://www.nairaland.com/8431786/q-why-biblical-claim-sun

Everyday247:
Allegory?

BibleInterpreta:
The entire Bible is divided into the following:
1. Pshat (simple interpretation (highest degree of Light));
2. Remez (allusion or hint);
3. Drush (allegory);
4. Sod (secret (Lowest Degree Of Light).
These are not just the 4 parts of the Bible, but rather the four ways of explaining the methodology of correction of the ego in this world.

However, in this world, these steps are turned upside down:

When one reads the text of the Bible in the language of the branches and understand it as history of nations, people or moral codes, it is called “a mystery (secret).”

However, the thing is that we don’t understand what’s written in the Bible at all.

Sod (secret) is when this method of correction is hidden from us behind many layers & clothe in names, history & moral codes.

Secret—this is exactly what people are used to - Language of the branches, whereas, the Bible only speaks of the ways of correction, spiritual levels, and stages of the elevation of a human being.

However, the highest degree of Spiritual Light is enclosed in the simple explanation” called Bible Interpretation or (the Internality of Bible where everything is open to man and can be easily explained in a plain form devoid of any clothing or layers of concealment.

Thus, the simple explanation of the Bible describes a desire that is egoistic by nature and thus has to be corrected.
For that, we need the Light that Reforms.

Moreover, bringing the egoistic desire to the right intention (bestowing) is called “correction;” to achieve it, we need a teacher of the Bible Interpretation (Internality of Bible), we have to participate in a group, unite with friends, and continue our Bible Interpretation study (Internality of Bible) in order to attain the progressive correction of the ego by the reforming Light.👇

Learn The Bible Attainment From Secret To Simple Explanation https://www.nairaland.com/8422766/learn-bible-attainment-secret-simple

Zodiac61:
More nonsense.