Joshua prayed to God to stop the sun and God stopped the sun from setting down. But science says the sun doesn’t move, it’s the earth that moves around the sun. What’s your explanation on this? I am confused.
Let’s read Joshua 10:12-14, “Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, ‘O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.’ So THE SUN STOOD STILL, AND THE MOON STOPPED, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And THE SUN STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SKY AND DID NOT HASTEN TO GO DOWN FOR ABOUT A WHOLE DAY. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel” (NASB).
This passage clearly states that “the sun stood still” and “the sun stopped in the middle of the sky.” This does indeed deserve an explanation for we know, as you have stated, that “the sun doesn’t move; it’s the earth that moves around the sun.” The most simple explanation is that God uses, as another has said, “the LANGUAGE OF OBSERVATION; He is speaking from the perspective and appearance of things on earth.” Throughout Scripture God consistently uses this kind of language. For example, Psalm 113:3 reads, “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.” From our vantage point it DOES APPEAR that the sun is rising in the morning and going down at the end of the day. Everyone that I know uses this language, EVEN SCIENTISTS! In the scientific community you have ALMANACS THAT RECORD THE HOURS OF SUNRISE AND SUNSET, yet I’ve never heard of anyone challenging them and accusing them of scientific error. It is accepted that they are using “the language of observation.” So, in reality “God stopped the earth’s rotation on its axis around the sun,” but He chose to employ the “language of observation” when recording this miraculous event.
Is it not marvelous that God would respond to Joshua’s prayer for the sun to stand still? We saw in Joshua 10:14 that “There was no day like that before it or after it, when THE LORD LISTENED TO THE VOICE OF A MAN.” The word “listened” in the Hebrew is a strong word meaning “obeyed.” So our verse could read, “when the LORD OBEYED THE VOICE OF A MAN.” I ask you in closing, what was the greatest thing that took place that day, God suspending the laws of nature or God obeying the voice a mere creature? Both were extraordinary, but it was the Lord obeying the voice of a man that caused the Spirit of God to say, “There was no day like that before it or after it.” (196.9) (DO)