Does Joshua 10:13 indicate that the sun is moving? If not how could God order the sun to stop?
Joshua 10:13 So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” Scientists say the sun doesn’t move, but this verse seems to indicate that it does. So which is right?
Joshua 10:13
NKJV - 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.
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Asked February 02 2021
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Simon Harry
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Tim Maas
As a point of science (as far as I am aware), the sun (as well as the entire solar system of celestial objects that revolve around it) is not stationary but does itself follow a path through the so-called "Milky Way" galaxy of which it is a part. However, I interpret the cited passage from Joshua to indicate that God caused the earth to temporarily pause in its daily rotation on its axis that accounts for the occurrence/progression of day and night on earth, which, in turn, affected what appears (from our earth-bound perspective) to be the daily movement of the sun across the sky from east to west, so that it was delayed in "setting" in the location where Israel was fighting. There have been numerous objections raised about this over the centuries from a scientific viewpoint regarding the catastrophic consequences that would have "inescapably" resulted from such an event. I also do not recall having ever encountered a "natural" explanation from an astronomical viewpoint of how it might have happened. However, if I believe (as I do) that God could (and did) create the entire universe out of nothing, as well as having originated the whole concept of "time", it is not difficult for me to accept that He could also have caused this event, while preventing whatever disastrous effects might be "naturally" expected to result. (In fact, a similar occurrence later took place during the reign of the Judean king Hezekiah, as recounted in both 2 Kings 20:9-11 and Isaiah 38:7-8. As a sign from God (performed at Hezekiah's request) that He would heal Hezekiah from the severe illness that was afflicting him, God made the sun move backwards (as indicated by its shadow on the timekeeping device called "the steps of Ahaz" (similar to a sundial). For me, this further indicates the accuracy of the earlier account of such an event found in the cited passage from Joshua.)
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