Chariots of the Fallen

Chapter 3

Under the Rainbow

Waterworld

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The fact that the first rainbow did not appear until after the waters of the great flood had receded tells us that at least one of the variables in the equations that define a rainbow changed; something was different. A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The first and most obvious change to the world was of course the introduction of rain. The biblical record tells us that in the day of the Lord, “God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground (Genesis 2:4-6). Enoch goes on to tell us, “The spirit of dew has its abode in the extremities of heaven, in connection with the receptacle of rain; and its progress is in winter and in summer. The cloud produced by it, and the cloud of the mist, become united; one gives to the other; and when the spirit of rain is in motion from its receptacle, angels come, and opening its receptacle, bring it forth. When likewise, it is sprinkled over all the earth, it forms a union with every kind of water on the ground; for the waters remain on the ground, because they afford nourishment to the earth from the Most High, who is in heaven. Upon this account therefore, there is a regulation in the quantity of rain, which the angels receive” (Enoch 59:11-14).

 

Even in the absence of a pouring rain, mist produces water droplets suspended in the atmosphere; and yet, there was no rainbow. Looking closer at Enoch’s words, we see that the mist came in the form of a cloud and water was transferred from one cloud to another. The implication is that there were many, many clouds, one touching another and close enough to the ground to release a mist that watered every living thing. Enoch tells us that, “. . . in light and in darkness, in winter and in summer, the receptacle of mist is bright” (Enoch 59:11). In a time when the Lord God walked in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8) and men like Enoch (Genesis 5:22) and Noah (Genesis 6:9) walked with God, it is easy to imagine looking to the heavens and seeing a thick white blanket of backlit cumulus clouds, one connected to another. As seen today in the lighted moon, the safe reflected viewing of an eclipse, or the brief second that you may have accidentally looked directly at the sun, the light generated from the sun is both white and bright. The clouds would have also been white because the amount of rain in the clouds was regulated and shared. With so many clouds in the heavens that reached so near to the earth, only the brightest of stars, the sun, and the moon would have been visible through the cool white fluorescent backdrop that was the sky. This of course would have prevented the necessary direct sunlight from reaching water droplets and being dispersed to produce a rainbow (see also Genesis 1:6-7, 2 Peter 3:3-7, and Psalm 148:4).

 

Opening up the sky post-great flood did not come without great and detrimental consequences to the inhabitants of earth. Notwithstanding the occasional reminder to use a high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen when going to the beach, the damaging effects of the enormous nuclear fusion reactor that we call the sun are seldom discussed. Working in the nuclear power industry for over thirty years, I can tell you that there are only three ways to reduce the detrimental effects of radiation; they are time, distance, and shielding. Time refers to how long someone or something is exposed to the source of radiation. Unlike the earth’s pre-flood inhabitants who spent the majority of their lives exposed to the elements, modern civilization typically affords people a house, a job, and a car that reduce their exposure to solar radiation. Distance has no merit in the equation whatsoever when you recognize that the sun remains the same distance from earth as it has always been: a constant at 92.46 million miles. Most interesting are the implied changes to shielding.

 

In a nuclear reactor, the moderator (the material in direct contact with the fuel bundles) is the first means of shielding and is most often water. Other reactor designs have employed other moderators like graphite, but time has shown that water is the safest and most effective moderator. When fast neutrons strike a hydrogen atom in the water, they slow down like a billiard ball striking another, over and over. The earth’s pre-great flood inhabitants were afforded a nearly impenetrable level of shielding from solar radiation by a blanketed cloud cover, one cloud touching another, reaching from the heavens to near the earth and all sharing water that would be released as mist. Although other factors are definitely involved, in my opinion, when you factor in the cumulative effects of genetic variations, cell mutations, benign tumors, cataracts, and multiple forms of cancer, direct and continuous exposure to solar radiation is by far the greatest reason that people no longer live to be six and seven hundred years old. Only the fish and other sea creatures remain shielded by the ocean’s depths.

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FORWARD

When I was initially approached about writing a foreword for David Burdick's newest book, Chariots of the Fallen, I did not know what to expect in the book itself. I have not had the privilege of meeting David, and I was informed that he is not a "trained theologian." I am pleased to say without a doubt, David is indeed a theologian. In his book, David explains the reason for his faith, the basis for his hope. This theme of faith and hope permeates every chapter and virtually every paragraph in the book.

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David sees the world equally from two perspectives: scientific and biblical. For many years David has been employed as a corrective actions program engineer and performance improvement mentor at over twenty nuclear plants throughout the United States. His education and scientific training have given him much experience in logical critical thinking. As a trained engineer, when faced with a problem or concern, David has the God-given ability to remove layer after layer of the already known and drill deeper into the unknown until he discovers the biblical and scientific truth of the matter.

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David knows God. He is a Christian-thought leader and thought provoker. He challenges us to understand what we believe and why we believe it. Additionally, Chariots of the Fallen will challenge the preconceived ides for both the evolutionist and the creationist.

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Every page in Chariots of the Fallen has been gracefully interwoven with science and Scripture. He confidently and repeatedly lays out the evidence that science consistently aligns with God's written Word. David's scientific and analytical mind helps bring a coherent and spiritual understanding to science verses the Bible debate.

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David's book reminds me of a television series from the 1960's called Dragnet. In the series, when faced with a crime that needed to be solved; Sergeant Joe Friday (one of the main characters) interviewed various witnesses and reminded them that he was interested in one thing only: "The Facts." David deals with the facts in his book; facts from the Word of God and facts from proven science. he is a man of deep logic and common sense. He has crafted his flow of thoughts in a very candid, honest straightforward manner. He shows us how easy it is for science to be in harmony with the Word of God.

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I wish to echo David's own words to underscore both truth and sincerity:

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"The hope of this book is to reconcile some of the conflicts introduced by acceptance of worldly explanations to complicated issues that often undermine or contradict the underpinnings of our Christian beliefs. The intent is to kindle a fire, a desire to explore alternate solutions, and questions provided truths."

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I encourage believers and skeptics everywhere to allow David's book, Chariots of the Fallen to challenge your thinking and preconceived ideas that you as a reader may have about the Bible, about science and about the world we live in today. As a Christ-follower, consider allowing this book on biblical logic to be another stepping stone toward your spiritual growth and maturity.

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Daniel W. Bowers, PhD, Dmin (Theology)

St. Adolphe, Manitoba, Canada