Why didnt God explain the round earth theory before Nicholas Copernisus?

Question

Was it because God Did not know about it?
or was it that the people who wrote the bible did not know about it?
Info:
Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus was sentensed to death for explainig the round earth theories in one of his books which was banned in the 16th century by those who believed the bible.

Answer 1

Which god are u referring to?
Which bible?

Answer 2

Let's first make some corrections. Copernicus was not sentenced to death by anyone for anything and your description of his work is not accurate either.

More accurately, Copernicus put forth the theory that the Earth turned on an axis and was in orbit around the Sun along with the other planets. This was in stark contrast to the prevailing belief that the Earth was the center of the Universe and that the Sun and all other heavenly bodies moved in reference to the Earth.

The ideas of Copernicus were so radical because they removed the Earth from the pedestal of being unique. Unique in the the sense that it was the center and focal point of the Universe. Certainly God's creation (man) would be special and would ocupy a special place (the center of the universe). The idea that Earth rotated around the Sun took part of that away. Earth was not the center, not special in that way (still special in many others that we know of today), and this was seen as contradictory to the doctrine of the day.

The Bible, God's word, makes no reference to the shape of the Earth or to it's place in the universe. Copernicus was not refuting the Bible - only the misguided assumptions and conceptions based on ignorance that were promoted by the church at the time.

The question you pose is good in theory but fundamentally wrong. You have mischaracterized the work of Copernicus and presupposed the need for God to communicate the physical description of the word upon which we live. Furthermore, these works of Copernicus were largely undisclosed until after his death - many historical accounts state that he was too fearfull of the wrath of the Church to do otherwise.

Religion and Science should naturally have one goal in common: Truth. Embrace them both in that context and you will find no reason to try to tear them apart.

Answer 3

BUT HE DID
(Job 26:7) He is stretching out the north over the empty place, Hanging the earth upon nothing;



(Job 26:10) He has described a circle upon the face of the waters, To where light ends in darkness.

The first is a description of the earth from space.
And the only thing that can cast a circular shadow is a ball.
now the Bible is not a scientific manual, but IT IS ACCURATE.

Answer 4

I don't recall the bible saying anything about the world being flat. God is more concerned about spirituality when it comes to the scriptures. I think he wants us to discover the world for ourselves. He doesn't have the chemical makeup of the earth in the bible, either.
Obviously, there is more revelation out there. I think God gave revelation for the time it was meant for. Not many people in the old (or new) testament really cared if the earth was flat or round. Why answer a question which doesn't need answering at the time? It would just confuse the poor people.

Answer 5

If you could please state where in the Bible it is stated that the Earth is not round, I would be extremely grateful. You should also know that by the time of Copernicus everybody accepted that the Earth was round (remember Columbus?). Also, he was not killed, he died from a stroke.
Also, the problem was that he considered that the earth was no longer the center of the universe.

Answer 6

There are actually verses that speak of the Earth's roundness:

"He has described a circle on the surface of the waters to the boundary of light with darkness." - Job 26:10

"It is He who sits on the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in;" - Isaiah 40: 22

What happened to Copernicus is actually an age-old syndrome of spiritual 'tunnel vision.' When the Magi (or Wise Men) came to Jerusalem asking where they could find the Messiah, the scribes and the teachers of the Law were able to point out the location, but it then begs the question: "If you knew where the Messiah will be, why aren't you there waiting for Him?"

This spiritual 'tunnel vision' continues to exist today because the spiritual leaders of this age refuse to let go of their doctrines (such as those who executed Copernicus, who are those who still continue to be 'in power') or the power that these doctrines gives to them, even if they are proven to be ungodly. While there are many that can be mentioned, I believe that if one is truly seeking for the truth that comes from God, he or she can eventually see them for himself/herself.

Thus, one must seek out his faith for himself; a grown man does not continue to be spoon-fed unless he is an invalid.

Answer 7

I don't know about the Bible, but the Koran states that Earth is ovoid (not just sperical). The Koran teaches us that night does not come after morning (which means that while there is night in some place, there is morning in the other). Again, the Koran states that you can't fall from Earth; and this only happens if the Earth was spherical or ovoid (till the 15th and 16th centuries, Christians believed that if you went too far with your ship, you could fall from Earth!).

I'll try sending you the web sites that state the verses in the Koran that say so. Please don't ever give assumptions of God not knowing things; if a certain book is corrupted that does not prove that God does not exist. Be strong and have faith in God;
for God did not create us as a joke. He created us with certain missions.

Answer 8

Actually in the bible it speaks of the axel of the earth. That would be the magnetic poles of the world. You might really want to do some studying on the bible, you might be made wisor by its vast knowedge. By the way the earth is not round!

Answer 9

Dear Esteban,
The word circle refer to round but not spherical.So the Bible state that the earth is round but round like a pancake. So do you think the bible state that earth is spherical?I don't think so.

Answer 10

Sorry but Isaiah said that already thousand years ago.
It's only the Catholic Church the one who didn't know.

Isaiah 40:22 (New International Version)

22 He (God) sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

Answer 11

God doesn't explain things like this because no one's life depends on the knowledge. In fact, no one's life has ever been affected by this knowledge in the least.

God would rather teach us things that we need.

(By the way, you've mistakenly made the assumption that only moderns were aware that the earth was round. On what do you base this assumption? How many ancient civilizations have you studied?)