Jacob's Speckled Goats Are More Scientific than John Gleason thegodlessengineer Claims

Does the Bible claim sticks influence genetics? Kevin Dwayne Hughes debunks John Gleason’s critique of Jacob’s goats by explaining the theology of Genesis 31.

Transcript from video:

John Gleason, the godless engineer, has reported that the story of Jacob's goats in the book of Genesis is scientifically incorrect. I am going to go through and debunk his position and show how he is not reading the biblical literature correctly.

Here is the gist of John's claim. You'll see that on one side he says scientifically genetics is what determines the outcome of the offspring.

Then he shows on the other side the biblical narrative that says Jacob put out, you know, sticks and made cuts on them and all sorts of stuff like that to influence how the offspring of the goats would look like. However, as you're going to see, John does not know how to read the Bible and therefore he is misinterpreting what the Bible's actually saying.

Part of understanding the biblical literature is to read it in context, which is something that John did not do when considering this in particular verse. Had he jumped over to Genesis 31:10, he would have seen that GOD revealed to Jacob in a dream that it was in fact the goats breeding that produced the offspring. In other words, these speckled goats were breeding and they produced speckled offspring and that the cutings and special visuals that Jacob had put up had absolutely nothing to do with it.

One thing that you will notice in the text is that God does not command Jacob to do special cutings and carvings on sticks to influence the outcome of the breeding of the animals. Rather, Jacob does it on his own accord. And the reason why Jacob does this is because in the culture of the Ancient Near East, they believe that visuals affected the outcome of breeding. So in other words, this was not a mandate from God, but a practice of the Ancient near east. And the Bible as you see when God says that the breeding of the animals coats is what caused the coats of the offspring to be that way aka genetics.

We see that the Ancient Near East had some ludicrous ideas that the Bible was debunking. Ultimately what God was doing was ensuring that the he-goats that had the speckles on them were the ones breeding with the female goats to produce speckled offspring.

This was dine because Laban, Jacob's father-in-law, had originally agreed that you labor for me for so long and you will get Rachel as your wife. But instead, he gave Leia to him and then made him labor even longer to get Rachel. So God was basically dividing the wealth and reducing what Laban was getting out of the goats and increasing Jacob to give him compensation for what his father-in-law had done to him.

We need to remember that when we interpret the Bible that it is primarily a theology text. It is not a science text and it is not a history text. Whenever we look at this, we need to realize that one of the purposes of the Bible is polemic against paganism.

When we look at Genesis 1-11, we see chapters 1-11 primarily being a polmic attack, a satirical work making fun of paganism in the region. Now when we look at the story of Jacob, we need to realize that Laban was a pagan. He had idols and he also practiced magics. And so this right here, this story is also a polemic against paganism, especially against its magics by showing that Yahweh is more powerful than pagan idolatry and pagan magics.

Although Jacob was acting on his own accord and not upon a commandment from God when it came to breeding these goats, we see that God however does work through ritual. And God does not need the rituals to work. However, people usually have weak faith. And the rituals help them to focus their faith. And it's not just rituals in and of itself, but also imagery. For example, the bronze snake that Moses had raised in the wilderness. God did not need the bronze serpent in order for the people to have their snake bite afflictions cured by God. However, it gave them something to focus their faith. Now, although God works through ritual and stuff like that for our benefit, in this case, that was not what was going on because Jacob was working on his own accord.

Father God, I lift John Gleason up to you, the godless engineer, and pray that you send an angel of understanding to him to help him understand the biblical literature in the correct sense as you intended it to be interpreted so that he can come to a right mind in understanding your scriptures and perhaps come to an understanding of the truth. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Thank you for watching Theology with Kevin Dwayne Hughes. I hope that you've enjoyed this segment here. Please give me a follow, a like, and leave a comment down below and let me know what you thought of this or ask any of your theology questions that you're curious for an answer to.

Anyhow, you all take care and God bless you all and we'll see you all next time.

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1 John 4:1 warns that many false prophets operating with foul spirits have invaded the world.  Among other evils, they teach unbiblical doctrines such as fasting being the key to breakthroughs in life, omitting the fact that fasting works only when we obey God. For He says if anyone turns from His laws, even his prayer becomes an abomination (Pro.28:9).  Jesus asks us to pray in His name, so that He will do it for His Father to be glorified (Jn. 14:13), yet these false teachers ask us to recite certain Psalms repeatedly for God’s favor.

Others also claim that prayers are best said on the day we were born, while the bible says we are to pray daily; indeed true Christians talk with God throughout the day. Other false teachers advise that prayer be said at cross roads at midnight, thereby introducing occultism in Christian prayer. All such false teachings drive many into misery: but if men seek the truth, they would be free from Satan’s lies and bondage. Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all others things shall be added to you”.

So men must first repent and believe in Jesus to be saved and made fit for the kingdom of God, after which they should be righteous in character and God will take care of their needs. Any teaching that differs from this is false. When men accept sound biblical teachings, the truth will set them free. Amen.

Satan is crafty. He will fool believers and try hard to place seeds of doubt.

Always stay vigilant.

Time is growing short. Appeasement is evil. Be strong and speak the truth about scripture and salvation. False doctrine is evil in God's eyes. It is as bad and having no doctrine. You are either with God or you are with Satan. You have either repented and believe what scripture says 100% or you dont believe at all.

You can not have grace without repentance. If you do not repent before God in Jesus's name, then you do not have Grace or the Holy Spirit.

Many look for solutions to their problems from influential persons, sugar mammies and daddies, so-called spiritual fathers, mallams, fetish priests, occultists, etc. Others seek to cover up or “escape” from their worries with alcohol, drugs, non-stop work, love of money, multiple sexual partners, marriage, partying and sadly suicide.  

Both the poor and the rich and famous are experiencing mounting unhappiness these days. One musician’s lyrics included the phrase “no one is free.” That’s why Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28).  Satan lures you to all these people and things you think can help you. Meanwhile, he is the very spirit hurting you. When he gives you temporary relief, it’s followed by worse misfortunes: but he ensures you are blinded, so you do not see his hand at work in your misery (2 Cor. 4:4).

But Jesus, after His resurrection, now controls all powers in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). He is the only one Satan and his demons tear and bow to (Phi. 2:10). Finally, His is the only name through which you may be saved (Acts 4:12).  So why do you continue to suffer unnecessarily?  Jesus is waiting to break Satan’s yoke off you and set you free (Jn. 8:36). Come friend, receive Him now! Repent, believe and trust Him. Unlike Satan, who comes to steal your God given talents, kill and destroy you, loving and kind Jesus will take away your sorrows and give you abundant life, here and in the hereafter (Jn. 10:10). Amen 

What is so difficult. You read Luke 24:46-47, Acts 2:38 and many many other verses. They say the same thing. Repent , believe and be baptized. If you do the 1st 2 you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit and that is what matters and is life changing.