|
|
|
|
by Wayne Blank
I had never seen an "Unidentified Flying Object" before, and was always very sceptical of such reports (as I still am), but I was almost about to become a "believer," or at least a little more respectful of such "UFO" reports, when I realized, much to my chagrin, what I was seeing. The bright summer sunlight was shining in the window onto my left arm; the ends of two small, very shiny, silver-colored adjustment buttons on the side of my wristwatch were reflecting two dots of sunlight onto the inside of the closed window, giving the very real, very real, appearance of two aircraft flying in close formation in the sky as seen outside the window. I then also discovered, when it happened again, that their impossible instantaneous straight up and straight down maneuver was caused by a small bump in the road that jostled my watch, and the reflections that it was creating.
Knowing then what they were, as I drove along I could "remote control" the two non-existent but visible "UFOs" in the sky just by turning my wrist very slightly one way or the other. The "air show" lasted until I had to make a right turn, and the sun was no longer shining on that side of my car. I now realize how people can be so absolutely convinced of having seen a "UFO," and how they could pass lie detector tests or recount the story as truthful while under hypnosis, when in fact what they saw was an optical illusion. There was nothing there.
Real Flying Objects In Ancient Times - No Illusions
The people of Bible History sometimes saw flying objects, but unlike the non-existent "UFO" that I saw the other day, their sightings were all very real. Some absolutely-sure examples from the Word of God:
The "Pillar"
"And they moved on from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people." (Exodus 13:20-22 RSV)
Manoah and the angel:
"So Manoah took the kid with the cereal offering, and offered it upon the rock to The Lord, to him who works wonders. And when the flame went up toward heaven [see Heavens Below, Heavens Above] from the altar, the angel of The Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground." (Judges 13:19-20 RSV)
Elijah's "chariot's of fire"
"When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit" [see The Spirit and Power of Elijah]"And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."
"And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven [see Where Did Elijah Go?]. And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more." (2 Kings 2:9-12 RSV)
Ezekiel and the creatures of wings and wheels:
"As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming bronze. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of men, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another; they went every one straight forward, without turning as they went.""As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front; the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle at the back. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. In the midst of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning."
"Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite; and the four had the same likeness, their construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. The four wheels had rims and they had spokes; and their rims were full of eyes round about."
"And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose." (Ezekiel 1:4-9 RSV)
Fact Finder: Just prior to the The Return Of Jesus Christ, will there be great signs in the sky, that won't be just an illusion?
See Signs In The Heavens
| Daily Bible Study Back-Issue Library | ||
 |
Jesus Christ Bible History Prophecy Christian Living Encouragement |
Eternal Life By The Book Bible Places Curiosities The Spirit World |
