Julie Power writing for the Sydney Morning Herald on 27 November last year wrote that Bondi Beach (could be) closed for up to 36 hours while tests are conducted on the algal bloom that stained the water a red colour this morning. (www.smh.com.au)
Furthermore, Julie Power noted that Algal blooms often appear in hot and humid weather, such as experienced in Sydney during the past three days. An expert from the NSW Department of Water said blue-green algae is often brown, red or pink in colour because of photosynthetic pigment, which gives a brown, red or pink colour to the cells.
The photographs that accompanied the story show beaches such as Clovelly Beach looking a very lovely rich red which any realist artist would be pleased to paint and teased for a wild imagination. Then the red-tide struck the northern Sydney beaches. (www.smh.com.au)
Then, if that was not enough to astonish us all, when night fell under the moon's light, the ocean turned into a beautiful blue which caught everyone by surprise. (www.smh.com.au)
And herein lies the true facts of this world, that whatever might be deemed fanciful from the ancient scrolls and the Scriptures will find a reality in spite of that reality "being proven" thousands upon thousands of years later.
Remarkable and strange phenomenon
The real point being presented in this article, by illustration of the red upon Bondi beach and numerous other Sydney beaches last November, is to point out the obvious, that there are many wonderful, remarkable and strange phenomenon which takes us by surprise and which upon investigation are shown to be real and true.
Many a person throughout the ages has said "this and that" could not possibly have occurred as those events and situations were out of the realm of the experience of their era. Yet, as we have witnessed time and time again, the reality is that, what was deemed by the literarity as fairy tales, has in real time and scientific reality the proof, although only in the past two to three hundred years has the science caught up with the reality of the scriptures.
Those who saw it and wrote it down in great detail were in fact witnessing something real and as the aeons went on and such things forgotten, then they occurred again, a new generation that 'had not known Joseph' (as it were) deemed it all fanciful. For example, independent scientists have now shown evidence for Noah's flood. (au.christiantoday.com)
The reliable biblical account
Increasingly, as research with discovery reveals more and more, so too is the biblical account being proven over and over, in a wide range of situations: medicine, archaeology, geography, history, heath foods, trades and artisan creativeness, science, literature, construction, plumbing and a whole host more.
In a recent article of mine, I was reminded of the Old Testament traditions that extoll cleanliness, that helped the Jews survive in the desert where there was no plentiful water and no modern hygienic kitchens or bathrooms. For example, after an illness, Leviticus 15 verse 13 prescribes: "...and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean" (au.christiantoday.com)
This ancient advice is scientifically shown to be perfectly adequate for removing germs from our hands (flesh), particularly when the hands are dried properly. I have read many recent studies that give data about alcohol swabs or antiseptic soaps being NOT so effective as soap and running water, particularly for viruses. Antiseptic solutions may be detrimental to our health and may promote antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and they also kill the naturally 'good' bacteria on our skin which protect us from the 'bad guys'. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_washing).
This gives me a bit of a kick-on for this 2013 new year in that this remarkable and wonderful book I read with passion and delight is proving itself to be a book for modern times with modern instruments of reality.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html