Flat Earth and the Bible

A growing number of people today believe the earth is flat. They would tell you the globe (spherical) model of the earth is a lie, carefully held together by NASA and the world’s powerful elite. In recent years, YouTube and social media have helped the flat earth movement gain many more supporters. But why should we care about conspiracy theorists getting together with friends, denying curvature, and discussing flatness? Christians should be concerned because many flat-earthers claim the Bible supports their position.

Does the Bible teach that there are corners or ends to the earth? We do find references in Scripture to “ends” or “four corners” (Job 28:24; 37:3; Isa 11:12; Rev 7:1), but these expressions are not to be taken literally. Where would the square corners be when God “sits above the circle of the earth” (Isa 40:22)? Just as we do in speech and writing, the Bible makes use of figures of speech. These are ways of describing the entire surface of the earth. Similar language is used to describe the inclusion of Gentiles in the church in Luke 13:29 which states that the kingdom of God is made up of people from the four compass points – east, west, north, and south. Talking about ends of the earth does not support the belief in a flat earth. Would the same argument be made for the singing mountains and trees that clap their hands in Isaiah 55:12? 

Do passages about great heights in the Bible support a flat earth? Daniel 4:11 and 4:20 describe a tree that “reached to the heavens” and “could be seen by all the earth.” In Matthew 4:8 we read of the devil taking Jesus up on an “exceedingly high mountain” to show Him “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.” Flat-earthers would argue that both these scenes would be impossible on a spherical earth. Again, we can see the misunderstandings. Daniel is interpreting a dream (Dan 4:4-5). It is quite a stretch to take imagery from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as an authoritative earth model! Looking closely at Matthew’s account they begin in the wilderness (Matt 4:1), go to the temple (4:5), and then to the mountain (4:8). Is the devil transporting Jesus, or is this perhaps a vision? This all happened “in a moment of time” (Luke 4:5). From a great distance would they see a kingdom’s “glory” as well? And besides, where on earth is a mountain so high? 

There are other arguments made, but these are enough to see the faulty reasoning of those who claim the Bible presents the earth as flat. Simply put, the purpose of these texts is not to describe the shape or physical layout of the earth literally. The flat earth movement does not have support from the Bible. People will continue to use this and other misconceptions to attack God’s Word, so we must always be ready to provide an answer and defend truth (1 Peter 3:15).