THE MISSING LINK
BY REV. JOHN A. GRAHAM
From the beginning of time men have desired to become like God. Eve saw that the fruit of the forbidden tree was “desired to make one wise.” Babel was an attempt by men to “reach unto heaven.” So it is not surprising that today men still to become “as gods,” and want to believe that they are becoming like gods. This quest has found “scientific” justification in evolution. If all life gradually evolved from lower forms of life, then man must have progressed from lower forms also. If man evolved in the past, then he must still be evolving, and can look forward to the day when he evolves to perfection, i.e. deity The problem with this line of reasoning is that scientists have not been able to locate evidence that man has evolved from lower life, specifically apes. If fossil evidence could be found, it would give credence to the idea that since man has evolved, he will evolve. Hence, the tireless search for the “missing link” Unfortunately, this search has not only failed to produce any real “link,” it has also failed to maintain any genuine credibility for science. In their zeal (and sometimes greed) to locate this “link,” scientists have stooped to wild conjecture and even outright fraud. Let’s consider two examples of this searching before considering the real link between deity and humanity.
In 1856, some bones were found in the Neanderthal Valley in Germany These fossils included a skullcap, a few ribs, and some limb bones. Hailed as the “missing link,” these remains were named Neanderthal Man. The spine and thighbones were curved which led scientists to speculate that this “link” could not stand upright and walked with a bend at the knees Soon, displays of this “prehistoric” man were found in museums showing stooped shoulders, bow legs, heavy eyebrows, and a general ape-man appearance. Neanderthal Man was even used as evidence for evolution at the famous Scopes Trial. Surely the “missing link” had been found. In time, however, more skeletal remains were unearthed. These were found to stand upright and have many features indistinguishable from modern man. A closer examination of the original Neanderthal Man showed that he was just an old man that suffered from arthritis. This disclosure caused many exhibits to quietly find their way to storage rooms and trash bins. The link was still missing.
Piltdown, Sussex, England was the location of yet another supposed “link.” Charles Dawson, an amateur collector, found part of a skull and a jawbone there in 1912. While the skull appeared very man like, the jaw looked like that of en ape, except that the patterns of wear on the teeth looked more human that monkey. These two parts were combined and popularly dubbed “piltdown Man.” He was estimated to be 500,000 years old and most of the experts of the time heralded the discovery of the “missing link.” Around 1950, though, a test to determine the age of fossils was developed. This test revealed that the jawbone was not even a fossil at all and that the skull could not be more than a few thousand years old. Reexamination revealed the startling truth that prestigious experts had been fooled for 40 years! The bones had been treated with iron salts to make them appear old and the teeth had been filed. Piltdown man was a human skull, an orangutan jaw, and the calculated deceit of a greedy man.
There is a “link” that can connect man with his origin. The Word reveals that the firs man, Adam, was formed from the dust of the ground, received the breath of life, and became a living soul. He was created perfect and completely human. We find further, the he disobeyed the command 0 God and, as a result, was separated from God and made subject to decay and death. Man’ past is not a glorious rise from lower animals but rather a disastrous fall from perfection and communion with his Creator. Fortunately, there is an other “link ” This One came to restore the broken fellowship set men free from the curse o death, and enable fallen man to be recreated in the image o God Through His grace we can become like God, being changed into His image “from glory to glory.” This is no “ape-man” but rather the “God-man,” Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and on. mediator between God an< men, the man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim 2:5 KJV) Though this man died, you cannot find His bones in the ground or in, tomb. He rose from the dead and is alive forever more, to reconcile men unto Himself that we might one day see Him as He is, and be changed to be like Him. If you desire to be come like God, don’t look for bones in the ground. Jesus, the resurrected Christ, is the “missing link” you need to know!
Bro. Graham is available for preaching and Creation presentations. For information call 618/263~0783, or e-mail JGraham@wword.com.
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY ILLINOIS DIST. NEWS, APRIL 98. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
