What verses in the Bible prove that the early writers believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe?

Answer 1

The clearest evidence that the biblical writers believed the Earth to be the center of the universe can be found in Genesis chapter 1.

Genesis 1:6-7 says that God made the firmament and called the firmament Heaven. Since the firmament divided the waters above from the waters below, it was clearly local to the Earth. But in Genesis 1:14-18, God made lights and placed them in this firmament - just above the Earth. The ancients simply did not understand the immense distances that are really involved. Genesis also said that the two great lights (the sun and moon) were there to rule over night and day. Again, the ancient writers did not understand that the sun and moon shine on regardless of which hemisphere of Earth faces them from time to time. To them, the Earth really was the center of the universe.

No verses prove that the writers believed the earth to be in the center of the universe.

Joshua 10:12-13....... Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon...And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, ..... So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Notice that the writer of the Book of Joshua had God commanded the Sun (not the Earth) to stand still.