Biblical Worldview of creation - Is the earth spherical or flat?

Speaker/expertise: Dr Kee Fui KON (accredited speaker, CMI, Creation Ministries International).
Moderator/Facilitator: moreh David Kam
Admin/Logistics/audience management: moreh Charitie Chia
Platform: Tav/ת Ministries WA.
31st October 2024.

Summary, as penned by Dr Kon:

"Summary
Exegesis, supported by a scientific experiment on lunar phases, affirms that our earth is a spherical globe, not a flat disc.

Exegesis
Genesis 1:8 defines raqia/רָקִיעַ as the heavens. The corrupted cosmogony of Egypt influenced the use of stereoma (LXX) which suggests some firm, solid structure (TWOT). The early English translation used firmament or vault to render raqia/רָקִיעַ. This influenced some to believe in a solid dome cosmogony that limits the earth flat like a disc.

Later translations (NASB, LSB, ESV, NET, NLT, YLT, CSB, AMP, DBY, HNV) use expanse to denote the created space called raqia/רָקִיעַ. Other verses in Genesis 1 and 2 support a real material space surrounding the earth. In a solid dome scenario, the birds, mist, clouds, sun, moon and stars cannot perform their functions, which are necessary for life to continue. Adam could not keep time and cultivate crops according to the seasons. Plants could not grow up through a solid vault. The static star constellations could not guide Abraham's journey across Mesopotamia.

Experimental evidence
We observed lunation 1175 and 1176 in one and a half months from new moon to new moon to full moon) and recorded 40 observations in five locations (Singapore, Perth, Auckland, Greensboro, and Raleigh). All 40 observations matched the spherical earth model of predictions (https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/). However, only 11 of the same observations matched a flat earth model extracted from the internet (this site no longer exists). The observations of the lunar phases failed to reject the status quo H0 (spherical earth hypothesis) but rejected the alternate H1 (flat earth hypothesis). The spatial facts of the sun and moon in the 2nd heaven explain the difficulty of matching observations to a flat earth model (see table below).

In conclusion, the flat earth is exegetically untenable, and science does not support it. Although Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, and the apostles did not have powerful telescopes, they saw the same sky and space we see. Later, the dominion mandate allows mankind to explore space and affirm the glory of God's creation. Christians must be faithful to the Word and exegesis comes before belief. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect" (Romans 12:2)."

Post note: apologies, we are unable to attach the table of the data mentioned in Dr Kon's synopsis". You can find the table presented in the teaching video, at the 49th minute in this Rumble video.