Was fire discovered, or did God show it to Adam and Eve? — Bonnie of Grove City, OH

Dear Bonnie,

The Bible really doesn't say whether God gave people fire, or if they discovered it on their own. The first mention of fire is in Genesis 15:17, which refers to sort of a torch that Abraham used for light. But, there are indications that fire was used much earlier. Tubal-Cain, one of Cain's descendants, made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Fire most likely was used to heat these metals so that they could be formed into the different tools.

Those who do not believe in God think that, as people evolved, they grew in intelligence. Eventually, they accidentally discovered fire, which allowed them to make metal tools. But the Bible teaches that people were intelligent from the beginning of creation. Because of this, they were able to accomplish things, like making metal tools, early on.