MRCA
Wendy Wipple is,
no doubt, a very interesting person. A former molecular biologist for the
I found one particular part of her
summary most interesting. Let me try to summarize and share it with you. It has
to do with DNA, Biblical accuracy, and MRCAs (Most Recent Common Ancestor).
In the 1950s, DNA was discovered as the
blueprint of life. Scientists began to try to understand the molecular basis of
human life. They found out that specific pieces of DNA could be used to study
human history. Today scientists in the field of genetic anthropology are busy
decoding that human history which is, remarkably, written in the molecules of
life since the beginning of time.
Psalm 139:16 thus becomes more understandable in a very practical and specific
way. "Your eyes saw my unformed body,
and all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them
came to be.” NIV
Genetic anthropologists use the
Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA in their studies. These are two segments
that have very unique properties, which facilitate the study of multigenerational
inheritance. Y-chromosome DNA is passed on only from father to son. In a like manner,
mitochondrial DNA is passed on only from a mother to her children (both sons
and daughters). Furthermore, both Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA apparently
accumulate changes at a predictable rate.
As a result of their
studies, genetic anthropologists were able to demonstrate that every human
being on the planet has descended from the same female. We, of course, believe
this to be the Biblical Eve. Similar analysis of Y-chromosomes found that every
human male was descended from a single individual male. However, studies of the
predictable DNA rate changes show that the individual male lived considerably
after the individual female.
What this mitochondrial female and
Y-chromosome male represent are statistical entities called the Most Recent Common Ancestor. The MRCA is
the last shared relative. Thus, the studies confirmed that all humans have a
MRCA female and all males have a MRCA male. However the date of the MRCA female
is much earlier that the date of the MRCA male.
Unintentionally this evidence totally confirms the Genesis
account of the origins and history of mankind. The MRCA female is Eve, the
mother of us all. So why is Adam not the MRCA of all males? Remember that the
MRCA is the most RECENT common ancestor.
At the time of the flood Noah and his sons were the only males left, all having
identical Y-chromosomes. Noah is, therefore, the MRCA
for all males.
On the other hand, the four women in the
ark were Mrs. Noah, Mrs. Ham, Mrs. Shem, and Mrs. Japheth. Although all four
would trace their maternal lineages back to Eve, they by this time (no longer
being closely related) would have developed different mitochondrial DNA. It is amazing, but not unexpected, that the
Biblical record would be needed to put genetic anthropology into proper
perspective!
L. Urbaniak
God’s Thoughts
“How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God!” Psalm 139:17
Divine infinite knowledge,
to the child of God, overflows with consolation. God is always thinking about us. He never turns His mind away from us. We are always before His eyes (Isaiah 49:16). This is precisely the way we want it. His thoughts are always tender, loving, wise,
prudent and far-reaching, bringing countless benefits.
In all our
wanderings, the care of the Eternal Watcher is ever fixed on us. We never roam beyond His eye (Psalm
139:7). In our sorrows, He observes us
incessantly; not an ache escapes Him. In
our toils, the thoughts of the Lord encompass us in all our paths and penetrate
our innermost being. Everything in our
little world is continually being watched over by our great God.
Is this precious
to you? Then hold on to it! Never be led astray by those philosophical
fools who preach an impersonal God and talk of self-existent, self-governing
matter. The Lord lives and thinks of
us. This is a truth far too precious to
have someone steal. And if the Lord
thinks about us then all is well and we may rejoice evermore.
Chas. Spurgeon