The Bible and the Message From Space

What can we learn from this century's greatest astronomical discoveries?

Discovery 1—1919:

During a solar eclipse, Sir Arthur Eddington observed the bending of starlight passing the sun, matching the effect predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity.  If correct, this theory of gravity means that the universe must be expanding.  Einstein eventually renounced his belief in an eternal universe and admitted that the universe must have had a beginning.  Astrophysicist George Smoot says: "Until the late 1910s, humans were as ignorant of cosmic origins as they had ever been.  Those who didn’t take Genesis literally had no reason to believe that there had been a beginning."

Discovery 2—1927:

Astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the galaxies are all retreating from us.  The more distant galaxies (which show us the more distant past) are retreating from us faster than the nearer galaxies, just as one would expect if the universal expansion is slowing down from an initial surge.  Famed astronomer Robert Jastrow says:  "The Hubble Law is one of the great discoveries in science:  it is one of the main supports of the scientific story of Genesis."

Discovery 3—1965:

Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered cosmic background radiation coming from every point in the sky, the remnant predicted by early big bang theorists.  Its precise matching with a black body spectrum at all frequencies is difficult to reconcile with anything other than a creation event involving the entire universe.

Discovery 4—1970s:

Astronomers observe that galaxies are distributed more densely - and quasars become abundant - as they look farther into space, indicating that the universe has changed with time.  These observations argue against an eternal cosmos and for a creation event.

Discovery 5—1992:

NASA’s COBE satellite team discovered the predicted ripples in the cosmic background radiation.  George Smoot, the team’s leader, called these seeds for future galaxy superclusters "fingerprints from the Maker."

What does all this have to do with the Bible?

Like every cause, the Cause of the universe must be independent of its effect.  Thus, the first cause must be separate from the universe, not a part of it.  From ancient times, the Bible has clearly presented Gos as non-physical, a Spirit who cannot be contained, even by the heavens.  Unlike other ancient religious writings, the Bible prohibited the making of images of God, making it a point to teach that He is not a physical being.

The consensus of modern science is that the universe—and time itself—had a beginning.  Nothing that is confined to time could have created the cosmos.  God must not only be separate from His creation, but He must exist outside of time.  Again, from ancient days, the Bible specifically defined God as the I AM, operating outside of time and existing before the universe He created.

Perhaps the universe had a beginning, but how do we know that it didn’t begin by chance?

Carl Sagan admits:  "It is easy to see that only a very restricted range of laws of nature are consistent with galaxies and stars, planets, life and intelligence."

Hawking cites that critical ratio between the masses of the proton and electron as one of the many fundamental numbers in nature.  He adds:  "The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life."

The calculations of Hawking’s associate, Roger Penrose, show that the highly ordered (low entropy) initial state of the universe is not something that could have occurred by even the wildest chance.

When Fred Hoyle calculated the probability that carbon would have precisely the required resonance by chance, he said that his atheism was greatly shaken, adding:  "A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with physics."

Princeton Physicist Freeman Dyson writes, "The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the more I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming."  NASA astronomer John O’Keefe says, "It is my view that these circumstances indicate that the universe was created for man to live in."

But isn’t religion just a cultural phenomenon, a form of superstition?

In the matter of deciding who’s running the universe, we all have just three choices:  the universe itself, humankind, or God.  Because a cause must precede its effect, the first two options violate logic, especially now that we know that the universe did not exist in eternity past.

Atheism and pantheism are difficult to reconcile with modern findings.  But the Bible fits perfectly, telling us that God is not just a force that’s one with the universe, but who is separate from His creation.  And like modern physics, the Bible points to a Creator who is super-intelligent, a perfectionist who cares about us a great deal.

Then why would God let our world get into such a mess?

So what might a super-intelligent, caring Creator do?  Make creatures who have no wills of their own, so they cannot bring evil into His perfect universe?  Not if God desired to have an eternal relationship with a people who would willingly return His love.  The very idea of a real will to love requires the real possibility of a person’s will being used to reject.

So what might be God’s options, after His race of free-willed creatures broke the harmony of His universe (as they have obviously done in our case)?  He could exterminate them.  He could simply overlook their injustices.  He could leave them alone to let them try to straighten out their own mess.

But none of these options show the forethought of a perfect, super-intelligent, caring Creator.  The Bible, the one book that gave us a true picture of God since ancient times, gives us the one solution that shows great care and forethought, though we might never have thought of it ourselves.  What did God do?  He died for us.  He showed both perfect justice and unbounded mercy.  And by doing so, He gave those who wanted to be reconciled to Him the chance to be forever changed, to be eventually made into fit company for Him throughout eternity.  This was His plan "before time began" (1 Corinthians 2:7).

But what about this Biblical idea of God becoming man?  What about the concept of sacrifice?  Aren’t these primitive concepts?

But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

  —Isaiah 53:5-6

But giving intellectual assent to the historical idea that Jesus died on a Roman cross won’t change anyone’s life.  Biblical faith always implies personal trust, a personal relationship.  This relationship gives us the ability to talk to Him, not just about Him.

This relationship, after all, is the reason He created us.  It means our lives aren’t pointless;  we don’t live only to have all memory of us snuffed out in a few generations and throughout eternity.  Rather, we find access to eternity through the One who exists outside of time.  This is the one relationship that can give our lives lasting value.