If the Bible is the Word of God, then science cannot help but subÂstantiate its validity- there should be no actual conflict between the two. The paramount question, for both “evolutionists” and “Creationists,” should be: “Do evolution and Genesis concur?” In other words, is Genesis (particularly Chapters One and Two) an account of the evolutionary process, as we understand it?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)
By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. (Heb. 11:3)
Now, in the inspired description or what took place in the beginning, the heaven and earth are not said to have been molded, fashioned, or made out of material, but to have been created (bara). For, whatever may have been the original meaning of the word bara, it seems certain that in this and similar passages it is used for calling into being without the aid of preexisting material. 142
Or, he may declare, “it is all very well to say there was a huge explosion at what we call the beginning; but what about prior to that time?” In one confounding form or another, rest assured, the question is an often-repeated one.
Unfortunately, there is really no good answer to it….
In truth, in direct response to the question, all that can safely be said is that after the beginning things were different from what they were before. That’s the best we can do; we will just have to leave it at that.143
As we have seen, the Scriptural account that God created the heavens out of nothing”‘ that at a certain point time and space began whereas they had previously not existed- has been substantiated by the “big bang” theory, which has been verified by concrete, scientific evidence.
”¦for God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: (Rom. 1:19-20)
Right about now, some of those who are reading this should be getting the idea that I have painted myself into a corner: in Chapter Two I showed that evidence indicates that intelligent life is extremely prevalent in the universe; in this chapter I have shown that evidence indicates that God used evolutionary processes here on Earth to obtain as His goal an intelligent life-form, which we know as man; yet in Chapter Five, I showed that we haven’t heard from any of the extraterrestrial civilizations? Why haven’t we heard from them?
Let us with Aristotle presume there is indeed some grand purpose to the universe. And, with Shklovskii, let us deduce that purpose to be he production of intelligent beings and technical civilization.” Then we can be moderately certain that, after these billions of years, we shall not culminate evolutions’ local efforts with a poisonous, radioactive, and lifeless planet, after all. 239
In a way, our speculations concerning extraterrestrial intelligence have ended on a triumphant note. Doing our best to make reasonable and conservative estimates and assumptions, we end with a Universe that may be incredibly rich in intelligence. Along with our own, 390 million sets of companions in the great adventure of learning and speculations have entered into civilization right here in our own Galaxy.
If these 390 million civilizations are spread evenly about the Population I outskirts of the Galaxy, then the distance between two neighboring civilizations would be, on the average, about 40 light-years. That is not very great as cosmic distances go.
But then there is a question that, in a way, spoils everything.
Where is everybody? 240
The number of planets in our Galaxy on which a technological civilization is now as being- 530,000. ”¦
Even a consideration of the mortality of civilizations leaves us with over half a million of them now existing in our own Galaxy. We must, therefore; still ask the question: Where is everybody? 241
Who can say that God is not everywhere else in the universe where He has created habitable planets raising up intelligent life by the same processes and for the same Divine Purpose that He has done so here on Earth? This is why we have not heard from these other civilizations.
God created Satan the fairest and wisest of all His creatures in this part of His universe, and made him Prince of the World and of the Power of the Air. 242
But we ought not, perhaps, to speak of archangels in the plural; since Michael, called the archangel, is the only one mentioned in Scripture. Probably, however, there may be other beings of the same rank connected with other worlds. For Michael appears to bear the title because he is the appointed ruler of all faithful angels in the heaven of our earth. And hence we find him standing as the prince of God’s chosen people and the great opponent of Satan (Dan. Xii. 1; Rev. xii. 7; Jude 9). 243
What about the incarnation of God as a man?
else must he (Christ) often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice himself. (Heb. 9:26)
How could this verse be true, if God is doing the same thing elsewhere in the universe? He only incarnated into the four”‘dimensional physical universe one time. Wouldn’t the working out by God of His Divine Purpose elsewhere in the universe also require His incarnation elsewhere? Yes! Wouldn’t this contradict the above verse? No!
There are a number of other peculiar and generally unfamiliar effects that can be shown to follow immediately from Einstein’s simple postulates on light and the relativity of natural law. Certainly among the strangest of them are those concerned with spatial coincidences and coincidences in time.
For example, it can be shown that for any two given events ”‘”‘ “event” here being defined to man any instant of time at any point in space there exists a reference frame such that either one (but not both) of the two following ultimate possibilities can be realized: either the two events can be made simultaneous or they can be made to occur at the same point in space. The space”‘time characteristics that relate the two events dictate which of the two ultimate alternatives is physically permissible. A passenger on board a space”‘craft, who might wish (for whatever reasons) to uncomplicate his world of perceptions, has only to establish for his spacecraft the appropriate speed and trajectory to manipulate any two events in the universe to conform, in his world, to one of these two possibilities. Such a scheme might be easier discussed than accomplished but it is nevertheless in strict accordance with the laws of nature! 244
According to the laws of our four”‘dimensional physical universe, God can incarnate on other worlds at other points in time and still have only incarnated from a spiritual universe into the physical universe only once. Besides, the reference in Hebrews 9:26 evidently applies only to our world, the Earth. But even if it is in reference to our physical universe, there is no contradiction. Thus, there is nothing scriptural to preclude the identical working out by God of His purpose through extraterrestrial life forms on other planets in the universe.
Incidentally, the reasons why the existence of life elsewhere in the universe is not directly mentioned in the Bible are: First, we do not need to know; second, such knowledge would violate free will since it would be direct indication of knowledge that could not be obtained by objective means.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
If God is indeed consummating New Jerusalems elsewhere in the universe, then there will be evidence of the sudden emission of increased amounts of energy (seven-fold, mainly in the visible spectrum) emanating from a singular source. This could explain otherwise (scientifically speaking) inexplicable phenomena. Whether or not these phenomena are detectable with our current astronomical capabilities, I do not know.
Man, you search the physical universe in a vain quest for answers that cannot possibly fill your emptiness or satisfy your longing. These answers can only be found within you, and then only by turning back to your Creator and receiving Him. All else is truly vanity of vanities, temporal and finite.
FROM: amessageforthehumanrace.org