(Transcribed from the Words of Life Radio Program)

 

  It is good to be together again as we can look into the Word of God. Listen to the title and the text as we share. The title, “The Heavens Declare,” the text: Psalm 19 verses one through six. Listen to the Word of God.

The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. IN the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other. Nothing is hidden from its heat. This is the Word God.

In 1961 a 26 year old Soviet cosmonaut was catapulted into the heavens and he later commented, quote: Some say God is living up there. I looked around very attentively and didn’t see anyone, no gods, no angels. I don’t believe in God. I believe in man, his strength, his potential, his reason, end of quote.

Well, a bystander reportedly commented, quote: Had he stepped out of his space suit he would have met God, end of quote.

In contrast an American astronaut, John Glenn, after returning from outer space stated, quote: I marveled at the vast universe. It has increased my faith, end of quote.

So here we have two men who explored the heavens, literally, two different perspectives, two opposing faiths. Because Atheism is also a faith.  It is a belief that cannot be proven empirically, that is, by observation nor experiment. IT is a faith.  All accountable human begins have a choice, to believe in a creator or to believe only in a creation.

Psalm 19 verses one through six is a personal testimony in song, a hymn of praise toward our creator God by a believer, David the Psalmist, perhaps, as he recalled his shepherding times on clear nights under a canopy of starry skies.

Psalm 19 and verse one says: The heavens declare the glory of God.  The skies proclaim the work of his hands.  The spectacular starry host fill the skies with deafening silence. They shout God’s handiwork. The stars, the heavenly bodies showcase God’s silent, invisible presence and power.  The visible exposes the invisible. Awesomeness demands an architect.

Yet many remain unbelieving and see only the creation.  Well, why?  The Scripture answers this question.  Romans chapter one and verse 20 in the New Testament.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse.

Yet many insist the cosmos has repudiated the creator.  However, even many of the best and brightest scientists and mathematicians disagree.  For example, Albert Einstein, the most famous of the modern scientists, a theoretical physicist stated, quote: A legitimate conflict between science and religion does not exist.  Science without religion is lame.  Religion without science is blind, end of quote.
Psalm 19 and verse two: Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge.  They here are the heavens and the skies.  Their magnificence inaudibly speak to our minds and hearts filling us with awe and heavenly, godly wisdom. Religion and science have different purposes.  Science has transformed our world in many ways including knowledge to make life easier and more enjoyable. However, religion today in Christ Jesus transforms believers regarding our purpose and meaning for life, ultimately that our lives would bring glory to God.

Galileo, an ancient scientist and astronomer and believer stated these words, quote: Science tells us how heaven goes, but the Holy Spirit tells us how to go to heaven, end of quote.

Psalm 19 verses three and four: There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world, meaning the heavens and the skies cry out in a universal language. The heavens and skies are a constant communication from the creator that extends across planet earth. Even in mathematical language there is incredible credibility in a creator. The statistical probability of life or creation originating by accident or chance, is inconceivable.  For example, the hemoglobin molecule has 140 possible combinations of amino acids. The mathematical probability of spontaneously existing, that is with the required right order and combination of amino acids is the number 135 plus 165 zeros beyond it.  This number is larger, reportedly, than all known or estimated atoms in the entire universe. Inconceivable. Comparable to numerical mathematics in word language, it would be the probability of an unabridged Oxford dictionary of the English language spontaneously existing that is, coming together in a printing shop, inconceivably crazy.

Then the psalmist David portrays a poetic picture of the most prominent, heavenly body in our skies, our sun, which, of course, is actually a star. Psalm 19 verses 4c through six: In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other. Nothing is hidden from its heat.  Of course, from man’s vantage point, the sun appears to make a circuit across the sky. Even modern meteorologists still speak of the rising and the setting of the sun.

In this passage, actually, the poetic description of the sun as a groom was intended to undermine the ancient false belief of the sun in the sky as deity in ancient literature and belief. The psalmist, instead, places the sun poetically in a subordinate position as a groom, a champion within the creator’s creation.

There are today great men of science who are as well spiritually discerning. For example, Arthur Shallow, professor of physics at the eminent Stanford University in California who shared the 1981 physics Nobel prize for the development of the laser spectroscopy. He stated these words. Quote: It seems to me when confronted with the marvels of life and the universe, one must ask why and not just how.  Science answers the how, religion the why. I find a need for God in the universe and in my own life, end of quote.

So there are, even though in a minority there are even the best and the brightest of scientists today, modern day scientists who are also believers in God, a creator God.

For example, also Henry Fritz Schaeffer, professor of chemistry at the University of Georgia, a five times nominee for the Nobel prize. And he said or wrote, quote: Significance and joy in my science comes in occasional moments of discovering something new and saying to myself: So that is how God did it. My goal is to understand a little corner of God’s plan, end of quote.

Notice, again, that these are modern day scientists and not just average every day scientists, but these are, again, the best and the brightest Nobel prize type scientists who are solid in their science, good science and also solid in the belief of a creator, spiritually discerning.

Lastly, again, consider NASA astronaut John Glenn who travelled into the heavens.  Quote: Looking at earth from the moon, looking at this creation and to not believe in God, to me is impossible. To see Earth laid out like that only strengthens my beliefs, end of quote.

Yes, we all have a choice, to believe or not to believe. And we live at a time when much of mankind is far too concerned with what scientists say about God rather than being concerned what God says about man.

The Word of God to us, for example, that we should accept and understand and believe. Hebrews chapter 11 verse six.  And without faith it is impossible to please God.  Because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  As believers, we need to share these truths with others. And, yes, it is by faith from first to last. We live by faith, not by sight.  However, if you earnestly seek God in Christ you will find him. God will make himself known to you. The Holy Spirit of God will convict you, but the Holy Spirit of God is a, so to speak, gentleman. He will not force himself. God will not force himself upon you. He will convict you of your sin, of your need to believe, to turn from your sin to God. However, you must exercise that faith that God gives. You have a choice.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but God so deeply desires to recreate, to regenerate you inwardly to be born again, to be alive in your spirit so that you, too, can declare the glory of God in your life for him.
We need to very closely consider in our own heats and minds that probably it is not an intellectual stretch or conflict or challenge that keeps so many from faith in God, in Christ Jesus. What it really amounts to for most, if we are really honest with ourselves, not an intellectual problem. It is a moral, ethical problem, because most want to live for self to be independent of not only a Savior, but a Lord.  We must receive Jesus Christ by faith as a personal Savior and also Lord of our lives as we have a pattern of obedience living for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And so you must believe. You must repent.  You must not be afraid to confess him before men, to be baptized into Christ Jesus and to persevere faithful to him. May that be true for each of you.

 

David Johnson is minister of the Sellersburg Church of Christ, Sellersburg, IN.