Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Creation of the Worlds

In the Genesis account of creation, it says that God created everything in six days. Some of the Fathers viewed these six days as actually being one day. In the Hebrew text of Genesis and also in the Greek Septuagint version of this book it literally says:

There was evening and there was morning one day. (Gen. 1:5)

Maybe that is the correct interpretation of Genesis chapter 1. Maybe we are to view each of the six days of creation as being different parts of phases of the same day.


Anyway, God created the Earth for a reason. He formed it to be inhabited.

Earth

God created the Earth for a reason. He formed it to be inhabited.
Photo courtesy: NASA


Thus saith the Lord that made the Heaven, this God that created the Earth, and made it; He marked it out, He made it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited. (Isaiah 45:18, LXX)

Whenever I think of the stars and the planets and the billions of galaxies — each of which contains billions of stars, I wonder about extra-terrestrial life. I, personally, believe that God created other intelligent life besides us. I think that they inhabit distant worlds around distant stars.

Vulcan Female with long hair
Some may wonder how God deals with other intelligent extra-terrestrial life. To such people, I would have to say, "God has given us His plan for us, but we do not know what is His plan for other intelligent extra-terrestrial beings." I do, however, believe that God created them to be objects of His love. (Wisdom 11:24) I also believe that He created them in His image and likeness. Whether or not they have remained in a positive relationship with their Creator or not after He created them, we do not know.
There are many other planets in our own galaxy. Some of these planets may contain intelligent life on them. However, there are many other planets that are lifeless. I think that it is the task of man to make those lifeless planets ones that sustain life by terra-forming them.One of the reasons why God created man was to take care of His creation. (Gen. 1:26; Psalm 8:6; Wisdom 9:2) He also commanded man to procreate and fill the earth after He made him. (Gen. 1:28)

There are planets in our own solar system that could one day be used to support human and animal life. There are moons around Jupiter and Saturn that may one day support life.


Titan courtesy NASA

Titan is a moon around Saturn. It has an atmosphere.
Photo courtesy: NASA


It is possible that we might colonize other planets before Jesus Christ returns. In my opinion, there are two places in the Bible that suggest this to be true.

If thy dispersion be from one end of heaven to the other, thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and thence will the Lord thy God take thee. And the Lord thy God shall bring thee in from thence into the land which thy fathers have inherited, and thou shalt inherit it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. (Deut. 30:4,5, LXX)

And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (St. Matt. 24:31)


In conclusion, I think that colonizing the planets is a good idea and we should support those agencies that are involved in space exploration.


Steve

No comments:

Post a Comment