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Who Do You Think Made All This?

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3-4 ESV)

Yesterday I read these words from Brennan Manning, author of Ragamuffin Gospel. I can’t improve on them. Listen in…

As they contemplate the order of the earth, the solar system, and the stellar universe, scientists and scholars have concluded that the Master Planner left nothing to chance.

The slant of the earth, for example, tilted at an angle of 23 degrees, produces our seasons. Scientists tell us that if the earth had not been tilted exactly as it is, vapors from the oceans would move both north and south, piling up continents of ice.

If the moon were only 50,000 miles away from earth instead of 200,000, the tides might be so enormous that all continents would be submerged in water–even the mountains would be eroded.

If the crust of the earth had been only ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen, and without it all animal life would die. Had the oceans been a few feet deeper, carbon dioxide and oxygen would have been absorbed and no vegetable life would exist.

The earth’s weight has been estimated at six sextillion tons (that a six with 21 zeros). Yet is is perfectly balanced and turns easily on it axis. It revolves daily at the rate of more than 1,000 miles per hour or 25,000 miles each day. This adds up to nine million miles a year. Considering the tremendous weight of six sextillion tons rolling at this fantastic speed around an invisible axis, held in place by unseen bands of gravitation, the words of Job 26:7 take on unparalleled significance: “He poised the earth on nothingness.”

The earth revolves in its own orbit around the sun, making the long elliptical circuit of six hundred million miles each year–which means we are traveling in orbit at 19 miles per second or 1,140 miles per hour.

Consider the sun. Every square yard of the sun’s surface is emitting constantly an energy level of 130,000 horsepower (that is, approximately 450 eight-cylinder automobile engines), in flames that are being produced by an energy source much more powerful than coal. Still the sun is only one minor star in the 100 billion orbs which comprise our Milky Way galaxy. If you were to hold out a dime at arm’s length, the coin would block out 15 million stars from your view, if your eyes could see with that power.

No wonder Isaiah, in the darkness of the night sky, saw the greatness of God:

Look at the night skies: Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name – so magnificent! so powerful! – and never overlooks a single one? (Isaiah 40:26, The Message)

 

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Elohim

(This is part one of three introducing Elohim.)

An empty wasteland. Blackness. A deep abyss. Falling and never landing. Looking and never seeing. Darkness. Emptiness. Nothingness. Chaos. Perpetual night. Thick, black darkness. No east because there is no west. No up—there is no down. No sense of direction. Purposeless. Void of meaning. No beautiful neighborhoods—there is no earth to build upon. No highways. No cars. No one. The cry of a newborn baby—never heard. The budding of a spring flower—never seen. The flutter of a butterfly’s wing—never felt. The sweet juice of a savory strawberry—never relished. The aroma of a summer rose—never enjoyed. Life never lived.

And God said.

God’s voice broke the silence. His words pierced the darkness. The time had come for the interruption of emptiness, the declaration of creativity.   “Let there be light!” And there was light. God’s first creative activity—light. Oceans would have to wait. Mountain peaks be patient. Galaxies on hold. Light came first. Darkness dissipated. Nothingness evaporated. Emptiness filled.

And God said.

Darkness fled like a hunted prisoner. Never again would light and darkness mix. Never again would darkness overpower light. From this creative moment, light would always dominate darkness. Darkness settled for second place—forever. Day and night became reality. No longer would life be lived in continuous blackness. Night would always be sandwiched between two days.

And God said.  

Nothing became something. Darkness surrendered to light. The abyss became the Grand Canyon. Chaos succumbed to organization. All because God spoke.

And God said.

Three words that have done more to change the course of history than any words ever spoken. Who is this God? Who is this God who dared interfere with the status quo? Who is this God who spoke and worlds came into existence? Who is this God who displaced darkness with the announcement of light? Who is this God whose word is so trustworthy that the mere mention of his plans brings them into existence?

He is Elohim. Creator God. Designer of the universe. He is the One who broke into nothingness and left orbiting planets and pulsating stars in its place. Elohim—the One who stirred up dust and breathed into it the breath of life. Elohim.

The very name means mighty, strong, powerful. When God chose to reveal Himself, he displayed His power. When God decided to invent humanity, He did so through the demonstration of unequivocal power. When God initiated human life, He did so as the Sovereign ruler of the universe. From Genesis 1:1 to 2:4, Elohim is used 35 times to describe God. Though other names come later, Elohim stands alone in these verses as the descriptive name of God. He is omnipotent.