On old episodes of the “Batman” TV series, people were often shown pointing to something in the nighttime sky. It was the silhouette of Batman, a call of distress designed to call the superhero to spring into action. (I’m not sure what they did if the danger occurred in broad daylight.)
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched on December 25, 2021. Since its entry into deep space, we have been marveling at photos of objects never before seen. Galaxies, stars, nebula, etc. have been revealed to human eyes for the first time ever. And now we can see something completely unexpected – a question mark?
The photo was taken to provide a view of twin stars Herbig-Haro 46/47, stars which astronomers describe as relatively young and still in the process of forming. Just below those stars an image caught the attention of many, as it looks just like a question mark. Scientists are giving various explanations of what this is, with most saying it’s a composite of various stars and galaxies.
While I have never seen a question mark in the sky, questions always arise in my mind when gazing into the heavens, like “How far away is that planet?” or “How many years ago did that light begin traveling?”. At the top of the list of questions: “How did all of this come into existence?”
David didn’t have the benefit of sophisticated telescopes, but he well understood the answer to that last question: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1-3). How did this universe come about? God created it; it is His handiwork. That is the consistent message of the entire Bible.
Isaiah 40:22 is another claim of God’s creative powers: “… who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” Everything in Scripture agrees with the opening words of the Bible: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
Many disagree with this answer. Often heard in media are explanations that speak of a Big Bang, chance evolution, or some other theory that totally excludes an unseen Creator. Which is more reasonable – a complex universe that arose completely out of chaos and by chance, or a universe designed and Created by an all-powerful being? Hebrews 3:4 is the answer I choose: “For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.”
The watch on my wrist didn’t happen by chance; it was designed by someone intelligent about watchmaking. On a far grander scale, the universe I inhabit didn’t arise by chance; in so many ways it bears the fingerprints of One who is infinitely wise and powerful.
Who is that One? Scripture reveals the answer, and “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). Most of life’s important questions are answered in God’s word.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall.