Is there anything out there?
According to NASA, “so far, the only life we know of is right here on our planet Earth. But we’re looking . . . maybe the dream of the ages will come true, and we'll eavesdrop on the communications of extraterrestrial civilizations”.^1
You might be surprised to learn that the Bible tells us that we are not alone in the universe. As we pursue scientific exploration, hoping to hear from any life form outside our own world, the good news is that we already have heard – and not from just any life form – from the Creator of all life Himself.
The story of creation in Genesis chapters 1-2 is breathtaking in its scope. In very few words and over a span of six days, God formed a universe of profound beauty and incredible complexity.
Having created such splendour, God did not conceal Himself or remain mysterious and unknowable. According to the Bible, God reveals Himself to us through His creation, our conscience,[^2] the Bible,[^3] and ultimately through Jesus Christ, His Son.[^4] It is amazing to think that God the Creator is also God the Communicator.
Built into the fabric of creation – both around us and within us – are God’s signals to everyone, that He is real. This is sometimes called God’s “General Revelation”. The Bible and Jesus Christ are referred to as God’s “Special Revelation”. In them, God introduces Himself and gives us a full and personal revelation of who He is, and how we can truly know Him.
What can we know about God from Creation?
Creation around us displays God’s attributes. The Apostle Paul explained this to the Christians in Rome showing that, as a result, we are accountable to Him.[^5]
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse”
(Romans 1:19,20 ESV).
1. Creation Reveals God’s Glory
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”
(Psalm 19:1 ESV).
More than one hundred billion galaxies – each with hundreds of billions of stars – proclaim the infinite glory of God. He is that big, that spectacular, that majestic, that awe-inspiring!
2. Creation Reveals God’s Power
Our world displays God's breathtaking power. Who has not marvelled at the vast expanse of the ocean or the precise fine tuning of the universe? At the giant mountain ranges or the symmetry of a snowflake? Who could calculate the power within the atomic structure of the universe, when the splitting of one single atom can trigger a chain reaction that unleashes such devastating energy?
But what about the power that created and sustains it all? The Bible explains that creation is not the result of chaos. It is not unoriginated or self-initiated. Rather, it was spoken into existence by God. The recurring expression in the Genesis account of creation is, “And God said . . . ”.
“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth . . . For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast”
(Psalm 33:6,9).
The same power that brought everything into existence sustains it even now – maintaining the cycles of life, the balance of ecosystems, and the movement of the stars. Hebrews 1:3 states that Jesus “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (ESV).
3. Creation Reveals God’s Majesty
“Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever”
(Psalm 111:2,3 ESV).
Just as an artist has authority over the work of their hands and an author shapes their story, so the Creator exercises sovereign authority over all He has made. This includes each of us. His rule is personal, calling us to submit to Him.
4. Creation Reveals God’s Wisdom
When we study creation we see design, order, and purpose. The precise calibration of the universe and the intricate structure of DNA are often cited as evidence of the work of an intelligent and wise Creator.
“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens”
(Jeremiah 10:12 ESV).
As we look around at the amazing world we inhabit, we see the glory, power, majesty, and wisdom of God. If His creation is so stunningly beautiful, vast and complex, what does that say about the Creator Himself? Instead of making the mistake of worshipping the creation, we should seek to know and worship the Creator.[^6]
[^2]: Romans 2:14,15
[^3]: John 5:39
[^4]: Hebrews 1:1,2
[^5]: Psalm 19:1-4
[^6]: Romans 1:22-25