April 20th, 2007
The Glory of God in Creation
I love the story of creation. You have God who created this amazing world and all of these different creatures. Looking at all these diverse creations we see just how creative our God really is. But the coolest part, my favorite part of the creation story is that God let’s us be a part of the process. This is just so cool to me. God the creator of the universe, who made everything in the world is willing to share in the creative process. He let’s us play a part and I would think it is really one of the coolest parts. God is so generous in that He allows us to name the animals. We get to help with creation. Man gets to name the animals. Ge 2:19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. Ge 2:20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
I would just love to see this. I would love to see how this all played out. So here is what I picture. God says to Adam: “Hey, I want you to name the animals.” Adam says: “Sure, no problem, bring em on.” So one by one God brings these animals by. Adam starts off: Rhinoceros, you know trying to impress God with his naming ability. God just standing there: “This is going to be a really long day.” Then there is this poor angel scribe who has to write all these down: “Rhino…ahh how do you spell that?” The next animal comes along “Hippopotamus.” God just keeps shaking His head. The day goes by and one by one Adam names the animals. Finally Adam is worn out. He has no energy left. He says “My creative juices are gone. I am all dried up. I don’t think I name any more animals.” God says: “Hold on…there’s just one more.” Out comes this furry little four legged creature. Adam: “Ohh….uhhh…I don’t know…I got nothing…I guess dog…” God smiles: “I like it! It’s me backwards! That one…is going to be your best friend.” Adam sits down to relax and another four legged little creature comes out. Adam was like: “Wait…I thought God said that was the last one…I guess I misunderstood or something.” He looks at this last creature and says: “I don’t know…I really can’t think of anything…I guess…cat.” God looks around a bit confused and says: “What? I didn’t make that.” Even if you are a cat person you have to admit, that’s funny.
This week we are looking at the glory of God in His creation. We are looking at just how brilliant and detailed God was in His creation of the world. God’s glory can be seen in that which He has created, and so we are going to look at just wow marvelous the world God made for us is.
(PRAY)
Creation is truly an amazing thing. If you just take the time to look around you see how much diversity, how much beauty, how much creativity there is in the world that we live in. If you were to stop and notice all the aspects that go into life you would be blown away. Life is far more amazing than we sometimes give it credit for. The very fact that we have life, that the earth is able to sustain life, that we can even exist the way we do is nothing short of miraculous. We are fearfully and wonderfully made so much so that there is no excuse. There is no excuse for ignorance. There is no excuse for disbelief.
Consider this…of the billions upon billions of stars and galaxies in space, of all the ones that we know of not one is suitable for sustaining human life. The size, position, and tilt of the earth is a scientific phenomenon. Earth is the only planet that we know of that can sustain life and when you consider all the factors that alone is incredible. When you consider all of the elements that are necessary for life to exist…then there is no doubt that we have a creator. This world did not come to be by accident or change. A world as complex and diverse as ours did not come out of an explosion, or develop from a single ameba. Life itself is proof of the existence of a creator God and the creation is evidence of His glory. God has made His glory known through His creation.
Ro 1:20 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.
Creation itself shouts the praises of God. The whole earth is full of His glory. If we do not cry out, the stones will. God must be glorified by His creation. His majesty, His power, His love are seen in the very world that He created. God has revealed Himself to us through what He has made. He has made Himself known through His creation. We have everything that we need to believe in Him. Consider the life that you have. You may think your life is complicated…but you have no idea how right you are. The science of life on earth is far more complex than you realize.
Did you know that the earth is always moving? That it is moving really fast. The Earth spins on its axis at 1040 miles per hour. If you sped it up we would be flung off. If you slowed it down we would float away. The speed at which the earth rotates enables our existence. While the earth is spinning really fast at 1040 miles per hour it is also revolving around the sun at 18.5 miles per second or about 67,000 miles per hour. While the earth is spinning on its axis and revolving around the sun, our solar system is also revolving around our galaxy. Our solar system is revolving at a speed of 155 miles per second or roughly 560,000 miles per hour. All the while…we sit here totally oblivious. We can sit and be still. You’d think we’d at least get dizzy…but we don’t because of the brilliance of the design. Do you see what this means? When the earth is rotating around the sun in the same direction that the solar system is moving around the galaxy if you are standing still you are actually moving at over 630,000 miles per hour. Slow down. If you are brave enough I would really like to see if this would work. So if someone would try it and tell me I would like that: If you get pulled over by a police officer and he asks “Do you know how fast you were going?” Try saying: “Well if the Earth is rotating around the sun in the same direction as our solar system is moving then I was traveling at about 630,065 miles an hour.” “Well the speed limit is 60.” I am just curious to see if that would get you out of a ticket.
So here we are: sitting on this planet that is moving at an incredible speed and yet we are able to be completely still. If you are not amazed yet, hold on, this ride is just getting started.
The Earth orbits 93 million miles from the sun. If we were but a few degrees closer we would disintegrate. If we were but a few degrees further, we would freeze. The Axis of the earth is tilted at a perfect 26 degree angle. This angle enables an equal distribution of solar rays which is what enables life to exist. If the angle of earth were to shift even 1 degree in either direction, life would not be possible. The air that you breathe is a perfect and unique combination of nitrogen and oxygen. 78% of the air we breathe is nitrogen and 21% is oxygen. If either one of these were to be altered by a single degree life could not exist on earth. But there is more.
There is a force called the strong nuclear force. This force basically binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. If this force were any stronger then protons and neutrons would stick together so much that we would only have heavy elements and there would be no hydrogen. Life then would be impossible because hydrogen is a key component of water and we need water for life. Also if this force were any weaker then protons and neutrons would not stick together at all and the only element we would have is hydrogen. This force is so specific that a 2% change in either direction would make life totally impossible.
There is another force called the weak nuclear force. This force controls the rates of radioactive decay. If this force were stronger then elements would decay too quickly and we would not have enough hydrogen or helium. If this force were weaker than we would not have enough heavier elements such as oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen…basically if this force were stronger or weaker…we could not have life on earth.
Even in the smaller elements of quantum physics are too specific to be just chance. The number of electrons in relation to protons in the universe must be so specific and exact that a variation of 1 part in 10 to the 37th power would make it impossible for planets to form and we could have no life.
If the force of gravity was any stronger then stars would burn up in about a year and our planet could not exist. If the force of gravity were any weaker there would not be any nuclear fusion which is needed to produce elements like oxygen and nitrogen. All we would have is helium and hydrogen. We would talk in high voices but not have any air to breath.
Then there is the electromagnetic force which is created by electrons. If this force were any stronger electrons would bind so tightly that atoms would not share electrons with each other. Without this bounding we would not get compounds that are necessary for life (such as water). If this force was any weaker then atoms would not hang on to electrons long enough to bond and again no compounds, no life.
It gets better. If the electromagnetic force were any stronger compared to the gravitational force by even 1 part in 10 to the 40th power then only small stars could form and we would have no life. On the others if the ratio was any weaker by even 1 part in 10 to the 40th power then we would get only large stars and no life could exist.
Do you see how incredible and how complex the life that you have is? So many things have to be just right. Let’s try to simplify this a bit. Imagine you have a lock. In order to open that lock you have to put in a series of like 20 numbers. The only way to open that lock would be to get each number exactly right. Is there any way that your lock is going to open by accident? Any random shaking or input of numbers by someone who doesn’t know that will open your lock? No. Take that to the cosmic scale and you might understand just how vast and how incredible the creation of life really is. If you took all of these elements that had to be just right and analyzed their probabilities of just so happening to turn out in the exact way that enabled life to exist what you would find is the probability of all of these things turning out this way is 1 in 10 to the 92 power. Let me give you a frame of reference: your odds of winning the power ball jackpot lottery are 1 in 10 to the 7th power. So the odds of life existing the way it does with all of these elements is about the same as your odds of winning the power ball jackpot lottery 13 times in a row.
This is called the fine-tuned universe. Truly if any one of these things were changed even a little, life as we know it would not be possible. While this fine tuned universe idea may be debated in some places, you cannot deny the incredible specifics of which world that we live in. Do you really think we just happened into this life? Do you really thing all of this came about by random chance or a cosmic action?
The existence of the world requires something to make it. Where there is a creation, there is a creator. Where there is a design there is a designer. This world has been created. There is no other way that it would be capable of sustaining life as it does. Our God our creator is so specific and detailed in His creation that He designed a world that was perfect for sustaining the life that He was to give us. There are too many things that had to go exactly right for our life to exist Creation cries out for God it proclaims His name.
If you were to look at a car and see all the complexities in it, would you think to yourself: “Woah…its really cool that over millions of years these different metals and wires and parts all collected the way the did! It is really neat that somehow over millions of years this car had leather grow in this nice seat shape and power and heating and cooling and a radio all just sort of collected in this car. Wow…evolution is neat.” No. Unless you’re an idiot. You would see a car and think…wow…someone had to make that. This world is far more complex that a vehicle. So when you look at it wouldn’t you just naturally think: “Wow…someone had to make that.”
God is the creator of the universe. He has made all things. But think of this: we have a creator. We have a maker and its quiet obvious that He is pretty good with the details. Can I just speak to your heart for a minute? When you look at this world and see all the beauty and the creativity and the incredible vastness of this world you have to see something about the character of God. Every molecule of existence was set up the way it was so that you could have life the way you do. God cares about you so much. That He set up this world perfectly so that you could be who you are right now. That is not the work of a judgmental, angry God of hate, that is the work of a God who is indescribably loving. May you see God for who He really and see His glory through His creation.
All of this is for you. He made it all with you mind, to give you life because He wants, He desires a relationship with you. When you see the love that God has for you in His creation…you can get a small glimpse of how vast His love for you really is. I want to read for you a part of a song called Maker of the Universe:
All creation cries out for God. It has made Him know. Man is without excuse. So will sit and make another excuse as to why you wont change, as to why you will keep on doing what you have been doing? Or will you finally stop making excuses and give your life over to God who made you.
