As a young girl, my father would take the family to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. I loved the shows in the planetarium where we could see the “sun” go down and the “stars” come out in the domed ceiling above us. Since then—from Skagway, Alaska to Melbourne, Australia—I think I’ve viewed the entire expanse of the heavens visible to those of us on earth.
The science of physical astronomy is fascinating. Who today has not been mystified by “black holes” or thrilled at the beauty of the night sky? Many through the ages have made a study of the heavens their life’s work. And yet some have been short-sighted in their view of such studies.
For instance, the philosopher Auguste Comte made this conjecture regarding celestial bodies in 1835: “We may determine their forms, their distances, their sizes, and their motions—but we can never know anything of their chemical composition.”
Reading this quote years ago, I thought he was probably right. How could we possibly find out what the stars were made of? Imagine my surprise when I discovered that scientists can determine the chemical composition by observing the spectra of light emitted from a star, planet, or other heavenly body!
Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, has furnished us with a home full of beauty and wonder. But He did not simply make His creation pleasing to the senses. He gave everything a function as well. Both are mentioned in Genesis regarding the trees God made to grow in the garden.
Genesis 2:9:
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Every tree was not only beautiful (pleasant to the sight), but also served a function (good for food). For most of my young life I had appreciated the manifold beauty of the heavens, however I had little clue to their function. When at last I was taught about God’s divine purpose for them, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness to my heavenly Father for His infinite love reflected in His creation for us, His children.
This scripture was my first indication of why God set the sun, moon, stars, and planets in their courses.
Genesis 1:14:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
The often mysterious, incredibly magnificent sky tells us of God’s eternal purpose for us. It’s all written right there for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. The Hebrew word for “signs” indicates something or someone to come, while the word for “seasons” reveals the different cycles of time or an appointed time. God wants us to know what time it is and who or what to look for.
The written Word of God then established His communication that was originally written in the stars. Psalm 19 describes this most beautifully. Enjoy here the first six verses that talk of the heavens.
Psalms 19:1-6:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The rest of Psalm 19 is devoted to the written Word. God has revealed His perfect plan of redemption written first in the stars and then in His Word spoken and written by men.
God has given everything in His creation not only beauty but meaning. My life has purpose, my heavenly Father’s perfect purpose! But the most magnificent age yet—the age of grace today— was not written in the stars. We live in a time that God kept secret since the world began. It was a mystery until God revealed it to the apostle Paul.
I Corinthians 2:9-12 [The New Testament in Modern English]:
But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things [of the mystery] which God has prepared for those who love him’. But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret.
For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvellous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us.
We, as born-again believers, have received the spirit from God Himself, the Spirit. Today, the Church, the Body of Christ, can exhibit God’s wisdom. We are God’s purpose for all time! What boldness we can have in Christ with direct access to our heavenly Father.
Ephesians 3:10-12:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
According to the eternal purpose [purpose of the ages] which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
The heavens declare God’s glory. Delight in God’s creation and in His revealed Word for us today, for we can walk in the deep wisdom of the spirit of God within, discovering more of His love and purpose for us every day.
