The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Psalm 19 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” This may mean more than we realize. John 1:14 claims, “. . .we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” From the context we learn he is referring to Jesus Christ, the visible glory of the Father. Thus we could truthfully say, “The heavens declare Jesus Christ.”
In a fascinating book entitled, The Witness of the Stars, author E.W. Bullinger traces the stars of the Zodiac from ancient history, long before Greek mythology corrupted their meaning. The word ‘Zodiac’ actually comes from a Hebrew root meaning a way or path. Modern reliance on the Zodiac for guidance is idolatry and forbidden in Scripture (Deut. 4:19). But is astrology a corruption of the testimony about Christ? Bullinger says it is.
To show where the circle of the Zodiac was to begin, the Sphinx of Egypt was built as a permanent bookmark. It has a head of a woman, depicting Virgo, and the body of a Lion, depicting Leo. Virgo speaks of the virgin birth of Christ and Leo of His ultimate reign as King of the earth.
Virgo was pictured with a branch in her right hand, and stalks of grain in her left. The word ‘Branch’ is used prophetically of Christ, speaking of His four aspects as King (Jer. 23:5), servant (Zech. 3:8), man (Zech. 6:12), and God (Isaiah 4:2), the same four focuses of the four Gospels.  The grain harks back to Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed”, speaking of the conflict with Satan and his ultimate defeat at the cross.
The first constellation in Virgo explains that this coming ‘Branch’ would be a child, the “Desired One.” The ancient name for this star is Coma and means ‘longed for, desired.’ (see Psalm 63:1) Haggai predicts the coming of Christ thus: “The desire of all nations shall come.” (2:7) The Persian name denotes a pure virgin, sitting on a throne, nourishing an infant boy, whose name in Hebrew is IHESU and in Greek CHRISTOS. Tradition said that when this “Desire of all nations” was born, a bright star would appear in the woman’s arms. Three hundred years ago Thomas Hyde wrote that Zoroaster was a pupil of Daniel and predicted a new star would appear, signaling the arrival of the child they were to adore. When the wise men saw that star, they took the long, dangerous journey to worship the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy (Matt. 2:10). They claimed, “We have seen HIS star (while) in the east and are come to worship Him.” (Matt. 2:2) This child is both the divine Branch, and the human seed (Is. 9:6). He is the God-man, Jesus Christ. As such He both could and did die for the sins of the world to provide eternal life for all who trust in Him.

Privileged Planet

Recently I watched a fascinating video entitled, Privileged Planet, based on a book by the same name. The book is the joint effort of Astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez, Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Iowa State University, and Jay Richards, Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute in Seattle. Both of these men were suspicious that natural selection could not account for the apparent design present in the universe and wrote the book based on one aspect of this suspicion.
Lest some reading this think intelligent design is another angle to creationism, consider this. In answer to the question, “Is intelligent design the same as creationism?” the answer given is, “No. The theory of intelligent design is simply an effort to empirically detect whether the ‘apparent design’ in nature acknowledged by virtually all biologists is genuine design (the product of an intelligent cause) or is simply the product of an undirected process such as natural selection acting on random variations.” (intelligentdesign.org) So, this book is the work of a scientist and a philosopher who are trying to draw rational conclusions from the data about the subject of origins.
The book and video focus on twenty factors about earth that make it uniquely able to sustain complex life as it does. For example, in our solar system, earth alone is in a position for complex life to exist. If earth were closer to the sun, the gravitational pull would cause earth to rotate more slowly, and eventually only once in each revolution (year). This would make life impossible on both sides. If it were further away, the earth would not be warm enough to sustain life. The inhabitable zone is further away from the sun than Venus, but closer than Mars. The liquid iron core gives the earth a magnetic field that shields us from cosmic radiation. The moon stabilizes earth’s 23.5º tilt which is needed for seasons and tempering the climate. The atmosphere is a protection from radiation, the correct combination of oxygen and nitrogen for liquid water to be in abundance, and perfect for life to continue. Of 70 bodies studied, only of earth can this be said.
Further, these same factors make it possible to actually study and learn about our earth and other objects in space. In other words, the earth is both an ideal place for life to exist, and it is also an ideal place to observe and learn about the moon, the solar system, and the universe around us. Gonzalez began considering this idea when observing the 51 seconds of a total eclipse of the sun from a location in India. Though the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, it ‘happens’ to be 400 times closer than the sun. Thus their relative sizes in the sky are almost identical. Because of this we are able, during a solar eclipse, to observe the sun and other stars normally blotted out by the sun. Gonzalez studied 65 other bodies and concluded that on none of them would a total eclipse occur.
If our atmosphere were not transparent, then only orbiting telescopes could observe the planets and stars. Of 70 heavenly bodies studied, only earth has a transparent atmosphere. Further, we live in the perfect place in the Milky Way, in a relatively uninhabited (with other stars) area. Were we closer to the center or further away from the center of the spiral, we could not see the constellations visible to us on a clear night.

Over the Edge- 2

In our last article, we discussed the work of Scott Minnich, Molecular Biologist at the University of Idaho, on the bacterial flagellum motor. The forty parts to this amazingly efficient means of locomotion convinced him that random chance simply could not explain its existence.
A favorite term for those who hold this view of intelligent design is ‘irreducible complexity.’ They reason that, if a complex organ were any smaller or simpler, it could not function as it is. If evolution is to be believed, it demands that all life was once simpler, that it evolved from simple to complex randomly without a design or purpose. The apparent design we see in nature today is only coincidentally the same as one would expect were it designed by intelligence.
A difficulty with believing that random chance produced complex life is the mechanism for assembling the parts. Remember, Dr. Minnich stated that Darwinism natural selection states by definition that, if a part evolves but has no purpose, it would be lost to the organism. Yet forty parts are needed for this flagellum motor to work. Evolutionists counter that the parts could have evolved for other functions in the organism and then be ‘borrowed’ to assemble the motor. Minnich countered that, at most, this would account for only half the parts.
But, let’s say that the forty parts of the bacterial flagellum did evolve in various places in the organism. The greater problem is how the protein parts would be assembled into the most efficient motor in the universe. In cells, assembly is now understood. The assembling ‘blueprint’ is locked into the DNA in the nucleus of every cell. The DNA dictates the order of assembly of the amino acids and the RNA carries it out. Minnich states accurately that, without the blueprint, assembly would be as likely as putting together a line from Shakespeare by throwing out Scrabble tiles on the table.
DNA is a code molecule unique to each organism. It is physically what made you and me as we are. It is a blueprint that manufactures. It is like a computer that is able to make products according to its calculations. Who ever heard of such a thing happening in any other part of the universe without massive amounts of time and energy and planning?!
I repeat from the last article, intelligent design is not religious. It is an extrapolated cause drawn from scientific observation and falls far short of the Bible’s claim of creation. It is, rather, the honest conclusion that chance will not explain reality and goes no further than that. Is your view or the origin of life honest with the data all around us?

Over the Edge

What did it take for atheist Alfred Russel Wallace to switch to a belief in a Creator? Answer: his examination of the complexity of the brain convinced him.
What did it take Scott Minnich, Molecular Biologist at the University of Idaho, to give up atheistic evolution in favor of Michael Behe’s idea of Intelligent Design? Answer- his twenty years of study of the bacterial flagellum motor.
This is tiny, for to study it, the bacteria must be magnified 50,000 times. Yet it has forty protein parts that must function together to make it work so marvelously.
The flagellum motor whirls at a rate of 100,000 rpm and can stop and reverse direction in a quarter turn! Scott Minnich’s studies led him to state that this is the most efficient machine in the universe. It is water-cooled, has a driveshaft, propeller, and other components similar to those of a man-made motor.
The reason this convinced him of design is based on Darwin’s own statements. Natural selection, by definition, demands that the selected trait is useful. If it is not, then it would disappear. Yet this motor has forty parts and all must be present for it to function as it does. If one part evolved but was not useful, it would be lost before all the parts came together in such an efficient, orderly way.
In Origin of Species, Darwin stated, “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” Scott Minnich accepted this statement as true, and, therefore, has rejected it in favor of Intelligent Design.
For those critical of mixing religion and science, note that Scott says nothing about God or faith or the Bible in his conclusion. He simply honestly looked at the evidence and said there was no way the propeller on a bacterial flagellum could have come together by a series of mindless accidents.
The Bible is more specific and tells us who that Designer is. The answer is found in John 1:1-3, 14. Our response to this news should be John 1:12.

Circulation and Red Blood Cells

We all know how important communication is in a family, a business, a country. But this is not a man-made idea. God thought of it long ago.
The circulatory system is one of the communication systems for the body. It starts in our 12 ounce heart that pumps about 72 times a minute, 100,000 times a day, 40 million times a year. About 2100 gallons of blood go through it every day with blood exiting the heart at 40 miles/hour with a force equal to a 10 pound weight being lifted 3 feet off the ground twice each minute, without stopping! Mild exercise increases its output to 20 pints/minute, and strenuous exercise to 42 pints/minute. That means a blood cell will make the round trip to the feet and back in 17 seconds.
All this pumping would be fruitless apart from the blood. A 160 pound person has about 5 quarts of the red stuff. It is made up of several parts- red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma- that we have discussed before. A red cell is the oxygen transport from the lungs to the cells. These blood cells are available to all 5 trillion living cells in the body by means of the capillaries.
Without plenty of oxygen, all living cells in the body would die. The red cell is perfectly designed in a donut shape to carry the maximum amount of oxygen. You blood contains 150 million red cells in every ounce. They live about 90 to 127 days and then are remade in the liver and long bones. Your body must make about a billion new red cells each day, 12,000 a second, to keep you alive.
These red cells contain hemoglobin that gives them the red color. Hemoglobin greatly enhances the ability of blood to absorb and thus transport oxygen, in fact, 60 times better than water. This means that a 160 pound person would need 300 quarts of blood to do the same work that 5 quarts does. Of course, our bodies couldn’t contain that 75 gallons of water! Thus, hemoglobin must have been present from the start.
The Bible clearly states, “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Lev. 17:11) Yet not long ago standard medical procedure was to remove the sick blood so the body could get well. George Washington died from such a treatment. Today we transfuse blood into a sick or weak person to restore life. This is just another example of the Bible’s accurate scientific statements as opposed to science’s changing theories.

Laughter

Laughter

The Bible is more up-to-date than the morning newspaper. Take, for example, the matter of laughter. Solomon said in the book of Proverbs, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:” (15:13), “. . .he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast” (15:15), and “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (17:22) Though written nearly 2000 years ago, recent research has proven how scientifically accurate these statements are.
Laughter reduces certain stress hormones that suppress the immune system and raise the blood pressure. It also enhances our immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells.
Laughter not only lowers blood pressure but also increases blood flow through the body thus providing increased quantities of oxygen to the cells. This aids in clearer thinking and faster healing to name just two.
Laughter causes the body to produce more immunoglobulin A in the saliva. This is vital in killing off pathogens that enter through the respiratory system.
Laughter is good exercise! One estimate is that 100 good laughs equal 15 minutes of workout on an exercise bike, and it’s much more fun! Laughter exercises muscles in the back, legs, face, respiratory system, abdomen, and diaphragm. This is why we can feel tired after laughing through a comedy.
Laughter provides mental health. No, I’m serious! It reduces the destructive presence of anger, frustration, or even bitterness. A good laugh can help someone think more clearly. Dr. Hunter Campbell “Patch” Adams, founder of the Gesundheit! Institute in 1972, has invested his award-winning career in medicine based on this principle. His book is entitled, Gesundheit: Good Health is a Laughing Matter (1998). To prove he was serious about the medicinal value of laughter, he and his wife named their sons Atomic Zagnut Adams and Lars Zig Edquist Adams. “Each year he organizes a group of volunteers from around the world to travel to various countries where they dress as clowns, to bring hope and joy to orphans, patients, and other people.” (Wiki)
Laughter involves the contraction of 15 facial muscles and the rapid repetition of short vowel sounds (repeated every 210 milliseconds). Early in life we learned to laugh and the average person, we are told, laughs 17 times a day the rest of their life. Laughter is so important that laughter clubs are formed in various parts of the world. However, to follow the above formula to force a laugh does little to benefit the body. In fact, Proverbs again says, “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.” (14:13) In other words, we can still be sad, even when we are laughing. The most beneficial, healthy laughter comes from a heart of genuine joy because that person is at peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Earwax

Several years ago I noticed a rapid decrease in my ability to hear from my right ear. I resigned myself to partial deafness and wondered how this handicap would impact my life. Then I went to the doctor and, after a brief irrigation (spraying water into my ear), I could hear normally again. I almost felt a miracle had been performed! Actually no miracle was involved at all. Instead my earwax had built up and clogged the auditory canal. When it was removed, sound could once again get to my eardrum. But earwax is not must a nuisance. It is a gift from God.
Earwax, or cerumen, is formed in the outer third of the ear canal. It has several purposes. First, it is an agent of cleaning the ear canal. Assisted by chewing and jaw motion, old earwax is constantly being transported from the ear canal to the ear opening where it usually dries, flakes, is washed out, and falls out. The wax is not like candle wax. It is instead a filamentous wax and this gives it a high electrostatic charge. This charge attracts the dust and dirt that gets into the auditory canal. The skin in this canal is unusual in that it grows sideways. This aids in this conveyer-belt-like movement of the wax and dirt out of the ear.
Earwax also acts as an insect repellant. Something about it is repulsive to insects and this keeps them out of that protective cavity. Earwax also lubricates the ear canal so that it stays flexible. This is important for it does flex when we grin, or move our jaw or head in certain ways. Cerumen also has anti-bacterial properties, meaning, it helps keep infection out of the ear. When infection occurs, extra earwax is produced and this may be a cause of ear canal plugging such as I experienced.
Since earwax is produced in the other third of the ear canal and moves outward, it is important we don’t force it deeper into the ear, especially with sharp objects that might damage the eardrum. God placed the delicate organs of the ear deep within the skull for a reason. Our smallest finger is still too large to reach into its ¼ inch diameter or one inch length to damage the eardrum.
Earwax is an illustration of one of thousands of little details that make the body perfectly adapted and functioning in its environment. Even if someone could prove that one of these minute details developed by accident, the sheer weight of examples just in the human body shouts that random accidents cannot explain their existence. To believe otherwise is not being honest to the facts.