SCRIPTURE AND SCIENCE
Part fifteen of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series
Isaiah 9:7a
“Of the increase of His government and
peace there will be no end.”
Isaiah gives us descriptive word
pictures of the coming, promised Messiah:
“King of kings. Lord of
lords. Mighty Counselor. Almighty God.
Everlasting Father. The
government shall be on His shoulders.” We
can applaud Jesus reigning over earth forever.
But
the opening Scripture begs for explanation.
The Hebrew word for “increase” is marbiyth. Marbiyth means increase by expansion
(ever-expanding).
Science
agrees with, and is not polar-opposite to Scripture.
Astronomers
measure the continuing expanse of the universe EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. We learned how believers will reign under
God’s control as His representatives in previous devotions. Are you ready to accept the Scriptural
challenge of unique divinely-assigned work? Every person will proclaim that he or she has been
rewarded the best job in the universe one day—never a punishment!
“Increase
of government” doesn’t mean people being ruled intrusively. It means that God’s nature is more, not
less. Jesus declared that His Father is
delighted to hand over ruler ship to His kids.
As His universe is expanding every moment, it was never meant to be known
exhaustively.
Our
reign may not only be relegated to earth!
Consider
for a minute: God’s creative work
stopped on earth after sin entered, but continued throughout the expanding
universe. There are billions of galaxies
containing billions of stars around which billions of planets revolve. Who denies that many more perfect “earths”
can already exist revolving around their “suns” in similar—or radically
different—solar systems from the one we inhabit?
Star
Trek’s mission “to boldly go and explore new worlds” doesn’t sound like fiction
any more, does it? For every “earth” out
there, government is needed. Perhaps God
will create more people, perhaps
different from homo (genus, meaning man) sapiens (species,
meaning wise). Maybe He will create
different animals, suitable to their “earth.” That may be hard for us to imagine, but those
worlds will still require government.
Why
stop there?
God’s
nature is to create. New colors, new
fruits, new landscape, new building materials for new homes, new careers…even
our finite imagination conjures up unlimited “new.” How delightful to appreciate how expansive is
our God!
No
wonder we can’t limit God to fit in a box—or even to be explained by science!
Take
Home Nugget
Perhaps
God’s infinite creative powers—His “expansive” glorious purpose may one day
allow His kids to also create. Oh,
wow!
This
is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.
Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901
This devotion is adapted from Heaven.
Chapter 22, “How Will We Rule God’s Kingdom?”
Subtitle4 “An Ever-Expanding Government.” Subtitle5 “The Saints Will
Rule.” Subtitle6 Service As a Reward.” Alcorn, Randy. © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers,
Inc. Illinois.
J.D. Griffith
Written
for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com
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