Why is the Universe so infinitly large?

Post by **_Roger** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:43 am

I am a believer but have a simple question that I have pondered for many years. Our planet and entire solar system are but a speck of cosmic dust on the scale of the infinite universe. If the entire solar system disapeared in a gigantic nuclear flame, it would hardly be a noticable spark on the universal scale. If the eternal God is doing his eternal will here on this speck of dust called Earth, what is all the rest of the universe about and why did God create it?
A few weeks ago I was viewing many photos from the Hubble telescope from an internet site. They are unbelievably spectacular photos. I suggest you all take a look at our universe from these photos and you will see how insignifacant our timy planet and even the entire Milky Way galaxy, consisting of millions of stars, actually is. Please give an intellignet answer as to why God created all of this extra stuff for?

Post by **_Steve** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 12:38 pm

Perhaps someone knows why God saw fit to create so much universe, but that person is not me. I suppose that if God had made the earth a hundred billion times larger than it is, we would still wonder why it is such a tiny speck in comparison with the infinity of space (and if God made the earth large enough to fill the universe, what would we look out at in the night?). If God had made no other orbs than those most proximate to our own, we would wonder why God had made so much infinite space and placed nothing in it!

In the next life, we may discover the purpose for all these things. We already know that the sun and the moon were created "to give light on earth" (gen.1:15). To a lesser degree, many of the stars do the same for us (though some are not visible to the naked eye from earth). Perhaps the stars were made to give light to worlds unknown to us. I doubt that we will have occasion to know in this life, nor have any need to.

The most important thing is to avoid the logical fallacy of assigning value on the basis of relative size. A microscopic virus may impact history more than Mount Everest. A tiny diamond is worth more than a roomful of styrofoam "peanuts," and a human fetus the size of a brine shrimp is infinitely more significant than a full-grown whale (contra the beliefs of some environmentalists).

For all we can say, one small planet may well be more purposeful than a mega-universe full of ostentatious balls of flaming gas.

Post by **_mattrose** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 1:40 pm

Hey Roger,

I've always thought the universe is so BIG so that they remind us that God is so GREAT

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Also, I agree with Steve that size doesn't always equal value.

Zechariah 12:1
This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:

The same LORD who stretches out the universe (HUGE), lays the foundations of the earth (BIG) and forms the spirit of man within him (TINY). But the smallest of the three is the most significant.

Post by **_Sean** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:34 pm

Maybe to remind us how small we are. We get to the moon and realize that we've only got infinity to go before we conquer the universe.

Post by **_Anonymous** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:14 pm

Maybe God just likes making stuff so he made a lot of it. Funny, I don't feel small or insignificant in a large universe, I feel special to be a part of something so huge.

Post by **_STEVE7150** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:18 pm

You know in our physical realm we may sometimes feel insignificant in the universe but maybe it's more for the next life when we have a body like Jesus that could instantaneouly be anyplace. Angels could travel through the universe in superspeed so the universe may not seem quite as large in the next life when we are'nt so physically limited. Also perhaps we are'nt the only intelligent life God created. In Job , God met with Satan and the Sons of God. Who are these sons of God? Adam is called a son of God so could these be redeemed beings from other worlds that God created? Do we know that God did'nt create other intelligent beings out there?

Post by **_Anonymous** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:44 pm

Thank you for all your answers. It is wonderful to come home from work and see all of these responses. Since we are on the subject of the physical universe.....What are your views on the six days of creation as recorded in Genesis. Was it literally six days? Is this a figurative number only representing something that took far longer? I think this question ties into our discussion here. I've been aware of the "Gap" theory( An unknown amount of time between Genisis 1:1 and 1:2) for many years. Your comments please.....

Post by **_Roger** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:46 pm

Sorry .....that last post was me....I forgot to log in.

Post by **_mattrose** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:24 pm

I "think" the majority opinion on this board is that Scripture seems to indicate 6 literal days, BUT it's not a point worth dividing over.

Personally, I believe it was 6 normal days

Post by **_STEVE7150** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:53 am

Hi, Most people here i'm sure believe in 6, 24 hour days but i believe science does have this much right. The universe is about 15 billion years old and began with a big bang created by God therefore the creation days are epochs as the hebrew word "yom" allows. There is a thread on this at Pentatuch/Preterism/Creationism.