A. Overall Lesson Objective

B. Learning Competencies

C. Lesson

The heavens are defined in this section as anything outside earth’s atmosphere, although the atmosphere is part of the biblical definition of the heavens. The atmosphere, of course, affects what we see beyond it. The heavens, when mentioned in Scripture, are one place where God puts an emphasis by indicating that they declare His glory (Psalm 19:1). It is a statement of fact from His authority. He considers different aspects of creation with different emphases. While this may seem odd, God is not quiet about pointing to specific things and saying, ‘consider’ or ‘look’. He will also render an assessment about many subjects. The heavens receive this kind of attention in several places in the Bible. No optics (e.g. telescopes) existed in ancient days, so the observation of the heavens was by eyes alone, but the truths still hold today, even with advanced optics and other imaging techniques (for example, radio telescopes). The Lord knew this, because He saw our day before it was (Psalm 139:16, John 17:24,26).

The last lesson was confined to the Solar System, but this one will have an emphasis on things outside the solar system.

Please read and discuss the verses that are listed below. An explanatory note follows each one. The guidance that was used in early lessons still applies: the Scriptures speak for themselves in plain language. Where they touch subjects, they are the authority from which we begin and from which other disciplines should be interpreted if we take the biblical creation view as fundamental.

Psalm 19:1-4 is probably the most well-known Bible passage about the heavens, and the verses indicate that they speak without words. The message of the heavens is universal to anyone: they point to God’s handiwork and His glory. Modern discoveries confirm more of their extent, beauty, size, and characteristics. Because Scripture so clearly states that the heavens point to the Creator, it is also not a surprise that the heavens have become a way for people who do not believe God to shout the opposite message: they happened by themselves; they are still being created; they hold alien life forms; they ‘prove’ evolution. None of these are true. Creation scientists in astrophysics have provided good and adequate reason to believe the Scripture, but their voices are often lost in the noise of the naturalistic view.

Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 say the same thing. Man does name stars, but they have already been named—every one of them. The surrounding verses of both texts are powerful. Psalm 147:4 is preceded by a statement that God heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. If the ‘star’ statement is not true (which it is), then neither is the statement about His capability to look after us. In Isaiah the surrounding verses speak of God’s unchallengeable authority. With respect to the stars, whose estimated number is beyond comprehension, He says that not ONE is missing.

🦕 CT? Compare these verses with Luke 12:7. Since God cannot lie or deceive, what does this mean when you have a sense of being lost or forgotten?

Isaiah 42:5, 45:12; Jeremiah 31:35; and Job 38:31-32 are all in the first person; God is speaking with emphasis in each case. In the first two, the prophets knew God’s rules: speak accurately or be faced with death. In the latter case in Job, God speaks directly, and the statement is recorded for our benefit. The words are plain: God created all the heavens; they show His attributes and power; they are placed as He saw fit. This part of the creation, down to the last star, was not random or without deliberate creative action.

Psalm 104:2 and Isaiah 45:12 and 51:13 speak of an action by God in specific terms: He stretched out the heavens. There is an issue regarding how we are able to see objects at large distances from us, and the time that implies. (The naturalistic view also has a similar light travel-time problem, though it does not involve things we see.) [Research note: horizon problem.] Creation scientists have at least two theories with merit that involve the law of general relativity. It is a fascinating subject to consider. Their theories obey the scripture limits: a recent creation and the region of earth near the center of the universe. They involve God stretching out the heavens as these verses indicate. Regardless of the theories, it is clear that He made the heavenly bodies so we can see and study them. [Research note: general relativity.]

Job 38:12 and 19-21, and Psalm 74:16 speak of light and darkness or day and night. The same things are the subject of God’s attention on the first and fourth days of creation. Much attention is given in the scripture to the conditions of darkness and light in a spiritual sense, but the reference point is biblical creation.

Deuteronomy 4:19, Nehemiah 9:6, Job 31:26-28, and Psalm 148:3 are clear about worshipping the Creator but not the created things. There is still a tendency, since man has not changed, to worship the wrong thing.

🦕 CT? The heavens point to God, but are they God? Describe the difference between a created thing and the author of the created thing. Use a piece of pottery as an example in the answer.

Job 9:8-9 and Amos 5:8 name constellations. The celestial sphere, in other words, is well known by its Creator. Pleiades and Orion are mentioned specifically; He has made them viewable by most of the earth’s population during nearly half of every year.

The context of most of the verses about the heavens draws attention to their greatness, which in turn refers to the greatness of God. Along with the book of Job, these verses encourage people to pay attention, observe, and study the heavens. God used creation in His intense talk with Job, who had momentarily forgotten the greatness of his God. The heavens are part of the subject God addresses. They are full of magnificence. The findings from the last 50 years have highlighted this conclusion.

Understand, however, that most people who search the heavens do so because they are trying to find a clue to origins. For someone who understands the biblical creation world view, however, this motivation makes no sense; the origin of things is known from Genesis. Does this take away from passion to discover? Absolutely not! The passion to discover is only increased for the believer, because God wants the universe studied. It shows His attributes!

A biblical view of the heavens can help direct observation in meaningful directions. One need not look for aliens in outer space, which arises from an evolutionary world view. They will not be found. [Research note: what about aliens?] One need not look for processes, which do not exist, for space or any of its contents to be continuously created. Creation stopped at the end of the sixth day of creation. One need not look for life’s origins in the solar system, or spend years guessing how particles in thin space could self-evolve into solid bodies and produce our solar system. You already know that, after the earth was already created, God produced the rest of the solar system on the fourth day of creation along with the stars. But to measure and study the varieties of features of planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other objects can be fascinating. The information obtained in the last few decades is just the beginning of what can be done. There is so much more to be studied, measured, and analyzed. God would be pleased to find people doing this because the findings always point to His qualities: His power and His magnificence (Romans 1:19-20).

One does not have to be a specialist to observe the heavens. Ministries exist that encourage people to use their eyes, small binoculars, or little telescopes (if they are available) to see the heavens. Children can be taught to record what they see. The wonder of the heavens was never intended to be locked in the chambers of only highly trained specialists. Even for a child, it only takes walking out to see the night sky and learning a few disciplined habits of observation to enjoy what He has created and fully intended for us to appreciate. Why not discover some of the greatness of our Creator’s work? Philippians 4:8 reinforces that sentiment.

Note: A practical observing course for observing the heavens that uses a biblical creation world view is available without charge from the author of this study. Astronomical Observing from a Biblical View (AOBV) is currently available on the CHRISTWORKS MINISTRIES web site (http://www.cwm4him.org/aobv/) or by contacting the author of this study. It teaches observing disciplines that involve seeing, observing, and interpreting what is observed. Tools for the course are kept simple to enable students and teachers with limited assets to learn the disciplines.

D. Assignment

Read Psalm 95:1-5 and compare to the appropriate verses in Genesis 1. Describe what they say in common. What is the attitude of the Psalmist toward the Creator?

E. Learning Activity

Using the results of the assignment for this class, list and generally define the major types of objects in the celestial sphere. Discuss your results. Then discuss the following question:

🦕 CT? Since God specifically mentions that He both created, named, and placed stars, what does this say about the origin of star cities (galaxies) and star clusters?

🦕 CT? When was the celestial sphere created? What does your answer mean compared to the concept that stars continue to be created (a popular view)? What about the opposite? Are stars dying? Why?

F. Concluding Assessment

The heavens, which we can observe, declare the glory of God and speak of His attributes.