Astronomy

In the cool of an October evening, a modest telescope aimed at the proper position in the constellation Orion reveals a beautiful gaseous cloud known as the Crab Nebula. A short journey of some 4,000 years traveling at the speed of light would take us to this remarkable object. Yet a thousand years ago, there was no Crab Nebula. In its place was a star only a few times larger than our own sun. Chinese astronomers, in July 1054, suddenly reported a new star in the heavens. In a few days, it outshone every other star. Then it sank in splendor, falling in brightness week by week, finally disappearing altogether. In its place was an expanding cloud of luminous gases called the Crab Nebula. Interlaced by writhing magnetic fields, the gaseous debris from the mother star, or supernova, has now, almost a thousand years later, attained the size of six light-years across.

All my life, I’ve been fascinated by the heavens and the physical laws that control the movement of the planets. In school, (many years ago!) I was excited to learn of Newton’s laws that govern force and motion, and of his Universal Law of Gravitation, explaining why the planets orbit as they do. I was excited to read about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity – about the space-time continuum, about Quantum Mechanics, and about his famous E=MC² formula that would introduce the world to atomic physics—and the prospect of nuclear war. Although I understood very little of what I read, it was clear that behind the scenes of our universe there was a master plan. Obviously, if there was a master plan, there was a Master Planner. As a boy I could spend hours in science-fiction like dreams of travel to other planets, but even in my most wild imaginings, I could not believe that all of this vast universe—from distant galaxies to all of the variety of life to be found on planet earth,... from macro to micro,... evolved without any external input or any “creative force.”

It was not a difficult step to believe that God created not only the universe, but also the abundance of life to be found on our planet. Although I believed in a God-Creator this did not introduce me to the Creator Himself. It is one thing to know of God - it is something entirely different to know God!

While some astronomers still cling to the ‘Big Bang’ theory, or the ‘Oscillating Universe’ theory, which contends that the universe appears and disappears in ten-billion or so year cycles, most astronomers today are willing to admit that the universe had a definite beginning in time, and that it is proceeding to some sort of consummation. That is also a Biblical view. The Bible states very clearly that God created the universe. History had a beginning, it has a course to run, and it has an end. It is possible this generation now alive may see the consummation of history as we know it.

Doomsayers abound. They have rarely been right in the past, so why should we listen to them now? Is there something different this time round? If so, what is it? If they are right, is there any hope for mankind? These are questions we should all be vitally interested in, and questions for which every person ought to have an answer. The human race is embarking on the most fearful journey in all of its long experience. Of the last days, the Bible says: “On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:25-26). Imagine: events so frightening people will actually faint from fear and terror!

Many people are confused and in turmoil over the changes of the last few decades. Traditional values have largely been lost, and change seems to be ever present and accelerating at an unprecedented rate. Today, many feel like Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. Listen to Alice as she speaks to the cat...

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to walk from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat.
"I don't much care where," said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you walk," said the cat.

But the cat was wrong! It does matter which way we walk, and knowing the future can help us walk in the right direction.

Do you know what the future holds? Do you know which way to walk? It is possible to know, because the future was clearly predicted in 530 B.C., in remarkably specific detail. The events that we have witnessed in recent years in Europe, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union and indeed around the world were predicted by the ancient prophet Daniel, and they are setting the stage for the penultimate conflict of the ages.

What lies ahead? Can we be sure about anything?

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) said, “About the Time of the End, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the Prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamor and opposition.”

While some admit to difficulty in believing the Bible, I admit to a sincere difficulty in disbelieving, because all of the previous warnings and predictions have come to pass precisely as they were foretold. There is therefore every reason to have confidence in its message for our generation. Prophecy confirms the Word of God as Truth.

I want to say at the outset I am not a prophet. What I have learned and accepted is available to any person in the pages of Scripture. Having examined what Scripture says about the last days, and having seen Biblical predictions unfold in Europe, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union - it would be callous and irresponsible to not warn fellow humans in regards to what the Bible reveals is yet to come on our planet.

What person among you, seeing a friend in danger, would not shout out a warning?

You may disregard or disbelieve the message if you so choose, but I urge you to give it serious consideration because your eternal destiny is at stake and there is no ‘Plan B.’ The message is not popular; I am aware that people may scoff but this only confirms the Word of God because the Bible has predicted scoffers in the last days.

Nevertheless I am persuaded to present these words to you for your consideration. If you have difficulty with them, rather than shrugging them off, may I challenge you to do as I did - dig into the Bible and check it out for yourself. The Bible is like no other book on earth! If you examine the facts in an honest, fair, and scholarly way, you will come to a knowledge of the truth.

But hurry - because the time may be short.

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