NOT A DOUBTFUL PROPOSITION.
By H. F. Phelps
It is in no way a doubtful proposition to say that we may learn something concerning the celestial worlds and their inhabitants, by a study of the Scriptures. By a careful study of the word of God, taking heed to the divine injunction, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things,” we may know of a certainty that there are other worlds. We may also know something of God’s dealings with their inhabitants. It can not be that a subject of so much interest to the inhabitants of this globe would be left in the dark, or altogether to the researches of the astronomer. Evidently, if it is a proper subject for our study, we shall not be disappointed in our search for light; for it is declared that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . for instruction, . . . that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16. Indeed, we need not be surprised to find that the Holy Spirit has anticipated our desires in this respect, and given direct answers to our inquiries. So let us remember the word, “Consider what I say;” and by the study of the thoughts of God, he “will give thee understanding in all things.” And here is the “word” to study now. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” “For he spake, and it was; he commanded, and it stood fast.” Ps. 33:6, 9, R. V. Notice! All the words expressive of the acts of the Creator, are in the singular number; one command, one word, one breath, and all the countless host of the heavens stood in their places. The mighty God, the Creator, did not bring one world into existence, throwing it out into space, to see how it would hang upon nothing; and then another, and another, till almost limitless space was filled with worlds. Not at all; but by one word of command “he spake, and it was.” How this magnifies the power and wisdom of that God with whom we have to do! And now “consider” while we read again: “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isa. 40:26. What is to be understood by the words, “their host by number,” and “all the host of them”? The question must have been anticipated, for the answer is given in Heb. 1:2: “By whom also he made the worlds.” And so we see that there are a “host” of these “worlds.” Now let the mind grasp the lesson of Rom. 1:20, which is more easily understood by a transposition of the words of the text, as follows: “For the invisible things of him, even his eternal power and Godhead, are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made.” With this word now before us, let us reach out and take a view of some of “the things that are made,” and thus be able to get a glimpse of the immensity of the universe of God,—the immensity of all the “worlds” that are interested in the controversy between truth and error, that is going on in this world. Astronomers tell us that the suns of the universe seem to be collected into clusters, or systems, like our Milky Way, which seems to go completely around the heavens. All the brighter stars of the firmament belong to this cluster. It is said that in some parts of the heavens, even with the largest telescopes, men are unable to penetrate through and see the blue ethereal space beyond, which intervenes between our system of suns and the next neighboring system. And in other parts, the most powerful telescopes which have been brought to bear, can not sound the farther extremity. As an illustration of the immensity of this one system of suns, we are asked to stand, for one moment, on the farthest extremity of the Milky Way, and then dart off into space, moving with the rapidity of light, which is calculated to be one hundred and ninety-two thousand miles in a second of time; and at least forty thousand years must pass away before we could reach the opposite limit. Now pause and make a few figures to see what this signifies. It simply means 16,588,800,000 miles every twenty-four hours. What then would be the distance traversed in one year? Or in forty years? We are lost in the attempt to grasp the vastness of such numbers. But this is only one starry cluster! How mighty! How incomprehensible is this one cluster, this starry stratum, this island universe of ours! We must remember that this is but one system of suns,—the one to which we belong. Very extensive, indeed. No doubt it equals, perhaps surpasses, any other with which astronomers are acquainted. But this is but one among the vast systems of the universe of God. And so we are invited on another voyage of discovery. Let us go and see. Moving at the same rate, and behold! what do we see? “Another cluster, another stratum of suns, a Milky Way so far removed from our minute sphere, that it only appears as a faint patch of light on the blue canopy that the God of nature has spread over us!” And such, we may understand, are “all the host of them,” that were brought out from nothing “by the breath of his mouth.” In Isa. 40:15, the nations of earth are accounted “as a drop of a bucket.” In comparison to what? Notice that little word “as.” As the drop of water of a bucket is to be compared with the full bucket of water, so the nations of this world are “as a drop,” when compared with the infinite numbers of intelligences of the “host” of the “worlds” that were brought into existence “by the word of the Lord,” and “by the breath of his mouth.” And yet, God loved this world. He loved this fallen race; “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Christ came as a missionary, “to save that which was lost.” And this is the God we worship—“the mighty God, the everlasting Father.” Truly, such a God is able to save to the uttermost, all that come to him through Christ. Praise his name!