The inspired psalmist wrote that “the heavens declare the glory of God.” (Psalm 19:1) From Genesis 1 we know that God created two great heavenly lights, as well as other lights to “be for signs and seasons, for days and years.” (Genesis 1:14) Good reason then for us to consider the moons, even as the psalmist did so consider them (Psalm 8:3).
The earth’s moon functions in a number of ways. It separates day from night and provides reflected light and lunation (the period of time from one full moon to the next). Our moon is also the main cause of earth’s tidal system, without which our oceans would become stagnant. For this function the moon is just the right distance away. Much closer would mean very high tides causing much damage; too far away and it becomes ineffective.
Our moon helps stabilize the earth’s rotation, preventing it from wobbling on its axis. It is also just the right size, position, and distance from the earth and the sun to cause total eclipses of the sun. Accordingly, astronomers can study the sun’s corona and atmosphere.
Is not our moon also a sign indicating
a young solar system?
The same earth-tides caused by the moon are also pushing it away from earth—about one and a half inches per year. By extrapolation, if the solar system were billions of years old, the moon back then would have been touching the earth.
Jupiter has sixty or so moons. Most fascinating and spectacular is the moon Io, which is covered with 150 active volcanoes (400 total). Loki is one volcano that is larger than all the volcanoes on earth combined. Lava is spewed 180-some miles into space, at 2,000 miles per hour. Lava flows can spread very quickly, and one is as large as the state of Nevada. It has been estimated that Io’s lava is one thousand degrees hotter than any lava on earth—another sign pointing to a young solar system.
Saturn has a moon named Enceladus. According to evolutionary theory, it’s supposed to be old, cold and with no energy.
Yet Enceladus has a huge geyser located at its Southern pole, whereby “it spray-paints the other moons of Saturn with snow and ice,” causing them to be brighter than expected. Is God a sign painter also?
God must also appreciate dancing.
Two other moons of Saturn are named Janus and Epimetheus. They are found in close proximity to each other and are called “The Dancing Moons.” Every four years, and right on schedule, these two moons switch their orbits, like speed skaters switching lanes. God must have been smiling when He positioned them!
Miranda is a very small moon of Uranus, only three hundred miles across. Some people are flabbergasted at its surface, described as a patchwork quilt. Miranda has stripes, grooves, craters, canyons miles in depth, a surface “check mark,” a surface-swath that looks like it was painted on, and a vertical cliff that is six miles high. It’s as if God stood back and challenged the earthly wise: “Try to figure this one out!”
Indeed, the heavens declare the power, wisdom and glory of God. When we consider the design, function and diversity of His creation, we can only respond with awe, wonder and praise.
But the greatest sign of God’s eternal love was the sending of His Son from heaven to earth. The psalmist (Psalm 8) declared that in His humiliation, the Messiah was made a little lower than the angels—even accepting help from them. He endured the shame of the cross, atoning for the sins of all humanity. This redeeming sacrifice resulted in the greatest glory—both for Himself and His heavenly Father—and our resurrection lives. The Son has now been exalted far beyond the heavens to a rightful position of power and authority over all things. We see the glory of God in His created heavens. Much more do we see His glory in Jesus, our beautiful Savior.
David Fuerstenau is pastor of Holy Truth Lutheran Church in Ketchikan, Alaska.