God Speaks through His Creation
by Charles R. Swindoll
Psalm 19:1-6
David has packed a lot of great theology into a short space
in Psalm 19. Unfortunately, we can hit only the highlights of these fourteen
verses because neither time nor space permits us to dig into the depths of each
one. However, I urge you to take the outline and use it as a guide in your own,
personal study of this magnificent composition. It is a veritable treasure
house of truth. For six verses, David looks heavenward. He ponders the vast
universe surrounding our little globe, that realm we call deep space.The World God Has Created
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat. (19:1-6)
David celebrates the power and majesty of God, saying He
uses "the heavens" and "their expanse" to declare His
greatness (19:1). Then, the poet-king reminds us that this declaration is (1)
consistent---"day to day . . . night to night"; (2) silent---"no
speech, nor . . . words . . . Their voice is not heard"; and (3)
universal---"all the earth . . . to the end of the world." According
to this song, God's majestic universe contains a message. It is, in fact, a
bold announcement! Regardless of the time of day, location, or our native
language, if we look up, we are able to "hear" His message! We have a
Creator whose power supersedes all human kings and governments. Because
authority implies accountability, we can be reasonably sure this ultimate ruler
will require everyone to stand before Him to be judged.
As the apostle Paul wrote, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them;
for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly
seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without
excuse. (Romans 1:18-20). Did you grasp that? God reveals "His eternal power and
divine nature" so clearly that everyone is left "without
excuse." Don't let anyone tell you that God has hidden Himself from the
world! Every intelligent being lives every waking moment under the constant
reminder of God's presence, sovereignty, and power. Stubborn unbelief causes
humanity to miss God's persistent message. Anyone who struggles with the
mystery of divine silence---whether it's while picking up the pieces after a
disaster, or recovering from the loss of a loved one, or trying to find a burst
of hope to go on beyond a divorce---needs only to look up. God is speaking!
More specifically, consider the sun's symbolism in Psalm
19:4-6: both its appearance and activity provide ample information to anyone
who asks: "Is there a God?" No one other than our God could create,
sustain, and employ such a heavenly body as the sun. Its size, temperature, and
distance from us (thanks to the perfect filter system of our atmosphere)
provide us with just the right level of heat and light.
No comments:
Post a Comment