The Majesty of the Lord - Part III : Women of Hope

The Majesty of the Lord - Part III

by Betty Jackson
Saturday, June 12, 2004

A Study of Psalm 8

In this final article, we can do no better than to introduce our study with the following quote.

"We may style this Psalm the Song of the Astronomer: let us go abroad and sing it beneath the starry heavens at eventide, for it is very probable that in such a position, it first occurred to the poet's mind. Dr. Chalmers says, ‘There is much in the scenery of a nocturnal sky; to lift the soul to pious contemplation. That moon, and these stars, what are they? They are detached from the world, and they lift us above it. We feel withdrawn from the earth, and rise in lofty abstraction from this little theatre of human passions and human anxieties. The mind abandons itself to reverie, and is transferred in the ecstasy of its thought to distant and unexplored regions. It sees nature in the simplicity of her great elements, and it sees the God of nature invested with the high attributes of wisdom and majesty.’" (C.H.Spurgeon, The Treasuries of David, Byron City, MI: Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc., 1970, Vol. I, p. 88).

The awesome beauty of a harvest moon and twinkling stars impacts all of us. Psalmists throughout the book of Psalms express the truth that the glory of God is declared by the heavens (e.g., Ps. 8:1; 19:1-6).

The sky above has fascinated man since the beginning of time. En Hedu’ Anna was the daughter of Sargon the Great, who established a dynasty joining Akkad and Sumeria (http://www.ragz-international.com/sargon_the_great.htm). She lived in the late 2200’s B.C. Her father appointed her high priestess to the pagan Moon God, Nanna, in the city of Ur. We are told that the princess with other priests "established a network of observatories to monitor the movements of the stars" (http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/En.html). Though these idolaters worshipped the moon and other orbs, they observed and charted, in those early days, the movements in the heavens.

The Vastness of the Universe

It seems that the science of astronomy is for the intellectually gifted. However, the simplest child can be awed by the wonders of our Universe. Looking up into the night sky with amazement at its vastness is but a hint of how really vast it is. Peering out into the universe with modern tools reveals an immenseness that, even when reported on paper, is astounding.

But lest we become smug with our modern technology, let us be aware that ancient astronomers lived before telescopes were ever invented. For example, the Egyptians and Mesopotamians possessed solar/lunar calendars (circa 2000 B.C); Aristarchus, in 280 B.C., posed the revolution of Earth around the Sun. The Greek Astronomer, Eratosthenes (circa 276-197 B.C.) calculated our polar diameter to be about 7,850 miles. Without modern tools, even a calculator, he was only 50 miles off! We are told that he made the "first accurate calculation of the curvature of the Earth’s circumference?" (http://www.windows.ucar.edu). Hipparchus (190-120 B.C.), a Greek astronomer, was noted for the first accurate star map. He catalogued over 850 stars.

In more "modern" times, Galileo discovered the Milky Way galaxy and other wonders of the skies (1609 A.D.). In the same year Johann Kepler proclaimed the laws of planetary motion. In 1668, Isaac Newton developed the first reflecting telescope; in 1687 he announced his theory of universal gravitation. Halley predicted the return of Halley’s comet in 1758. In 1781 Uranus was discovered by Herschel. On and on one could go, documenting the genius of many who have studied astronomy in the past.

There are millions and billions of known galaxies, and they continue to increase in number as telescopes probe further and further into space. Galaxies appear to be organized into clusters of galaxies, and those clusters may also be organized into clusters of clusters, known as super clusters. The cluster to which our galaxy belongs is known as the Local Group? We should indeed be truly awed by what we see in creation, both in the ranges of size and complexity. From the atom, to man, to the universe, we see the power, wisdom, and even imagination of the Creator always present (Paul Steidl, The Earth, The Stars, and The Bible, Phillisburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1979, pp. 10-11).

Universal Laws From A Law-giver

There are anomalies that are interesting, such as the retrograde rotation of Venus. Why does this planet rotate in an opposite direction from the other planets in our solar system? Numerous theories are proposed. Then there are the pulsars, stars that literally spin wildly, rotating several times a second! Perhaps our Creator demonstrated his sense of humor by throwing in some unusual objects of wonder!

In a recent press release, NASA announced a newly discovered planet-like body which orbits our Sun which has been unofficially named Sedna. (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/16mar_sedna.htm) What else is yet to be discovered? Who knows! Whatever heavenly bodies await our ability to see them, as we use yet more powerful tools, they will, like their "neighbors," operate according to law.

Many scientists have believed in the "orderly harmony of what exists" (Einstein); "[W]e have only recently begun to glimpse a level in the universe that is more profound and more beautiful in its symmetries than anything we dared imagine only a few years ago (Kaufmann)" (quoted by Wayne Jackson: http://www.christiancourier.com/archives/greatMachine.htm ).

Many such references could be offered. But the point is simply this: it is a well-established fact that laws govern the Universe — "out there" and "down here." The Bible affirms this truth ( Job 38; Jer. 31:35). If there are laws that govern the heavens, the earth, the sea, and our own physical bodies, does it not stand to reason that there is a Law-Giver for our souls? Someone might ask, "How do we know we have a soul?" First, we can establish the fact of God’s existence through that which has been made (Rom. 1:20). Second, the veracity of the Bible can be proved, which tells us about God, his nature, our souls (Ps. 23:3; Mt. 10:28; Heb. 4:12), and his laws for man.

Scientific Accuracy In The Bible

A significant part of the internal evidence for the inspiration of the Bible is its scientific accuracy, whether referencing the heavenly bodies above, or the seas below. Here, in Psalm 8, we have an example from the overwhelming evidence that is available.

David was a shepherd, not a navigator, yet he spoke of the paths of the seas (Ps. 8:8). Inspiration guided his words. Oceanographers have located and charted these paths, or water currents.

Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873) was a colorful individual who was intensely observant of the ocean currents. He is called the "Pathfinder of the Seas." Those words are on a monument in Virginia, honoring him for his oceanography, especially providing the first significant charts of winds and currents (http://www.monumenthouse.com/richmond/monument). The story that many of us may have related in the past, that Maury discovered the ocean currents as a result of reading Psalm 8:8, has been questioned as dubious (See: Matthew Fontaine Maury, Trevor Major (http://www.apologeticspress.org/rr/rr1995/r&r9505b.htm). For an alternate opinion, see Steve Rudd, Matthew Fontaine Maury: Pathfinder Of Sea Psalms 8 (http://www.bible.ca/tracks/matthew-fontaine-maury-pathfinder-of-sea-ps8.htm ). Whatever the case, there is no doubt from historical records that he revered the Bible and had every confidence in the reliability of that Holy Book.

The discoveries of many like Matthew Fontaine Maury and Benjamin Franklin completely corroborate the claim of the Bible that it is the word of God.

Women Can Make A Difference

Some may ask, "Why is this kind of information on a woman’s web page?" The reason is—you may have children to teach. If you have children in public school, they likely will come home telling you that the Universe is billions of years old. What will you say? Can you, with confidence, show your child that this is not true, or will you compromise God's word and say it doesn’t matter how old the earth is? When the Discovery channel discusses evolutionary adaptation of creatures, what will you say? When your child tells you that we evolved from some ape-like creature, will you be able to convince him that his teacher is wrong? If we are not prepared to teach our children, we will lose them. Look around at the "graying" of the church, where are the young people? Why have we lost them?

When you are out on a star-lit night, speak of the creation by God, and the laws that govern the Universe. This can be a great object lesson. Teach that laws require a law-giver, design demands a designer, and effects must have an adequate cause. Teach children that there is evidence for belief. Faith is not a leap in the dark or a better-felt-than-told religion. When it is based on solid evidence, there will be fewer of our young people who fall away from the faith. Mothers, grandmothers, and Bible class teachers can make a difference—if they will take the time and make the effort to do it.