"The Maker Of The Earth By His Power"

Jehovah's creative power is evident in our home, the earth. He has placed the earth very carefully in this vast universe. Some scientists believe that many galaxies might prove inhospitable to a life-bearing planet like ours. Much of our Milky Way galaxy was evidently not designed to accommodate life. The galactic center is packed with stars. Radiation is high, and close encounters between stars are common. The fringes of the galaxy lack many elements essential to life. Our solar system is ideally situated between such extremes.

Earth benefits from a distant but giant protector-the planet Jupiter. More than a thousand times the size of Earth, Jupiter exerts a tremendous gravitational influence. The result? It absorbs or deflects objects that speed through space. Scientists figure that if not for Jupiter, the rain of massive projectiles striking the earth would be 10,000 time more severe than at present. Closer to home, our earth is blessed with an unusual satellite -the moon. More than an object of beauty and a "night-light," the moon holds the earth at a constant, steady tilt. That tilt gives the earth its stable, predictable seasons-another important boon to life here.

Jehovah's creative power is evident in every facet of the earth's design. Consider the atmosphere, which serves as a protective shield. The sun emits healthful rays and deadly ones. When the lethal rays strike the earth's upper atmosphere, they cause ordinary oxygen to turn into ozone. The resulting ozone layer, in turn, absorbs most of those rays. In effect, our planet is designed with its own protective umbrella.

Next time: Conclusion with "The Maker Of The Earth By His Power"

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002