Reasons to Believe

How did our universe get here? You may know from reports about space telescopes and probes that most scientists realize that our universe did not always exist. It had a beginning, and it is expanding.  What does this imply? Listen to astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell:  "If at some point in the past, the Universe was once close to a singular state of infinitely small size and infinite density, we have to ask what was there before . . .We have to face the problem of a Beginning." 

The makeup of the universe, including our earth, reflects amazing fine-tuning.  For example, two remarkable qualities of our sun and other stars are long-term efficiency and stability. Current estimates of the number of galaxies in the visible universe range from (50,000,000,000)  to 125 billion. And our Milky Way galaxy has billions upon billions  of stars in it.  Now consider: We know that an automobile engine requires a critical ratio of fuel and air.  If you own a car, you may hire a trained mechanic to tune its engine, so that your car will run smoother, more efficiently. If such precision is important with a mere engine, what of our efficiently  "burning" sun, for example?  Clearly, the key forces involved are precisely tuned for life to exist on earth.  Did that just happen?  Job of old was asked:  "Did you proclaim the rules that govern the heavens, or determine the laws of nature on earth?"  (Job 38:33, The New English Bible)  No human did. So from whence came the precision? -Psalm 19:1.  

Might it be from some thing or from some One that cannot be seen with human eyes?  Consider  this question in the light of modern science.  Most astronomers now accept that there are very powerful heavenly bodies-black holes. These black holes cannot be seen, yet experts are convinced that  they exist. Comparably, the Bible reports that in another realm there exists powerful creatures that cannot be seen-spirit creatures. If such powerful, invisible beings exist, is it not plausible that the precision  revealed throughout the universe originated with a powerful Intelligence? -Nehemiah 9:6.

Next time: Continue with Reasons to Believe

From the Watchtower magazine, 1999