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Is there physical
extraterrestrial life on other planets in the universe? Are we being visited by
such life today? Many people firmly believe that such life exists. Some scientists tell us
that we are very arrogant to think that "we are the only ones" who exist
in this vast universe. There are also many people who believe that we are being
visited by physical beings from planets outside of our solar system. It will be our purpose in this study to see what the
Bible teaches about extraterrestrial life.
There are two things that we
need to point out as we begin our study: First,
there is
something "built-in" to human beings
that causes us to look to a superior being for salvation.
This accounts for the fact that even the most primitive people on the earth
believe in a "higher power." The problem today is that many people in our
world are materialist in their outlook and are looking for physical salvation.
They expect that if physical, extraterrestrial beings exist, that they will come
to the earth and "save us." Could it be that our old enemy Satan is using
this desire to cause people to deny God's word and look for the wrong kind of
salvation - to look somewhere other than
where they should be looking? It is my opinion that this is what is taking
place, at least in the life of some people.
People are not looking to God's word to find a savior, they are looking to
nature. They are looking to the materialistic theory of evolution.
The Second
thing we need to point out is that belief in physical
extraterrestrial life rests upon the foundation of the theory of evolution.
If the theory of evolution is false, the belief in physical extraterrestrial
life is foolish. This is why scientists are looking for water on
Mars and other bodies in the solar system and universe. They believe that life
came from water on this earth, and they believe that is the only way life could
have come about other places in the universe. It is all based on the theory of
evolution. If the theory of evolution is false (as I believe that it is),
then scientists are searching in vain for extraterrestrial life.
MANY BELIEVE IN
There are many people throughout the world who believe that ET's exist. They believe
there is intelligent life on other planets in our universe. In fact, although scientists have
seen no planets other than those in our own solar system, they tell us that there are
literally millions of planets in the universe that can support life. They claim that they have
discovered planets outside of our solar system and they believe they exist because they can see a
gravitational pull on some stars. Even if such planets exist, there is absolutely no evidence
that life exists on them.
Alien life is the subject of
popular television programs and movies like
Star Trek and Star
Wars, and such programs have become very popular with people all over the world. Some
who adhere to the New Age religions actually claim they have had telepathic
communications with ET's. There are others who sincerely believe they have seen alien
space craft. Thousands claim aliens have abducted them. Some have even made the claim
that they have traveled to the home planets of the aliens.
There can be no doubt that many others, though they may have doubts, want to believe in
extraterrestrial life. But they do not want to believe in just any
extraterrestrial life. They want to believe in extraterrestrial life that is
more intelligent, more advanced, and more benevolent than man. They want to
believe that ET's will
provide a way to escape the evils and
troubles that we have brought upon ourselves on this earth.
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES
Many people have asked, "What does the Bible say about this subject?" The short
answer to that question is this: It says absolutely nothing about the kind of
extraterrestrial life under consideration in this question. The fact is,
however, that the Bible teaches that extraterrestrial life exists. The Bible
teaches that there are spiritual beings such as angels, God, the Holy Spirit and
Jesus Christ in heaven. It speaks of the Devil and his angels and demons. But
it never speaks of material, physical extraterrestrial life. Although the Bible does not address this question explicitly, that is, it does not just come
right out and say there are no physical extraterrestrial beings, it does address it implicitly
by teaching us that God created human, animal, and plant life only on the earth. This is the ONLY material life that the Bible speaks of!
For example, the Bible does
not teach that the stars and planets were created billions of years before the
earth was created. In fact, it says,
"In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth"
(Genesis 1:1). The earth was created on the first day of creation. Yet,
it was not until the fourth day that the Bible says, Then
God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day
from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the
earth"; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule
the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to
rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.
And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the
fourth day."
(Gen. 1:14-19). Why did God create the earth on the first day and wait until the
fourth day to create the rest of the planets, the stars, the moon and the sun? One possibility
is that it was to emphasize the fact that the earth is unique and holds center stage in God's
creation.
The Bible also teaches that
the fate of the universe (of every other planet and every object in space) is tied forever
to God's timetable for mankind and the Earth. The Bible teaches,
"But the day of
the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away
with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth
and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these
things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy
conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements
will melt with fervent heat?" (2 Peter 3:10-12).
What believer in the Bible can deny that the Bible teaches that this present
universe with all it's many stars which make up millions of galaxies and all the
planets and other objects in space will be destroyed. This
destruction is based on God's dealings with people who live
on this earth!
What does this have to do
with the existence of extraterrestrial life? It is a fact, that this timetable
and the whole reason for this destruction is based on God's plan for earthlings.
I know people will speculate that God had the power to send Jesus to die for the
sins of the ET's on their own planets. But if that were so, then the Bible
cannot be true, because the Hebrew writer, in speaking of Jesus dying for sin
wrote, ". . . who does not need daily, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the
people's, for this He did ONCE FOR ALL when He offered up Himself.
(Hebrews 7:27). Hebrews 9:12 says,
"Not with the blood of
goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place ONCE FOR
ALL, having obtained eternal redemption." Hebrews 9:26 says,
"...but now, ONCE at the end of the ages, He has appeared
to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (emphasis
mine - RH). There can be no doubt that
Jesus died only ONCE for sin. Thus, to say that He died here on earth and then was sent to
other planets to die for them is to take a position contrary to what the Scriptures clearly
teach. Some may argue that God could have sent a different Savior to other planets.
However, the Bible is clear in expressing the fact that there are only three persons in the
Godhead. It also makes clear that only one of them died, and that only Jesus was qualified
to die for sin (Hebrews
4:14-15). Men want to believe in a savior - an extraterrestrial who will bring salvation.
Nevertheless, there is only one extraterrestrial that has ever qualified as Savior and that is
Jesus Christ. He only came to THE EARTH to die for the sins of PEOPLE who inhabit the
earth. The Bible says that we are to go "into all the WORLD" and
"preach the gospel to the whole creation" or
"all nations" (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20 ASV). The "world" is planet earth. The "creation"
or "nations" are people
who inhabit planet earth. There's no implication anywhere in the scriptures that the gospel
is for any others, or that any others even exist.
The question arises, if this earth is the only place where life exists, then why would God
create such a vast universe? Why the millions of light-years distance between the objects in
space? Why so many millions of these objects, such as the many millions of galaxies that
scientists have discovered? The Bible sets forth two reasons:
First, as we read from
Genesis 1:14, "Let there be lights in the firmament
of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and
for seasons, and for days, and years." Without the sun, moon, planets and
stars, it would be hard for man to do certain things. Things like telling time, navigating,
and traveling from place to place. Even from the earliest recorded history, people used the
movement of stars in producing their calendars and finding their way across great
distances. Some scientists believe that even some migrating birds use the constellations for
their navigation.
The second great reason God
created the universe as He did was to focus man's attention on God's greatness,
glory and power. "The heavens declare
the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork." (Psalms 19:1). The
vastness of the universe is a tremendous expression of God's might and power. It
shows how superior He is to us. The universe declares that He is greater than we
can ever imagine, even greater than the spectacular creation He has created. The
Psalmist wrote, "O
Yahweh, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have
set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the
enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are
mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a
little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You
have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; you have put all
things under his feet, all sheep and oxen; even the beasts of the field, the
birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the
seas. O Yahweh, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!"
(Psalm 8:1-9). The
Psalmist really shows here how much God loves us. What is man that God would be
mindful of him? How could a God so great and powerful that He could create this vast
universe, love such a small and insignificant being as man? Yet, He does love us. He loved
us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins, and has set man to have dominion over
the works of His hands.
Thus, rather than dreaming up fantasies of alien beings when we consider the vastness of
the universe, we need to meditate upon the glory of God. Upon His majesty and power, and
His love for us, even though we are so small in comparison to this vast universe He has
created. We need to recognize that we will outlast this enormous universe - and that we will
live forever - and that we ought to see the need to get ready for that day when this universe
will be destroyed by the all-powerful Creator.
The real issue in all these speculations concerning extraterrestrial life, is man's desire to
reject God and live the way he wants to live, but at the same time to have some hope that
someone will come and save him.
The Bible makes clear that when men reject a knowledge of God they begin to look
somewhere else for a substitute. "For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew
God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became
futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to
be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into
an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and
creeping things." (Romans 1:18-23). Man has now
"progressed" to the point where he worships the things of
the universe and looks for his salvation from the stars. He has rejected a knowledge of God
and looks somewhere else for a substitute.
The real, overriding issue with man goes back to what it always goes back to - AUTHORITY! Whose authority are we going to respect? Who are we going to obey?
It's the authority of God versus the opinions and speculations of men. All other issues are
related to and rooted in this one issue. God's word contradicts man's opinions and
speculations concerning the origin of this universe, and thus life on other planets. You
cannot believe the Bible and at the same time believe in the theory of evolution. You cannot
reject the theory of evolution and believe in physical extraterrestrial life, because the existence of
physical extraterrestrial life depends on the theory of evolution being true.
The Bible tells us that God created life on planet earth. Those who search for life in any
other part of the universe search in vain. The claim for the discovery of life in the so-called
"Martian rocks" by NASA scientists several years ago, and any other claims of life outside
this earth, are simply attempts to explain the origin of life without God - something which
cannot be done but something man has tried to do for centuries.
So, we have to decide. Am I
going to accept what the Bible says about life in this universe or am I going to accept the opinions, speculations and imaginations of men? The Bible
speaks of life being created in no other place but planet earth. The Bible makes clear that
planet earth and in particular men who inhabit planet earth are the center of His attention
and the subject of His plan of redemption.
Oh, I know thousands of people have seen objects they consider to be extraterrestrial
(flying discs or flying saucers). Some Christians have seen them. I myself have seen what
could be described as flying saucers. But why jump to the conclusion that such craft are
extraterrestrial? Isn't it more reasonable to conclude that they belong to and were invented
by men? Yes, certainly more reasonable and in harmony with the scriptures,
understanding that the Bible does not teach that there are any physical, material
extraterrestrial beings to build such craft.
My friends, God (an extraterrestrial being) sent His Son
(an extraterrestrial being) to come to this earth
and die for your sins (John
3:16). You must look to Him for salvation. You must obey
Him (Matthew
7:21; Hebrews 5:8-9). |
UFO's,
ET's AND THE BIBLE
