Faith Of Our Fathers
The heavens declare the glory of the Lord Psalm 19:1
Declare – “Prior to faith are premises or prerequisites of faith, such as a sense of wonder, radical amazement, reverence, a sense of the mystery of all being.”[1] David must have read Abraham Heschel. Or maybe it was the other way around.
David says, “The heavens declare.” They don’t just hint or suggest or imply. That would be the equivalent of David producing a teleological argument (the argument from intelligent design). David isn’t Greek. He shouts Hashamayim mesaprim. The verb (sopar) carries the picture, “to support the word of a person.” The verb is used to describe counting, recounting, relating and declaring. David might as well be saying, “The heavens back up God’s word – and the words of all those who remember His acts.” The heavens are the canvas upon which God paints the Torah. The language of the stars is visible; the Torah is audible; the combination is invincible.
But what else would you expect? Didn’t God speak it all into existence – the heavens and the Torah? Would we really expect the heavens not to be the backdrop for His words? Certainly David wouldn’t. In fact, the reason the Bible never even attempts to “prove” God’s existence is simply because the Bible isn’t a textbook in philosophy or theology. It is a record of remembering – remembering the God who acts. It is a narrative of the events of God, of the world from God’s point of view. It is God’s book, not ours. Therefore, divine majesty is written into the letters on the page (and they are not in English, are they?).
Let’s rethink apologetics and evangelism. Let’s stand under the starry sky and wonder at the size of this place. Let’s watch the sun create a moving display of atmospheric fireworks every morning and every evening. Be amazed! Let’s look as deeply as we can into the inner workings of the smallest of all objects and the largest of all collections and be in reverence for our awareness of it all. Let’s try to imagine why it is all here if it is not here for God’s purpose. Then we must see that we are not the cause or the reason. Then we must conclude that the universe is not ours to manage or control. Something greater is demanded of us.
And it would all be a mystery if He did not demonstrate His mercy by revealing His will.
The heavens support it, but it is up to us to live it. Maybe it is time to stop and smell the roses.
Topical Index: declare, sopar, apologetics, evangelism, Psalm 19:1
Today is my wife’s birthday. We are taking an amazing balloon ride to celebrate her amazing life. Happy birthday, sweetheart.
[1] Abraham Heschel, Spiritual Audacity and Moral Grandeur, p. 276.
Great post! The attachment with the stars, galaxy, and universe information was insane! Sadly, I didn’t know a lot of it, but it’s amazing how much we know… and how little we know, too. I can’t fathom how someone could map out our solar system and universe as much as it has been and still think it all happened randomly by chance. I don’t know the timeline of creation and where the dinosaurs fit in, but really, do I have to? I’m continually amazed at the intricacy of what He created and how each tiny little piece fits so perfectly into the tapestry. I mean, God could have just created our planet and solar system and it could have worked just fine. But He didn’t. He made it so much more complex and so much more majestic, and oh so much more immense… No wonder David says that the heavens are proof of His majesty and glory. They practically shout, “Hey! I’m not an accident!” And if the stars, so beautiful, cold, and lifeless, were placed with care and precision, how much more so are we created and placed in the perfect kairos moment for God to know, love, and use.
Psalm 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Good morning,
Maybe Psalm 19 is an answer to Melanie’s question yesterday regarding the nature of prayer.
In Psalm 19, David seems to be saying that God (the chief Musician) gives us two things to remember him by, Nature (beauty) and the Law (good and true).
Psalm 19:14 David seems to imply that there are two forms of prayer (words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart).
David asks that all of the “words of his mouth” to God always find favor.
The heavens declare the glory of the Lord Psalm 19:1
What a statement! I am in complete agreement with you Skip. The WONDER of the numerics of scripture gives us a vital insight into God, in the above verse. Scripture states that we are created after the IMAGE or likeness of God. Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
There was a man who appeared throughout the scriptures, and in Ezekiel, we read:
Eze 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
The fact that Jesus is God in human form is a fact that the scriptures confirm in many many places.
The heavens declare the glory of the Lord
This verse, when the entire value of it’s Hebrew letters are totaled, is 888, which is the exact same total as JESUS in the new testament Greek text. Coincidence? I know better.
May we always rejoice in how “fearfully and wonderfully made” we are.
Happy Birthday Rosanne!!!!
What a wonderful gift from Skip. Enjoy looking at the canvas from a VERY different angle.
Feel the wonder, celebrate your life and sing praises that God created you.
Again, Happy Birthday!!
All of YHVH’s creation is an amazement! Every little detail even smaller than the atom, He spoke and it came into being. Imagine if we just spoke His torah continually in the hebrew what healing would take place. The law of entropy would cease. In Zeph 3:9, It says there will be a restoration of the pure language that is a part of the whole restorative plan of Elohim. Our words our powerful they speak life or they speak death and Shaul had it right, it is the most difficult thing to control. May our words bless YHVH and edify one another, I am saying this because I need to be careful how I use my tongue.
Skip may you and your wife have a beautiful balloon ride and wish her happy birthday. It is my birthday as well and will be spending it with friends & family.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1.20)
This is step #1. There is a creation, therefore there is a Creator. There is a watch- therefore there is a watch factory. But this is just “step number one.” It’s a big one, granted, but we should not remain on this first step. – We need to travel on further to know this G-d. Is He knowable? Is is possible for sinful man to know a G-d who has revealed Himself to be holy?
How may we come to know Him further still? How is it we come to “know” anyone? -By spending time with them. By listening to their words. By witnessing their actions. “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure or whether it be right.” (Proverbs 20.11)
Is is possible for us to know our Creator further still? For not only is He our Creator.. He also is…
I have been hoping for YEARS that you would address this verse, Skip! Thank you so much for these stirring insights from God’s word. This blesses me enormously. I want to be able to share it with others – may they be blessed also.
I hope it will not be considered offensive or inappropriate if I share the following link for anyone interested in pursuing another avenue in this context…if so, I apologize in advance…but this is part of what I believe to be my life’s work, if that doesn’t sound too pompous… God’s glory is revealed in the world around us!
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8864.html
Blessings,
John
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your life’s work; your understanding of math seems otherwordly to me.
And I cannot imagine a more distinguished academic career.
Great pictures too 🙂
Thank you Michael, I do appreciate your kind words. I’m just a “plodder” and always have been, but by God’s grace have been able to use some of what He gave me!
As an undergraduate, struggling with all the philosophies and idealogies that confronted me, as a new believer, I was always comforted by 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Thank you,
John
“I was always comforted by 1 Corinthians 1:26-31”
Hi John,
Well, I’m just learning to appreciate Paul, but I do especially like 1 Corinthians 1.
But I like to include 1:23-25 with the passage above and focus on my favorite phrases:
1 Corinthians 1:23 …. here we are preaching a crucified Christ
1 Corinthians 1:24 …. to those who have been called
1 Corinthians 1:25 …. a Christ who is the power and wisdom of God
I think Shakespeare must have been reading Paul when he wrote King Lear:
No, no, no, no! Come, let’s away to prison:
We two alone will sing like birds i’ th’ cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing; I’ll kneel down
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we’ll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we’ll talk with them too –
Who loses and who wins, who’s in, who’s out –
And take upon’s the mystery of things,
As if we were God’s spies; and we’ll wear out,
In a wall’d prison, packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by th’ moon.
Speaking of God and Nature, I especially like your image of the Shimmer Tree:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9962195@N02/4191201186/
Yes, Michael, that was fun to take! You can read more about it at the link below; it was published on the Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) site – for the rest of them just type my name in the “search” box.
http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2009/12/shimmer-tree.html
EPOD: http://epod.usra.edu/blog/
Michael, I did reply to this comment but it appears never to have got through the “awaiting moderation” filter!
I can send you the links I tried to give you through this forum via email if you wish!
John
Hi John,
Sure, I’d like to see the links.
My email is mao007@gmail.com
Thanks!
Sorry about that. I don’t know why it got hung up, but it is up now.
Thank you Skip. I did wonder if the two links caused the system to get indigestion.