cosmos - Pray Ntwk Archive - The Reimagine Network2024-03-29T11:24:07Zhttps://reimaginenetwork.ning.com/forum/topics1/feed/tag/cosmosChrist and the Cosmoshttps://reimaginenetwork.ning.com/forum/topics1/christ-and-the-cosmos2022-07-23T12:00:26.000Z2022-07-23T12:00:26.000ZSalvatore Anthony Luisohttps://reimaginenetwork.ning.com/members/SalvatoreAnthonyLuiso<div><div dir="ltr">Last week NASA published an article entitled "NASA’s Webb Delivers Deepest Infrared Image of Universe Yet". One can read this article and see the picture it is about here: <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-delivers-deepest-infrared-image-of-universe-yet" target="_blank">https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-delivers-deepest-infrared-image-of-universe-yet</a></div>
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<div dir="ltr">The article says:</div>
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<div><strong>Webb’s image is approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length, a tiny sliver of the vast universe.</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">That picture of "a tiny sliver of the vast universe" contains dozens and dozens of galaxies, each of which contains a myriad of stars. (Astronomers estimate that the galaxy in which we live, the Milky Way, contains between 100 billion and 400 billion stars.)</div>
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<div dir="ltr">When you look at it, think of those facts with what the Bible says about the Lord Jesus Christ:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>The same was in the beginning with God.<br /> </strong></div>
<div><strong>All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—John 1:1–3 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div><strong>For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether <em>they be</em> thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:</strong></div>
<div><strong>And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Colossians 1:16–17 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>And [God said to His Son], Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Hebrews 1:10–12 (quoting Psalm 102:25–27) (AV/KJV)<br /> </strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">These facts may cause us to feel insignificant before Him:</div>
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<div><strong>When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;</strong></div>
<div><strong>What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?</strong></div>
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<strong>—Psalm 8:3–4 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">But we may not feel insignificant if we think of <em>how</em> He visited us:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—John 1:14 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">The Word visited the son of man as <em>the</em> Son of man (Matthew 18:11; Mark 10:45; Luke 9:56; John 3:13)!</div>
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<div dir="ltr">For even though Solomon, one of the sons of David, spoke rightly when he said:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who <em>am</em> I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>[. . .]</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—II Chronicles 2:6 and 6:18 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Yet it is true that God became manifest in the flesh as <em>the</em> Son of David, and did dwell with men on earth, and was contained not only in a house, but, at His birth, in a manger--and offered up Himself as a sacrifice for sins (I Timothy 3:16; Matthew 22:41–46; Luke 2:7; Hebrews 9:24–28)!</div>
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<div dir="ltr">And if this is true of Him:</div>
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<br /> <strong>He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by <em>their</em> names.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Psalm 147:4 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Then surely it is also true that He knows not only the number of us, but knows each of us by name, too.</div>
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<div dir="ltr">Thus we see good reasons for the Scriptures to say that both His glory and His mercy are "above the heavens" (Psalms 108:4 and 113:4).</div>
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<div dir="ltr">Furthermore: if this is true of Him:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: <em>when</em> I call unto them, they stand up together.<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Isaiah 48:13 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Then surely it is also true that we should heed Him and respond to Him when He calls us.</div>
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<div dir="ltr">And if this is true:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Mark 13:31 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Then surely it is also true that we should heed, believe, and trust all of His words.</div>
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<div dir="ltr">And if the following are true:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Psalm 19:1 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Psalm 97:6 (AV/KJV)<br /> </strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Then surely it is also true that we should declare His glory and righteousness.</div>
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<div dir="ltr">In conclusion: surely these exhortations are right, just, and proper:</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.<br /> </strong></div>
<div dir="ltr">[. . .]</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>[Praise the LORD] Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:</strong></div>
<div><strong>Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>—Psalm 148:3, 11–12 (AV/KJV)</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>Amen!</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong><u>Questions for consideration</u></strong>
<div dir="ltr">1. What does the fact that all things were created by Christ mean to you?</div>
<div dir="ltr">2. What does the fact that all things were created by Christ make you feel?</div>
<div dir="ltr">3. What does the fact that all things were created for Christ mean to you?</div>
<div dir="ltr">4. What does the fact that all things were created for Christ make you feel?</div>
<div dir="ltr">5. What does the fact that He by whom all things were created became one of us and dwelt among us mean to you?</div>
<div dir="ltr">6. What does the fact that He by whom all things were created became one of us and dwelt among us make you feel?</div>
<div dir="ltr">7. Do the facts related in this article affect your perception of Christ? If so, how? If not, why not?</div>
<div dir="ltr">8. Do the facts related in this article affect your attitude toward Christ? If so, how? If not, why not?</div>
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