Space. The final frontier. Nothing has intrigued the imagination of man more than outer space. The ancients observed the stars and followed their movements, mapping them, trying to understand all that surrounds us and our blue planet. For some lay answers to one’s personal fate and even the future of world events. For others it was a way of finding one’s place in the world, a form of navigation. Other’s believed in a religious phenomenon, believing the stars were closely associated with spiritual beings, perhaps even angels themselves.

Today it is believed that stars are actually suns just like the one our world revolves around. The universe is full of them, and planets too. Other stars are too far for us to reach so we’ve tried our best to gain an understanding from examining the stars and planets in our galaxy. Our study began with the naked eye, then telescopes, then with satellites and eventually a manned mission to the moon. Today we are sending robots to Mars and, perhaps soon, to Europa – one of Jupiter’s moons.

To many people around the world, the exploration of space seems like a giant waste of money. To be sure, it does cost a lot. NASA’s planned mission to Europa is estimated at a minimum of $2 billion US. That price goes up if they decide to put a lander on the surface to take samples of the ice and water that make up the moon’s surface. The lander’s mission, should it get the green light, would be to search for evidence of life on the planet.

We at Think-Biblically are excited by the exploration of outer space for other reasons. For us it is a journey of discovery, one that leads to uncovering more of creation and – by extension – more of the attributes of God. The Bible begins with the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” All is God’s creation, and we know the creation gives testimony about the nature of our Creator from Romans 1.20: “For since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made…”

A discovery of life on other planets, if bacterial or animal, wouldn’t alter anyone’s theology to a great degree. At least for me there is a great curiosity about all of God’s workmanship. Psalm 19.1 tells us “The heavens declare the glory of God” but the psalmist may as well have also asserted it testifies to his creativity. Europa is believed to be completely covered by water, a great ocean whose surface is almost entirely frozen over. In a few places, where the ice is thin, water gushes in great spouts. Such amazing beauty will be captured by an orbiting craft if the mission launches successfully. Why create such beauty in so remote a place it would take mankind thousands of years to discover it? Precisely so that we could discover it.

Genesis 2.6 may sound familiar now, “Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.” This is a description of Eden, the garden God planted to be Adam and Eve’s. It may have fertile ground with plants and animals instead of an icy landscape, but the master Artist of the universe creates wonders everywhere we look. God created the Garden, the planet and even the universe for our pleasure and his. We should explore as much as we can before our time here is through, and even then the adventure isn’t over. Jesus told us he left to prepare yet another place for us, somewhere we can finally be together with our Savior.