When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

Know God As Creator

David looked up into the night sky and he is astounded by the stars that he could see. At that time the visible eye could see about 3000 stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, or as the ancient called it, the “River of the Sky” that ran through that vast field of stars. Isn’t it ironic that today man has much greater knowledge of the universe than David ever could, but we are no longer in awe of God who spoke it into existence. Perhaps that is one of the things that has blinded us to our God, we see much more but we know much less about what we are seeing. We know so much less because we no longer want to see the One who put those stars, planets, galaxies, and nebulas there and so we won’t see that He also placed us in the middle of that river of the night sky. Today, we have gained scientific knowledge, but we have lost Biblical wisdom and perspective.

Biblical wisdom instructs us in Psalms 33:6  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Job 22:12  Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

So, let’s consider God's Universe, let’s view as best we can, His Glory written in the heavens.

The Size of God’s Universe The universe is so vast that no scale model is possible.

If we tried to make a scale model that contained an earth only one inch in diameter, the nearest star at the same scale would be over 51,000 mile away, that is further away than anything on our planet.

Instead, let us use this scale in our model. Let us reduced the distance from the earth to the Sun, 93 million miles, to only the thickness of the page of my Bible, now we got something. Now the distance to the nearest star (4 1/2 light years) would be a stack of paper 71 feet high.

Our Galaxy, 100,000 light years across, at this scale would be a stack of paper 310 miles high.

The known edge of the universe would then be a stack of paper 1/3 of the way to the sun or 30 million miles. (but wait there’s more)

The Immensity of God’s universe. The universe is so immense that no one can count all the stars that fill it.

They estimate that there are over 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone, and they estimate again that there are over 100 million galaxies in the known universe.

In order to count to 100 billion, just the stars in our universe, you would have to count to 250 every minute for 1000 years. (So lets go ahead and get started we’ll wait finish the sermon in 1000 years. That would set a record wouldn’t it?)

In David's time, they had counted the 3000 stars they could see, and they stood in awe of the creation of God. How much more should we stand in awe when we consider the One who holds this vast universe in the palm of His hand?

Psalms 95:3-7 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.  7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Seeing The One Behind Creation

What do you see when you behold the night sky? And please do yourself a favor and every once in a while, get out of town, go camping. Get yourself a blanket, or if you’re old like me and your back and knees can’t get easily after laying on the hard ground, then get a good reclining lawn chair and look up into the real star filled night sky. The same sky David looked into. What do you see? Do you just see stars, planets and darkness or do you see the craftmanship of Jehovah God who hung those stars in the fabric of space, like so many shining diamonds strew out on a vast background of black?

Do you see nothing, or do you see the glory, power and majesty of the Creator? And there behind that miracle of creation you will also see God and yourself as part of that creation.

Psalms 50:6  And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.

Psalms 89:5-6 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. 6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

Romans 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God is talking to us indirectly, through creation but He is talking directly to us in these passages from His word. what a difference that revelation makes. What such a reality, such a truth does for us and to us, who understand and define ourselves within God’s creation of the universe.