Genesis Lecture 37 (Fourth day of the Creation 2)
Bible passage: Genesis 1:14-19
“14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. 17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.”
This is the 37th Lecture on Genesis.
I'll continue to explain the 4th day of the Creation from the last lecture. On the 4th day, God created the sun, the moon, and stars. In astronomical terminology, God created "our Galaxy" during the 4th day of the Creation. The stars beyond our galaxy have existed since there was only one space, "the original space." Compared to the vastness of the space, the earth is less than a tiny speck. In the last lecture, I said that the earth, among the all the stars in the first heaven, might be compared to a grain of sand of a beach. Scientists even say that the number of the stars in the universe is greater than the number of grains of sand that make up all the beaches of the earth.
They say so because they assume that there are roughly 100 billion galaxies in the universe. In our galaxy, which is one of 100 billion galaxies, there are about 100 billion stars. Therefore, the number of stars in the entire universe is more than 100 billon times 100 billion (1 with 22 zeros after it!) People call all the small shining lights in the night sky "stars." In astronomy, only the celestial body that can shine by itself is called "a star." Before I go on any further, let me explain some terms first. First, "the celestial bodies" refer to "all the existing things (material objects) of the universe." A "body," which shines by itself in a relatively fixed location, like the sun of the Solar System for example, is called a "star." This is the definition of a "star" in astronomy, and the most of stars that we can see in the night sky are the celestial bodies that can shine by themselves. An extreme number of material celestial bodies only reflect the sunlight, and this makes them appear as stars. For example, Venus, which is called the "Morning Star," cannot shine by itself.
But you can find it shining brightly in the eastern sky at the dawn. However, Venus doesn't shine by itself, but it only reflects the sunlight to make it luminous. In the Solar System, there are celestial bodies that circle around the sun in a regular cycle. Such celestial bodies which "revolve around a star" are called "planets." Since the earth circles around the sun every year, the earth is also a planet. And the celestial bodies which "circle around a planet," like the moon which circles around the earth for example, are called "satellites." Therefore, the things which man launched to circle around the earth are called "artificial satellites." Sometimes, these satellites reflect the sunlight, and they seem like bright stars. By the way, you can find one similarity from these countless celestial bodies such as stars, planets, and satellites. It is that they all look like a ball. What does it mean?
It means that all these celestial bodies are created by one God the Creator. Scientists say the space particles which resulted from the Big Bang attached to one another, forming globular bodies as they traveled for a long time. (If it were true, the artificial satellites would change into globular bodies as well. Some of them circle around the earth every 2 hours. But they don't change into globes.) Pebbles, which can be found at the mouth of a river or on a beach, are said to be originally rocks, but their angled corners were cut and split to have rounded corners. However, the pebbles are not globes. Some of them are not rounded but flat. Some others are elongated. Even though their angular corners were cut for thousands of years, they all have different shapes.
The countless stars in the universe, however, are all globes like a ball. You don't say it is a coincidence. God the Creator planned and designed them that way, and He created them that way. Now, why did God created all the celestial bodies to have the shape of a globe? Why didn't He put some individuality into them to have a varied appearance? The colors of light of something are major factors to make people who see it think that it's beautiful. However, a balance of its shape is also another important factor. A rough gemstone itself can shine to a certain degree with colors of light, but when it is cut into a balanced shape, it looks more beautiful and shines more intensely. Flowers are beautiful because they have beautiful colors. However, they are beautiful because they are also well balanced from a structural point of view. No matter what flowers you see, they have mirrored symmetry.
If a shape were to be folded in half over the axis, the two halves would be identical; this is mirror or bilateral symmetry. Many flowers have this symmetry with more than one axis to have the amazing beauty of perfection. If flowers didn't have mirror symmetry, no matter how colorful they are, they wouldn't look so beautiful. I once showed you the crystal structure of snow which has the shape of hexagon. The reason you feel the snow crystal is beautiful is also because they have the beauty of perfect balance. By the way, when a thing has a shape of a globe, it has an infinite number of axes of symmetry. An objects or a figures that have the most beauty of perfection are the planar shape circle and the solid shape sphere. That's why God created countless stars in the universe to have a shape of a globe or sphere. This is the first evidence that the only One God created the sun, the moon, and stars.
The second evidence is that the orbits of planets of the Solar System and the distance between them are in great harmony. There are eight planets in our Solar System. In order of increasing distance from the Sun, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The sizes of the sun and its planets are most appropriate as they now exist. And the distances between the sun and each of the planets, and the distances between each of the individual planets are most appropriate as they are now. For example, two men are facing each other, with their arms stretched toward each other, and their palms touch each others. If they push each other with the same strength, they will stay where they are now. Even though they are pushing each other, to a third person, they just seem to stand facing each other.
If one of them applies less strength, however, the balance of strength is broken, and both of them will not be able to stand as they are, but they will wobble. By the same token, the reason the eight planets are staying in the current location is because they maintain the proper sizes and the distance from others. Even though invisible, God created them wisely so that the balance of their gravity is precisely maintained. Therefore, if the sun or any planet were smaller or bigger than now, the entire Solar System would be affected by it. The heat of the sun is the same. According to the research of scientists, no plants in the earth could survive if the heat of the sun were hotter by 5%. If plants cannot survive, animals naturally wouldn't survive. You can confirm this fact that no living thing is found on Venus which is closer to the sun than the earth or on Mars which is farther from the sun.
Dear brothers and sisters. As astronomy develops, many secrets of our Solar System are being revealed. Let me introduce one of them. As I told you earlier, there are about 100 billion stars like the sun in our galaxy only. These stars also have their own planets just as the sun has its planets. Up until May 2010, about 450 planets of others stars, besides the planets of our Solar System, had been found. These planets have something different from the planets of our Solar System. In other words, the planets of our Solar System have something different from extrasolar planets. Planets are generally divided into two main types: rocky terrestrials and gas giants. The surfaces of rocky terrestrials are covered with rock; they are small in volume, but high in density. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are such terrestrials. Gas Giants have rock in their core, but they are the planets with a composition largely made up of gas. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are such gas giants. In gas giants, tremendous strength of wind blows due to extreme speed of gas, which results in mega sized windstorms.
In a common sense, therefore, a better environment for a living thing to survive can be found more easily on rocky terrestrials than in gas giants. Astronomers have expected to find in the vast universe a planet which has the same conditions as the earth. However, extrasolar planets which have been discovered so far are mostly gas giants. In addition, these extrasolar planets are located closer to their stars. Unlike these extrasolar planets, gas giants in our Solar System are located far from the sun. This placement is very unique. Gas giants are placed far from the sun, and rocky terrestrials like the earth are placed more closely to the sun. Among the rocky terrestrials, the earth is located in the best place where living things can maintain their existence. With this one fact in mind, you can see that the Solar System didn't come to existence by chance or accident.
God planned it with a high level of wisdom, and created it with His amazing power. The third evidence that God created the sun, the moon, and stars is the fact that the distance between each of them and their sizes are in profound and mysterious harmony. In the last lecture, I explained how different the sun and the moon are in their volume. Calculating their volumes, the sun is 1.3 million times bigger than the earth; the moon is one 50th of the earth, and the sun is 65 million times bigger than the moon. Now, when comparing their diameters, the sun is 400 times that of the moon. If you draw the sun and the moon on a piece of paper according to proper proportion, the sun should have a diameter with a length that is 400 times greater than that of the moon.
If you draw the moon with a 4 centimeter diameter, the diameter of the sun should be 4 meters. However, the size of the sun and the moon seem to be about the same seen from the earth, and it is because the moon is 400 times closer to the earth than the sun. The fact that their sizes look almost same from the earth is by no means a coincidence. It is possible only when the 4 conditions are precisely met. They are the relative sizes of the sun and the moon must be met while the relative distances from the earth to the sun, and from the earth to the moon must also be met. It wouldn't be possible if the sun were a little bigger than it is now or if the moon were a little smaller than it is now. If the distance between the sun and the earth or between the earth and the moon were different, even a little, from what it is now, the sizes of the sun and the moon would not seem identical. In the Solar System, among the planets which have satellites, the earth is the only planet which has the satellite that looks similar in size compared to the sun. Due to this fact, there are special phenomena can be observed from the earth.
They are the solar eclipse, and lunar eclipse. Solar eclipse is an occasion when the moon hides a part of or all of the sun. And lunar eclipse is an occasion when the shade of the earth covers the moon. The sizes and distances between the sun, the moon, and the earth, along with the revolutions of the moon and the earth makes complex but precise harmony; and this results in periodic solar and lunar eclipses. It is said that the likelihood of having periodic solar and lunar eclipses by three celestial bodies' interaction is close to zero. These phenomena that can be almost impossible to take place are observed on the earth. However, scientists of the world insist that this probability of 0% took place "by accident" through a big bang. And many people of the world believe that what they say is true. The celestial bodies of the universe that operates precisely didn't come to an existence by accident, but they were created by God the Father. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. All agree that the sun is a must for every living thing to survive. On the other hand, the moon doesn't shine by itself, nor does it generate heat by itself.
Then, why did God created the moon to stay with the earth? There are fleshly and spiritual reasons. Let me tell you the fleshly reason first. As science develops, people recognize the importance of the moon more and more. What if the moon disappeared? First of all, flow and ebb of the tide would disappear from the seas. Then, mudflats would dry, and it would cause to loss of habitat to clams, crabs, and small octopus that live on the tidal beach. Also, changes would be made to the circulation of the seawaters so that the pollutants couldn't be purified. The earth is rotating tilted by 23.5 degree, and it is thanks to the moon that it can stably rotate even though it is tilted like this. It is because the gravitation of the moon holds the rotation of the earth on its axis in stability. If the moon disappeared, just like a top which is about to fall down, the earth would roll and pitch heavily. If the moon were closer to the earth by 10% than it is now, all the continents of the earth would completely submerge under water twice a day.
There is another bit of research available. The research shows that the certain amount of light from the moon is a must for the survival of many living things under the sea. It is known that many kinds of things living in the seas surface to receive a certain amount of moon light and then re-submerge. Even some sort of the crustaceans which live in flesh water, not in sea water, and reptiles and insects are found to need the moon light for their survival. Point made, the result is that the earth needs the sun, and it definitely needs the moon as well. Dear brothers and sisters. There is also a spiritual reason that God put the moon and stars to shine in the night. God separated the light from the darkness, and called the darkness night. However, it is a fact that even in a dark night, there is a light. There is the moon that shines by reflecting the sunlight, and many stars out in the solar system shine their light to lighten up the darkness at night. The moon and stars at night guide people with their lights. People can determine their direction at night by looking up to the moon and stars in the night sky. There are lights at night in the urban area. Even in a remote area, there is the moonlight and starlight so that people might not stumble in the dark of night. God created some of them especially big to be noticed by man. For example, the North Star is always fixed in the same location so that it can give precise direction to people. Before a compass was made, people found directions by finding the North Star. Not only during the day, but also in the night the moon and stars shine the light.
Likewise, the light of God's truth shines at all times and everyplace. This is the spiritual reason God placed the moon and stars in the night sky. The light of God's truth always shines on those who walk during the spiritual day. However, even on those who temporarily walk in the darkness, the light of God's truth still shines. For example, when someone is wandering on a dark road at night, how will he feel if no light of the moon or stars be found? Will he be depressed and worried? However, if he can find even a faint light, he will be greatly comforted and the light will become great strength. All the people should realize that there exists the God of love who always wants to become a light for us anytime anyplace. Even when someone is in the spiritually in the pitch of darkness, if he earnestly and diligently seeks God, God will shine the light of truth on him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." And Psalm 18:6 says, "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears."
Psalm 34:6 also says, "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." Therefore, even when you confront a hopeless and depressing situation, don't ever worry about it. God the Almighty, who can hear your cry whenever and wherever, is near you. Our God always wants to let His mercy be upon you and to bring peace to you. It is only that people don't long for it and seek for it, and thus they cannot receive it. Moreover, people hate the light and stay afar from the light, and thus they wander in the darkness, suffering. You will feel the love and grace of God the Father who gives you hope in the darkness even through the moon and stars in the night sky. I urge you to receive this love and to walk in the light completely so that you can lead the souls who are still walking in the darkness into the light. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
In this lecture, I presented 3 evidences that God created the sun, the moon, and stars. I also explained the reasons He created the moon together with the sun, and also the reason He created stars. In the next lecture, I will explain how the word of God, "...and let them - the lights - be for signs and for seasons and for days and years," was accomplished. In Job 38:31-33, God asked some questions to Job. God said, ""Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, and guide the Bear with her satellites? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, or fix their rule over the earth?" Pleiades, Orion, and the Bear in this scripture refer to constellation or stars of a certain constellation.
Man can neither move stars, nor can they understand how they were created. However, God created such stars, and He set up the ordinances of the heavens so that the stars would move according to them. No matter how highly men's knowledge and wisdom develops, they cannot create a star; they cannot even move any of them freely. Even though they are such weak beings, they neither seek nor fear God; rather they stand against God. Our God, however, endures and waits to give the opportunity of salvation even to such souls. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." People should realize how deep the love of God the Father is.
You are the ones who have already realized this love. May you diligently preach that God is the Creator so that the patience of God the Father may bear abundant fruit, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray! [Amen!!!]
Mafundisho ya Mwanzo 37 (Siku ya Nne ya Uumbaji 2)
Kifungu cha Biblia: Mwanzo 1:14–19
“14 Kisha Mungu akasema, ‘Na ziwepo mianga katika anga la mbingu ili itenganishe mchana na usiku, nayo iwe ishara za majira, siku na miaka; 15 nayo iwe mianga katika anga la mbingu ili kutoa nuru juu ya nchi’; ikawa hivyo. 16 Mungu akafanya mianga miwili mikubwa, mkubwa zaidi utawale mchana na mdogo utawale usiku; akazifanya pia nyota. 17 Mungu akaiweka katika anga la mbingu ili itoe nuru juu ya nchi, 18 itawale mchana na usiku na kutenganisha nuru na giza; Mungu akaona kuwa ni vyema. 19 Ikawa jioni, ikawa asubuhi, siku ya nne.”
Haya ni mafundisho ya 37 katika mfululizo wa Mwanzo.
Nitaendelea kueleza siku ya nne ya Uumbaji kutoka tulipoishia katika fundisho lililopita. Siku hiyo Mungu aliumba jua, mwezi na nyota. Kwa istilahi za astronomia, aliumba galaksi yetu. Nyota zilizo nje ya galaksi yetu zilikuwepo tangu wakati ambapo kulikuwa na anga moja, yaani anga la awali. Ukilinganisha na ukubwa wa anga, dunia ni nukta ndogo sana. Katika fundisho lililopita nilisema kwamba dunia, miongoni mwa nyota zote za mbingu ya kwanza, inaweza kulinganishwa na chembe moja ya mchanga ufukweni. Wanasayansi hata husema kwamba nyota za ulimwengu ni nyingi kuliko chembe za mchanga katika fukwe zote za dunia.
Wanasema hivyo kwa kukadiria kwamba kuna takribani galaksi bilioni mia moja. Galaksi yetu, mojawapo ya hizo, ina nyota karibu bilioni mia moja. Kwa hiyo, idadi ya nyota katika ulimwengu wote inazidi bilioni mia moja mara bilioni mia moja—yaani nambari yenye moja na sufuri 22. Kwa kawaida watu huita kila nuru ndogo inayoonekana angani usiku “nyota.” Katika astronomia, nyota ni mwili wa angani unaotoa nuru yake yenyewe. Kabla sijaendelea, nieleze istilahi kadhaa. “Miili ya angani” ni vitu vyote vya kimaada vilivyopo katika ulimwengu. Mwili unaong’aa wenyewe na kuonekana katika sehemu isiyobadilika sana, kama jua la mfumo wetu, huitwa nyota. Nyota nyingi tunazoziona usiku hutoa nuru yake yenyewe. Hata hivyo, miili mingi sana huakisi tu nuru ya jua na kwa hiyo huonekana kung’aa. Kwa mfano, Zuhura, inayoitwa Nyota ya Asubuhi, haiangazi yenyewe.
Hata hivyo, unaweza kuiona iking’aa sana mashariki alfajiri. Zuhura huakisi nuru ya jua. Katika mfumo wa jua, kuna miili ya angani inayolizunguka jua kwa mzunguko wa kawaida; huitwa sayari. Kwa kuwa dunia hulizunguka jua kila mwaka, dunia pia ni sayari. Miili inayolizunguka sayari, kama mwezi unaoizunguka dunia, huitwa satelaiti. Vitu ambavyo wanadamu huvipeleka kuizunguka dunia huitwa satelaiti bandia. Wakati mwingine huakisi nuru ya jua na kuonekana kama nyota angavu. Kuna jambo moja linalofanana kati ya nyota, sayari na satelaiti hizi nyingi: zote zina umbo la tufe. Hilo linamaanisha nini?
Linamaanisha kwamba miili hii ya angani iliumbwa na Mungu mmoja, Muumba. Wanasayansi husema kwamba chembe za angani zilizotokana na Mlipuko Mkubwa ziliungana na kutengeneza miili ya duara ziliposafiri kwa muda mrefu. Kama hilo lingekuwa kweli, satelaiti bandia zingebadilika na kuwa matufe pia; baadhi huzunguka dunia kila baada ya saa mbili, lakini hazibadiliki kuwa matufe. Kokoto za kwenye mito na fukwe husemekana kuwa zilitokana na miamba ambayo pembe zake zilichakaa. Hata hivyo, kokoto hizo si matufe: nyingine ni bapa, nyingine ndefu, na kila moja ina umbo lake licha ya pembe kuchakaa kwa maelfu ya miaka.
Nyota nyingi sana za ulimwengu, kwa upande mwingine, zote ni matufe. Hilo si jambo la bahati nasibu. Mungu Muumba alipanga na kubuni hivyo, kisha akaviumba. Kwa nini aliumba miili yote ya angani ikiwa na umbo la tufe badala ya kuipa maumbo mbalimbali? Rangi za nuru huchangia uzuri wa kitu, lakini uwiano wa umbo lake pia ni muhimu. Jiwe ghafi la thamani linaweza kung’aa kwa rangi zake, lakini likikatwa kwa uwiano mzuri huonekana zuri zaidi na kung’aa zaidi. Maua ni mazuri kwa rangi zake na pia kwa uwiano wa muundo wake. Maua yana ulinganifu wa pande mbili.
Umbo linapokunjwa katikati kwenye mhimili, pande hizo mbili huwa sawia; huu huitwa ulinganifu wa pande mbili. Maua mengi yana ulinganifu kwenye mihimili kadhaa na hivyo kuwa na uzuri wa ukamilifu. Bila ulinganifu huo, hata yakiwa na rangi nyingi yasingeonekana mazuri sana. Niliwaonyesha awali fuwele ya theluji yenye umbo la pembe sita. Uzuri wake pia unatokana na uwiano kamili. Tufe lina idadi isiyo na mwisho ya mihimili ya ulinganifu. Maumbo yenye ukamilifu mkubwa ni duara bapa na tufe la pande tatu. Ndiyo sababu Mungu aliumba nyota nyingi zikiwa na umbo la tufe. Huu ni ushahidi wa kwanza kwamba Mungu mmoja aliumba jua, mwezi na nyota.
Ushahidi wa pili ni kwamba njia za sayari na umbali kati yake katika mfumo wa jua vina uwiano na upatano mkubwa. Kuna sayari nane: kwa kufuata umbali unaoongezeka kutoka jua, ni Zebaki, Zuhura, Dunia, Mirihi, Mshtarii, Zohali, Uranus na Neptune. Ukubwa wa jua na sayari zake, pamoja na umbali kati ya jua na kila sayari na umbali kati ya sayari zenyewe, unafaa jinsi ulivyo. Wazia wanaume wawili wakitazamana, mikono yao imekunjuliwa na viganja kugusana. Wakisukumana kwa nguvu sawa, watabaki katika nafasi zao. Ingawa wanasukumana, kwa mtu wa tatu wataonekana wamesimama tu wakitazamana.
Ikiwa mmoja atatumia nguvu kidogo, uwiano utavunjika na wote wawili watayumba. Vivyo hivyo, sayari nane hubaki katika nafasi zake kwa sababu ukubwa wake na umbali wake vina uwiano unaofaa. Mungu aliziumba kwa hekima, akidumisha kwa usahihi uwiano wa mvutano wake wa uvutano, ingawa hauonekani. Jua au sayari yoyote ikiwa ndogo au kubwa kuliko ilivyo sasa, mfumo mzima wa jua ungeathirika. Hali kadhalika joto la jua ni muhimu. Utafiti wa wanasayansi unasema kwamba mimea duniani isingeweza kuishi ikiwa joto la jua lingeongezeka kwa asilimia tano. Bila mimea, wanyama nao wasingeishi. Hakuna kiumbe hai kinachopatikana Zuhura iliyo karibu zaidi na jua kuliko dunia, wala Mirihi iliyo mbali zaidi.
Ndugu wapendwa, kadiri astronomia inavyoendelea, siri nyingi za mfumo wetu wa jua zinafichuliwa. Nitaje moja. Kama nilivyosema, galaksi yetu pekee ina nyota karibu bilioni mia moja kama jua, nazo pia zina sayari. Kufikia Mei 2010, sayari zipatazo 450 za nyota nyingine zilikuwa zimegunduliwa, mbali na sayari za mfumo wetu. Sayari kwa ujumla zimegawanywa katika aina mbili: sayari za miamba na sayari kubwa za gesi. Sayari za miamba zina uso wa miamba, ni ndogo kwa ujazo lakini zina msongamano mkubwa. Zebaki, Zuhura, Dunia na Mirihi ni za aina hiyo. Sayari kubwa za gesi zina kiini cha miamba lakini sehemu kubwa imeundwa na gesi; Mshtarii, Zohali, Uranus na Neptune ni za aina hiyo. Upepo mkali sana huvuma humo kwa sababu gesi husogea kwa kasi kubwa, na hivyo kutokeza dhoruba kubwa sana.
Kwa kawaida, mazingira yanayofaa uhai hupatikana kwa urahisi zaidi kwenye sayari za miamba kuliko kwenye sayari kubwa za gesi. Wanaastronomia walitarajia kupata mahali pengine katika ulimwengu penye hali zinazofanana na dunia. Hata hivyo, sayari za nje ya mfumo wetu zilizogunduliwa hadi sasa kwa kiasi kikubwa ni sayari kubwa za gesi, na ziko karibu na nyota zake. Tofauti na hizo, sayari kubwa za gesi katika mfumo wetu ziko mbali na jua. Mpangilio huu ni wa pekee: sayari kubwa za gesi ziko mbali na jua, na sayari za miamba kama dunia ziko karibu zaidi. Kati ya sayari hizo za miamba, dunia iko mahali panapofaa zaidi kwa viumbe kuendelea kuishi. Jambo hili pekee linaonyesha kwamba mfumo wa jua haukutokea kwa bahati au ajali.
Mungu alipanga mfumo huo kwa hekima kuu na akauumba kwa nguvu zake za ajabu. Ushahidi wa tatu kwamba Mungu aliumba jua, mwezi na nyota ni uwiano wa ajabu na wa fumbo kati ya ukubwa wao na umbali wao. Katika fundisho lililopita nilieleza tofauti ya ujazo wa jua na mwezi: jua lina ujazo unaozidi wa dunia mara milioni 1.3; mwezi una takribani sehemu moja ya hamsini ya ujazo wa dunia; na jua lina ujazo unaozidi wa mwezi mara milioni 65. Tukilinganisha vipenyo, jua lina kipenyo mara 400 ya mwezi. Ukichora jua na mwezi kwenye karatasi kwa uwiano huo, kipenyo cha jua kingekuwa mara 400 ya kipenyo cha mwezi.
Ukichora mwezi wenye kipenyo cha sentimita nne, jua lingekuwa na kipenyo cha mita nne. Hata hivyo, tukiwa duniani, jua na mwezi huonekana kuwa na ukubwa unaokaribiana kwa sababu mwezi uko karibu na dunia mara 400 zaidi ya jua. Kufanana kwa ukubwa wao unaoonekana si bahati nasibu; kunahitaji hali nne zitimizwe kwa usahihi: uwiano wa ukubwa wa jua na mwezi, na uwiano wa umbali wa dunia kutoka kwa jua na kutoka kwa mwezi. Isingewezekana kama jua lingekuwa kubwa kidogo au mwezi mdogo kidogo. Hata umbali ukibadilika kidogo tu, ukubwa wao ungeonekana tofauti. Katika mfumo wa jua, kati ya sayari zenye satelaiti, dunia ndiyo pekee yenye satelaiti inayoonekana kuwa na ukubwa unaokaribiana na jua. Hilo huwezesha matukio maalumu kuonekana duniani.
Matukio hayo ni kupatwa kwa jua na kupatwa kwa mwezi. Kupatwa kwa jua hutokea mwezi unapofunika sehemu au jua lote. Kupatwa kwa mwezi hutokea kivuli cha dunia kinapoufunika mwezi. Ukubwa na umbali wa jua, mwezi na dunia, pamoja na mizunguko ya mwezi na dunia, huleta upatano changamano lakini sahihi na kusababisha kupatwa kwa jua na mwezi kwa vipindi. Inasemekana kwamba uwezekano wa matukio hayo ya mara kwa mara kutokana na mwingiliano wa miili hiyo mitatu ni karibu sifuri. Hata hivyo, matukio hayo ambayo yangekuwa karibu kutowezekana yanaonekana duniani. Wanasayansi wengine hudai kwamba uwezekano huo wa asilimia sifuri ulitokea “kwa bahati” kupitia Mlipuko Mkubwa, na watu wengi huamini dai hilo. Miili ya angani inayofanya kazi kwa usahihi haikutokea kwa bahati; iliumbwa na Mungu Baba. Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo, wote wanakubali kwamba jua ni muhimu kwa viumbe vyote. Mwezi, kwa upande mwingine, haujitoi nuru wala joto lenyewe.
Basi, kwa nini Mungu aliumba mwezi ukae pamoja na dunia? Kuna sababu za kimwili na za kiroho. Kwanza, sababu ya kimwili. Sayansi inapoendelea, watu wanaelewa zaidi umuhimu wa mwezi. Mwezi ukitoweka, mawimbi ya bahari yangekoma. Matope ya ufukweni yangekauka na viumbe kama chaza, kaa na pweza wadogo wangepoteza makazi yao. Mzunguko wa maji ya bahari pia ingebadilika, kiasi kwamba uchafuzi usingesafishwa. Dunia huzunguka ikiwa imeinama kwa nyuzi 23.5, na mwezi husaidia kuifanya izunguke kwa uthabiti licha ya kuinama huko. Mvutano wa mwezi hudumisha uthabiti wa mzunguko wa dunia kwenye mhimili wake. Mwezi ukitoweka, dunia ingezunguka na kuyumba kama pia inayokaribia kuanguka. Mwezi ungekuwa karibu na dunia kwa asilimia kumi zaidi ya ulivyo sasa, mabara yote yangefunikwa kabisa na maji mara mbili kwa siku.
Utafiti mwingine unaonyesha kwamba kiasi fulani cha nuru ya mwezi ni muhimu kwa viumbe wengi wa baharini kuishi. Inajulikana kwamba viumbe wengi wa baharini hujitokeza juu ya maji ili kupokea nuru fulani ya mwezi, kisha huzama tena. Hata baadhi ya jamii za krestasia wanaoishi kwenye maji baridi badala ya maji ya bahari, pamoja na wanyama watambaao na wadudu, wanahitaji nuru ya mwezi ili kuishi. Kwa hiyo, dunia inahitaji jua na pia inahitaji mwezi. Ndugu wapendwa, kuna sababu ya kiroho pia iliyomfanya Mungu aweke mwezi na nyota ziangaze usiku. Mungu alitenganisha nuru na giza, na akaliita giza usiku. Lakini hata usiku wenye giza, kuna nuru. Mwezi huakisi nuru ya jua, na nyota nyingi huangaza giza la usiku. Mwezi na nyota huwaongoza watu kwa nuru yake; watu wanaweza kujua upande waliko kwa kutazama anga. Katika mijini kuna taa usiku. Hata maeneo ya mbali yana nuru ya mwezi na nyota ili watu wasijikwae gizani. Mungu aliumba baadhi ya nyota kubwa hasa ili watu wazitambue. Kwa mfano, Nyota ya Kaskazini hubaki katika nafasi ileile na kuwaonyesha watu mwelekeo sahihi. Kabla ya dira kuvumbuliwa, watu walitafuta mwelekeo kwa kuitazama Nyota ya Kaskazini. Mwezi na nyota hung’aa usiku, kama vile jua linavyong’aa mchana.
Vivyo hivyo, nuru ya ukweli wa Mungu huangaza kila wakati na kila mahali. Hii ndiyo sababu ya kiroho iliyomfanya Mungu aweke mwezi na nyota katika anga la usiku. Nuru ya ukweli wa Mungu huwaangazia wale wanaotembea katika mchana wa kiroho. Hata wale wanaopita gizani kwa muda huangaziwa na ukweli wake. Mtu akipotea kwenye barabara yenye giza usiku, atajisikiaje ikiwa hakuna nuru ya mwezi wala nyota? Je, atakata tamaa na kuwa na wasiwasi? Akiona hata nuru hafifu, atafarijika sana na nuru hiyo itampa nguvu. Watu wote wanapaswa kutambua kwamba yupo Mungu wa upendo anayetaka kuwa nuru yetu wakati wowote na mahali popote. Hata mtu akiwa katika giza kuu la kiroho, akimtafuta Mungu kwa bidii na kwa dhati, Mungu atamwangazia nuru ya ukweli. 2 Mambo ya Nyakati 16:9 husema, “Kwa maana macho ya BWANA hukimbia-kimbia duniani mwote, ili ajionyeshe mwenye nguvu kwa ajili ya hao ambao moyo wao ni mkamilifu kwake.” Zaburi 18:6 husema, “Katika shida yangu nalimwita BWANA, nikamlilia Mungu wangu; naye akasikia sauti yangu hekaluni mwake, kilio changu kikaingia masikioni mwake.”
Zaburi 34:6 pia husema, “Maskini huyu aliita, naye BWANA akasikia, akamwokoa katika taabu zake zote.” Kwa hiyo, hata unapokabili hali isiyo na matumaini na yenye kuvunja moyo, usiwe na wasiwasi. Mungu Mwenyezi, anayesikia kilio chako wakati wowote na mahali popote, yu karibu nawe. Mungu wetu daima anataka kukuonyesha rehema na kukupa amani. Tatizo ni kwamba watu hawatamani wala kutafuta hayo, kwa hiyo hawapokei. Zaidi ya hayo, watu huchukia nuru na kujitenga nayo; hivyo hutanga-tanga gizani na kuteseka. Hata kupitia mwezi na nyota za usiku, unaweza kuhisi upendo na neema ya Mungu Baba anayekupa tumaini gizani. Nakusihi uupokee upendo huu na utembee kikamilifu katika nuru ili uwaongoze katika nuru wale ambao bado wanatembea gizani. Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo.
Katika fundisho hili nimewasilisha ushahidi tatu kwamba Mungu aliumba jua, mwezi na nyota. Pia nimeeleza sababu za kuumba mwezi pamoja na jua, na sababu ya kuumba nyota. Katika fundisho lijalo nitaeleza jinsi neno la Mungu, “ziwe kwa ishara na majira, siku na miaka,” lilivyotimia. Katika Ayubu 38:31–33 Mungu alimwuliza Ayubu maswali: “Je! Waweza kuyafunga makutano ya Kilimia, au kuyafungua mafundo ya Orion? Je! Waweza kuyatoa makundi ya nyota kwa wakati wake, au kuyaongoza hayo ya Dubu pamoja na watoto wake? Je! Unazijua amri za mbingu? Waweza kuyathibitisha mamlaka yake juu ya dunia?” Kilimia, Orion na Dubu katika kifungu hiki ni makundi ya nyota.
Wanadamu hawawezi kuzisogeza nyota wala kuelewa jinsi zilivyoumbwa. Lakini Mungu aliumba nyota hizo na kuweka sheria za mbingu ili zisogee kulingana nazo. Hata maarifa na hekima ya wanadamu zikikua kiasi gani, hawawezi kuumba nyota wala hata moja kuisogeza wanavyotaka. Ingawa ni viumbe dhaifu hivyo, hawamtafuti wala kumcha Mungu; badala yake wanampinga. Hata hivyo, Mungu wetu huvumilia na kusubiri ili kuwapa viumbe hao nafasi ya wokovu. 2 Petro 3:9 husema, “Bwana hakawii kuitimiza ahadi yake, kama wengine wanavyokudhani kukawia; bali huvumilia kwenu, maana hapendi mtu yeyote apotee, bali wote wafikilie toba.” Watu wanapaswa kutambua jinsi upendo wa Mungu Baba ulivyo mkuu.
Ninyi tayari mmeutambua upendo huu. Na muhubiri kwa bidii kwamba Mungu ndiye Muumba, ili uvumilivu wa Mungu Baba uzae matunda mengi. Ninaomba haya katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo. [Amina!!!]
