Solar Eclipse 2017: Incredible Coincidence?

Wednesday August 16, 2017

Cosmic Design?

Rough estimates: the sun is roughly 400x bigger than the moon but 400x further away from earth than the moon. So even with the massive size differences, we get perfect solar and lunar eclipses. You cannot have good design without a Designer.

(credits: unsplash.com)

(credits: nasa.gov)

Recent pamphlet about the 2017 eclipse:

Note that it says that the 2017 solar eclipse, which hasn't covered the whole united states since 500 years ago, and where the sun perfectly is covered by the moon, though the sun is much larger, is an "incredible coincidence." This is the best way that people who do not know God know how to describe it. Their admission is this is remarkable. But this is what the Word of God itself confirms for us in the Word of God:

... as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. ...

- Romans 1:18-23 MSG

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

- Psalm 19:1 ESV

American Astronomical Society states that "The Sun's diameter is about 400 times that of the Moon. The Sun is also (on average) about 400 times farther away. As a result, the two bodies appear almost exactly the same angular size in the sky - about 1/2 degrees, roughly half the width of your pinky finger seen at arm's length. This truly remarkable coincidence is what gives us total solar eclipses. If the Moon were slightly smaller or orbited a little farther away from Earth, it would never completely cover the solar disk. If the Moon were a little larger or orbited a bit closer to Earth, it would block much of the solar corona during totality, and eclipses wouldn't be nearly as spectacular."

Take time to consider the composite probability of the eclipse you will witness on Monday August 21st, 2017. There are many conditions that make life available on Earth - tens of thousands of specifics that must be in order for Earth to sustain life. For instance, the distance of the Sun to the Earth. If too close, too hot to sustain life. If too far away, too cold to sustain life, etc. Adding probability for life on Earth and for the moon to perfectly fit over the Sun which is 400x larger is just incredible. I submit to you that this is impossible to be a coincidence. I would like you to truly consider your motivation for desiring it to be a coincidence. You don't have to tell me, but at least be honest with yourself.

Learn more here about circumstantial proof of the Creator of the universe, the God of Abraham. This addresses empirical evidence as well. You may also be interested in studying further on the apparent age of the earth, which addresses the age-old question: which came first, the chicken or the egg?

What if there really is a Designer? What does that mean for me?

Many people misunderstand God. For the sake of this discussion, let's keep it as simple as possible, but not simpler (Albert Einstein.)

God is not an angry tyrant that wants to destroy you. Stop sweating.

God is love. He created humans in His image.

Why do you think we are so gifted? Where technology comes from? Why it continually improves - gets smaller, faster, and cheaper?

The automobile. Science. Industry, etc.

But there are nagging questions, like,

- Can we really trust in a God we can't see that we have never talked to?
- There are so many religions, are they all correct, or who can we believe and know for certain?
- There is evil in the world, how can God allow that?
- If there really is a God, how can He be good?

This is reality. These are real issues that humans struggle with. Athiests mock the idea of God and concede that if God does exist, He is not good.

But I am here to tell you that God does exist and that He does love you.

We are not called to strive to earn His approval either, which is one of the most beautiful things ever. You can learn more about this in an article entitled God's Model for Marriage discussing the topic of marriage, which also addresses topics of law vs. faith and works vs. grace.

What you do have to understand though is that God can't stand sin and we were born into this broken world, broken by the curse of sin which started in the Garden of Eden.

Look around you. Turn on the news. Take a look within. That's pretty easy to understand. The world is broken. There is pain, suffering, and evil. There are unmet expectations. Loved ones that we lose. Things that really hurt. This is reality.

In God's wisdom, He made a way for us to be reconciled with Him, even though we are broken by this curse of sin. This is known as the Gospel, or the Good News.

What is the Gospel?

Now you are asking the right question. The Gospel is the Good News of God's redemption of sinful humanity through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. (Learn more about the relationship between Jesus and God in: What is the Godhead?)

Jesus was born into this world, lived a perfect sinless life, died on a wooden cross for our sins, and on the third day, He rose from the dead.

Stop and really consider that. This is what real love looks like. Are you willing to die for a dispicable person? What about a friend? It is easier to think about than to do, and Jesus freely gave His life for you and I, so that we may in eternity live. This is radical love. This is love that echoes through eternity.

The Word of God confirms this love:

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

- John 3:16-17 NLT

We must humbly believe in Jesus with childlike surety (aka faith.) Jesus is the only way to eternal life, as it says in scripture that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no-one comes to the Father except through Him. If you reject this good news, the only recourse God has (that God in His sovereignty and unchanging way chose to use) is separating you from His presence.

What do you have to do to be saved? Believe. Believe what? See Rom 10:6-9 AMP:

6 But the righteousness based on faith [which produces a right relationship with Him] says the following: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into Heaven?' that is, to bring Christ down; 7 or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we had to be saved by our own efforts, doing the impossible]." 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach- 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

If you have further questions about the Gospel, see true gospel.

Start a discussion with a friend you know that is seeking God or with a pastor.

If you can't ask any of these people, I strongly encourage you to initiate an earnest discussion with me. (Please use 'eclipse' in the subject to help me find your message.)