How God Speaks through Signs in the Heavens

Two “heavenly” phenomena happened this spring: a complete solar eclipse and a solar storm that caused widespread northern lights. The cosmos is so finely tuned that we can know precisely where every heavenly body will be 200 years from now, down to the minute. Heavenly bodies seem to be precisely ordered and predictable, like systems designed for purpose by an intelligent agent. These recent events highlight the wonder and joy we humans experience when we get to witness them firsthand and teach us that Earth is a very special place that enables us to see them.

The Unlikelihood of a Solar Eclipse

Earth is the only place in our solar system where a perfect solar eclipse can be seen. This phenomenon is made possible by a precise correlation of size and distance:

• The Moon: It is 400 times smaller than the sun.
• The Sun: It is also 400 times closer to us than the sun is.

When the Earth, the moon and the sun all line up, the moon perfectly blocks the sun from the Earth. That causes a total solar eclipse. Jay W Richards, PhD, notes: “There are 65 major moons in our solar system and many smaller ones. But only we enjoy perfect solar eclipses when a moon just barely covers the sun’s bright photosphere… So the best place to view total solar eclipses in our solar system is just where there are observers to see them.”

Precision Design and Discovery

The precise positioning of sun and moon to earth allows life to exist. Total solar eclipses have allowed scientists to “unlock the physics of stars.” It reminds me of Proverbs 25:2: “God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things.” When God made the heavens and the earth, He hid all kinds of discoverable things. Then He made people with both the ability and the desire to discover things. As the centuries have gone by, people have discovered more and more of those things God hid in creation, and the more we learn, the more we realize how fine-tuned and complex it all is!

Northern and Southern Lights

Aurora borealis (northern lights) and aurora australis (southern lights) are caused by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation from the sun with the earth’s magnetic field. A strong magnetic field is vital for life to exist—to protect us from solar wind and other radiation from space. Earth is the only rocky planet in our solar system that has a strong magnetic field. Earth is the only place with life able to observe and wonder at such a light display! In May, a major solar storm produced these heavenly lights that could be seen across a vast area of North America, in places far south of what’s normal. Again, we have a situation where Earth is unique among the planets.