I have a wonderful app that notifies me when the night is going to be at its best for observing through my favorite Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. On such rare nights, I can see many worlds. Planets, moons, and stars alike, sprinkled across the heavens.
Sometimes I wonder if my celestial observations and impressions are real or imaginary. Though childish, perhaps, the narrative they form just seems to make sense to me.
Through it, I see a God-created Universe, among whose inhabitants are the angels. Cherubim with four wings, seraphim with six. Some with many eyes and others with many faces. A multitude of near-infinite variety. Perhaps even unfallen worlds, with beings of different types existing abroad. So many colorful stars sprinkled above my head.
In a corner of His universe, He also placed this Earth, a small effervescent jewel, like a shining star to other distant observers. He gave man charge over the creatures upon it. Some beings with two wings, others with four. Some with four legs, others with just two. Some with dozens of legs and others with none. Some swim beneath the depths, while others soar above the highest peaks. Each serves a special purpose in the order of Creation. To my eyes, Earth seems to be a small, self-contained example of God’s infinite Universe, with man once placed at its head.
“I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High’” (Psalm 82:6).
And contained within this jewel is The Fall. The surrender of man to rebellion and shame. Paradise became a sealed-off illustration for all to witness what evil has wrought upon this little world which God had formerly blessed. A dark testimony of Satan’s plan for eternity, had it too surrendered to his will.
Within this jewel, sealed off by distance, light-years, and time, are war, pain, struggle, disease, and decay. A contagious miasma isolated from His Universe. An evil whose vapor is unable to spread beyond the confines of its borders.
As the events play out within, God’s entire Universe is able to observe the effects of Satan’s plans. And over time, as this jewel dims toward eventual darkness, the individual faithful shine as pinpoints of light for the angels to find and gather on that glorious day.
“For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men” (1 Corinthians 4:9).
Once the witnesses and testimonies are recorded, the evidence is reviewed and confirmed, and the inhabitants of this star have all made their choices, the books are closed, He stands, and we are rescued by our Savior and His armada of receiving angels.
If my celestial observations are indeed correct, may we all choose wisely.
