The James Webb Telescope

The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies show that his hands created them. Day after day they speak about it. Night after night they make it known. But they don’t speak or use words. No sound is heard from them. At the same time, their voice goes out into the whole earth. Their words go out from one end of the world to the other. (Psalm 19, written c. BC 1000, New International Readers Version)

The James Webb Telescope website starts out with three questions: How did we get here? Are we alone in the universe? How does the universe work? It’s answers to these questions that this $10 billion project sets out to answer. Within days of becoming operational its infrared photos are staggering. Three thousand years ago King David of Israel, a prolific song-writer, penned Psalm 19 – in bold red. It’s been preserved since then in Israel’s national archives and in Christian Bibles. What he wrote (above) is that the universe is totally silent but is speaking to the whole earth. The universe is continuing to speak today – through this telescope. On ‘How did we get here?’ the tentative conclusion is that it all started with “Big Bang”. That seems to be correct. Thinking about that, one immediately asks: – • what caused Big Bang; • what was it that exploded with such phenomenal force that it sent an uncountable number of vast galaxies with uncountable stars in each of them flying into space for the past 13 billion years; • was there nothing there before Big Bang? If so, what exploded? • why are these uncountable galaxies accelerating in their speed as they distance themselves from us on earth?
God has set up a tent in the heavens for the sun. The sun is like a groom coming out of the room where he spent his wedding night. The sun is like a great runner who takes delight in running a race. It rises at one end of the heavens. Then it moves across to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.	.
During the past few days western Europe has experienced unprecedented heat from the sun. Without the sun none of us would be here. The James Webb telescope is confirming that our sun is puny, that there are an innumerable number of vastly bigger suns. I think I agree with King David that all this is loudly declaring the glory of God. But King David then went on to write this – The law of the LORD is perfect. It gives us new strength. The laws of the LORD can be trusted. They make childish people wise. The rules of the LORD are right. They give joy to our hearts. The commands of the LORD shine brightly. They give light to our minds. The law that brings respect for the LORD is pure. It lasts forever. The directions the LORD gives are true. All of them are completely right. They are more priceless than gold. They have greater value than huge amounts of pure gold. They are sweeter than honey that is taken from the honeycomb. I am warned by them. When I obey them, I am greatly rewarded. This man had a reason other than the universe’s speech to delight his heart. It was (see above) the messages from the LORD God as recorded by his ancestors in the Jewish Scriptures. Those Scriptures spoke clearly (as did King David in his other writings) about a coming-one – the Messiah, the Christ – who would be the LORD’s final word, final speech, to mankind. But King David did more that treasure the Scriptures. He spoke personally with the LORD God. He ended his song like this -
Can I know my mistakes? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep me also from the sins I want to commit. May they not be my master. Then I will be without blame. I will not be guilty of any great sin against your law. LORD, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes. You are my Rock and my Redeemer.	.
Now that the Messiah has come, the whole earth is able to hear three voices – the silent speech of the universe and all that exists; the words of the LORD addressed to Israel in their Scriptures; and the life, teachings, death and rising again of the Messiah. It’s easy enough to do an ostrich with these voices. And to succeed in that.

Sinner Syvret

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