The events that took place when the universe began were so fast that time had to be divided into smaller parts so that we could understand these events. There are sixty seconds in each minute, but concerning the universe, a second is too long to measure the processes that took place at the beginning.
Scientists developed a new measurement that divides a single second into tiny slices of time. This measurement is called Plank Time. There are more Plank seconds in one second than there are seconds that have passed since the universe began 13.8 billion years ago.
There are 10^-43 seconds in one Plank time, or: 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Planck times in a one second. This number is called a Tredecillion.
Isaac Newton And Gravitational Force
Sir Isaac Newton’s work on the physics of time and space are considered the foundation for all scientific knowledge today. On July 5, 1687, Newton published three books that have been referred to as the Principia, a Latin term that describes his Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.
Newton wrote in his Principia that the order and design which we observe in time and space are inseparable from the existence of God. Concerning the evidence presented by the universe through science, mathematics, and astronomy, Newton said this, “The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.”[1]
“The true God is a living, intelligent, and powerful being. His duration reaches from eternity to eternity; His presence from infinity to infinity.…He governs all things and knows all things that are or can be done. He is not eternity and infinity, but eternal and infinite; he is not duration or space, but he endures and is present. He endures forever, and is everywhere present; and, by existing always and everywhere, he constitutes duration and space. This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.…He is omnipresent not virtually only, but also substantially; for virtue cannot subsist without substance. In him are all things contained and moved.”[2] ~Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton viewed the evidence for God’s existence as self-evident by the presence of the universe itself. In his observance of all the scientific and mathematical absolutes of the Cosmos, he said, “the Creator cannot be denied in the presence of such a magnificent creation.” Newton found it preposterous that any intelligent person could imagine that the universe came into being without an unlimited intelligence as its cause. Newton came to these conclusions based on the evidence of science, mathematics, and astronomy.[3]
Isaac Newton observed comets and planets moving in concentric orbits from many different positions, and concluded that this would be impossible apart from the design and engineering of an intelligence. In Newton’s view, a transcendent Being of immense power created gravity to act on these planets and cause them to follow the same center point, ordered by the laws of physics.[4]
Albert Einstein demonstrated that gravity occurs as a result of space-time bending. In the final conclusion of his theories, Einstein confirms Newton’s judgment that orbits follow geodesic trajectories by design. In other words, both of these great men of science concluded that the universe has a design and a purpose.
Newton determined that without intervention from the Creator of the universe, the stars would collide with each other on a more frequent basis. By apparent design, God has limited the amount of motion that occurs in the universe from decay due to viscosity and friction.[5] In many of Newton’s writings, he implies that the force of gravity was influenced by something immaterial—an intelligence.
“It is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter should, without the mediation of something else which is not material, operate upon and effect matter without mutual contact.”[6]
It was the conclusion of Newton that God was the force that kept the planets in orbit—as they could not sustain their motion by themselves.
“This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being. [7]
What is extraordinary regarding the universe is that in the processes that existed during the early universe when one second was divided into tiny slices of time—so small that we need Plank Time to understand what happened; God was working in these exceedingly short moments to make a universe that would allow earth to exist billions of years later, and human life to exist on earth.
Understanding how extraordinary these processes were that allowed the universe to continue, and these happened in such short moments of time, it helps us understand how God works in every microsecond of our lives to make everything turn out for our good (Romans 8:28).
There are 209 physical constants that exist in the universe that are precisely set to allow humans to live on earth. Had any of these physical constants been altered even slightly, our sun; our earth; our lives, would never have existed.
See These 209 Physical Constants
Einsteins General Theory of Relativity was known to the world through the efforts of Arthur Eddington, 28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944), an English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. Eddington was perplexed by why the planet Mercury did not obey the laws of physics. He wrote to Einstein while he was in Berlin, Germany, and presented an idea. Einstein was impressed by Edington’s calculations and began to ponder the problem.
Often Einstein found solutions to complex problems by long moments of daydreams, contemplating nature, the universe, and how to solve problems that exist. While walking down the street one morning, Einstein noticed cars that hit puddles of water, and this force ejected water in the opposite direction of the force. He began to think about why Mercury did not obey the laws of physics and realized that Space was not flat but curved.
The sun placed at the center of our solar system, presses down upon space and causes it to bend around the sun. Mercury being so close to the sun, was affected by the bending of space and this affected its orbit around the sun. From this knowledge, Einstein formulated his theory of General Relativity and sent these calculations to Eddington in England.
After World War one, Eddington travelled to the island of Príncipe near the west coast of Africa to view the solar eclipse that took place there on May 29, 1919. Eddington took photo plates of the eclipse with stars in the Hyades cluster include Kappa Tauri in the constellation Taurus in the area around around the Sun.[8]
According to the theory of general relativity, stars with light rays that passed near the Sun would appear slightly shifted because their light had been curved by its gravitational field. This phenomenon could only be detected during an eclipse, because the sun’s brightness would obscure the affected stars. By capturing photos before and after the eclipse, Eddington demonstrated that Newton’s theory of gravitation could be interpreted to predict half the shift predicted by Einstein.
Eddington published his findings and confirmed Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, regarded at that time as evidence of general relativity over Newton’s model.
While the first World War was in process, Eddington lost his dearest friend in one of the fiercest battles. This loss caused Eddington to question his Christian faith in a God who caused all things to happen for a purpose. If God loves us and is making everything turn out for good, why would He permit us to suffer such terrible loss of our loved one’s?
The events of discovering General Relativity and solving the mystery of why Mercury did not follow the laws of physics, answered Eddington’s questions about purpose and loss. He realized that sometimes we don’t have all the information about why things happen in the universe, and also here on earth. God has a plan and we will not always have an awareness of what is happening or why. The facts are that even the mysterious movement of a planet that is not understood and the loss of a dear loved one, these events also have a purpose. Because we know that God loves us and all His ways are perfect, we can trust Him during the moments we don’t understand.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ~Romans 8:28 (NLT)
- Scientific Evidence For God: A Fine-Tuned Universe
- How The Physical Constants And Fine-Tuning Of The Universe Prove God Exists
- How The Physical Laws Of The Universe Prove God
- How God Created The Universe: Science And The Bible In Symmetry
NOTES:
[1] Principia, Book III; cited in; Newton’s Philosophy of Nature: Selections from his writings, p. 42, ed. H.S. Thayer, Hafner Library of Classics, NY, 1953.
[2] Flynn, David (2008-09-08). Temple At The Center Of Time: Newton’s Bible Codex Finally Deciphered and the Year 2012 (Kindle Locations 331-336). Defender Publishing LLC. Kindle Edition
[3] Webb, R.K. ed. Knud Haakonssen. “The emergence of Rational Dissent.” Enlightenment and Religion: Rational Dissent in eighteenth-century Britain. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 1996. p19
[4] Newton, 1706 Opticks (2nd Edition), quoted in H. G. Alexander 1956 (ed): The Leibniz-Clarke correspondence, University of Manchester Press
[5] H.W. Alexander 1956, p. xvii
[6] Newton to Bentley, 25 Feb 1693
[7] Principia, Book III; cited in; Newton’s Philosophy of Nature: Selections from his writings, p. 42, ed. H.S. Thayer, Hafner Library of Classics, NY, 1953.
[8] Dyson, F.W.; Eddington, A.S.; Davidson, C.R. (1920). “A Determination of the Deflection of Light by the Sun’s Gravitational Field, from Observations Made at the Solar eclipse of May 29, 1919”. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A. 220 (571–581): 291–333. Bibcode:1920RSPTA.220..291D. doi:10.1098/rsta.1920.0009.
Categories: A Universe From God, Agnostics and Skeptics, Empirical Evidence for God, How Intelligence Acted Upon The Universe, Origin of the Universe, Physical Constants, Reasons For Unbelief, Religion vs. Relationship, Robert Clifton Robinson, Salvation is a free gift, Science and the Bible, Scientists Who Believe in God, The age of the Universe, The Creation of the Universe, The Existence of God, The Historical Jesus, The Sovereignty of God, What happens after death?, What is required for Heaven?, Why God Allows Evil
Robert Clifton Robinson 
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