I am a firm believer that God has intricately written his truth into creation. Since I came across this understanding I have seen more and more parallels of God’s truths in Creation.
“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20)
These hidden metaphors could be as large as the sun, moon, and Earth, or as little as the DNA in our cells. Some are obvious, and some more abstract. I see it as a little treasure hunt, to find God’s clues in the very fabric of our universe.
Let’s start with the sun
The sun bears an incredible comparison to God. It is the most constant thing in our solar system. It is seemingly unchanging. Everything revolves around it. It is the source of all life, warmth, and light. Without the sun, we’d all be dead. At the same time, if we had no mediator between us and the sun we’d also die. The sun is too powerful for us.
In the same way, God is too powerful for us. Though he’s constantly giving us life, granting us wisdom to see clearly, and loving warmth to live joy-filled lives, we are still sinful. We need a mediator to buffer us from God’s awesome power.
The Earth
This perfect planet provides the only place for life in the universe (as far as we know). Outside of the earth, there is no life. Without the solid foundation it provides, the plants would have nowhere to anchor themselves. Without the oxygen molecules in the atmosphere (constantly die in order to absorb the sun’s fierce radiation), plants would be destroyed.
Jesus is the only perfect person. Being God in the flesh, he became our anchor and cornerstone. He died on our behalf so that we didn’t need to face the direct and fierce wrath of God. Only in him can we find life. There is no other way. But this doesn’t stop us from trying to find other ways to live.
The Moon
The moon is the false light. It is the king of the night. It gives us no life, it gives us no warmth, and hardly gives us any light. Though big and powerful, it can’t compare to the light of the sun.
Satan is the false light. He may promise to deliver what we want, but it is always empty. He distorts wisdom, fakes love, and can only pretend to give life. Satan can’t compare to God, but he can deceive us, and he has.
Winter
Winter kills. Though the sun is always present and powerful, there are places far from the sun. In the absence of the sun’s light, warmth, and life comes darkness, coldness, and death. Nothing can grow. At best, all that the strongest plants and animals can do is wait and endure.
This is our sin. When we run from God, our wisdom grows clouded, our love wanes, and our life begins to sap away. We all started off separated from God, and mislead by Satan’s lies. In this state, there is no growth, only death. We are lost in a state of confusion, racing to and fro to find some sort of meaning or hope. But, there’s only one escape.
Summer
As the plants theoretically move closer to the sun through the tilting earth, it begins to warm. At first there seems to be no difference. The cold clings to the land, and snow blocks the plants from the sun’s welcoming light. As the plants move closer and closer, winter’s grip weakens until it all together gives way. Life springs forth from the ground. Beauty fills the land and growth abounds. However, this growth can only take place if the plants choose to respond to the sun’s warmth, follow the light, anchor themselves in the earth, and draw in life from the sun through the protection of the atmosphere.
In each of our lives, we started off far from God. As circumstances reveal bits and pieces of God’s love and truth and life, we can then step closer. As we draw closer, Satan’s lies, hate, and death weaken in our lives. Sometimes it’s us searching out God or God drawing near to us, but either way we are left with a decision. We must choose to respond to God’s love, follow the truth to him, anchor ourselves in Christ, and then can we live in God’s life with Christ as our mediator constantly absorbing the wrath of God on our behalf.
What a beautiful universe
I’m amazed at how intricate our God is to work out these tiny little details so that we can see his wonderful plan through and through. I’m sure there are millions of other analogies out there that I have yet to discover.
What are some analogies that you’ve seen?
