Scientific Facts in the Bible – Astronomy – Heavens Stretch Out
Table of Contents
The Heavens Stretch Out – Expand of the Universe
Cosmologists have discovered that the universe is expanding using celestial observations in space and from looking at other galaxies, and indeed the heavens stretch out. This phenomenon is also mentioned in the bible over 17 times, that God “stretches out the heavens, like a tent to dwell in – Isa 40.22.”
In roughly 1929, The Hubble constant was discovered and can be defined as the ratio of the speed of the recession of a galaxy (due to the expansion of the universe) to its distance from an observer. The Hubble constant is not actually a constant, but is regarded as measuring the expansion rate, or the expansion of the universe.
Astronomer observer the galaxies in the universe all moving away from each other as if they where being stretched out. Imagine the universe is like a balloon, this balloon (the universe) has on it multiple black marker markings on it (galaxies) as you blow up the balloon (stretch it out) all the galaxies move farther away from each other.
For the past 70 years astronomers have sought a precise measurement of Hubble’s constant, ever since astronomer Edwin Hubble realized that galaxies were rushing away from each other at a rate proportional to their distance, i.e. the farther away, the faster the recession. For many years, right up until the launch of the Hubble telescope — the range of measured values for the expansion rate was from 50 to 100 kilometers per second per mega parsec (a megaparsec, or mpc, is 3.26 million light years).
The team measured the Hubble Constant to be 70 km/sec/mpc, with an uncertainty of 10 percent. This means that a galaxy appears to be moving 160,000 miles per hour faster for every 3.3 million light-years away from Earth.
References in the Bible
Author(s):
Isaiah– [Date: 746-680 B.C.]
References in Jeremiah [Date: 627-585 B.C.]
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. – Jeremiah 10:12
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. – Jeremiah 51:15
References in Ezekiel
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature [was] as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. – Ezekiel 1:22
Additional Biblical References
Job Author(s): Possibly Job, Elihu, Moses or Solomon; not sure [Date: 950 B.C. or earlier]
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. – Job 9:8
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing. – Job 26:7
Hast thou with him spread out the sky, [which is] strong, [and] as a molten looking glass? – Job 37:18
Psalms – Heavens stretch out
Author(s): Several [Date: Varied, about 1000 B.C.]
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness [was] under his feet. – Psalms 18:9
Who coverest [thyself] with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: – Psalms 104:2
Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. – Psalms 144:5
2 Samuel
Author(s): Samuel, Nathan, Gad [Date: About 930 BC]
He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness [was] under his feet. – 2 Samuel 22:10
Zechariah [Date: 520-518 B.C.]
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. – Zechariah 12:1
Why did God Create so Much Space
Many exclaim, it just doesn’t seem possible that so much space could exist and we are the only ones in it, or what a waste of space if this is the only inhabited planet in the entire universe.
Theory of Anthropic Expansion – “As a tent to dwell in,” (Isa. 40.22) perhaps in the original plan of creation, God whom created mankind to live forever had a plan for mankind to expand throughout the entire universe, as this was to be our “dwelling place”, and as a growing population would continue to need a bigger place, God created just such a universe for us to live in?!
Of course because of the fall of man, and the degeneration of the universe God will have to one day re-create all things.