| CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DOCTRINE | September 2008 |
Meditating on the Laws of God
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“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” |
THE PSALMIST SPEAKS OF his great love for the Creator’s wonderful laws, and further confesses, “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” (vss. 98,99) If this humble man of God could receive such rich blessings from his meditating upon the Divine laws that are prescribed and enforced by a supreme authority, it should be well for us to do likewise.
THE BASIS OF GOD’S THRONE
We also read, “Justice and judgment are the habitation [establishment, Marginal Translation] of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” (Ps. 89:14) God’s attributes of love, wisdom, justice, and power are the basis of his throne. These characteristics are of utmost importance and great interest. Those who have made a commitment by consecration and are members of the Heavenly Father’s family have a better understanding, a thankful appreciation and an admiration for his law as it relates to all his works. As we increase in our discernment of the ways of God, our love for him also increases, and with it our desire to walk more fully in the path of his light. We dwell, therefore, upon God’s law as it pertains to man, but also his unspoken laws that rule the vast universe.
ORDER AND PRECISION
When we study the universe, we are at once impressed and in awe by the tremendous size, and the enormous distances of the heavens. It is estimated that on a clear night it is possible to see about 7,000 stars with the naked eye. Within the range of present day telescopes, millions of suns that are in the galaxies are seen that differ greatly in size, temperature, and density. The Hubble telescope is now greatly extending the range of modern telescopes in its nonending search.
Many of theses suns are of enormous size which would dwarf our earth into a speck of dust by comparison. All the stars whose course astronomers have been able to observe move in an orderly fashion, each at a never-varying speed in set orbits through the heavens. The planet Earth travels in its orbit around the sun at a speed of eighteen and one-half miles per second, or 66,600 miles per hour. At the same time it rotates around its axis completing one revolution every twenty-four hours, while the moon speeds around the earth once every month. Their speed or course never varies.
From the movements of the earth and the moon, man obtains his units of time—the day, the month and the year. For accurate time, he sets his timepiece by astronomical observation and, knowing the correct time, mariners in a similar way are able to determine their position. While the enormous distances in space, the immense size of the stars and the tremendous speeds at which they travel may not prove anything in itself, the accuracy of their movements through the heavens proves that they are governed by certain unspoken laws and that their movements are orderly.
GOD’S BUILDING BLOCKS
Let us consider the other extreme. Among the smallest things known to men are the electrons and neutrons. Certain combinations, according to their number, order, and arrangement make up various types of atoms. The number of neutrons and electrons orbiting around the nucleus varies according to the type of atom.
Atoms are called the building blocks of the earth. All things earthly—the water we drink, the air we breathe, the soil, the plants, the bodies of animals, and our own bodies—are in the final analysis made up of combinations of atoms. The structure of all things, whether they be atoms, molecules, plants or animals are not haphazard, but systematic in their nature, and they are wonderfully made and marvelous to behold.
All living things grow from a single cell. Into that tiny organism, smaller than a pinpoint, are packed the DNA blueprint. The ability to develop accordingly into a full grown plant or animal depends on the genetic code consisting of many billions of living cells, each group of which, making up the roots, stems, leaves, or flowers as in plants, or the different structures and organs as in animals, will perform its proper specialized function necessary to maintain life in perfect coordination and harmony with all other groups.
Living things may be pictured as machines designed and constructed to carry on certain processes, such as the absorption of food, the changing of food into new chemical substances required by the organism, respiration, growth, repairs, elimination of waste material and reproduction. These machines build and maintain themselves, and manufacture cells which form wood, leaves, flowers, seeds, or bones, muscles, flesh, blood, skin, hair or feathers.
INTELLIGENCE AND ORDER
Even the simplest living organism is infinitely more complex than the most intricate machine man has ever been able to build. A critical study of all these facts discloses the overwhelming and indisputable evidence that the universe and life are the result of a high degree of thought, intelligence and order.
The whole arrangement, all the activities of the universe are highly complex and in accordance with certain fundamental laws and rules. These laws always function perfectly, and they never fail. Why? Because they are established by our Heavenly Father who is the all-wise and powerful Creator of the universe. Only thus is it possible for such complex organisms and matter as we know them to exist. No sequence of various complex activities necessitating cooperation and coordination with other complex activities can possibly be produced by chance even in a single instance. Much less so when we consider that such complex activities go on around us continually throughout the earth in an astounding number and varieties of life.
UNSPOKEN LAWS
From whatever angle we consider any part or action of the universe, we come to the conclusion that its creation and its activities are the result of unspoken laws established by Divine wisdom and enforced by supreme power. Without Divine guidance and laws, the universe and life could not have been developed nor continue to exist.
Man can plan profitably because of the dependability and constancy of these laws. He can rely on the uniformity and constancy of the material with which he works, but he cannot change these natural laws according to his fancy. He may accomplish things only by complying with and taking advantage of these laws. He can build bridges or skyscrapers because he knows that a steel girder of a certain size and quality will support a certain weight, and any other girder of the same material, size and quality will support a like weight. Man cannot violate these laws without harmful consequences.
It is quite evident, therefore, that if man wishes to make the best of life, he must learn these laws of the Creator and use them as his guides. Do we not see here a wonderful illustration? Here are the laws of a great Creator, and all things are the result of his wisdom and his power. His laws and rules extend even to man and his behavior; and only the acceptance of these laws will bring the blessings man so much desires, eternal life and happiness.
Matter performs only in conformity with certain fundamental laws and rules made by the Father. All forms of life on earth that are lower than man have implanted within them a certain amount of instinct causing them to perform all the functions necessary to preserve life according to the will of God, and to carry out his purpose.
THE MENTAL IMAGE OF GOD
Man is the supreme creation in the material world. Having been created a free moral being in the mental image of God, he has the ability to think and reason. (Gen. 1:26,27) He has the privilege to keep the law of his Creator or to disregard it. The fearful conditions existing on this earth are convincing proof that mankind has chosen not to live in harmony with that law—the very principles of God, his Creator. As a result, man is reaping the consequences of his disobedience, death.—Rom. 6:23
THE LAW OF LOVE
The law of God which man has failed to observe is love for God, his Creator. Our Lord explained the Father’s law, saying, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30) Such love implies reverence and obedience to him, a recognition of the fact that God’s authority is supreme. It recognizes the fact that man cannot violate either the laws covering the material world, or the laws concerning God’s intelligent creation, without suffering harmful consequences.
If we hear the voice the natural world is preaching to us, it is a constant sermon on the existence of a supreme, intelligent, and loving Heavenly Father. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”—Rom. 11:33-36