Have you ever considered the greatness of the universe? The more you examine the scientific findings, the more befogged your mind will become! Astronomers tell us that the Milky Way galaxy, which includes our earth, contains some 100 billion stars, of which only 5,776 are visible to the naked eye. Travelling at the speed of light (over 186,282 miles per second) it would take you over 4 years to reach the nearest star and about 75,000 years to reach the most distant star in our galaxy. To travel across the Milky Way at the speed of light (700 million m.p.h.) would take 100,000 years! Not only this, astronomers claim there are almost one trillion other galaxies detected in the universe! Travelling at 700 million miles per hour, to reach the most distant galaxy ever seen would take you 8 billion years! This galaxy is 10 times larger than our own Milky Way! This makes us feel rather small, doesn't it? Is it any wonder the psalmist said, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). Yes, God "tells the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names" (Psalm 147:4). In contrast to this, man (with all his scientific equipment) has to confess, "the host of heaven cannot be numbered" (Jeremiah 33 v.22). God sees more with His naked eye than man ever can through his 80-million-dollar telescopes!
PLANET EARTH
Another amazing thing is, that out of all the vast universe, there is only one planet that God has chosen to be inhabited. "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it; He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited" (Isaiah 45 v.18). Having a diameter of 7,926 miles, a circumference of 24,901 miles and a surface area of 196,937,600 miles (of which 28% is land), this earth houses over 6 billion humans. Suspended in space, it rotates on its own axis at 1,000 miles per hour, while at the same time travelling through empty space at the rate of 20,936,400,000 miles yearly! Its highest point is Mt. Everest, 29,028 feet above sea level and its lowest point the Marianas Trench, 35,760 feet below the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Yet in spite of its greatness, the earth is not so big after all. You could put 1,300,000 earths inside the sun, then 64 million suns inside the star Antares and several 100 million Antares inside Epsilon!
So here we are, orbiting through the vastness of space on our temporary abode called "Earth". Every hour 17,150 souls are born to take up residence here, while 6,850 bid forever goodbye to earth's surface, to take up residence elsewhere. Consequently, every day mother earth has an increase in population of 247,200 souls. Now just what is the reason for all of this? Have you ever asked yourself: "Why am I here? What is the purpose of it all? Where am I going? These are good things to consider, are they not? To answer such questions, the only reliable source is the Holy Scriptures. In them are the Creator's answers to a bewildered and wondering human race.
WHERE AM I GOING?
God's original plan for man was that he glorify God and serve Him forever. However, man ruined himself and his lofty position before God through sin. Sad indeed, "by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned" (Romans 5 v.12). Consequently the human race, instead of being able to glorify God, is alienated from God, spiritually "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2 v.1). "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3 v.23). As such, mankind is doomed to "hell fire" (Mark 9 v.43-48), "everlasting punishment" (Matthew 26 v.46), torment for ever and ever in "the lake which burns with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 14 v.11 and 21 v.8), "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9 v.44). This answers the question, "Where am I going?" as far as God is concerned, doesn't it?
WHY AM I HERE?
But wait? Please read on and find God's answer to "Why am I here?" Even though the devil would like to have you in hell, God desires that you be in heaven with Him when you leave this old planet earth. When we consider the magnitude of God's greatness, what grace it is on His part that He ever considers us at all! King David exclaimed, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that Thou visitest him?" (Hebrews 2 v.6). Because of sin, we no longer see all things as when God originally created man, "but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2 v.9). On this earth, the Lord Jesus "appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." At Calvary, He "offered one sacrifice for sins for ever" (Hebrews 9 v.26 and 10 v.12). Every soul that accepts the Lord Jesus as the only sacrifice for his sins immediately comes into the good of that sacrifice, and is saved from hell and fitted for heaven. God proclaims, "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 10 v.17). Why am I here? You are here for a short lifetime, that you might take the opportunity to obtain God's wonderful salvation, so that you will be able to glorify Him and serve Him, not only on earth, but in heaven throughout eternity. That's God's desire! Are you willing?