If someone said the following to you meaning to point out the ‘ridiculousness’ of Christianity, what’s your response?
I’d like to think about what my response would be. It would be something like:
“I’d like to overlook the numbers (although personally I disagree only with the age number and can talk about that later). I instead want to get to the heart of the matter, which is the very last phrase:
“…only to have a personal relationship with you.”
I would challenge this assumption; that the only reason God created the universe is ME. I think that is a faulty and frankly man-centered premise that is a view of God that I don’t agree with and don’t see the Bible teaching at all.
You see, what the Bible teaches about the massive size of the universe is very clear and summarized in a very important verse:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
Psalms 19:1 ESV
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
The typical premise of the statement about the universe and its massive, unimaginable size is its all about man. That is wrong.
IT IS ABOUT GOD.
You are absolutely correct that if the universe was about man, then it’s an absolutely extravagant waste of space. After thousands of years of human history, we’re still grasping at its size.
But it’s NOT about us. It’s about God.
IT IS, IN FACT, GOD SHOWING OFF HIS GLORY.
It is God displaying his glory, his massive power, how far he is beyond us – so that even after thousands of years and all of our very latest and greatest technology – we can’t even fathom its size and magnificence and beauty. In relation to man, its message is “God is beyond you, and you are ‘dinky’. God is Creator, and you, dear man, are merely creature.” The point is not to inflate but deflate our pride; to humble us. Like He did for David who, looking up into the heavens, said “What is man that you are mindful of him?” Even with his unaided eye, he could see the greatness of God in the night sky, and comparing himself, wonders why God would even have a concern for mankind.
The universe shouts about the power of God. In fact, according to John 1, it is the power of Jesus Christ – one and the same. He created it all. And then walked on this little piece of dust we call earth to rescue a remnant that he would grant to believe what I’m saying.
So I beg you dear friend, as you grapple with the size of the universe which is beyond our ability to really comprehend, I beg you to hear what it is shouting. It is a pointer. As the Bible says:
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:19-20 ESV
It is not about you or me; it is shouting to all the eternal power and divine nature of God. If you do not recognize this, you are without excuse before him and there is a price to pay for that; an eternal one.
One last thing – this premise assumes God is “needy”. He is somehow needy of us, of these vital ‘personal relationships’ with us. That is mistaken; a faulty view of God. You see, I believe God IS love. But if that is what He in essence is – then what was he before he created the universe, this speck we call earth, and humans on it? Love requires an object. If you are an all alone God before creation, you can’t BE love.
But you see, God from all eternity, even an eternity before creation (time is a concept of material things so time began when matter was created), the one God in three persons IS a Father loving His Son through the Spirit. The Trinitarian God is love before ANY physical matter existed. Creation is an overflow of that love. You see, when Jesus as God the Son was talking to God the Father and it was recorded in Jesus’ prayer in John 17, he lifts the veil for just a moment and tells us some fascinating things about the purpose behind saving believers:
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
John 17:24 ESV
You see, all the Christians throughout history are NOT the point of the universe. The point is we are a gift of eternal worshippers of the Son of God given to Him by the Father. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying God does not love us as individuals, he of course does and greatly so, but the point of the entire universe is this one thing:
Displaying the glory of God through Jesus Christ
Miss that and miss the point of everything that is.