hope, purpose, & destiny presented by mark ritter based on a true story by hugh ross

hope, purpose,

& destinypresented by mark ritter

based on a true story by hugh ross

2

intro

• science in the hands of Men Without God can be wielded like a Hammer of Despair

• science as a tool in the hands of godly men can build a House of Hope

3

a brief history • since time immemorial, western man has seen his world as the center of everything

• no enviable position, though, being at the bottom of the universe

• never the less, it did seem that we were there, unmoved, at the center

old geocentric pic

4

• over 400 years ago Nicolaus Copernicus revived an ancient Greek idea

that the sun - not Earth - was at the center of it all

• led, illogically, to a worldview that maybe we weren’t so special after all

5

• in the last century it was discovered that not even the sun was central; we all were off in some corner of just one galaxy of billions

• for some, this shoved us - philosophically- further from any special status at all

galaxy cluster

6

wh

atev

er. • a Mediocrity Principle

developed which asserted man is not special in any way and resides in no place unique

• human-like origin and development has likely been duplicated billions of other places…

7

• meanwhile others elsewhere were painting quite a different picture …

8

evidence for things unseen

• in the past 40+ years another view has emerged of the cosmos and our place in it

• called the anthropic principle, it asserts that the universe appears designed for the sake of human life!

davinci man pic

9

• taking the last hundred+ years of astro & physics & bio research, adherents to the AP say that for humans and our civilization to even exist requires the planet, the solar system, the galaxy - the universe! - to behave, perfectly, and in unison!

10

• i.e. a preponderance of physical evidence points to humanity as the central theme of the cosmos!

• not in a pride-filled way, but a very humbling one

• any evidence? boy howdy!• the following are just a dozen+ of

a hundred+…

• the ultrathin outer layer of our planet - the crust - is just the perfect thickness…

12

• any thicker, it doesn’t move, and we end up with no continents, just oceans

• any thinner, we have continuous destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

• our mass is just enough to keep this thin layer of gases above us.

• any more mass ( more gravity)any more mass ( more gravity)means a heavier, more destructive means a heavier, more destructive atmosphere with more deadly gases atmosphere with more deadly gases staying herestaying here

• less mass (less gravity)less mass (less gravity)and we can’t hold onto oxygen and and we can’t hold onto oxygen and other life-support gasesother life-support gases

14

• our atmosphere is 20% oxygen

• any less?humans aren’t here

• any more?everything burns alot faster, and ourbodies age quicker

• the thin invisible ozone layer keeps us alive by absorbing nasty radiation from space

• less ozoneand we roast in uv lightfrom the sun

• any moreand we don’t getenough of the sun’slife-giving energythrough to thesurface

• carbon dioxide in our atmosphere acts like a blanket and keeps us warm

• any less,we freeze,plants choke

• any more,we fry in arunawaygreenhouseeffect

• lightning strikes once a second on this planet

• more often?too many fires

• less often?not enoughnitrogen wouldget “fixed”into a formusefulfor life

• the Moon has slowed us,kept us steady,given us tides,stabilized our orbit

• without it, life couldnot exist

• its whole creation storyis a thing of amazingwonder in itself…

19

creation of moon

• very early on a Mars-sized planet struck “Earth1” at exactly the right angle and velocity to shear off our crust, give us a thicker core and more radioactive material, and provide us with a life-sustaining Moon

Venus, closer to the sun, has...an atmosphere so heavy with

carbon dioxide it’s like being under a kilometer of water

a surface temp around 900°Fa cloud cover of sulfuric acid

no waternot a shopping mall in sight

• Mars, smaller & farther out,

has almost no atmosphere or plate tectonics, and its water reservoirs are essentially frozen, so there is

no life-giving water cycle

• Jupiter and Saturn are at theperfect distance to:

leave our sensitive orbit alone, butprotect us from nasty, earthbound

comets and asteroids...

23

• our sun is the perfectage,

mass,brightness,

& generationfor life

• anything else, we’re not here

24

• the faint sun paradox says that through an amazingly complex list of “coincidences,” the sun increased in

luminosity at the same rate the greenhouse gases were removed

from our atmosphere so Earth could maintain a life-friendly constant temp

for 4 billion years

• our sun is a bachelor, a single star. most stars have at least one other companion.

• of course, having no star means a bad day, but…

• if the sun had a buddy,our orbit would destabilizeand we would not be here.

26

• our sun wasn’t born in a cluster, near other big and destructive

stars like these four here in the Orion Nebula, the Trapezium Cluster

27

• this bright star in the Trapezium is clearing away planet-making material from its siblings

• no planet-making material,no planets.

• no planets, no TV.• no TV, no life.

• as to the stellar explosions

called supernovae:

• closer to us?life is exterminated

• farther?not enough local

planet-building debris

• more frequent?life goes away

• more infrequent?no planets

• we live on the only street in our galaxy which allows life, about 2/3 out...

• closer to the nucleus,we get supernovaed,radiated to death,and thrown out ofa stable orbitby other stars

• farther,no planet-building material

30

• we live in the perfect type of

galaxy for life, too, - the spiral.

31

• and on and on and on…

• the more astronomers learn about the universe and the requirements of our

existence, the more severe the limitations they find governing the structure and development of the universe to accommodate those requirements

32

the obvious conclusion

• as early as the 1980s, physicists like Paul Davies concluded

“evidence for design of the universe and of earth for human life could rightly be described as overwhelming”

33

• Copernicus was right - sorta• we are not at the center of

anything but that’s part of what makes us special

• our unique position exactly right here right now is miraculous

• we are special…to Someone

34

• Brandon Carter, a British mathematician, presented a unique inequity -

the anthropic principle inequality…

the plot thickens

35

the plot thickens• Brandon Carter,

a British mathematician, presented a unique inequity -

the anthropic principle inequality…

36

• the universe spends ~14 billion years “preparing” itself for humans who can survive no more than a couple million years at best!

• and not just humans here on Earth - any conceivable intelligent life anywhere in the universe!

37

slow motion instant replay analysis

• ~10 Gy to form stable planetary system just to support primitive life

• ~4 Gy more just to fashion a planet in that system richly layered in biodeposits for civilized intelligent life

• but! these perfect conditions that took so long to form and work together so unbelievably well will soon vanish!…

38

• doomsday events:

• the Sun brightening

• days getting longer

• tectonicsslowing

• atmosphere changing,and!…

39

• probable supernova

• climatic flip flops• socio/environmental

upheaval• accumulating

genetic mutations

• bottom line: we’re doomed

40

• some thought we could escape these phenomena by escaping Earth altogether, taking a sample of human civilization with us

• but now even their hopes have been dashed…

e x p a n d i n g worries• one of the parameters of the AP says

the universe is expanding at exactly (I mean exactly) the perfect rate

• any faster - no lifeany slower - no life

• but the universe appears to be expanding quicker and quicker -it’s accelerating!

• so what? so this…

42

• astrophysicists Lawrence Krauss and Glenn Starkman analyzed consequences of an accelerating expanding universe

• and saw what they

think is bathwater

with our baby…

43

5 cosmic dooms!• with accelerating expansion they

predict these fabulous prizes!… our cosmic window shrinks! star formation ceases! heat flow diminishes! metabolism ceases! physical consciousness ends!!!

44

the humanist manifesto

• but their paper betrays their human-centric hopelessness by placing us in an existence 1) limited to this universe and 2) without God

• seeing life as doomed, they write…

45

…ultimately we will need to abandon our bodies entirely.“”

46

We still have many billions of years to design new physical incarnations to which we will

transfer our conscious selves.“”

47

A point would come when organisms would be… forced to reduce complexity

- to dumb down. Before long, they could no longer be regarded as

intelligent.”“”

48

Is there any hope for eternal life?“”

49

“”

Eternity would become a prison, rather than an endlessly receding

horizon of creativity and exploration.

50

• is this what it’scome to? despiteall the AP

evidence fordesign, is lifejust doomed?

• is the end of the universethe end of us?

51

• their despair betrays two fatal flaws:

their presumption that our hope and destiny lie in this universe & without God

but is there something beyond our cosmos?

52

end of part 1

53

part 2• the anthropic principle

asserts that humans are the reason for this universe

• but some, limited to the realm of nature and ignoring the AP implications, look to the future and see Nothing

• are they right? is this all there is?

54

the God connection• the Bible is our key to seeing the Big

Picture here

• it establishes that God created the universe, fixed its laws, stretched the heavens, and will do away with it all(!),

• but that He has also established dimensions beyond

55

the God connection• where does it say all that and to what

purpose???

• first we’ll look here, then we’ll look beyond…

cosmic singularity beginning

• In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…

Genesis 1:1 Genesis 2:3Genesis 2:4 Psalm 148:5Isaiah 40:26 Isaiah 42:5Isaiah 45:18 John 1:3Col. 1:15-17 Hebrews 11:3

cosmic singularity beginning

• Lift up your eyes to the heavens: Who created all these?…

Genesis 1:1 Genesis 2:3Genesis 2:4 Psalm 148:5Isaiah 40:26 Isaiah 42:5Isaiah 45:18 John 1:3Col. 1:15-17 Hebrews 11:3

cosmic singularity beginning

• By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen is not made out of that what was visible…

Genesis 1:1 Genesis 2:3Genesis 2:4 Psalm 148:5Isaiah 40:26 Isaiah 42:5Isaiah 45:18 John 1:3Col. 1:15-17 Hebrews 11:3

cosmic singularity beginning

• Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded and they were created.

Genesis 1:1 Genesis 2:3Genesis 2:4 Psalm 148:5Isaiah 40:26 Isaiah 42:5Isaiah 45:18 John 1:3Col. 1:15-17 Hebrews 11:3

stretching the heavens

• He alone stretches out the heavens…

Job 9:8 Psalm 104:2 Zech. 12:1

Isaiah 40:22 Isaiah 42:5 Jer. 51:15

Isaiah 44:24 Isaiah 45:12 Jer. 10:12

Isaiah 48:13 Isaiah 51:13

stretching the heavens

• My own hand stretched out the heavens; I marshalled their starry hosts.

Job 9:8 Psalm 104:2 Zech. 12:1

Isaiah 40:22 Isaiah 42:5 Jer. 51:15

Isaiah 44:24 Isaiah 45:12 Jer. 10:12

Isaiah 48:13 Isaiah 51:13

fixed physical laws

• … I have… established my covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth…

Jeremiah 33:25 Genesis 2:5-6

Romans 8:18-23 Ecclesiastes 1:3-15

Genesis 1 & 3 Revelation 21:1-22:5

fixed physical laws

• For the creation was subjected to frustration… by the will of the one who subjected it… will be liberated from its bondage of decay…

Jeremiah 33:25 Genesis 2:5-6

Romans 8:18-23 Ecclesiastes 1:3-15

Genesis 1 & 3 Revelation 21:1-22:5

64

scripture summary

• all these verses imply:• God started it all from nothing• God stretches out the heavens• God established its laws…

God is in control of our physical realm

• but is there a spiritual connection to these physical phenomena?

65

spiritual purpose to physical laws

• help turn us from evil! like a sin repellant

more sin more pain

more sin more work

66

• examples:abusing tools less productivity & longevity

abusing family less productivity & longevity

abusing body less productivity & longevity

67

why limits on our time?

• uni-dimensional! irreversible!unstoppable!

• bad people can only exist at one time

• none can go back and make things worse, etc.

• none can prolong evil deeds, etc.

68

our playpen of space & time

• limits how many we can harm:time limits our human contactsspace separates us from others

• these are the best physics to limit evil in this life - it’s almost… almost… Godlike!

69

• but wait! there’s more! they’re not just a prevention, they’re also a blessing…

70

best time and place

• right here right now in the whole history of the universe we have these fabulous prizes…

maximum cosmic window

best possible observatory

best possible home

best possible physics

most to be conscious of!

71

no surprise mini-summary

• it’s as if the entire physical universe and its laws were made so we could have maximum enjoyment of this planet and escape maximum consequences of the Fall at this very time and place

72

above and beyond

• but what about our destiny?

• are Krauss and Starkman right? is this all there is?

• is the universe just God’s playground?

• is He about finished playing with His toys?

73

another dimension, to go

• if heaven is our destiny and heaven is in this universe, things look grim

• heaven must be beyond!

74

intro to extra-D

• through the work of many smart cookies it has been established that there are 10+ dimensions of space and time!

75

the flat family

• subtracting just one D from our universe, we can get a glimpse into the extra D and its effects

• intro to Flatman and his universe

76

the extradimension connection

1. how do extra dimensions help us in our faith in God and the Bible?and…

2. how does it help us understand our destiny?

77

examples of extraD

• the first creation

• burning bush

• inscription of 10 Comm

• NT examples (appearing and eating, Philip’s free ride, transfiguration)

• “since the beginning of time”

• the Prophets prophesying

• etc., etc., etc.

78

lo, I am with you always

• His proximity while here and “away”

• how can He go away, yet remain?

79

pray w/o ceasing

• which prayer is God listening to here?

• all, via simultaneous,multi-time-dimension attention!

80

before the foundations

• how can He know us from before time?

• intro the Sphere of Influence

• He has the complete view of everything - now!

• thus, He has knowledge and perspective to time everything perfectly (= no coincidences)

81

3 in 1

• how can God be three persons in one?

• dunno! but the extra dimensions available make it possible if not fully comprehensible

82

fully man, fully God

• Incarnation demands accepting the limitations of this creation; extraD provide insight

83

His sacrifice

• 6 hrs suffering = no big deal? beg to differ!

• eternal suffering the Biggest Deal - ever

• in extraD He can suffer eternal punishment for every single human

84

• extra dimensions explain our past and present

• and they are the foundation of our future and destiny

85

two creation model

creation #1cosmos & Earth prepared

Adam & Eve placed in Eden

humans tested by evil

evil conquered by Christ

all lead, finally, to…

86

creation #2• a new creation prepared for

redeemed humans

• God permanently removes evil

• God places redeemed humans in new creation

what’s it like???

87

second creation

• it’s a deliverance from paradise!

• first creation annihilated

• no thermodynamics, gravity, or electromagnetism like here

• no darkness

88

• enormous habitat

• different dimensionality

• unimaginable splendor, joy, beauty, and peace

• relational space-time limits lifted

• pleasure limits lifted, and best of all…

• no lima beans!!!

• more days? more weeks of creation???

second creation

89

the new body• not subject to our laws

• will give us ultimate nuclear family

• what we can accomplish is beyond comprehension

90

summary

• science has given us tools of insight into the workings of God - here and beyond

• the worldview of Men Without God predictably leads to despair despite the overwhelming evidence to support the existence of the God of the Bible…

91

conclusion

despite the despair of those men, there is despite the despair of those men, there is hope for our futurehope for our future

but it’s not here

despite the despair of those men, there is despite the despair of those men, there is hope for our futurehope for our future

but it’s not here

92

Krauss and Starkman:“Eternity would become a prison, rather than an endlessly receding horizon of creativity and exploration.”

93

Christ and Godlymen:“Eternity will be freedom from a prison; an endlessly receding horizon of creativity and exploration.”

94

No eye has seen,no ear has heard,no man has conceivedwhat God has prepared for those who love him.