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According to Wikipedia’s data, it says:

“This is a list of exoplanets. As of 1 May 2022, there are 5,017 confirmed exoplanets in 3,694 planetary systems, with 822 systems having more than one planet. Most of these were discovered by the Kepler space telescope.”

Source: Lists of exoplanets (Wikipedia)

Q: According to Protestantism, what does God’s Word have to say with an explanation of why God made these exoplanets?

curiousdannii
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Cork88
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    The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go. - Galileo Galilei – Ken Graham May 08 '22 at 19:28
  • @Ken Graham I enjoy that quote! I attended such a lovely lecture at our church once by Patrick Moore, a renowned astronomer - and a Sir, I believe. He used the same quote. –  May 08 '22 at 20:53
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    Entirely related question which people have been asking for centuries - why did God make billion of tiny flowers which nobody will ever see except him? – DJClayworth May 08 '22 at 21:50
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    "Protestantism" is a broad term, including many very different denominations (but for my deleted answer, not broad enough). Could you clarify what you meant by that term? E.g. I interpreted it as non-Catholic but Bible-based (e.g. not LDS), while a moderator interpreted it as specifically originating from the Reformation. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 02:32
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    @RayButterworth Protestantism is firmly Trinitarian. It may be broad, but it also has some clear boundaries. Though if you're aware of some widely used contrary definition which includes non-Trinitarians, then that would be useful information to bring up on Meta. This question is relevant to the definition of Protestantism. – curiousdannii May 09 '22 at 03:02
  • Wait, are you guys suggesting my question title isn’t narrow enough? I’m confused here. – Cork88 May 09 '22 at 04:31
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    Cork88 Your question is fine. Some may consider it opinion based, but the core question looks fine to me. – Ken Graham May 09 '22 at 12:06
  • @Cork88, the question doesn't include your reason for using the term "Protestantism". I interpreted it as a broad definition that would include all Bible-only denominations, even those that weren't directly part of the Reformation, and answered accordingly. curiousdannii interpreted it as excluding any denomination that doesn't accept the Trinity Doctrine, and so deleted my answer. ¶ So yes, if you could make it either more or less restrictive, to indicate what you meant by Protestantism, that would help. My interpretation may very well be wrong, but I'd like your confirmation of that. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 14:16
  • @RayButterworth What does a trinitarian or reformation viewpoint have to do with my particular question? I didn’t ask “According to Trinitarians, why did God make exoplanets?” Nor have I had this issue predominately before with respect to the term “according to Protestantism”. So now I am more confused than before. – Cork88 May 09 '22 at 15:12
  • @Cork88, your question is fine. My answer gave examples of denominations that have explicit doctrines about God's purpose for creating exoplanets, which I thought you would be interested in learning about. A moderator deleted my answer because, despite being Bible-only based, those denominations aren't technically considered to be Protestant, since they weren't created as a result of the Reformation. I want clarification as to whether, by using the term Protestant, you actually wanted to exclude such non-Catholic denominations. Thanks. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 15:52
  • @Cork88 says "I didn’t ask “According to Trinitarians, why did God make exoplanets?”". Not explicitly, but you restricted it to Protestants, and according to the moderator's definition of Protestant ("Protestantism is firmly Trinitarian") the allowable denominations must be Trinitarian, so implicitly you did restrict it to Trinitarian denominations. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 15:58
  • @RayButterworth Ah, I see what you are saying now. I do affirm Trinitarian doctrine, I just didn’t necessarily see the doctrine of the trinity needing to pop up, yet of course creation would be a trinitarian act, (Ephesians 3:9). I would assume based on what you said: “ I want clarification as to whether, by using the term Protestant, you actually wanted to exclude such non-Catholic denominations.”. Then, yes. I am not really interested in the Mormon answer for example, but I have briefly studied Mormon theology before. Either way, peace to you Ray. ;) – Cork88 May 09 '22 at 16:44
  • @Cork88, these weren't Mormon or other extra-biblical denominations, and neither the question nor answer depend on the Trinity. The specific belief is that following the Millennium, the saved, as immortal spirit beings, will be "Serving our Father and Jesus Christ in the perfect government of God, we will undoubtedly be challenged in ages to come to rejuvenate and beautify vast portions of the universe that are now bleak, lifeless, and desolate.". I'll drop this issue now. Sorry for bothering you. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 18:09
  • @RayButterworth Ray, you're fine brother, I just wanted understanding, I appreciate the 2 cents you just gave. God bless. – Cork88 May 09 '22 at 18:10
  • @RayButterworth and Cork88 Protestants adhere to the Nicene Creed believe in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and the God the Holy Spirit) as one God. Movements emerging around the time of the Protestant Reformation, but not a part of Protestantism, e.g. Unitarianism also reject the Trinity. This often serves as a reason for exclusion of the Unitarian Universalism, Oneness Pentecostalism and other movements from Protestantism by various observers. Unitarianism continues to have a presence mainly in Transylvania, England, and the United States, as well as elsewhere. – Ken Graham May 09 '22 at 22:41

1 Answers1

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According to Protestantism, why did God make exoplanets?

God created the universe and other planets as well as exoplanets because “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (NIV). This beautiful statement from Psalm 19:1 (NIV) indicates one of the purposes of the created universe: the universe reveals the majesty of its Creator. Of course, God’s glory can be seen in many different aspects of creation—not just the heavens. Consider the magnificent intricacy of a living cell, the complexity and the amazing diversity of life on earth, and the mathematical precision of the laws of physics and chemistry. These are all indicative of the incomprehensible creativity, intelligence, and power of the Creator. - The Splendor of God’s Creation

God created all in the heavens, not only to contemplate God’s omnipotence, but also to aid man to divide the seasons and separate their years from one another.

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. - Genesis 1:14-18

Contemplating the vastness of the universe will aid us to contemplate the Creator of all things.

Why did God create such a vast universe and other planets if there is only life on Earth?

The question of whether God created life on other planets is certainly fascinating. Psalm 19:1 says that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Everything that God has made, be it you and me, or wildlife, or angels, or stars and planets, has been created for His glory. When we see a breathtaking view of the Milky Way or peer at Saturn through a telescope, we are amazed at the wonders of God!

David wrote in Psalm 8:3, “I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.” When we see the vast number of stars, then read that scientists have discovered thousands upon thousands of galaxies, each containing millions of stars, we should be standing in reverent fear of a God so immense to make all that and call it the work of His fingers! Furthermore, Psalm 147:4 tells us that “He counts the number of the stars, He calls them all by name.” It is impossible for mankind to know how many stars there are, not to mention the “name” of every star! “Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13).

Space and planets were created for God’s glory. We know that stars and planets outside our solar system exist, and these, too, were created for the glory of God. A constantly expanding universe is yet another conjecture that has yet to be proven. The next star farther than the sun is over 4 light-years away, and that isn’t even a measurable fraction of the size of the known universe, expanding or not.

As to whether there is life on other planets, we simply do not know. So far, no evidence of life on the other planets of our solar system has been found. Considering the nearness of the end times, it is unlikely that man will progress far enough to visit other galaxies before the Lord’s return. Wherever life exists or doesn’t exist, God is still the Creator and Controller of all things, and all things were made for His glory.

Besides the contemplation of the immensity of God’s created universe to deepen our faith, God created it in such a way that the heaven can aid to find our bearings at night when lost.

To marvel over God’s universe helps many to see the Creator Himself.

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 1:20

Ursa Minor and Ursa Major in relation to Polaris

Ursa Minor and Ursa Major in relation to Polaris

Use Polaris to find directions

If you stand facing Polaris, then, you’re facing the direction north. If you place Polaris to your back, you’re facing south. You can use Polaris to find directions only in the Northern Hemisphere, however. South of the equator, Polaris drops below the northern horizon.

In the end, remember what Galileo Galilei once said:

The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go.

Ken Graham
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    Helpful answer, Psalms 19:1 for sure is the way to think of it. I’d recommend this book to you; especially if you know calculus. This book talks about the distant starlight “problem”. Even if you take the OEC side. https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Einstein-travel-distant-starlight/dp/0999707906/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2EZVDOGRZ6APR&keywords=the+physics+of+einstein&qid=1652061611&sprefix=the+physics+of+einstein+%2Caps%2C277&sr=8-1 – Cork88 May 09 '22 at 02:01
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    Note that Polaris didn't become the North Star until more than 400 years after the Bible was completed, and 1400 years after the Psalms were written. – Ray Butterworth May 09 '22 at 02:29
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    Protestants would concur with all these points. I had been thinking of writing an answer, but you even quoted all the verses I was thinking of! – curiousdannii May 09 '22 at 03:04