The Sun

There are two ways of looking at things. Consider the sun. Wikipedia defines it as follows:

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System and is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. It is a nearly perfect spherical ball of hot plasma, with internal convective motion that generates a magnetic field via a dynamo process. Its diameter is about 109 times that of Earth, and it has a mass about 330,000 times that of Earth, accounting for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System. About three quarters of the Sun’s mass consists of hydrogen; the rest is mostly helium, with much smaller quantities of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon and iron.

This is a familiar description and it tells us all we need to know about the sun, scientifically speaking. It tells us where it is, what it does, what it is and what’s inside it. But it’s not the only way we can consider the sun. We can define it as:

That which provides the heat and light among other things needed by life on Earth.

The first definition, the Greek one, concerns the form of the sun, the second, the Hebraic one, concerns the function of the sun. Remember these concepts, they are important and we will shortly revisit them.

So far there is probably nothing to worry the scientists and academics among you until I add that the second definition is really the only one that God is concerned about.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

The sun, in the way that it provides the energy needs of God’s Creation, declares God’s glory. Where it is, what it does, what it is and what’s inside it is irrelevant to our needs, though we may marvel at the cleverness of our Creator for the excellence of His design.

God and Science are not in opposition. It’s as ridiculous a notion as saying that you are at war with your family car. Just as your car is a tool created by man to get you out and about, so Science is the tool given to us by God that deals with understanding His creation. It is not in opposition with God, neither does it replace Him. What a ridiculous assertion.

We are so used to a certain way of thinking. Our knowledge may be all for the good, but this does not necessarily mean we have the wisdom to use it. Scientists have analysed and harnessed the power of the sun and have given us the ‘H’ Bomb. Where is the wisdom in that?

So the scientific mindset gives us a descriptive definition of the sun, providing us with data consistent with centuries of scientific investigation and discovery. Although I provided the alternative Hebraic definition as the preferable one for Christians, this does not invalidate considering the sun as …

… the star at the center of the Solar System that is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. It is a nearly perfect spherical ball of hot plasma, with internal convective motion that generates a magnetic field via a dynamo process. Its diameter is about 109 times that of Earth, and it has a mass about 330,000 times that of Earth, accounting for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System. About three quarters of the Sun’s mass consists of hydrogen; the rest is mostly helium, with much smaller quantities of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon and iron.

This is the best definition that science can give us, though it doesn’t mean that it is conclusive or even necessarily accurate. The world of Science is continually on the move. This movement is called ‘progress’ – and new discoveries or more accurate measuring instruments sometimes override accepted knowledge, a constant feature in the history of Science.

This is an extract from the book, Hebraic Church, available for £10 at https://www.sppublishing.com/hebraic-church-101-p.asp

What is the purpose of the sun?