Are we as powerful as we think we are?
This is the third episode in a series that I am calling The Bible Mountain Parables. In this series, we are addressing some of the most basic and fundamental questions that we as human beings should answer. In today’s episode we will discuss power. Who or what is the ultimate power in our world?
First episode: How do we know if God exists?
Second episode: How can I believe in a God whom I haven't seen?
(Scroll down below the video if you prefer to read a transcript.)
http://youtu.be/Zs11j9D_yQs
Transcript:
Thanks for watching this episode of Bible Mountain dotcom. This is the third episode in a series that I am calling The Bible Mountain Parables. In this series, we are addressing some of the most basic and fundamental questions that we as human beings should answer. In the first episode, we concluded that when we observe the world we live in, the logical, intelligent conclusion is that there is a living, intelligent being out there somewhere who created the universe and everything in it, including us. In the second episode, we concluded that just as there are historical documents that testify to the existence of people like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, so too there are historical documents that testify to the fact that God exists. In future episodes, we will talk about fear, authority, life after death, and the meaning of life, but before we get to those topics, in today’s episode we will discuss power. Who or what is the ultimate power in our world? Throughout this series I am using parables to discuss these various questions, so let's get started with today’s first parable:
The Tribe.
Once upon a time a primitive tribal chief in Africa heard that an army from a faraway continent was coming through Africa conquering everything in its path. The chief mobilized all his warriors, equipped them with the best swords, spears, and dart throwers they could possibly build, and trained them relentlessly until they could shoot flawlessly. Eventually the enemy arrived. The enemy vastly outnumbered the village warriors, and the enemy was equipped with machine guns, mortars, and helicopters that could cause more injury, death, and destruction than the chief had ever considered possible. When the chief saw the power of his enemy’s weapons, he realized that his tribe had absolutely no chance of defending themselves.
Why did the chief conclude that his tribe was doomed? Because he compared the swords and spears of his tribe to the machine guns and helicopters of his enemy and concluded that his enemy was vastly superior in their ability to make weapons.
Now let’s compare man to God. The largest and most complex man-made objects ever created are things like the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, aircraft carriers, and the internet. These are impressive creations, but they are tiny and insignificant compared to the largest and most complex objects that God ever created such as the Universe, the Earth, the Sun, and life. Just as the African tribal chief compared the output of his tribe to that of his enemy and concluded that his enemy was far superior in their ability to make things; so too when we compare man’s accomplishments to God’s accomplishments, we must conclude that God’s ability to make things is far superior to man’s ability to make things. Now let’s look at a second parable:
The Skyscraper.
Once upon a time a developer purchased some prime real estate and decided to build the world's tallest skyscraper. The building became world famous. One day a great atrocity took place inside the skyscraper, and due to the extensive media coverage of the atrocity, the building became synonymous with death and suffering. After pondering the situation, the developer decided to destroy the skyscraper and remove every shred of evidence that the building had ever existed.
Is it possible to destroy the largest building in the world? Yes, because people are capable of destroying anything they create. Whether it is a painting, a car, a building, a ship, or massive city walls, if it was built by humans, it can be destroyed by humans. This is also true of animals. Birds have enough strength and skill to collect twigs and build a nest, and they also have the strength and skill to carry those twigs away again. Beavers have the strength and skill to collect wood and build a dam, and they also have the strength and skill to carry that wood away again.
Now let’s apply this to God. God created the universe and everything in it including people, the earth, and the sun. Just as people and animals can destroy the objects that they create, so too God is capable of destroying the objects that He created. This means that God is capable of destroying the universe, the earth, the sun, and us. Now, let’s look at a third parable:
The Ant.
Once upon a time an ant was crawling across a table and found a particle of food. The ant picked up the piece of food and began carrying it away. Just then a boy walked up to the table, noticed the ant, and watched it move across the table. After watching the ant for a couple minutes, the boy got bored so he killed the ant with one swipe of his hand and walked away.
Why was the boy able to kill the ant so easily with a simple swipe of his hand? Because the boy is much bigger and much stronger than the ant. Now let’s think about God and us. God created objects like the universe, the earth, and the sun, These things dwarf anything that man has ever created. This tells us that God’s size and power dwarf us even more than our size and power dwarf that of ants. And just as we have the size and power to kill ants with a simple swipe of our hand, so too God has the power to kill us in an instant.
So what is the conclusion from all this?
When we observe the world we live in, the logical, intelligent conclusion is that God can create objects that are infinitely bigger and more complex than anything that any other living thing can even begin to create. This means that God is by far the most powerful force in the universe and there is nothing in the universe that can stop God from doing anything He wants to do.
In the next episode, we will talk about the fear of God.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20
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