"This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around." -Ezekiel 1:16-18
Many UFO enthusiasts have noted that Ezekiel seems to describe something similar to what many others report seeing in the sky. Are UFOs real? Yes! There are thousands of reports from people who see objects in the sky that they cannot identify, so technically, there are "Unidentified Flying Objects." But what are these objects? There are three basic views for us to consider:
1. The natural view. There is a reasonable, natural explanation for all observed phenomena.
2. The natural, extraterrestrial view. UFOs are sometimes reported because beings from another planet have travelled here and are occasionally seen. They are researching us for some purpose.
3. A supernatural view. The Bible teaches that invisible, supernatural beings are real and can sometimes be seen. This is a sufficient explanation for genuine reports of UFOs.
I think the first view is insufficient to account for all the evidence. Certainly, in many cases a natural explanation is available. Someone saw a military aircraft at night, or there was a meteorite recorded at the same time as the sighting. However, many cases defy any known explanation. Supporters of the first view insist that fraud, drugs, mental illness, general confusion, or some other explanation exists even if we don't know what it is. You may think the idea of seeing an actual flying saucer is silly, but the evidence supports that something is going on. For instance, researchers have studied reported UFO landing sites and the resulting damage left behind. Sometimes the land is scorched or circular depressions are left behind. In one site the compression indicates a thirty-ton object. Vegetation is damaged in the form of extreme aging, with no known natural explanation that could produce such effects. Multiple and credible sounding eye witnesses often give complementary and convincing testimonies of seeing things at sights like this. (See Hugh Ross, "Lights in the Sky," Ted Phillips Jr., "Physical Traces Associated with UFO Sightings," and Richard Hall, "The UFO Evidence: A Thirty-Year Report," for more details).
The extraterrestrial view also doesn't work. If intelligent beings do exist outside of our planet, they would have to come from a distant solar system. Even very technologically advanced beings cannot break the laws of physics. The vast amounts of time required to travel such great distances make this theory unworkable, even if E.T. sounds like an attractive option!
The Bible offers an explanation that better accounts for all the data. There really are many supernatural beings that can influence our world but are generally invisible to us. Ezekiel is not confirming the existence of extraterrestrial flying saucers, he is saying that appearances of things like this are unusual glimpses of very real spiritual beings that the Bible either calls angels or demons (fallen angels). In 2 Kings 6:16-18, Elisha prays that his servant's eyes will open so he can see an entire army of angels surrounding the city that apparently were only visible to Elisha. The Bible frequently speaks of supernatural beings that are fighting and working in our world. (See Daniel 10:12-13, or 1 Corinthians 10:20 for a few other examples). The Bible tells us that some people can see these beings at special times, and that the beings are able to impact our world (they caused an army to go blind in 2 Kings 6). This matches what we would expect in the numerous UFO reports we hear about. Visual observations are made, but there is never any direct physical evidence, only impacts on the physical world such as changes in the condition of plants.
Those who report communicating with "aliens" also exhibit general patterns that fit in line with what we should expect from a biblical worldview. Many cults start with communication from aliens, such as Heaven's Gate. Religious ideas that come from these beings reject basic Christian teachings (see "The Urantia Book," for example). This is in perfect agreement with what we should expect from demons, who serve Satan and lie in order to lead people away from the true God. Jesus said the devil, "was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and he father of lies."
Once again, the Bible offers the most trustworthy explanation for our experiences. The Bible guides us to truth, and truth is most fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html
No comments:
Post a Comment