Review: Beyond the Stars (Ep. 13-15)

Hi everyone, if you are reading this on the Sabbath, then I’d like to wish you a wonderful Sabbath filled with God’s presence.

As I have mentioned in the last couple of reviews, True to the Word is continuing with our science thread for our program reviews. There are many great Christian science programs out there that teach us about the universe, while giving our Creator the glory. It truly is a joy to watch them to learn about God’s creation and worship Him, for His works and character. So please join me as I review the last few episodes of Beyond the Stars, a series of short, but in-depth videos about the Cosmos. The series is produced by WVBS (World Video Bible School) and written and presented by Branyon May.

Branyon covers the following, amongst other things:

Galaxies (Episode 13)

• How the cosmos is filled with a vast amount of objects beyond the stars

• The role of telescopes in cataloging different objects

• The development of the telescope revealed comets, clouds of gasses surround stars, bright nebulas and faint nebulas were seen

• Spiral nebulas. What are they and how do they contribute to the knowledge of a vast cosmos?

• The number of galaxies in our cosmos

• What remains constant in the cosmos, independent of its size?

• The Hubble System for classifying galaxies.

• In-depth lesson on the classification of galaxies.

• Our role in the universe?

Stars (Episode 14)

• Their diversity - huge numbers here!

• Brightness and colours

• How the colour of a star corresponds to its surface temperature

• What are stars made of?

• The classification of 400,000 stars into a systematic framework

• Background on scientists who had worked very hard to classify stars

• Information about dwarf, main sequence, giants and supergiant stars

• Additional information about some supergiant stars

The size and properties of stars are incomprehensible!

Branyon references 1 Cor 15:40

There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

And if we try to think how many stars there are - it’s just amazing. This reminds me about how no two snow flakes are the same. What am amazing God we have - words don’t do Him justice.

The Age of the Universe (Episode 15)

Branyon goes into detail of how we have a fully functioning universe - not one that has evolved. He speaks of the processes of life witnessed on earth and their connection and reliance on other objects in the cosmos. Previous episodes have shown us how this is such a careful balance, with a very narrow window. A slight change in variables would result in no life on earth.

Branyon asks some good questions:

How can we calculate the age of the universe?

Was the history of the cosmos slow and incremental in its development? Or did it have a coordinated beginning, where the processes were created together?

When did the common origin happen?

Branyon references Genesis 1:1 for the common beginning of objects in the cosmos

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

He goes on to give a solid overview of what science can and cannot measure, which leads to the question: What does provide evidence for the universe’s origin?

It’s at this point Branyon points to the historical accounts in the Bible. Starting with Jesus, the Son of God, who walked this earth roughly 2000 years ago and how Jesus, through his father, came through the line of King David, who came through the line of Judah, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The tribe Judah can be traced back to Abraham, who is traced back to Noah, through Noah’s son Shem. Noah is traced back through Methuselah, who is traced back to Enoch, who is traced back to Seth, who was Adam’s son, who was the first man God created.

An account of the generations can be found several places in the Bible, including: Genesis 5:1-32 (from Adam to Noah), Genesis 10 (from Noah to Abraham) and Matthew 1:1-17 from Abraham to Jesus Christ. Absolutely fascinating to read!

I have mentioned before that I did the exercise of calculating the age of the universe by calculating the generations in the Bible. As Jesus said, Sanctify them through Your truth: Your Word is truth: John 17:17.

Branyon rounds off the episode with a verse from Genesis

Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

I’d like to round off with Genesis 2:1-3

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Thank you for reading this review. Until next time - peace be with you.

Film and thumbnail source: www.awesomescitv.com