APRIL 24-25 – LO, He Comes!

"...and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places” - Rev. 6:13-14

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise....” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Astronomers have disclosed there is a gigantic “empty” space in the Northern sky, in the nebula of Orion – endorsing the words of Job - “He stretcheth out the North over the empty place” - Job 26:70.

Above is a picture of the Orion cavern taken from the Hubble telescope. Using powerful lenses, and the latest technology, scientists peer for endless hours into the depths of interstellar space, and have gained a glimpse of the vastness of infinity itself.

Modern astronomers all agree that there is a huge opening in Orion which is more than 16,740,000,000,000 miles in diameter, and widening by the year. Compare this to the diameter around the earth's orbit – a mere 186,000,000 and we discover that Orion is 90,000 times as wide! In other words, 30,000 solar systems like our own, each with a sun in the middle, could be placed across the entrance of Orion.

If you think that is mind blowing, take on board this description of Orion given by Prof. Larkin of the Mount Lowe Observatory:

“Negatives (photographs) reveal the opening and interior of a cavern so stupendous that our entire solar system would be lost....the central region is the mouth of a colossal cave. Human speech is impotent. Pen of writer and brush of artist alike are lifeless and inert in any attempt to describe this interior.

In the depths of the Orion nebula, are torn, twisted, and riven masses of shining glass, irregular pillars, columns of stalactite in glittering splendour, and stalagmites from the mighty floor. The appearance is like that of light, shining and glowing behind Herculean walls of Ivory and Pearl and studded with millions of Diamond Shining Stars.

There must be some reason why all this grandeur is lavished on this one spot in the heavens; why the coloured hue is peculiar to Orion and studded around the opening so that they appear as a pavement of starry sand.”

Thomas.

What an incredible picture Prof. Larkin paints. If this is just the courtyard entrance, imagine the splendour inside, and how it reflects the Bible's description of heaven in Revelation 21:21-25 - “And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass”.

This week TV news, in an interview with a space scientist from Loughborough University, announced that new pictures and information from Hubble are about to be released. They were described as “phenomenal,” “incredible.”

Amazing!! What an honour to be allowed a glimpse, just a glimpse of eternity. Jesus is coming again. “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. 8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" – Revelation 1:7-8

Today we have Wintley Phipps singing of the wonderful promise - “Coming Again.”