[EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a two-part series on the teleological argument for the existence of God. Part II will appear in the March issue.]

Several years ago, astronomers from more than 30 research institutions in 15 countries worked together to select a site for a giant telescope that they hoped would read TV or radio signals from alien civilizations. Slated to cost one billion dollars, the Square Kilometer Array, or SKA, would be the world’s most powerful radio telescope. Speaking at a conference of the International Society for Optical Engineering in Orlando, Florida, project astronomers said they hoped to find “immediate and direct evidence of life elsewhere in the Universe.”¹

Despite this bold venture, the scientists admitted that “such a search would have distinct limitations, to be sure.” “Distinct limitations”? Like what? For one, the scientists “aren’t sure how to recognize such signals, if they do turn up. The hope is that the signals would consist of organized patterns suggestive of intelligence, and not attributable to any known celestial sources.”² Wait a minute. Evolutionary scientists are renowned for their condescending ridicule of creationists because those who believe in God assert that evidence of intelligent design in the Universe is proof of an Intelligent Designer. No, the evolutionists counter, the Universe got here by accident through random chance, mindless trial and error, and the blind, mechanistic forces of nature. They maintain that life on Earth owes its ultimate origin to dead, non-purposive, unconscious, non-intelligent matter. Yet they were perfectly willing to squander one billion dollars on a telescope with the speculative idea that solid proof—hard evidence—for the existence of alien life would reside in undecipherable radio or TV signals that convey “organized patterns suggestive of intelligence.”³ Atheistic evolutionists want it both ways: organized patterns prove the existence of intelligent alien design and organized patterns do not prove the existence of an Intelligent Designer. Philosophers and logicians refer to such duplicitous posturing as irrational and “logical contradiction.” Apparently, evolutionists call it “science.” Nevertheless, the basic thrust of the teleological argument for the existence of God is self-evident.

THE UNIVERSE—A “Waste of Space”?

“The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be.”⁴ So began Carl Sagan’s immensely popular book and PBStelevision series: Cosmos. A more atheistic, humanistic, materialistic declaration could not be spoken. Sagan (1934-1996), who was an astronomer at Cornell University who lived his entire life resistant to the possibility of God and an afterlife, maintained his unbelief—in the words of his third wife—“unflinching” to the end.⁵ She, herself, finds comfort after his passing “without resorting to the supernatural.”⁶

When people reject or avoid the implications of the design in the created order—i.e., that it is logically the result of a Supreme Creator—they have inevitably “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Skeptical of the survival of the Earth at the mercy of Homo sapiens, Sagan turned his attention to an almost obsessive dedication to finding answers and solutions from life forms beyond Earth. In his own words: “In a very real sense this search for extraterrestrial intelligence is a search for a cosmic context for mankind, a search for who we are, where we have come from, and what possibilities there are for our future—in a universe vaster both in extent and duration than our forefathers ever dreamed of.”⁷

Less than a year after his death, Hollywood released a movie on July 11, 1997 based on Sagan’s novel Contact.⁸ The film’s central character, Dr. Eleanor Arroway (played by Jodie Foster), was surely the embodiment of the formative experiences, philosophical perspectives, and spiritual beliefs of Sagan himself. On three separate occasions in the film, a pseudo-intellectual remark, obviously designed to defend the naturalistic explanation of the existence of the Universe while ridiculing the Christian viewpoint, is offered up to viewers. As a child, “Ellie” asks her father if life exists out in the Universe, to which he responds: “Well, if there wasn’t, it’d be an awful waste of space.” As an adult, she converses with Palmer Joss (played by Matthew McConaughey), and, staring up at the starry Puerto Rican sky, expresses her confidence in the evolution of other life forms elsewhere in the Universe: “If just one in a million of those stars has planets, and if only one in a million of those has life, and if just one in a million of those has intelligent life, then there are millions of civilizations out there.”⁹ Ellie is pleasantly stunned when Joss repeats the same line that her father uttered to her when she was a child. Near the close of the film, Ellie speaks the line again to a group of school children when asked if life exists in space.

This triple declaration was obviously intended to offer a “logical” proof that, rather than looking to some supernatural Being Who is transcendent of the Universe, humans had best recognize that the only life beyond planet Earth are those life forms that have evolved (like our own) on other planets in far off galaxies. The materialist is forced to follow Sagan’s presupposition: life must exist elsewhere in the Universe since there is no God. If there is a God Who created life only on Earth, then He was guilty of poor teleological design—creating a vast physical realm that serves absolutely no purpose—and thus producing a nearly infinite realm of “wasted space.”

But wait! The Bible long ago anticipated the skepticism of the materialist astronomer. At the creation of the Universe, God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth” (Genesis 1:14-15). The luminaries that God made included the stars: “God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night” (vss. 17-18). One very specific function of the stars that occupy space far beyond our solar system is illumination (cf. Psalm 136:9). They are “light-bearers.”¹⁰

Another very specific purpose of the vastness of space is seen in the multiple declarations regarding the infinitude of God and the evidence that points to His existence, His glory, His eternality, and His power. Paul affirmed very confidently that “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). It is absolutely incredible—and, according to Paul, inexcusable—for a rational human being to contemplate the magnitude of the Universe and the vastness of space, and then to reject the only logical, plausible explanation for it all: God. We simply have no excuse for rejecting God when we are surrounded by such an overwhelming display of wonders and marvels in the created order. Indeed, atheism, evolution, and humanism are simply more sophisticated forms of the polytheism that has plagued humanity for millennia. Moses warned the Israelites of this very thing: “[T]ake heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage” (Deuteronomy 4:19). Evolutionary astronomy assigns an inflated value to the vastness of space by postulating that it can provide mankind with an alternative explanation for the existence of life—an explanation that absents God. Any such postulation ultimately amounts to idolatry.

David, too, paid homage to the glory of the Creator, as evidenced by the eloquent symphony of the majestic Universe that is played perpetually—24 hours a day:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat (Psalm 19:1-6; cf. 74:16-17; 136:7-8).

Separate and apart from the latest evidence that confirms the movement of the Sun through space,¹¹ these verses reaffirm the fact that the created Universe loudly announces the existence of the Universe-Maker. David also declared: “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, You have set Your glory above the heavens! …When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:1,3). God “stretched out the heavens like a curtain” (Psalm 104:2). No wonder even a philosopher on the order of Immanuel Kant observed: “Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”¹²

A third biblical explanation for the creation of the vast Universe was hinted at by God Himself in the attitude-adjusting lecture He delivered to Job: “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you lead forth a constellation in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you fix their rule over the earth?” (Job 38:31-33). Notice the action terms that are used to refer to the movement of the constellations: bind, loose, lead forth, and guide. Observe also the “laws of the heavens” and their relationship to “ruling over the earth.”¹³ These verses imply that the heavenly bodies, and the laws that govern them, have been deliberately orchestrated, modulated, and regulated by the Creator to serve a purpose or purposes far beyond our present understanding. The text seems to hint that Earth’s status, with its living beings, is somehow affected by the phenomena of the cosmic bodies. Even as the comprehension of scientists has been lacking through the centuries on many features of the physical realm, only eventually to discover the meaning that lay behind observable phenomena, even so our present comprehension of space is woefully inadequate to justify passing judgment on the intentionality and teleology that lie behind many astronomical phenomena.

Evolutionists have far better arguments with which to attempt to prop up their atheistic stance (the “problem of evil” being the strongest, though refutable¹⁴). The “wasted space” argument is anemic, pitiful, and hardly worthy of rebuttal. However, since they brought it to our attention, the Christian is once again reminded of the unfathomable attributes of the great God Who stands above and beyond this vast physical realm. The immensity and vastness of the Universe only spurs the rational mind to marvel at the One whose own metaphysical transcendence surpasses the visible. In the words of the psalmist: “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness” (145:5-6). “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:4-5). Isaiah agreed: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power” (40:26). Indeed, “the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:  ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created’” (Revelation 4:10-11). The vast cosmos points directly and unmistakably to an awesome God.

The Revelation of God

You see, the infinite God of the Bible has revealed Himself to the human race by means of two forms of revelation: natural (or generic) and supernatural (or special). Special revelation consists of the Bible—the self-authenticating, supernatural book that God imparted to humanity by miraculously directing human writers to record His will (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

Natural revelation consists of nature: the material realm, the created order. Since God created the heavens and the Earth, His “fingerprints” are all over it. Humans can easily recognize these fingerprints—if they are unbiased, honest, and willing to follow the evidence to its logical conclusion.

Sadly, the number of those who reject the obvious is legion. Why? They are generally unwilling to accept the implications of the existence of God: the need to bring one’s fleshly appetites and actions into harmony with the will of the Creator. But that fact does not lessen the magnitude of the evidence and its availability. Indeed, the psalmist said there is no language where the evidence for God is unavailable (Psalm 19:1-2).

Teleology

The word “teleology” comes from the Greek term teleios, meaning “complete, perfect,” taken from telos which means “end,” “outcome, result.”¹⁵ The teleological argument maintains that one proof for God’s existence is the fact that the Universe is the result or outcome of intentional design, order, and purpose. The characteristics of design in the Universe demonstrate the existence of a Designer. In addition to the passages given previously, the Bible also articulates this principle when the Hebrews writer stated this rationale succinctly in Hebrews 3:4—“For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.” If houses with their sophisticated designs cannot just happen or evolve over millions of years, how could worlds? If a watch cannot occur by chance, neither can the systematic chronometers of the Universe. Their geometric precision is so superior to human invention that eclipses, planetary movements, and other astronomical phenomena can be predicted centuries in advance. The Universe is literally a finely tuned, organized machine. If we readily recognize that intelligent planning is behind all ordered design, how could nature’s intricate networks have no Planner? To observe the fantastic design in nature and then conclude there is no Supreme Designer is to behave irrationally. The evidence that surrounds us in the material Universe demands the conclusion that God exists.

Decisive Evidence

Do cars just happen? Of course not. Their multiple systems are interactive and integrated with each other in order for the automobile to operate. A mind—no, multiple minds—lie behind the creation of a car. Yet, compared to the Universe, or compared to the human body, or even compared to the inner workings of one tree leaf, a car is a crude and primitive invention. If the creation of a car demands the existence of the remarkable human brain/mind, what must be required for the creation of the human brain/mind? Obviously, something or Someone far superior to the human mind would be needed for its creation. Logically, that Someone must be the powerful, transcendent Creator: the God of the Bible.

The naturalistic explanation given by evolutionists for the existence of the created order cannot meet the dictates of logic that characterize the unencumbered, unprejudiced human mind. The more one investigates the intricacies and complexities of the natural realm, the more self-evident it is that a grand and great Designer is responsible for the existence of the Universe. In fact, the evidence is overwhelming and decisive.

The Human Body¹⁶

Take, for example, the human body, which possesses such complexity that it simply could not have evolved. Its amazing intricacies absolutely demand a mind—a higher intelligence—behind them. The development of the camera was based upon the human eye. Yet, for all we have accomplished with video and sophisticated photographic equipment, the living, full color optical system of the human eye is unsurpassed. What’s more, we possess a self-restoring, self-repairing healing system; a sensitive stereophonic auditory system; tireless muscular-connecting tissue systems; a well-engineered skeletal framework; a computerized memory-bank brain; a ventilation-insulation skin envelope which constitutes an efficient cooling system of 2000 pores per square inch of skin; and a cardiovascular system that constantly oxygenates our blood with every breath. The human body is absolute proof of God. Atheism cannot explain it. Evolution cannot logically account for it. Scientists have yet to fully understand it. Multiple lifetimes would be necessary even to begin to grasp the massive amount of evidence inherent in the human body.

The psalmist also stated, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14). Indeed, the human body itself is sufficient proof of the existence of the Divine Creator. Right now, your body is performing amazing feats of engineering, chemistry, and physics that no machine designed by man can duplicate. Great human minds have applied themselves to the task of duplicating the various capabilities of the human body. Some incredible things have been accomplished in their efforts to copy God’s Creation, but they simply cannot compare with the marvel of God’s design.

The Flagellum¹⁷

Consider yet another among the millions of amazing proofs of the reality of the Creator. Bacteria, like salmonella, have as part of their anatomy several flagella filaments extending from their cell body. These flagella are marvels of engineering—bio-nanomachines—that appear to possess the remarkable ability of self-assembly. The bacterium’s flagellum assembly process begins with the formation of an MS ring in the cytoplasmic membrane. Then a switch complex called a “C” ring is assembled on its cytoplasmic side, followed by integration of the protein export apparatus inside the ring. The export apparatus sends out flagellar proteins from the cell body to the distal end of the flagellum to grow the structure.

Next, the “hook,” working as an efficient universal joint, extends to the outside of the cell. Then two junction proteins, Hap¹ and Hap³, are attached, followed by the binding of the cap protein, Hap², to form a capping structure under which the assembly of flagellum molecules begins to grow the flagellar filament. Flagellum molecules are then inserted successively just below the cap, and the flagellar filament continues to grow. All of the flagellar axial proteins produced in the cell body are sent into the central channel of the flagellum and transported to and polymerized at its growing end. Some 20 to 30,000 flagellum molecules polymerize to construct a 10 to 15 micrometer long filament.

The flagellar motor is similar to manmade motors—since both were built on fundamental principles set in place by the Creator. The flagellum consists of rotor and stator units in the cell membrane, including switching unit, bushing, universal joint, and helical screw propeller. To generate thrust, the rotary motor is driven by protons flowing into the cell body. The motor then drives the rotation of the flagellum at around 300 Hz, at a power level of 10^-16 W, with energy conversion efficiency close to 100%. The resulting speed is up to 20,000 rpms—faster than the speed of Formula 1 race car engines. This highly efficient, flagellar motor is far beyond the capabilities of manmade, artificial motors. It is so sophisticated, that to suggest that it evolved is the height of irrationality and blind prejudice. Indeed, the evidence is decisive: there is a Designer.

The Pine Tree¹⁸

Consider the pine tree. Some 120 species and subspecies of the pine tree exist worldwide. The Ponderosa pine tree (pinus ponderosa) is one of America’s abundant tree species, covering approximately 27 million acres of land. A young Ponderosa pine has brownish-black bark that changes to a distinctive orange-brown color as the tree grows older. The bark is segmented into large, plate-like structures whose appearance has been likened to a jigsaw puzzle. This unusual design has a purpose. If the tree catches fire, these plates pop off as the bark burns. The tree, in effect, sheds its burning bark! This design, along with the great thickness of the bark, allows the tree to be very resistant to low intensity fires. Since design demands a designer, Who is responsible for this intricate design?

Another species of pine tree is the Lodgepole Pine (pinus contorta), so named since Native Americans used Lodgepole pine for the “lodge poles” in their tepees. This amazing pine tree grows cones that are slightly smaller than a golf ball, are tan when fresh, but turn gray with age. These serotinous cones remain closed until the heat of a forest fire prompts them to open. After the fire, the cones open and reseed the forest. The species literally regenerates itself—even though the forest fire kills the tree itself. Since such design demands a designer, Who is responsible for this ingenious design?

Yet another species of pine tree is the Whitebark Pine (pinus albicaulis). This tree possesses a symbiotic relationship with a bird species known as the Clark’s Nutcracker. The tree is dependent on this bird for reproduction, while the seed of the tree is a major source of food for the bird. This mutualistic relationship is further seen in the fact that Whitebark pinecones do not open and cast seed when they are ripe. The cones remain closed until the Nutcracker comes along, pries the cone open with its bill, and stores the seed within a pouch beneath its tongue. The bird then caches the seed to be used later as a food supply. Some of these seed caches are forgotten, or are not needed, thus enabling the tree to reproduce. Such amazing design—with no Mind behind it? Illogical!

Seed: The Dandelion, Tipuana tipu, and the Alsomitra macrocarpa¹⁹

When the Creator created the Universe in six literal days, He created seed on the third day:

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day (Genesis 1:11-13).

God designed three main mechanisms for seed dispersal: (1) via animals (e.g., a bird eating a piece of fruit containing seed, and flying to another location where the seed passes out of its body), (2) drifting in ocean and fresh water, and (3) floating with the wind. Incredibly, each of these mechanisms points to the orchestration of a Mastermind.

Consider the ordinary dandelion. It possesses a magnificent crown of plumose hairs forming a symmetrical sphere. Upon closer investigation, this sphere is composed of numerous shafts, each equipped with its own umbrella-like canopy of intricately branched hairs. At the base of each shaft is a single seed. Each individual shaft with its canopy and single seed closely resemble the same design as that utilized in parachutes.

As breezes blow across the surface of the dandelion, the canopy of hairs catch the wind which tugs at the shaft with its host of attached seeds, gently pulling them free from the dandelion head. The parachute-like canopy of hairs then allows the entire assembly to drift with the wind. In fact, the canopy of hairs is precisely designed to achieve flight. The length of the shaft is just right to enable aerodynamic positioning of the canopy to enable it to come to a landing in another location. The attached seed can then take root and start the process all over again. The dandelion is absolute, undeniable proof of God.

Then there is the Tipuana tipu tree (also called Rosewood), originally from South America, but now planted as a shade tree throughout the world. This tree produces achenes—a type of fruit consisting of a dry, membranous sheath that surrounds a seed. The tipu tree has a unique type of achene called a samara, which facilitates a specialized form of wind dispersal. It possesses a fan-shaped wing with a slight pitch (like a propeller or fan blade) which causes it to spin like the auto-rotation of helicopter blades when it falls. The spinning creates lift that slows descent, giving more opportunity to be carried a substantial distance from the tree by the wind, depending on wind velocity and distance above the ground. The decomposed seed spirals down to the ground to become established and perpetuate the species—an unmistakable example of flawless aerodynamic wing design.

Also known for its ingenious aerodynamic configuration is the seed of a tenacious tropical climbing vine identified as Alsomitra macrocarpa. Also called the Javan cucumber, it hangs from trees high in the rain forest canopy in the Sunda Islands of the Malay Archipelago and the Indonesian islands. Each football-sized fruit/gourd is densely packed with large numbers of winged “Stealth Bomber” seeds. A single seed is enveloped by two transparent, papery wings, about five inches across, angled slightly back from and extending either side of the seed. Upon ripening, the wings become dry and the long edge opposite the seed curls slightly upwards.

Each one becomes airborne when released through a hole at the bottom of the gourd and sails through the air, majestically spiraling downward in 20 foot circles. The carefully designed aerodynamic features of the seed are such that it can glide great distances from its point of origin—a classic example of mechanical dispersal in the forest. Moving through the air like a butterfly in flight, it gains height, stalls, dips, and accelerates, once again producing lift—a maneuver known as phugoid oscillation. The seed’s stability in pitch and roll inspired the early aviation pioneer Igo Etrich. Scientists studying this amazing plant describe its lift-to-drag ratio and the rate of descent in these terms: “flight was so stable that samples were seen to take their optimal trimmed angle of attack with a value between the maximum gliding ratio and the minimum rate of descent.”

Evolutionists are confident in their conviction that their explanations for such marvels demonstrate nature’s independent, autonomous existence to the exclusion of God. They virtually “jump through hoops” and engage in “scientific ventriloquism” in their quest to achieve legitimacy for their atheistic bent. However, when all relevant evidence eventually comes to light, it fits “hand in glove” with the presence of the God of the Bible.

Wood²⁰

Prior to the invention of modern plastics, what would the Creator have humans to use for suitable containers? Wood, stone, or clay, and eventually metal, pretty much exhausted the possibilities. Yet, government agencies, like the USDA and the FDA, generally have advocated the use of plastic for cutting boards and other surfaces that sustain food contact, on the grounds that the micropores and knife cuts in wood provide hidden havens for deadly bacterial organisms. As one Extension Specialist from the Department of Human Nutrition stated: “for cleanability and control of microorganisms, plastic is the better choice.”

However, the best research available on the subject suggests otherwise. Dr. Dean Cliver, microbiologist formerly with the Food Safety Laboratory and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Food Virology at the University of California-Davis, disputed the oft’-repeated claim regarding the superiority of plastic over wood. His research findings, conducted over a period of several years, consistently demonstrated the remarkable antibacterial properties of wood.

Dr. Cliver and his research associates tested five life-threatening bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) on four plastic polymers and more than 10 species of hardwood, including hard maple, birch, beech, black cherry, basswood, butternut, and American black walnut. Within three minutes of inoculating wooden boards with cultures of the food-poisoning agents, 99.9% of the bacteria were “unrecoverable.” On the other hand, none of the bacteria tested under similar conditions on plastic died. In fact, leaving microbe populations on the two surfaces overnight resulted in microbial growth on the plastic boards, while no live bacteria were recovered from wood the next morning. Interestingly, bacteria are absorbed into the wood, but evidently do not multiply, and rarely if ever thrive again. In contrast, bacteria in knife scars in plastic boards remain viable (even after a hot-water-and-soap wash) and maintain their ability to surface later and contaminate foods. Treating wood cutting boards with oils and other finishes to make them more impermeable actually retards wood’s bactericidal activity. Microbiologists remain mystified by their inability to isolate a mechanism or agent responsible for wood’s antibacterial properties. Incredible, divine design.

Do these research findings bear any resemblance to Mosaic injunctions 3,500 years ago which required the destruction of pottery that had become contaminated—while wood was simply to be rinsed (Leviticus 6:28; 11:32-33; 15:12)? Dr. Cliver concluded: “I have no idea where the image of plastic’s superiority came from; but I have spent 40 years promoting food safety, and I would go with plastic if the science supported it. I don’t necessarily trust ‘nature,’ but I do trust laboratory research.” Kudos to Dr. Cliver’s honesty. What about trusting nature’s God?

Summary

Founding Father Thomas Paine was among the small handful of Founders who rejected Christianity. Yet he was not an atheist. He believed that the created order proves God exists. In fact, he considered atheists to be “fools” for their rejection of the plain evidence of creation. In Age of Reason, he explained:

Deism, then, teaches us, without the possibility of being deceived, all that is necessary or proper to be known. The creation is the Bible of the Deist. He there reads, in the handwriting of the Creator himself, the certainty of his existence and the immutability of his power, and all other Bibles and Testaments are to him forgeries. The probability that we may be called to account hereafter will, to a reflecting mind, have the influence of belief; for it is not our belief or disbelief that can make or unmake the fact. As this is the state we are in, and which it is proper we should be in, as free agents, it is the fool only, and not the philosopher, or even the prudent man, that would live as if there were no God.²¹

Don’t be foolish. The evidence for the marvelous, creative handiwork of God is simply staggering. The only plausible, rational explanation for the existence of human beings on this planet is God. The intricacies of the created order attest to that living God.

[to be continued]

Endnotes

¹ “Sites Under Review for Telescope that Could Detect Alien TV” (2006), World Science, July 10, http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/060711_ska.htm.

² Ibid., emp. added.

³ One is reminded of NASA’s Viking mission to Mars in the mid-seventies in which scientists eagerly declared evidence for life on Mars based on initial photos that appeared to show a “B” or even a face on a rock. Such judgments soon were deemed premature and incorrect. Cf. “‘Life’ on Mars” (2006), http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/mars_life.html. Also Thomas Warren and Antony Flew (1976), The Warren-Flew Debate (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press), pp. 112,156.

⁴ Carl Sagan (1980), Cosmos (New York: Random House), p. 4.

⁵ Carl Sagan (1997), Billions and Billions (New York: Random House), p. 225.

⁶ Ibid., p. 228.

⁷ Carl Sagan, ed. (1973), “Introduction,” Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence [CETI] (MIT Press), pp. ix-x.

⁸ Carl Sagan (1985), Contact (New York: Simon and Schuster).

⁹ As cited in Ray Bohlin (1998), “Contact: A Eulogy to Carl Sagan,” http://www.probe.org/docs/contact.html. Of course, the scientific evidence does not support this conclusion—see Ray Bohlin (2002), “Are We Alone in the Universe?” http://www.probe.org/docs/lifemars.html.

¹⁰ C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch (1976 reprint), Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), 1:56; Herbert Leupold (1950 reprint), Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), p. 71.

¹¹ See “StarChild Question of the Month for February 2000,” High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC), Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA/GSFC, https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question18.html: “[T]he Sun—in fact, our whole solar system—orbits around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. We are moving at an average velocity of 828,000 km/hr. But even at that high rate, it still takes us about 230 million years to make one complete orbit around the Milky Way!”

¹² As quoted in Norman Geisler (1983), Cosmos: Carl Sagan’s Religion for the Scientific Mind (Dallas, TX: Quest), p. 59.

¹³ See Frank Gaebelein, ed. (1988), The Expositor’s Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 4:1037,1042.

¹⁴ See Thomas Warren (1972), Have Atheists Proved There Is No God? (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press). Also Dave Miller (2015), Why People Suffer (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press); Kyle Butt (2010), A Christian’s Guide to Refuting Modern Atheism (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

¹⁵ Barclay Newman (1971), A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament (London: United Bible Societies), p. 180.

¹⁶ The following details were gleaned from: “The Brain Initiative” (2015), National Institutes of Health, http://www.braininitiative.nih.gov/index.htm; “The Cardiovascular System” (2008), SUNY Downstate Medical Center, http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/histomanual/cardiovascular.html; D.D. Clark and L. Sokoloff (1999), Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects, ed. G.J. Siegel, B.W. Agranoff, R.W. Albers, S.K. Fisher, M.D. Uhler (Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott), pp. 637–670; Brian Clegg (2013), “20 Amazing Facts about the Human Body,” The Guardian, January 26, http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jan/27/20-human-body-facts-science; “Fantastic Facts about the Human Body” (2008), DiscoveryHealth.com writers, HowStuffWorks.com, August 12, http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/parts/facts-about-the-human-body.htm; Henry Gray (1918), Anatomy of the Human Body (Philadelphia, PA: Lea & Febiger); Bartleby.com, 2000, www.bartleby.com/107/; “Human Anatomy” (2015), http://www.innerbody.com/; “Human Body” (2015), National Geographic, http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/; Tanya Lewis (2015), “Human Brain: Facts, Anatomy & Mapping Project,” LiveScience, March 26, http://www.livescience.com/29365-human-brain.html; Marcus E. Raichle and Debra A. Gusnard (2002), “Appraising the Brain’s Energy Budget,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99[16]:10237-10239, August 6, http://www.pnas.org/content/99/16/10237; Nikhil Swaminathan (2008), “Why Does the Brain Need So Much Power?” Scientific American, April 29, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-the-brain-need-s/; “Understanding the Brain” (no date), The National Science Foundation, http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/brain/; Carl Zimmer (2004), Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the Brain—and How It Changed the World (New York: Free Press).

¹⁷ See Anton Arkhipov, Peter L. Freddolino, Katsumi Imada, Keiichi Namba, and Klaus Schulten (2006), “Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations of a Rotating Bacterial Flagellum,” Biophysical Journal, 91:4589-4597; Anton Arkhipov, Peter Freddolino, and Klaus Schulten (2014), “Bacterial Flagellum,” Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling & Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/flagellum/; Howard Berg (2000), “Motile Behavior of Bacteria,” Physics Today, 53[1]:24, January, http://scitation.aip.org/docserver/fulltext/aip/magazine/physicstoday/53/1/1.882934.pdf?expires=1447448109&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=4DB7CE4D03EA780CE104B9A03A1CD811; “‘Clutch’ Stops Flagella” (2008), Photonics.com, June 23, http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?PID=6&VID=35&IID=258&AID=34236; Tim Dean (2010), “Inside Nature’s Most Efficient Motor: The Flagellar,” Australian Life Scientist, August 2, http://www.lifescientist.com.au/content/molecular-biology/news/inside-nature-s-most-efficient-motor-the-flagellar-1216235209; Zoltán Diószeghy, Péter Závodszky, Keiichi Namba, and Ferenc Vonderviszt (2004), “Stabilization of Flagellar Filaments by HAP2 Capping,” FEBS Letters, 568[1-3]:105-109, June 18, http://www.febsletters.org/article/S0014-5793(04)00623-4/abstract; Erato Protonic Nanomachine Project, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, http://www.fbs.osaka-u.ac.jp/labs/namba/npn/index.html; Vitold Galkin, Xiong Yu, Jacob Bielnick, et al. (2008), “Divergence of Quaternary Structures among Bacterial Flagellar Filaments,” Science, 320[5874]:382-385, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/320/5874/382, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/320/5874/382; Abhrajyoti Ghosh and Sonja-Verena Albers (2011), “Assembly and Function of the Archaeal Flagellum,” Biochemical Society Transactions, 39[1]:64-69, February 1, http://www.biochemsoctrans.org/content/39/1/64#fn-group-1; Ken Jarrell, Douglas Bayley, and Alla Kostyukova (1996), “The Archaeal Flagellum: a Unique Motility Structure,” Journal of Bacteriology, 178[17]:5057-5064, September, http://jb.asm.org/content/178/17/5057?ijkey=bb6062450f68ce38ff0bb584daab03fe3ff79f1b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha; H. Lodish, A. Berk, S.L. Zipursky, et al. (2000), “Cilia and Flagella: Structure and Movement” (Section 19.4), Molecular Cell Biology (New York: W.H. Freeman), fourth edition, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21698/; Robert Macnab (2003), “How Bacteria Assemble Flagella,” Annual Review of Microbiology, 57:77-100, October, http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.micro.57.030502.090832; Saori Maki-Yonekura, Koji Yonekura, and Keiichi Namba (2010), “Conformational Change of Flagellin for Polymorphic Supercoiling of the Flagellar Filament,” Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 17:417-422, March 14, http://www.nature.com/nsmb/journal/v17/n4/full/nsmb.1774.html; G.L.M. Meister and H.C. Berg (1987), “Rapid Rotation of Flagellar Bundles in Swimming Bacteria,” Nature, 325[6105]:637-640; Yoshio Nagata (2014), “Unlocking the Secrets of Nature’s Nanomotor,” Nikkei Asian Review, June 2, http://asia.nikkei.com/Tech-Science/Tech/Unlocking-the-secrets-of-nature-s-nanomotor; Fadel Samatey, Katsumi Imada, et al. (2001), “Structure of the Bacterial Flagellar Protofilament and Implications for a Switch for Supercoiling,” Nature, 410[15]:331-337; “Self-Assembly NanoMachine” (2008), ICORP Dynamic NanoMachine Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, NHK Joho Network, Research Director Keiichi Namba, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw0-MHI_248.

¹⁸ “Lodgepole Pine” (no date), USDA Forest Service, http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/resources/trees/LodgepolePine.shtml; “Ponderosa Pine” (no date), USDA Forest Service, http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/resources/trees/PonderosaPine.shtml; “Ponderosa Pine” (1995), Western Wood Products Association, http://www.wwpa.org/ppine.htm; “What Are Pine Trees?” (no date), The Lovett Pinetum Charitable Foundation, http://www.lovett-pinetum.org/1whatare.htm; “Whitebark Pine” (no date), USDA Forest Service, http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/resources/trees/WhitebarkPine.shtml.

¹⁹ Trevor Armstrong, et al. (2003), “Rosewood or tipuana tree (Tipuana tipu),” Weed Management Guide, CRC Weed Management, https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/publications/guidelines/alert/pubs/t-tipu.pdf; W.P. Armstrong (1999), “Blowing in the Wind: Seeds & Fruits Dispersed By Wind,” Wayne’s Word, http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plfeb99.htm#helicopters; Akira Azuma and Yoshinori Okuno (1987), “Flight of a Samara, Alsomitra macrocarpa,” Journal of Theoretical Biology, 129[3]:263-274, December 7, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519387800012; Y. Bar-Cohen (2012), “Biologically Inspired Technologies for Aeronautics,” in Innovation in Aeronautics, ed. Trevor Young and Mike Hirst (Philadelphia, PA: Woodhead Publishing); J.W. Dunne (1913), “The Theory of the Dunne Aeroplane,” The Aeronautical Journal, April, 83-102; “Helicopter Seed Dispersal—Tipuana tipu Samara” (2012), TheNerdyGardener, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caGTvw-CRaA; J. Hutchinson (1942), “Macrozanonia Cogn. and Alsomitra Roem,” Annals of Botany, 6[1]:95-102, http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/6/1/95.full.pdf; K. Jones (1995), Pau d’Arco: Immune Power From the Rain Forest (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press); Ch’ien Lee (2015), “Alsomitra macrocarpa,” Image # cld06121913, from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Nature Photography of Southeast Asia, http://www.wildborneo.com.my/photo.php?k=East Kalimantan, Indonesia&p=1&i=7; P. Loewer (1995), Seeds: The Definitive Guide to Growing, History, and Lore (New York: Macmillan Company), R.A. Rolfe (1920), “Macrozanonia Macrocarpa,” Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), 6:197-199, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4118666?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents; Tipuana tipu (no date), The Australian Government,http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/weeddetails.pl?taxon_id=67959; Percy Walker (1974), Early Aviation at Farnborough Volume II: The First Aeroplanes (London: Macdonald), 2:174-175.

²⁰ Dean Cliver (2002), “Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards,” Unpublished manuscript; Dean Cliver (2002), personal letter; Karen Penner (1994), “Plastic vs. Wood Cutting Boards,” Timely Topics, Department of Human Nutrition, K-State Research and Extension; Janet Raloff (1993), “Wood Wins, Plastic Trashed for Cutting Meat,” Science News, 143[6]:84-85, February 6; Janet Raloff (1997), “Cutting Through the Cutting Board Brouhaha,” Science News Online, Food For Thought, July 11.

²¹ Thomas Paine (1794), Age of Reason, Part II, Section 21, emp. added, http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/singlehtml.htm.

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When I was in high school, I loved to see the big, huge pumpkin boxes arrive at Walmart. Maybe you know what I’m talking about. They are about four feet tall and four feet wide and are filled with pumpkins, often stacked on top of each other about five pumpkins deep. I know people must have thought I was crazy, because I would start at the top of the box and inspect virtually every pumpkin. In fact, I would pick the ones off the top, put them on the floor of the store, and basically empty the whole box until I got down to the bottom layer so that I could see them all. What was I looking for? The perfect pumpkin. I wanted the roundest, “orangest,” perfectly stemmed piece of pumpkin perfection I could find. I love pumpkins, and have for as long as I can remember.

It just so happens, I’m not the only one who finds pumpkins fascinating. In the United States, pumpkins are big business. About 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year. Basically, pumpkins are in the squash or gourd family, and there are about 45 different varieties that come in all shapes and sizes. They are grown on six of the seven continents. Antarctica is the only continent where pumpkins don’t grow.

What do people use pumpkins for? To make a complete list of pumpkin purposes would be almost impossible, because there are so many ways to use them. Many people use them for decoration, especially during Thanksgiving. Also, millions of them are carved for Jack-O-Lanterns in October. Pumpkins are edible (you can eat them) and are used in all kinds of food products. Pumpkin juice is very tasty. Pumpkin seeds are often roasted and eaten as a snack, and since there are about 500 seeds in each pumpkin, that makes for plenty of snacking. Also, the inside of the pumpkin rind is scraped off and added as one of the main ingredients in pumpkin pie. Many coffee shops and bakeries use pumpkin spice in coffees, lattes, milkshakes, and cake. Did you know that even the flowers of the pumpkin plant are edible? Turns out, pumpkin is pretty good for you. It is about 90% water, but contains high levels of Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which are great for a healthy body. In addition, many millions of pounds of pumpkins are grown to feed animals.

Sometimes pumpkins are just grown for “sport.” For instance, fairs and fall celebrations around the world feature “biggest pumpkin” contests. At these competitions, farmers haul in their largest, prize pumpkins to see whose weighs the most. Many of the pumpkins weigh more than a thousand pounds. Some of them weigh more than 1,500 pounds. But the biggest pumpkins can weigh over 2,000 pounds. Now those are huge pumpkins. There is also an annual Punkin Chunkin festival in the state of Delaware. A few years ago I was doing a seminar in the area and a member of the church took me out to see it. There were thousands of people and huge “catapults” that were launching pumpkins hundreds of feet through the air. It was something to see.

So, why write so much about pumpkins in Discovery? Have you ever thought about how kind God is to us? He could have made the world with no colors, tasteless food, and less variety. But that is not how He did things. God’s power and kindness can be seen simply by looking at pumpkins. Their beautiful orange color, tasty insides, crunchy seeds, and sometimes massive bodies remind us that God loves us, wants to bless us with variety and beauty, and wants us to glorify Him, even when we are talking about the pumpkin.

“And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:12).

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It is true that most of the plants on the Earth probably would have died in the Flood, but it is also true that Noah could have brought seeds onto the Ark. After all, God told him to bring onto the Ark “of all food that is eaten” for his family and for the animals (Genesis 6:21), and Genesis 1:29-30 and 9:3 seem to tell us that both humans and animals were meant to be herbivores (eat only plants) before the Flood. So the food Noah brought onto the Ark would have been plants. It is also true that most of the world’s plant life is underwater and is able to survive well there. Scientists think that well over half of the oxygen we breathe is from ocean plants.

We also must consider that when the plants on the Earth were killed in the Flood, many of their remains, including their seeds, would have floated on the surface of the waters. After the waters receded, the seeds would have been able to grow again. Studies have been done on seeds to figure out if they could survive after being in salt water for long periods of time—including a study by the father of evolution, Charles Darwin. Sure enough, the seeds were able to grow again.

The Bible tells us of a Flood that covered the entire Earth thousands of years ago. Many arguments have been made trying to prove that such an event could not have happened. When we study those arguments, however, we always find that the Bible can and should be trusted.

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No other tree does as well as the longleaf pine in the dry, infertile, sandy soils that can be found along these coastal plains. A mature tree can reach a height of 150 feet, and live 500 years. It forms a long, straight trunk with hardly any branches. This has made the longleaf pine a popular tree in the lumber industry.

The longleaf pine is in such demand that forestry companies now are learning to recreate the natural conditions in which it thrives. At the same time, scientists are trying to preserve and expand what is left so that we can continue to enjoy this unique ecosystem.

A key ingredient of a healthy longleaf community is fire. Yes, that’s right; the longleaf ecosystem must burn to survive. This is because the grasses and longleaf pine seedlings need plenty of sunlight, and regular fires remove the shade-producing plants.

In nature, the fires are started by lightning strikes, which ignite the litter of dead crass and pine needles. This litter burns well, but the fire is not very intense and stays low to the ground. After the fire, the native grasses will sprout back from the deep roots. The ashes left behind will enrich the soil, and encourage new growth. The mature longleaf pines, with their high branches and thick bark, are not affected. Even the young trees survive, because their long needles protect the growing tip of the seedling. Other plants, if they are not designed to cope with fire, will die.

The story of fire and the longleaf pine reminds me of what the apostle Paul said about his own personal suffering. “I take pleasure,” he said, “in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution, in distress for Christ’s sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Just as fires can help the longleaf ecosystem, so the struggles of life can help our faith grow strong and healthy. But like the plants designed for fire, we must prepare for the trials and tribulations that came our way.

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Seeds come in all sizes and shapes, but all have three parts: (1) an embryo, which is a small, very young version of the plant; (2)stored food, which the embryo will use to start growing; and (3) a tough outer layer or coat that protects the embryo.

Flowering plants-from scrawny weeds to massive oak trees-wrap their seeds in a package called a fruit. Like the seeds they surround, fruits take many fascinating forms. Scientists divide fruits into two main types: fleshy and dry. Fleshy fruits with a single seed inside are called drupes.

These include plums, peaches, and olives. Fleshy fruits with several seeds inside are called berries. Tomatoes, pumpkins, and oranges are types of berries. Dry fruits, where the seeds are attached to the inside of the fruit wall, are called legumes. These include peas and beans. Nuts, like acorns and hazel­nuts, have a hard or stony outer layer, and two or more parts on the inside. Achenes

(a-KEENS) are, perhaps, the most common kind of fruit. They are small, have a single seed, a coat, and not much in the way of stored food. Many of the things that you plant in your garden, like sunflower seeds, are achene fruits. The “helicopters” from various maple trees are “winged” achenes. Dandelions have hairy tufts at the end of their achenes.

As you can imagine, how scientists name fruits and how we name fruits are not always the same. For instance, strawberries are not berries at all, but have achenes stuck on the outside of a fleshy pulp. Peanuts are more like legumes than nuts. Almonds, walnuts, and coconuts are drupes, not nuts.

In Genesis 1:11God commanded every plant to produce after its kind. A peach seed only produces a peach tree, and a dandelion achene only produces dandelions. God has created plants so that they reproduce in many different ways, but whether their seeds are big or small, or whether they are found on the inside or the outside, they all repro­ duce after their kind-just like God designed.

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The seed is planted and needs time to sprout. It first grows a small root downward. Then as it grows, the seed slowly pushes its way toward the surface of the ground. A great deal of energy is needed for the tiny seedling to force its way through the soil. Finally, it reaches the top and in a very quick motion it almost “jumps” through the surface.

The seed must be planted at the right time. And the tiny seedling that has just broken the surface must do so at the right time as well. If it is too hot or too cold, the seedling will die. But if it breaks through at the proper time, it will grow properly.

The Greeks had a word to describe this jumping by the seedling through the top of the soil. In Hebrews 7:14, we read: “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” The word is “sprang,” and is used to describe Jesus.

God knew from the very beginning that He would send Jesus to save the world. But He needed to prepare mankind to be ready to accept Him. And Jesus needed to come at just the right time, the long process of getting men and women ready to accept Jesus was like the tiny seedling working its way to the surface. Then at the right time, Jesus “sprang” from the tribe of Judah and lived on Earth as a man, He grew to be an adult, and preached that He was sent to save us from our sins.

We need to read and study our Bibles. God wants us to follow His teachings. He wisely revealed His plan to us in just the right way and at just the right time.

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Photosynthesis takes place all over the world, even in the ocean with phytoplankton. The dark red, green, and yellow colors on this image of Earth show the places in the ocean and on the land where lots of photosynthesis happens.

God created plants for at least two very important purposes. First, plants were intended by God to serve as food for people and for animals. Genesis 1:29-31 says: “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food.’” By providing us with food from crops and fruit trees, God shows His magnificent love for us. As Paul told the people of Lystra: “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17).

Second, plants also provide humans and animals with a very, very important thing: oxygen. After all, we can’t breathe if we don’t have oxygen! Photosynthesis is the process plants use to convert light energy from the Sun into chemical energy that can be used as fuel. Plants use the carbon dioxide that humans and animals breathe out to create their food. But in doing so, they also release oxygen—which is just what we humans and the animals need to breathe! And what’s more, plant photosynthesis supplies the chemicals and most of the energy necessary for all life on Earth!

Think about it: plants were designed to give human lungs what they need to work (oxygen), and human lungs were designed to give plants what they need to survive (carbon dioxide). Evolutionists cannot even begin to give a good explanation for such incredible complexity. The plant kingdom of the planet is truly amazing. But always understand that every marvelous aspect of plants sends a single, powerful message: plants were created by an awesome God. “How awesome are Your works!” (Psalm 66:3).

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One remarkable group of plants that God created is known as aloe. There are hundreds of species of aloe plants that grow naturally in warmer countries such as South Africa and Madagascar. Most aloe plants grow without a stem, and their leaves grow directly out of the ground. Some reach only a few inches tall, while others can grow to heights of over 25 feet. They are known as succulents because they store water in their broad, pointed, spiny leaves.

Man has discovered that God’s aloe plants serve a variety of purposes. For example, the fibers in the leaves of certain species of African aloe have been used for making everything from lace to rope to fishing nets. Most people, however, are probably more familiar with the species of aloe known as aloe vera, and its many helpful uses.

Though as of yet we do not know for certain all of the ways that aloe vera may be helpful to mankind, for thousands of years people have used it for various skin problems. An ancient Egyptian document (known as theEbers Papyrus) mentioned aloe vera being used for burns as well as for ulcers and skin disease. Many people today use the amazing gel (harvested from the inside of the thick aloe vera leaves) in their lotions to sooth and moisturize their skin and treat sunburn.

Mike Adams, editor of NaturalNews.com, insists that “aloe vera is the most impressive herb of them all,” just ahead of garlic. In addition to hydrating and nourishing skin, and accelerating the growth of new skin tissue, Adams is convinced that aloe vera should be used for joint and muscle pain, for boosting immune systems, as well as for many other things.

Likely, we will never know in this life all of the ways that plants such as aloe vera can help us. What we can know is that the God Who created aloe and every other kind of vegetation is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving.

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Plants that can…feel?

Sensitive mimosa: The slightest touch will make its leaves spring shut. This is used as a defense against insects.

Plants that can…inhale bugs?

Yellow bladderworts: They float in water, which does not provide enough nutrients for them to live. So they eat water fleas. They are the fastest insect-eating plant in the world, since their traps can open and close within 15/1000’s of a second. When it is open, it sucks in its prey like a vacuum!

Plants that can…digest?

White collared pitcher plants: These plants drip nectar. When termites climb on them, the insects slip and fall into a pool of digestive acid and rain water inside the plant, which slowly digests them.

Plants that can…smell?

Cuscuta (strangleweeds): Scientists have discovered that they can smell nearby plants. They grow towards and wrap themselves around their neighbors, strangling them and sucking out their nutrients.

www.wikipedia.org (Mbc) 2013 cc-by-sa-3.0

Lima beans: As bugs start eating the lima bean plant, it releases nectar. Scientists have discovered that other nearby lima bean plants can smell the nectar, and even though they have not been chewed on, they release their own nectar. When ants smell the nectar, they scurry to the rescue, running off the bugs that are eating the lima bean plant, and getting some tasty nectar in return.

Plants that can…call for help?

Wild tobacco plants: Found in the desert, this plant makes a poison that is pumped into bugs that try to eat it—nicotine (NICK-oh-teen). Tobacco hawkmoths lay eggs on the plant, and their children chew the tobacco, not being affected by the poisonous nicotine. So, like the lima bean plant, the tobacco plant calls for help. It releases a smell that attracts an insect known as the “big-eyed bug,” which likes to eat hawkmoth caterpillars.

Plants that can…disguise themselves?

Bee orchids: These flowers were designed to look like a female wasp, including having hairs that feel like female wasp hairs and even releasing smells that female wasps give off. This attracts male wasps, which try to mate with the plant. When a male wasp climbs on the orchid, pollen sticks to the wasp. The wasp then moves to the next orchid to try to mate with it, leaving some of the 
pollen, which allows the 
orchid to bloom.

Plants that can…eat rodents?

www.wikipedia.org (Attenboroughii) 2013 cc-by-sa-3.0

Rat-eating pitcher plant: This plant can do what its name says. It is the largest meat-eating plant in the world and is found in the Philippines.

Plants that can…hear?

www.wikipedia.org (Prasanths) 2013 cc-by-sa-3.0

Dancing plant: This plant moves its leaves when they are exposed to sunlight, warmth, or vibrations—including music. So basically, 
it can dance!

Plants that can…drill holes?

Erodium seeds: The erodium flower plant “has babies” by launching its seeds, which have parachutes attached to them, into the air using a spring-like motion. The seeds sit at the end of a stalk that is in the shape of a screw. The seeds float through the air to other nearby areas. When they hit the ground, they start to soak up water. As the seed fills up with water, it causes the “screw” to unwind, drilling the seed into the ground.

www.wikipedia.org (Aiwok) 2013 cc-by-sa-3.0

www.wikipedia.org (Didier Descouens) 2013 cc-by-sa-3.0

Some people believe that these amazing abilities in the plant kingdom came from evolution—that plants gradually made themselves the way they are. But that makes no sense. Each one of these amazing features has specific purposes or reasons for their existence, and purposes only come as the result of an intelligent mind making them. Evolution does not have a mind behind it. But Creation does. In Genesis 1:11-13, the Bible tells us that God created all plants, and Genesis 2:15 tells us that God wanted Adam to take care of the plants of the Garden of Eden. But always remember that, even though everything God created was good and important for humans (Genesis 1:29,31), God made humans special. Humans are of “more value” than other living things, including the beautiful flowers of the field (Matthew 6:26-30). Unlike plants, humans were created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). That means that even though plants can be pretty amazing, they come nowhere near to being as amazing as you are!

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One science writer named Heidi Ledford explained that scientists once thought plants broke down starch at night at a constant rate. Experiments have shown, however, that plants can change how fast they consume food based on the number of hours of darkness they experience. Regardless of how many hours plants sit in darkness, they can regulate how quickly they use food so that virtually no food is left when the light returns.¹

This is the first study to suggest that plants do math. But researchers think that this process could explain other biological systems such as animal hibernation and long migrations in which food supplies need to be regulated to ensure survival. More research will be needed to verify Smith and Howard’s conclusions, but Howard says that plants are doing “sophisticated arithmetic calculations.”

If plants really are doing math, that means they have been programmed by some type of intelligence. This intelligence must understand arithmetic, and be able to write into plants a code that the plants can use to properly do arithmetic. Atheism (the idea that there is no God) cannot explain how plants can use complicated mathematical calculations to survive. When the Creator designed plants, He saw that they were very good (Genesis 1:12). The concept of an intelligent Designer is the only one that adds up.

REFERENCE

1. Ledford, Heidi (2013), “Plants Perform Molecular Maths,” Nature, http://www.nature.com/news/plants-perform-
molecular-maths-1.13251.

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While this is the first study to suggest that plants do arithmetic, researchers indicate that this process could explain other biological systems, such as animal hybernation and long migrations in which food supplies need to be regulated to ensure survival. More research will be needed to verify Smith’s and Howard’s conclusions, but Howard states: “We are dealing with a fundamental biological process in cells that’s doing a sophisticated arithmetic calculation” (Ledford, 2013).

The implications of these findings that pertain to the existence of God are obvious. If plants really are doing arithmetic, that means they have been programmed by some type of intelligence. This intelligence must understand arithmetic, and be able to write into plants a code by which the plants can use arithmetic to their advantage. The atheistic, materialistic explanation for the origin of the Universe cannot adequately account either for the laws of math or for plants that can use those laws to survive. When the Creator designed plants, He saw that they were very good (Genesis 1:12). The concept of an intelligent Designer is the only one that adds up.

REFERENCES

Ledford, Heidi (2013), “Plants Perform Molecular Maths,” Nature, http://www.nature.com/news/plants-perform-molecular-maths-1.13251.

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Not only do plants help build the natural world—forests, prairies and oceans—but plants also help us build our modern world. Did you recognize all the places where plants were a part of your morning routine? They were in the wood for your house and bed, the fiber for your sheets and clothes, the pigments to give color to your fabrics, part of your kitchen floor, the rubber for your bike tires, and in anything made of paper or cardboard. At school you sit on them, write with them, read from them, eat them, and walk on them. They provide the building blocks for shelter, transportation, clothing, food, and entertainment.

From the third day of creation until the present, plants have played a marvelous and essential role on Earth. Not only do they give us beautiful yards and wonderful parks, but plants are vital for our survival. Plants enable our atmosphere to maintain the right balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, which is absolutely necessary for living creatures. Equally important is their crucial role as a basic food source. Plants are known as “primary producers,” which means they hold the position at the bottom of the food chain. From tiny insects to the huge elephant, plants provide nutrients to a growing world. Obviously, we recognize plants in a salad, but plants are a key part of a variety of products from bread and cereal to mustard and ketchup.

These are some examples of how important the wonderful world of plants is to our lives. The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19 that “God shall supply all your needs.” When we thank God in our prayers, we need to remember the “incredible, edible plant.”

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Reader, please meet the Rafflesia (rah-flee’-zha) arnoldii, also known as the “stinking corpse lily.” What is so amazing about this plant, you might ask? First, it has the largest flower of any plant in the world. The flower can grow to be 3 feet across, and can weigh more than twenty pounds (that’s about 5 pounds heavier than some of the heaviest bowling balls!). However, this flower does not grow on a stem with leaves like other flowers. The Rafflesia is a parasite plant that grows inside a vine called a Tetrastigma vine (a relative of the grape). When a Rafflesia flower first pops out of the vine, it looks like a pale-orange cabbage, but then it spreads five large petals that are fleshy-red in color with raised white speckles.

Why is it called the “stinking corpse lily?” The huge flower gives off a horrible odor that smells like rotting flesh. The red petals dotted by white speckles resemble rotting meat with maggots on it. This disgusting disguise draws carrion flies and beetles to the flower in search of food. The insects shuttle to the flower for a meal, only to discover that there is none to be had. The pollen of the huge blossom attaches to the bugs, which spread it to other Rafflesias, causing pollination to occur. After pollination, a single “stinking corpse lily” bloom can produce over 4 million seeds. Some of those seeds are carried on the feet of squirrels, elephants, or other animals. When one of those seeds lands in a moist crevice of the Tetrastigma, it begins to grow, starting the process over again.

The Rafflesia arnoldii is very rare and is found only in the rain forests of Sumatra and Borneo. Its huge flower only blooms for about a week, so seeing one is a special occasion. In James 1:11, the Bible explains that men’s lives are like flowers; they blossom for a short time, and then “fade away” just like the Rafflesia bloom. Let us all do everything we can so that our short lives on this Earth will bring glory to God, and so we will get to live forever in heaven.

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The people in the Bible depended on certain plants. When the Israelites were sent to explore the land God had promised them, Moses sent them with special instructions to see “whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests or not” (Numbers 13:20). If the land was poor, then they could not grow the corn, wheat, barley, and other foods they needed to survive. And the Israelites needed the wood from the forests for building or cooking, and to use as weapons and tools.

Jesus also mentioned plants several times as examples in His stories. In Matthew 13:1-43, Jesus told three stories using plants as illustrations. The main story explained how a man was sowing seed in a field, and what happened to the seeds. Some fell on the path and were eaten by birds; some grew, but died because the soil was too rocky; some were choked out by weeds; and some grew to be plants that gave more seeds. Jesus used this story to show what happened when His Word (the seed) was preached to people (represented by the ground). If they accepted His Word, then it grew in them like a plant grows in the ground.

When Christians take the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, did you know that they are eating parts of plants? The grape juice, which represents Jesus’ blood, is made from grapes. And the bread, which represents Jesus’ body, is made of grain. Both of these plants can be found all over the world, so God used something for the Lord’s Supper that everyone would have.

Plants have played an important part in the Bible. From using fig leaves for clothes, to the grapes and grain used in the Lord’s Supper, the Bible is full of plants being used for many different things. Plants are another way that we can see God’s awesome power and design.

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How do they make mustard?—Luke Ayers, age 7, Taylor, TX.

Dear Luke,

Some of us love it, some of us hate it, and moms who wash their children’s clothes are scared to death of the stains it leaves—mustard. It’s a slimy substance that not only adds color to hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken strips, but also adds a unique taste. So how do they make the stuff?    

Maybe you remember the parable Jesus told about mustard. He said that the Kingdom of God (which is the Church) was like a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32). That should give you a little hint about how mustard is made. It starts out as a tiny seed that is taken from a large plant. Many thousands of these seeds are collected and crushed into a fine powder. Sometimes the powder is sold by itself for special cooking in soups or other spicy dishes. Other times some type of liquid such as water or vinegar is added to the powder—this is probably the kind that you put on your hamburgers and hotdogs.

People have been using mustard for thousands of years. In fact, today there is a museum in Wisconsin known as the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum. It contains the world’s largest collection of mustards—more than 3,700 different kinds. Obviously, you are not alone if you like mustard.

But what did Jesus mean when He said the Kingdom of God was like a mustard seed? He meant that even though the Church might look small to some people, it can and will grow into a huge kingdom that accomplishes great things, just like the tiny mustard seed grows into a huge plant. You might be small now, but if you obey the Lord, just think of the great things He can accomplish through you.

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Since mistletoe is a parasite, it depends uponother plants to survive. Its transfer from one tree to another usually oc-curs when birds eat the berries and leave their droppings on another tree branch. The droppings contain seeds, which sprout a thread-like root that burrows into the tree branch. When it finds the tree’s network of water-carrying cells, the mistletoe builds
its own system of ducts to steal water and nutrients. Once anchored in the tree, mistletoe can grow until it becomes a bush that is five feet in diameter.

Mistletoe grows very slowly. The number of forks reveals the age of the mistletoe, each fork standing for one year’s growth. This parasite is an evergreen, which means it stays green all year. Its leaves are thick and leathery. Herbalists believe mistletoe can be used as medicine. In the British Isles, its leaves and twigs have been fed to sheep in winter, when food was scarce, and they ate it with zest. But don’t eat any yourself! Eating mistletoe can cause severe stomach cramps, and in some cases can be fatal!

Many myths surround mistletoe. Vikings in the eighth century believed that mistletoe had the power to raise people from the dead. The custom of hanging a branch of mistletoe over the door at Christmastime comes from England.Every woman standing under the mistletoe could be kissed. The legend is that if an unmarried woman is not kissed under the mistletoe, she will remain single for another year. Americans are gradually using mistletoe more as a seasonal decoration. Mistletoe was adopted in 1893 as the state floral emblem of Okla-homa. With so much of it around, don’t expect to kiss mistletoe goodbye anytime soon.

Mistletoe, and other parasites, were created by God as part of the Earth so that humans could have the perfect environment in which to live and make decisions. Let’s all decide to worship and obey God, Who created this wonderful world for us.

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As he studied plants, Linnaeus saw things that made each kind of plant different from other kinds of plants. He noticed these characteristics, and put different types of plants in categories—he classifiedthem. Classifying living things is called taxonomy, and Caro-lus Linnaeus is probably the greatest taxonomist in history, because he introduced something brand new: binomial nomenclature. Using binomial nomenclature, Carl gave two special scientific names to each species he found. Most scientists still use binomial nomenclature today. For example, humans are called Homo sapiens, and dogs are called Canis familiaris. Before long, Linnaeus had developed such an extensive system of taxonomy that anytime someone came across an unfamiliar species, he could easily classify it in Carl’s system.

In 1732, Linnaeus classified more living things during his journeys through Lapland and Sweden, and he wrote about what he found. Carl wrote often about God, because he believed that all the amazing kinds of plants and animals were created specially by God. Linnaeus wrote: “One is completely stunned by the incredible resourcefulness of the Creator. I saw the infinite, all-knowing and all-powerful God from behind.… I followed His footsteps over nature’s fields and saw everywhere an eternal wisdom and power, an inscrutable perfection.”

Linnaeus had lots of pets, including a dog named Pompey. Pompey went to worship with Carl on Sundays and sat under the pew. Linnaeus rarely missed a church service, but when he couldn’t come, Pompey went to church anyway, and sat under the pew until the service ended. Carolus Linnaeus kept working as a teacher, doctor, and researcher until a stroke forced him to retire in 1774. He suffered another stroke in 1776, and died in 1778. Carl never became a preacher, but he still influenced many people for good. You can, too!

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