In Part 1 of this post, I proposed that the total amount of energy in the universe is not constant. This is what I am thinking: the universe is not a “closed system.” In physics, a closed system is one that is totally isolated from its surroundings. Well, the universe is not isolated from God. God can create or destroy energy in the universe at will, and He has.
God exerted His power on the earth, in the solar system and beyond at innumerable times, both known and unknown, since Creation. A supremely important example was the resurrection of His Son Jesus:
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23)
Some other examples of God intervening in the amount and distribution of energy in the universe are when he halted the rotation of the earth (Joshua 10:12-13), caused a star to guide the Magi (Matthew 2), enabled Samson to exert great strength (Judges 14:19), approached Elijah in a storm which He stilled to a whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12), and healed a woman from a bleeding that had gone on for years (Mark 5:25-34). We are told in John 21:25 that “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
Job said, “His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? He removes mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” (Job 9:4-10)
Over time, there has been a lot of discussion amongst physicists as to whether the law of the conservation of energy applies at all levels and in all circumstances and frames of reference. Very sensitive measurements have been performed, testing the limits of our knowledge to many decimal points. And it is interesting and useful to know these things. But we miss the true picture when we focus only on what we can measure. It’s what we cannot measure that is by far the most important.
A beautiful verse which connects God’s Spirit with the working of His power is this from Zechariah: “‘Not by [human] might, nor by [human] power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Verse 4:6) Getting a grasp on the reality of the Holy Spirit — and on the importance of what is not seen relative to what is seen — is the task of every human being. “For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18b)