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Let's go see Epsilon Aurigae
Got a hankering to spend a few days orbiting earth on the International Space Station? Well, if you have a cool $20-35 million to spare what are you waiting for? You can even sign up to do a space walk. Atlas Aerospace (not sure if it's genuine) offers you the opportunity to become the 11th space tourist. On April 28, 2001, American millionaire Dennis Tito began a seven day space odyssey, becoming the first person to pay for a trip to space and thereby launching the new industry of space tourism. So far, nine people have followed in Tito's space bootsteps, with a tenth due to go next month.
I've got a much better deal for you. First, I can offer you the opportunity to range much, much, much further afield than the ISS. (Well, I can't actually offer the opportunity; all I can do is tell you about it.) You can walk on the moon, explore the red planet, take a spin on Saturn's rings; better still, you can even go eyeball to eyeball with whatever obscures Epsilon Aurigae's light for two years once every twenty seven years. But don't stop there; you can go to the very edge of the universe. and beyond. Yes you can. And second - wait for it - you won't have to pay a red cent for the opportunity.
Though I'm writing with a modicum of levity, I could not be more serious about the matter. I'm talking about something that not only can become reality for you one day, but most likely will. Our gracious heavenly Father, through the agency of Jesus Christ, intends to save the human race from sin and death, and to usher it - with the exception of those who adamantly refuse to accept His grace - into eternal life in the kingdom of God. Jesus came preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, and gave His life to make sinful man's entry into that kingdom possible. The ultimate joy of kingdom life is to have intimate, ongoing contact with Jesus Christ (John 14:1-3) for the first part of eternity, to be followed by equally close fellowship with the Father for the rest of eternity (Rev. 21:3-4).
So where does space tourism come in? Well, don't forget that "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). What's coming our way in His kingdom beggars belief. Many things we cannot even begin to imagine; but Scripture certainly hints that access to this entire universe is on the agenda. I mean, why not? In certain senses, citizens of the kingdom will be equal to angels (Luke 20:35-36), while in other senses they will be higher than them (Heb. 2:5). If angels can easily bridge the gulf separating earth from"heaven" (Gen. 28:12), why should not resurrected, glorified, invulnerable saints cross the divides of distance and mortal danger separating earth
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- and us- from the heavens? Scriptural vignettes about the believer's destiny include a most intriguing insight:
For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him (Heb. 2:5-8).
Why would we argue against including the entire universe under the rubric "all things"? Glorified saints will be "conformed to the image" of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29) and, together with Him, be "given all things" (vs. 32). Surely that includes the whole creation that has been groaning until now (vs. 22) and waiting for its liberation from bondage and its delivery into the care of the children of God (vs. 21).
God will not "fold up" the current universe until it grows old (Heb. 1:10-12); it still has lots of life left in its young bones. According to estimates made by Fred Adams of the University of Michigan (Discover January, 1998, p. 31), the lights of the universe will gradually burn out over the next 100 million million years. Even if God folds it up a million times sooner than the moment the embers finally darken, that still leaves 100 million years of relative youth! Sure I look forward eagerly to the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1). But I'm overjoyed at the prospect of spending the first part of eternity exploring the heavens and the earth with our older brother and Savior, Jesus Christ. And at having a smarter brain than Stephen Hawking now has so that I'll be able to understand what I see. Epsilon Aurigae, you won't be able to keep your secrets from us for much longer.
On what basis would we deny the probability of the proposition presented here? Scriptural? Not as far as I can see; the idea is firmly grounded on Scripture. If the heavens declare the glory of God (Ps. 19:1 ff), surely God desires that we become familiar with them. Seems to me that the chief reason for rejecting the idea is lack of imagination.
I invite you to join me at the second black hole from the centre of Andromeda in the year 210897 for a black hole party. Any time that year will do. We're going to see what it feels like (speaking anthropomorphically) to be spaghettified. Don't forget the date. See you there.
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