The Witness of the StarsBullinger, E. W. (Ethelbert William)
Religion
The Witness of the Stars
Bullinger, E. W. (Ethelbert William)
Astronomy; Astronomy in the Bible; Bible and science; Constellations
For more than two thousand five hundred years the world was without a
written revelation from God. The question is, Did God leave Himself
without a witness? The question is answered very positively by the written
Word that He did not. In Rom. i. 19 it is declared that, “that which may
be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For
the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” But how was God known? How
were His “invisible things,” _i.e._, His plans, His purposes, and His
counsels, known since the creation of the world? We are told by the Holy
Spirit in Rom. x. 18. Having stated in _v._ 17 that “Faith cometh by
hearing and hearing by the Word (ῥήμα, _the thing spoken_, _sayings_) of
God,” He asks, “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily.” And we may
ask, How have they heard? The answer follows—“Their sound went into all
the earth (γή) and their words (ῥήματα, _their teaching_, _message_,
_instruction_) unto the ends of the world (οἰκουμένη).” What words? What
instruction? Whose message? Whose teaching? There is only one answer, and
that is, THE HEAVENS! This is settled by the fact that the passage is
quoted from Ps. xix., the first part of which is occupied with the
Revelation of God written in _the Heavens_, and the latter part with the
Revelation of God written in the _Word_.
This is the simple explanation of this beautiful Psalm. This is why its
two subjects are brought together. It has often perplexed many why there
should be that abrupt departure in verse 7—“The law of the Lord is
perfect, converting the soul.” The fact is, there is nothing abrupt in it,
and it is no departure. It is simply the transition to the second of the
two great Revelations which are thus placed in juxtaposition. The first is
the Revelation of the Creator, _El_, אֵל, in His _works_, while the second
is the Revelation of the Covenant Jehovah, יְהוָה, in His _Word_. And it
is noteworthy that while in the first half of the Psalm, _El_ is named
only once, in the latter half _Jehovah_ is named _seven_ times, the last
being threefold (Jehovah, Rock, and Redeemer), concluding the Psalm.
Let us then turn to Ps. xix., and note first—
The Structure(1) of the Psalm as a whole.
A | 1‐4‐. The Heavens.
B | ‐4‐6. “In them” (בָּהֶם) the Sun.
A | 7‐10. The Scriptures.
B | 11‐14. “In them” (בָּהֶם) Thy Servant.
In the _Key to the Psalms_, p. 17, it is pointed out that the terms
employed in _A_ and _B_ are _astronomical_,(2) while in A and B they are
_literary_. Thus the two parts are significantly connected and united.
Ewald and others imagine that this Psalm is made up of two fragments of
separate Psalms composed at different periods and brought together by a
later editor!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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