- Your life is a
rather finite thing.
00:00:01.10\00:00:03.63
You will live and die
having occupied a limited space
00:00:03.63\00:00:07.30
for a limited amount
of time, but all the same,
00:00:07.30\00:00:11.01
we seem to sense
there's something infinite out
00:00:11.01\00:00:13.31
there to grab hold of, and
that's what we're gonna talk
00:00:13.31\00:00:16.44
about on today's
installment of "Authentic."
00:00:16.44\00:00:19.51
[upbeat guitar music]
00:00:19.51\00:00:22.75
When I was a kid back in
the third grade, my friends
00:00:40.67\00:00:42.84
and I were very impressed
with very large numbers.
00:00:42.84\00:00:47.48
"What's the biggest
number you can think of?"
00:00:47.48\00:00:49.71
Someone would say,
and then somebody else
00:00:49.71\00:00:51.35
with a knowing look would
mention the number Google,
00:00:51.35\00:00:54.85
not the search engine obviously,
00:00:54.85\00:00:56.58
because this is years
before public internet.
00:00:56.58\00:00:59.65
It was Google the
number, and of course
00:00:59.65\00:01:02.52
one of the other
kids would then whisper
00:01:02.52\00:01:04.43
with a note of reverence,
man, just how big is Google?
00:01:04.43\00:01:07.86
"It's one with a hundred
zeroes," somebody would say.
00:01:07.86\00:01:10.80
And we were all very
proud that we were capable
00:01:10.80\00:01:13.34
of contemplating
such a massive number.
00:01:13.34\00:01:16.87
But of course, none of
us were actually capable
00:01:16.87\00:01:19.31
of comprehending it
because where in the world
00:01:19.31\00:01:21.74
would you ever
use a number that big?
00:01:21.74\00:01:24.48
The most common
large numbers we use today
00:01:24.48\00:01:26.51
have six, nine or
12 zeros behind them
00:01:26.51\00:01:29.35
or in other words, millions,
billions and trillions.
00:01:29.35\00:01:33.29
We measure national budgets
and debts in terms of trillions.
00:01:33.29\00:01:37.23
We measure the
universe in terms of hundreds
00:01:37.23\00:01:39.39
of billions of galaxies or
hundreds of billions of stars.
00:01:39.39\00:01:43.80
And sadly, in some
places we now measure
00:01:43.80\00:01:45.93
the cost of real
estate in terms of millions.
00:01:45.93\00:01:49.77
There's just no
conceivable situation where
00:01:49.77\00:01:51.94
you'd need a number with
a hundred zeros behind it.
00:01:51.94\00:01:55.78
I mean, let's just
go back to the subject
00:01:55.78\00:01:57.21
of astronomy for a
moment and ask ourselves,
00:01:57.21\00:02:00.32
if you have a
hundred billion galaxies
00:02:00.32\00:02:02.58
with a hundred billion
stars in each one of them,
00:02:02.58\00:02:05.82
exactly how many
stars would that be?
00:02:05.82\00:02:08.39
Well, that would
be a one with 22 zeros
00:02:08.39\00:02:11.36
behind it, or a
hundred Quintilian,
00:02:11.36\00:02:13.66
which is nowhere near
the value of a Google.
00:02:13.66\00:02:18.50
So in reality, a
Google might sound impressive
00:02:18.50\00:02:21.57
but there's no practical
use for a number that large.
00:02:21.57\00:02:25.34
The word was
actually invented by
00:02:25.34\00:02:27.01
a nine year old
kid back in 1920,
00:02:27.01\00:02:30.11
the nephew of a well-known
mathematician, which might
00:02:30.11\00:02:32.91
be why third graders
are so duly impressed by it.
00:02:32.91\00:02:37.42
So we do have to
admit Google is very useful
00:02:37.42\00:02:40.16
for dazzling your
friends on the playground,
00:02:40.16\00:02:42.52
but in more practical terms,
00:02:42.52\00:02:45.03
we really have no way to use it.
00:02:45.03\00:02:47.66
One author I was
reading, put it like this,
00:02:47.66\00:02:49.43
if you filled our
observable universe
00:02:49.43\00:02:51.23
with sand and I mean
packed it really tightly,
00:02:51.23\00:02:54.44
you would have to do that
a hundred thousand times over
00:02:54.44\00:02:57.04
to come up with a Google's
worth worth of sand particles.
00:02:57.04\00:03:00.88
So yeah, a Google
is very, very large.
00:03:00.88\00:03:04.05
But then of course back
in the 1970s, somebody else
00:03:04.05\00:03:06.72
on the playground would
then try to outsmart the rest
00:03:06.72\00:03:09.38
of us by bringing up
something indisputable.
00:03:09.38\00:03:13.19
An infinity is much,
much bigger than Google
00:03:13.19\00:03:15.86
because of course
infinity has no upper limit.
00:03:15.86\00:03:19.36
You could start counting today
00:03:19.36\00:03:21.53
and you would
never reach the end
00:03:21.53\00:03:23.23
of infinity even if you
kept on counting, well forever.
00:03:23.23\00:03:27.50
Now of course, if
a Google doesn't have
00:03:28.70\00:03:30.61
a practical application
then you'd think that infinity
00:03:30.61\00:03:33.54
would be even less useful but
that's not actually the case.
00:03:33.54\00:03:37.95
In fact, it's a
number we use quite often
00:03:37.95\00:03:40.15
because infinite
things actually happen
00:03:40.15\00:03:43.28
in the world of math.
00:03:43.28\00:03:44.92
When we calculate the
value of pi, for example,
00:03:44.92\00:03:47.66
that ever useful number
that helps us measure circles
00:03:47.66\00:03:50.03
and globes, what you
get is an endless string
00:03:50.03\00:03:52.73
of numbers behind
the decimal point.
00:03:52.73\00:03:55.16
It's an irrational
number, which means
00:03:55.16\00:03:56.97
that you can't express it neatly
as a fraction, even though
00:03:56.97\00:04:01.34
most of us were taught
that 22/7 is a close estimate.
00:04:01.34\00:04:05.71
Pi, as you know, is the
circumference of a circle
00:04:07.14\00:04:09.58
divided by its diameter,
and that produces a series
00:04:09.58\00:04:12.95
of digits after
the decimal point
00:04:12.95\00:04:15.05
that never repeats
itself and never ends.
00:04:15.05\00:04:18.52
It just goes on and on and
on forever with no end in sight.
00:04:18.52\00:04:23.09
Now, practically
speaking, stopping at 3.14 is
00:04:23.09\00:04:27.03
close enough for most of
the math that most people do.
00:04:27.03\00:04:30.40
So there's no
need for most of us
00:04:30.40\00:04:31.90
to deal with an
infinite string of decimals.
00:04:31.90\00:04:36.10
So just how big is an infinity?
00:04:36.10\00:04:39.61
Well, by definition
it doesn't have a size
00:04:39.61\00:04:41.98
because it's boundless.
00:04:41.98\00:04:43.45
You're never gonna
reach the end of it.
00:04:43.45\00:04:44.88
It just goes on and
on and on and on and on.
00:04:44.88\00:04:48.02
And that's a
concept that can lead
00:04:48.02\00:04:49.48
to some rather
problematic math questions.
00:04:49.48\00:04:52.59
For example, what do you get
00:04:52.59\00:04:54.52
if you add infinity to infinity?
00:04:54.52\00:04:57.09
Well, the answer
is still infinity
00:04:57.09\00:04:58.79
because the sum is still a
number that goes on forever.
00:04:58.79\00:05:02.16
So what you
really get is an equation
00:05:03.37\00:05:04.97
that kind of looks like this.
00:05:04.97\00:05:06.17
Infinity plus
infinity equals infinity.
00:05:06.17\00:05:09.10
Now, the problem with that is
that you can subtract infinity
00:05:09.10\00:05:12.14
from both sides of the
equation, which leaves you
00:05:12.14\00:05:14.38
with a statement that
says, infinity equals zero
00:05:14.38\00:05:18.01
and we know that can't be right.
00:05:18.01\00:05:20.45
Or you could
rewrite the equation
00:05:20.45\00:05:22.62
to say two times
infinity equals infinity.
00:05:22.62\00:05:25.95
And if you divide both
sides of that equation by two,
00:05:25.95\00:05:28.89
you get infinity
equals half of infinity
00:05:28.89\00:05:31.89
which sort of
makes sense I guess
00:05:31.89\00:05:33.86
because if you don't know
where the end of infinity is
00:05:33.86\00:05:36.46
there's no way to figure
out where the halfway point is.
00:05:36.46\00:05:40.07
But then again,
adding infinity to infinity
00:05:40.07\00:05:42.57
seems like a silly
exercise to begin with
00:05:42.57\00:05:45.21
because really
practically speaking,
00:05:45.21\00:05:48.51
you have to know the total value
00:05:48.51\00:05:50.01
of something in order to
add it to something else.
00:05:50.01\00:05:53.35
The only way you can add
four plus three for example
00:05:53.35\00:05:55.95
is to pick up
counting three more places
00:05:55.95\00:05:58.59
after you get to four, which
takes you to the answer seven.
00:05:58.59\00:06:02.96
But when you're
adding something to infinity
00:06:02.96\00:06:04.73
there's really no
starting place where
00:06:04.73\00:06:06.29
you can add your
next number which means
00:06:06.29\00:06:08.66
that you can't even
add one to infinity.
00:06:08.66\00:06:12.50
So in reality, infinity is
just a mathematical concept,
00:06:12.50\00:06:16.27
a useful tool when you're
doing complex calculations.
00:06:16.27\00:06:20.24
But still there is a
sense in which the number
00:06:20.24\00:06:22.58
infinity enters our everyday
understanding of the world.
00:06:22.58\00:06:26.08
Back in 1576, a guy by the
name of Thomas Diggs proposed
00:06:26.08\00:06:29.85
that the universe
has no outer limit.
00:06:29.85\00:06:33.09
It just continues on in
every direction forever.
00:06:33.09\00:06:36.29
In other words, if
you get in a spaceship
00:06:36.29\00:06:38.13
and start
traveling in a straight line,
00:06:38.13\00:06:40.80
you will keep on
traveling forever
00:06:40.80\00:06:42.23
without ever coming
back to the starting point.
00:06:42.23\00:06:45.40
Then in 1584, the notable
philosopher Giordano Bruno,
00:06:45.40\00:06:48.70
who was burned at the
stake, suggested that there
00:06:48.70\00:06:52.41
was absolutely no
limit to the universe.
00:06:52.41\00:06:55.51
There was an
infinite number of stars
00:06:55.51\00:06:57.28
with an infinite
number of planets,
00:06:57.28\00:06:58.91
which of course meant that there
were infinite possibilities
00:06:58.91\00:07:01.42
for life to emerge
all across the universe.
00:07:01.42\00:07:05.22
Mr. Bruno said,
"Innumerable suns exist,
00:07:05.22\00:07:08.49
innumerable earths
revolve around these suns
00:07:08.49\00:07:10.59
in a manner similar to the
way the seven planets revolve
00:07:10.59\00:07:13.96
around our sun, living
beings inhabit these worlds."
00:07:13.96\00:07:18.67
Now, that's an
exciting concept, the idea
00:07:18.67\00:07:20.54
that the universe
simply goes on forever
00:07:20.54\00:07:22.64
in any given direction,
but it's also a concept
00:07:22.64\00:07:25.61
that makes us feel incredibly
small and insignificant.
00:07:25.61\00:07:29.31
I mean, who do we think we are?
00:07:29.31\00:07:31.68
There might just be a
vastly superior civilization
00:07:31.68\00:07:34.22
somewhere out there
beyond the stars, but we will
00:07:34.22\00:07:38.09
never know about them and
they will never make contact
00:07:38.09\00:07:40.99
because they live an infinite
distance from our planet.
00:07:40.99\00:07:44.83
And I know that's hard
to wrap your head around
00:07:44.83\00:07:47.83
because reason demands real
numbers in measurable spaces
00:07:47.83\00:07:52.80
but if the universe is infinite
00:07:53.67\00:07:54.90
then there's
always gonna be something
00:07:54.90\00:07:56.00
or somebody who's further away
00:07:56.00\00:07:57.54
than our most recent,
furthest reaching measurement.
00:07:57.54\00:08:01.04
Of course not all
scientists are convinced
00:08:02.18\00:08:04.51
that the universe
actually goes on forever.
00:08:04.51\00:08:07.48
What if space
is actually curved,
00:08:07.48\00:08:09.28
kind of like the
surface of our planet?
00:08:09.28\00:08:11.69
Here on earth, I can travel
in a straight line going in
00:08:11.69\00:08:14.22
one direction forever but
what I'm doing is circling
00:08:14.22\00:08:17.36
the globe and coming
back to my starting point.
00:08:17.36\00:08:20.36
So while there are no
actual boundaries to the surface
00:08:20.36\00:08:22.83
of our world, it isn't
really an infinite space.
00:08:22.83\00:08:26.90
So what if the universe
kind of looks like that?
00:08:26.90\00:08:29.67
What if you get in
a spaceship and travel
00:08:29.67\00:08:31.51
in a single direction
for a really long time
00:08:31.51\00:08:35.24
and end up
exactly where you started?
00:08:35.24\00:08:37.71
Or what if the universe is flat?
00:08:37.71\00:08:40.38
But it kind of works like one
00:08:40.38\00:08:41.58
of those old
original Pacman games where
00:08:41.58\00:08:43.39
if you wander off
the edge of the screen
00:08:43.39\00:08:45.59
you simply reappear on
the other side of the screen
00:08:45.59\00:08:48.76
traveling in the same
direction as when you left.
00:08:48.76\00:08:52.06
I mean, anything is
possible because we still
00:08:52.06\00:08:54.20
have no idea
exactly what's out there.
00:08:54.20\00:08:57.33
And now I've got to take a break
00:08:57.33\00:08:58.80
because apparently my time
on this show is not infinite.
00:08:58.80\00:09:02.24
So I'll be
right back after this.
00:09:02.24\00:09:04.97
- [Narrator 1] Here at
"The Voice of Prophecy,"
00:09:07.84\00:09:09.28
we're committed to creating
00:09:09.28\00:09:10.51
top quality programming
for the whole family.
00:09:10.51\00:09:12.98
Like our audio adventure
series, "Discovery Mountain."
00:09:12.98\00:09:16.38
"Discovery Mountain"
is a bible based program
00:09:16.38\00:09:18.55
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:09:18.55\00:09:21.29
Your family will enjoy
the faith building stories
00:09:21.29\00:09:23.59
from this small
mountain summer camp pen town.
00:09:23.59\00:09:26.90
With 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:09:26.90\00:09:29.36
and fresh content every week,
00:09:29.36\00:09:31.50
there's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:09:31.50\00:09:34.74
- For about half
a millennium now,
00:09:38.04\00:09:39.84
the human race has
been toying with the idea
00:09:39.84\00:09:41.81
that the universe
we live in is infinite.
00:09:41.81\00:09:44.78
It just goes on in
every direction forever.
00:09:44.78\00:09:48.22
Of course, if
that's true it's hard
00:09:48.22\00:09:50.29
to imagine how useful
that information would be.
00:09:50.29\00:09:53.99
I mean, I guess it
could keep us from launching
00:09:53.99\00:09:56.69
foolish expeditions to
find the edge of the universe.
00:09:56.69\00:10:00.53
But beyond that, I'm not
exactly sure how practical
00:10:00.53\00:10:03.30
the knowledge of an
infinite universe would be.
00:10:03.30\00:10:06.27
But then let's suppose that
the universe is actually finite,
00:10:07.67\00:10:11.24
that it has a definite
edge and a definite boundary
00:10:11.24\00:10:13.81
and it's all
contained in a given space.
00:10:13.81\00:10:17.28
Well then you've got to wonder
exactly where that's located.
00:10:17.28\00:10:21.15
Where would our
limited universe be housed
00:10:21.15\00:10:24.09
and what would you find
next door if you could poke
00:10:24.09\00:10:26.49
through the wall and keep
on traveling, another universe?
00:10:26.49\00:10:29.69
And if that was true,
how many more universes
00:10:29.69\00:10:32.19
could you expect to
find, an infinite number?
00:10:32.19\00:10:35.93
Or maybe leaving the universe
is just impossible because
00:10:35.93\00:10:39.03
by its very definition,
the universe is all there is.
00:10:39.03\00:10:43.81
But then again, I'm
left wondering where
00:10:43.81\00:10:46.34
in the world that one and
only universe would reside.
00:10:46.34\00:10:49.91
I mean, I suppose the
answer is nowhere in particular
00:10:49.91\00:10:53.35
because things like space
and time only exist inside
00:10:53.35\00:10:56.95
the universe and not
outside, which would mean
00:10:56.95\00:11:00.09
that while things inside
the universe have a location,
00:11:00.09\00:11:03.69
things on the outside wouldn't.
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.59
And of course the idea
that there's an outside
00:11:05.59\00:11:08.46
of any kind out there
becomes utterly nonsensical.
00:11:08.46\00:11:12.93
It's all very mind-bending.
00:11:12.93\00:11:15.17
It's kind of like
when mathematicians talk
00:11:15.17\00:11:16.87
about higher dimensions.
00:11:16.87\00:11:19.24
In our everyday
world, there are only four,
00:11:19.24\00:11:21.91
three dimensions of space
and one dimension of time.
00:11:21.91\00:11:25.65
So in other words, in order
00:11:25.65\00:11:26.85
for us to perceive
that an object exists,
00:11:26.85\00:11:29.68
it has to have
width, height, and depth
00:11:29.68\00:11:32.39
and then it has to
exist for a given amount
00:11:32.39\00:11:34.56
of time in order to be real.
00:11:34.56\00:11:36.59
So that's four dimensions,
but then some egghead
00:11:36.59\00:11:39.59
with an advanced
degree in math and physics
00:11:39.59\00:11:41.76
assures us that
there's a fifth and a sixth
00:11:41.76\00:11:44.33
and a seventh dimension because
the math they say is there
00:11:44.33\00:11:49.24
but try to visualize
where a fifth dimension is
00:11:49.24\00:11:52.21
and you run into trouble.
00:11:52.21\00:11:53.61
It's a concept that
exists quite outside
00:11:53.61\00:11:56.24
of everyday reality.
00:11:56.24\00:11:58.11
So people who try to
illustrate such things
00:11:58.11\00:12:00.25
will often draw
what's called a hypercube.
00:12:00.25\00:12:03.08
But in order to draw a
hypercube, you have no choice
00:12:03.08\00:12:05.39
but to create a
three dimensional diagram.
00:12:05.39\00:12:09.19
Well, actually
that's not true because
00:12:09.19\00:12:11.09
if you're drawing it
on paper, it's really just
00:12:11.09\00:12:12.89
a two-dimensional
drawing meant to help you
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.03
visualize something that exists
in more than two dimensions.
00:12:15.03\00:12:19.40
We do the same thing when we
draw a three-dimensional cube.
00:12:19.40\00:12:23.27
The drawing is
only two dimensions
00:12:23.27\00:12:24.91
but we can easily imagine three
00:12:24.91\00:12:26.44
because that represents
the real world we live in.
00:12:26.44\00:12:30.75
A fifth
dimension, however, does not.
00:12:30.75\00:12:33.55
That's really
hard to conceptualize.
00:12:33.55\00:12:36.05
You might as well try
to describe a brand new
00:12:36.05\00:12:38.39
primary color that
nobody has ever seen.
00:12:38.39\00:12:41.56
We simply don't
have the mental capacity
00:12:41.56\00:12:43.79
to visualize
something like that.
00:12:43.79\00:12:46.73
And if your brain is starting
to hurt right about now,
00:12:46.73\00:12:50.20
just bear with me
for a few more minutes
00:12:50.20\00:12:51.90
because I'm actually
going somewhere with this.
00:12:51.90\00:12:54.57
When you ask most
Christians about God,
00:12:55.80\00:12:58.81
they're gonna tell
you that he's infinite.
00:12:58.81\00:13:00.54
He has unlimited
power or omnipotence.
00:13:00.54\00:13:03.61
He has unlimited knowledge,
which means he's omniscient.
00:13:03.61\00:13:07.72
And of course, he's
not constrained by spatial
00:13:07.72\00:13:10.42
limitations because he
created space in the first place
00:13:10.42\00:13:12.89
which means that
God can be omnipresent,
00:13:12.89\00:13:16.19
existing everywhere
all at the same time.
00:13:16.19\00:13:19.29
Now, that's not quite
the same thing as something
00:13:19.29\00:13:21.16
called pantheism
which suggests that God
00:13:21.16\00:13:24.07
is his creation,
that the physical world
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.17
is just a
manifestation of his presence.
00:13:26.17\00:13:29.90
That's an idea
that has wormed its way
00:13:29.90\00:13:32.01
into Christian
thought from time to time
00:13:32.01\00:13:34.18
but it doesn't agree
with the Bible, which tells us
00:13:34.18\00:13:37.05
that the creator is quite
distinct from his creation.
00:13:37.05\00:13:41.55
God is more like the master
painters of the Renaissance.
00:13:41.55\00:13:45.59
You can find their mark
on the paintings they created
00:13:45.59\00:13:48.72
and their art is clearly a
representation of who they were
00:13:48.72\00:13:53.33
to the point where
experts can tell who the artist
00:13:53.33\00:13:55.56
was just by studying
style, but it would be silly
00:13:55.56\00:14:00.27
to suggest that the
painting is the painter,
00:14:00.27\00:14:03.20
that doesn't
make sense in reality.
00:14:03.20\00:14:07.48
This is one of the
major flaws I find in the line
00:14:07.48\00:14:09.74
of reasoning that some
modern atheists produce
00:14:09.74\00:14:13.18
in an effort to
discount the existence of God.
00:14:13.18\00:14:16.28
When Christians
argue that God must be real
00:14:16.28\00:14:19.05
because the universe
appears to be designed
00:14:19.05\00:14:21.72
and of course a
design suggests a designer,
00:14:21.72\00:14:25.16
some skeptics will sneer and
say, "Well then who made God?"
00:14:25.16\00:14:29.30
As if they've driven a final
nail into the design argument.
00:14:29.30\00:14:32.90
You find that kind of thinking
00:14:32.90\00:14:34.44
in Richard Dawkins
famous book, "The God Delusion,"
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.67
where he tries to dismantle
the argument from design
00:14:36.67\00:14:39.91
by saying this,
"Design is the only alternative
00:14:39.91\00:14:44.48
to chance that the
authors can imagine.
00:14:44.48\00:14:47.08
Therefore, a
designer must have done it.
00:14:47.08\00:14:49.32
And science's answer to this
00:14:49.32\00:14:50.99
faulty logic is
also always the same.
00:14:50.99\00:14:54.16
Design is not the
only alternative to chance.
00:14:54.16\00:14:57.59
Natural selection is
a better alternative.
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.86
Indeed, design is not
a real alternative at all
00:14:59.86\00:15:02.86
because it raises
an even bigger problem
00:15:02.86\00:15:04.83
than it solves, who
designed the designer?"
00:15:04.83\00:15:09.84
That's a rather
disingenuous question
00:15:10.94\00:15:13.17
because he's equating
designs and designers,
00:15:13.17\00:15:15.34
which are not the same thing.
00:15:15.34\00:15:17.28
I mean, you could
also ask the question,
00:15:17.28\00:15:18.75
who created this painting?
00:15:18.75\00:15:20.08
And somebody else
will answer it was Picasso.
00:15:20.08\00:15:23.55
But then if you ask,
well, who painted Picasso?
00:15:23.55\00:15:27.06
Well, now
you're talking nonsense
00:15:27.06\00:15:28.46
because he's a
painter, not a painting.
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.89
And the same thing
holds true for God.
00:15:30.89\00:15:33.13
He's not at all the
same as his creation
00:15:33.13\00:15:35.53
because he's a creator.
00:15:35.53\00:15:37.90
Who created the
creator is a foolish question
00:15:37.90\00:15:41.07
because the answer is nobody.
00:15:41.07\00:15:44.14
He wasn't created.
00:15:44.14\00:15:45.34
But now I'm wandering off track.
00:15:46.34\00:15:47.81
So let's return to the
notion of an infinite God
00:15:47.81\00:15:50.01
whose existence does
not depend on anything else.
00:15:50.01\00:15:53.78
You and me, our
existence is contingent.
00:15:53.78\00:15:57.15
It relies on something.
00:15:57.15\00:15:58.75
For starters, we're the
product of our parents' DNA
00:15:58.75\00:16:01.59
and we rely on a
continued input of nutrients
00:16:01.59\00:16:04.03
in order to
sustain our existence.
00:16:04.03\00:16:07.23
If the planet we
inhabit didn't have the elements
00:16:07.23\00:16:09.40
necessary to keep us breathing,
we would cease to exist.
00:16:09.40\00:16:13.67
We rely on oxygen
and sunlight and sugar
00:16:13.67\00:16:17.27
and a thousand other
things in order to exist.
00:16:17.27\00:16:20.68
But God is underived.
00:16:20.68\00:16:23.11
He doesn't rely on anything else
00:16:23.11\00:16:25.01
or anybody else
for his existence.
00:16:25.01\00:16:28.18
So when we try to
understand him in terms
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.05
of our own experience,
well, if we're not careful,
00:16:30.05\00:16:33.39
we can start to get
nonsensical answers,
00:16:33.39\00:16:35.96
just like you do when
you try to add infinity
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.66
to infinity and
then solve for infinity,
00:16:38.66\00:16:42.56
you're defining the
infinite in terms of the finite
00:16:42.56\00:16:45.87
and that's never gonna
give you a satisfactory result.
00:16:45.87\00:16:49.30
"Great is the Lord," the
psalmist wrote, "and greatly
00:16:49.30\00:16:52.47
to be praised and his
greatness is unsearchable."
00:16:52.47\00:16:56.44
What we have in the
Bible is a God who is
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.45
both knowable and
unknowable at the same time.
00:17:00.45\00:17:04.22
He's knowable because
he reveals himself to us
00:17:04.22\00:17:06.86
in the pages of Revelation
and through the person
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.49
of his son who
became a human being
00:17:09.49\00:17:11.79
in order to identify with us.
00:17:11.79\00:17:14.00
"He who has seen me," Jesus
said, "has seen the Father."
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.27
And of course
then we have one of my
00:17:18.27\00:17:20.44
all-time favorite quotes
from Jeremiah chapter nine,
00:17:20.44\00:17:23.14
which you've heard me read
about a hundred times before.
00:17:23.14\00:17:26.74
It says, "But let him
who glories glory in this,
00:17:26.74\00:17:31.31
that he
understands and knows me."
00:17:31.31\00:17:35.22
So on the one
hand, God is knowable
00:17:35.22\00:17:37.79
and that's because he's
made the effort to intersect
00:17:37.79\00:17:40.62
with our finite temporal
world, but at the same time,
00:17:40.62\00:17:43.66
he's beyond that which
means there are things about God
00:17:43.66\00:17:47.10
that we will never be
able to fully understand.
00:17:47.10\00:17:50.47
I'm reminded of
that passage over
00:17:50.47\00:17:51.97
in First Timothy chapter
six, where Paul describes Christ
00:17:51.97\00:17:55.94
as "The blessed and only
Potentate, the king of kings
00:17:55.94\00:18:00.08
and Lord of lords, who
alone has immortality dwelling
00:18:00.08\00:18:04.98
in unapproachable light,
whom no man has seen or can see,
00:18:04.98\00:18:09.42
to whom be honor
and everlasting power."
00:18:09.42\00:18:12.82
Now, I know there are people
who will say that the idea
00:18:14.26\00:18:17.09
of an infinite eternal
God is some kind of cop out,
00:18:17.09\00:18:20.00
a clever
workaround to explain things
00:18:20.00\00:18:22.00
about the Christian faith
that are nearly impossible
00:18:22.00\00:18:25.20
to understand in a
strictly logical fashion.
00:18:25.20\00:18:29.04
When you can't really
explain something rationally
00:18:29.04\00:18:32.04
then you just declare
it a mystery and move on.
00:18:32.04\00:18:34.61
Can't understand
how God can be one God
00:18:34.61\00:18:36.68
and three
persons at the same time.
00:18:36.68\00:18:39.41
Just call it a mystery.
00:18:39.41\00:18:41.08
Can't understand how God spoke
the universe into existence.
00:18:41.08\00:18:44.52
Hmm, another
mystery, and it kind of sounds
00:18:44.52\00:18:47.82
like the critics
have a valid criticism,
00:18:47.82\00:18:50.23
except for one little detail.
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.19
If there really is an infinite
eternal God, if that's true
00:18:54.60\00:18:58.30
but we could explain everything
about him in perfect detail
00:18:58.30\00:19:01.90
that would mean he
isn't an infinite eternal God.
00:19:01.90\00:19:05.74
And if you think about
it, it's not really a cop out.
00:19:05.74\00:19:08.84
It's exactly what you'd expect
00:19:08.84\00:19:10.58
if the Bible is
telling the truth
00:19:10.58\00:19:13.45
and now I've gotta
take a really quick break
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.98
but it's not gonna
be an infinite break
00:19:15.98\00:19:17.69
so sit tight and I'll
be right back after this.
00:19:17.69\00:19:21.39
- [Narrator 2] Life
can throw a lot at us.
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.33
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers
00:19:26.33\00:19:28.76
but that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:19:29.90\00:19:32.07
It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:19:32.07\00:19:35.14
Here at "The Voice of
Prophecy," we've created
00:19:35.14\00:19:37.47
the Discover Bible guides
to be your guide to the Bible.
00:19:37.47\00:19:40.48
They're designed to
be simple, easy to use
00:19:40.48\00:19:42.51
and provide
answers to many of life's
00:19:42.51\00:19:44.48
toughest questions, and
they're absolutely free.
00:19:44.48\00:19:48.02
So jump online
now or give us a call
00:19:48.02\00:19:49.78
and start your
journey of discovery.
00:19:49.78\00:19:53.25
- Saul of Tarsus
was indisputably one
00:19:53.25\00:19:55.89
of the brightest
minds of the first century.
00:19:55.89\00:19:58.56
Not only did he study
at the feet of Gamaliel,
00:19:58.56\00:20:01.36
one of the greatest
teachers of the ancient world
00:20:01.36\00:20:04.23
but he also produced the
bulk of the New Testament
00:20:04.23\00:20:07.17
by writing letters that
were so dense with systematic
00:20:07.17\00:20:10.01
and profound theology
that scholars continue
00:20:10.01\00:20:13.91
to marvel over
these writings even now.
00:20:13.91\00:20:17.38
And in the book of Romans,
00:20:17.38\00:20:18.65
which many consider
to be Paul's masterpiece,
00:20:18.65\00:20:21.55
he made this statement
about the nature of God.
00:20:21.55\00:20:25.49
He said, "Oh, the depths of
the riches, both of the wisdom
00:20:25.49\00:20:28.66
and knowledge of
God, how unsearchable
00:20:28.66\00:20:32.09
are his judgments in
his ways past finding out.
00:20:32.09\00:20:35.60
For who has known
the mind of the Lord
00:20:35.60\00:20:37.80
or who has become his counselor
00:20:37.80\00:20:40.17
or who has first given to
him, and it shall be repaid
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.60
to him, for of Him
and through him and to him
00:20:42.60\00:20:46.47
are all things to
whom be glory forever."
00:20:46.47\00:20:50.28
Now, Paul was quoting from
the Old Testament using passages
00:20:50.28\00:20:53.11
from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the
Book of Joab, and in the book
00:20:53.11\00:20:57.75
of Joab we find a statement
about God's creative power
00:20:57.75\00:21:01.02
where it says, "Indeed,
these are the mere edges
00:21:01.02\00:21:04.53
of his ways and how
small a whisper we hear of him
00:21:04.53\00:21:08.80
but the thunder of his
power who can understand?"
00:21:08.80\00:21:12.67
So again, if God is real
and the universe really owes
00:21:12.67\00:21:17.54
its existence to him,
then you'd have to expect
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.84
that we're not gonna know
everything that God knows.
00:21:20.84\00:21:23.31
We're not going to be
able to wrap our finite minds
00:21:23.31\00:21:27.12
all the way around
his infinite existence.
00:21:27.12\00:21:30.59
And yeah, that can be
frustrating because as one
00:21:30.59\00:21:33.72
trashy tabloid used to say,
"Inquiring minds want to know."
00:21:33.72\00:21:38.73
But then on the other hand,
00:21:39.59\00:21:40.80
I also kind of
find it exhilarating
00:21:40.80\00:21:42.26
because I've been
studying the mind and character
00:21:42.26\00:21:44.80
of God as they're portrayed
in this book for decades
00:21:44.80\00:21:49.14
and I know I've
barely scratched the surface.
00:21:49.14\00:21:52.44
It's a subject that
I'm never going to exhaust
00:21:52.44\00:21:54.91
because no matter how
long I live, I'm dealing
00:21:54.91\00:21:58.08
with eternity and I'll
not get to the end of it.
00:21:58.08\00:22:01.05
I mean, just think about
your college courses, especially
00:22:02.48\00:22:04.95
if you were a liberal arts
major like me, and just think
00:22:04.95\00:22:08.19
about how boring and
redundant those courses can be.
00:22:08.19\00:22:12.59
After a while, I'll admit it,
00:22:12.59\00:22:14.10
I just quit going to
class because I realized
00:22:14.10\00:22:16.46
that the professors had
nearly exhausted the subject
00:22:16.46\00:22:19.73
and there was so much
overlap between classes
00:22:19.73\00:22:22.30
that I could
basically fake my term papers
00:22:22.30\00:22:25.44
by blending ideas
from other classes
00:22:25.44\00:22:28.48
and rebranding them
for my current class.
00:22:28.48\00:22:31.85
There comes a point
with human knowledge
00:22:31.85\00:22:33.88
where you say to
yourself, is that it?
00:22:33.88\00:22:37.12
That's all there is?
00:22:37.12\00:22:39.32
I mean, go and ask a doctoral
candidate what they think of
00:22:39.32\00:22:41.66
their specialty when they're
finished writing their thesis
00:22:41.66\00:22:45.03
and a lot of them will
tell you they never want
00:22:45.03\00:22:47.36
to see the subject
again as long as they live.
00:22:47.36\00:22:51.23
And that's the way it is
00:22:51.23\00:22:52.80
with ordinary
everyday knowledge,
00:22:52.80\00:22:55.60
you almost always
reach a saturation point
00:22:55.60\00:22:59.21
where there's not
much more you can learn.
00:22:59.21\00:23:01.28
But if the infinite God is real
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.41
and he's made an
effort to communicate with us,
00:23:04.41\00:23:07.32
then I would suggest that you're
00:23:07.32\00:23:08.88
never gonna hit
a saturation point.
00:23:08.88\00:23:11.39
You're never going to
come to a moment when you feel
00:23:11.39\00:23:13.59
like you've hit
the end of the subject.
00:23:13.59\00:23:17.23
You know, I've been reading
this book now for decades
00:23:18.66\00:23:21.13
and every time I open
it, I learn something new
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.00
about this infinite God to whom
00:23:23.00\00:23:25.43
I'm indebted for
my very existence.
00:23:25.43\00:23:28.60
Every time I think
I've mastered some aspect
00:23:28.60\00:23:30.97
of God's character, I discover
00:23:30.97\00:23:33.74
that I've barely gotten started.
00:23:33.74\00:23:36.21
The pursuit of God is different
00:23:36.21\00:23:37.98
from every other
pursuit because it takes you
00:23:37.98\00:23:39.95
to the most important
questions in the universe.
00:23:39.95\00:23:43.02
Who are you and
what does it mean
00:23:43.02\00:23:45.02
to live an authentic human life?
00:23:45.02\00:23:48.22
What does it mean to be
made in the image of God?
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.43
Why do we have to
suffer if God is really good?
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.86
And how can we know if
our knowledge is accurate,
00:23:54.86\00:23:58.40
that we actually
understand things?
00:23:58.40\00:24:01.77
Look, I've been reading the
major works of philosophy ever
00:24:01.77\00:24:04.64
since I was a kid, and
I have a deep appreciation
00:24:04.64\00:24:07.38
for some of the
brilliant minds who produced
00:24:07.38\00:24:09.38
all these profound
written works of art.
00:24:09.38\00:24:12.81
They've brought
me a lot of enjoyment
00:24:12.81\00:24:15.85
but with all of
them, I eventually come
00:24:15.85\00:24:17.82
to a point where I'm
forced to ask, is that it?
00:24:17.82\00:24:21.59
Is that really all they
have to say on that subject?
00:24:21.59\00:24:24.26
It's especially
bad when they failed
00:24:25.73\00:24:27.36
to come up with
meaningful answers.
00:24:27.36\00:24:29.43
They ask a lot of
meaningful questions
00:24:29.43\00:24:32.00
but it's not very often
00:24:32.00\00:24:33.17
that they come to
meaningful conclusions.
00:24:33.17\00:24:35.97
However, with the
Bible, it's different.
00:24:35.97\00:24:39.24
This is the product
of an infinite mind,
00:24:39.24\00:24:41.91
a mind that came up with us,
00:24:41.91\00:24:44.65
and so you're never
gonna hit the bottom of it.
00:24:44.65\00:24:47.08
For example, just when you think
00:24:47.08\00:24:48.88
you're beginning to
understand what love is,
00:24:48.88\00:24:51.25
you find a more
profound expression of love
00:24:51.25\00:24:53.39
in the pages of this book.
00:24:53.39\00:24:55.39
When you think you
finally figured out
00:24:55.39\00:24:56.96
what justice means and
how to build a just society,
00:24:56.96\00:25:00.06
you'll find your
ideas being torn to shreds
00:25:00.06\00:25:02.23
by the one who invented justice
00:25:02.23\00:25:03.77
and righteousness
in the first place.
00:25:03.77\00:25:06.57
Just when you think you
know what it means to live
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.67
a human life authentically,
you suddenly find the story
00:25:08.67\00:25:12.41
of a man who has captured
the collective imagination
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.61
of this planet for 2000
years because his human life
00:25:14.61\00:25:19.48
simply towers above ours
and we get this sense that
00:25:19.48\00:25:22.72
he's showing us what human
life was supposed to look like.
00:25:22.72\00:25:27.12
All right, I've gotta
take another quick break
00:25:27.12\00:25:29.06
but I'll be
right back after this.
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.29
- [Narrator 3] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:25:34.63\00:25:38.93
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:25:38.93\00:25:43.47
If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
00:25:43.47\00:25:45.71
and come away scratching
your head, you are not alone.
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.74
Our free Focus
on Prophecy guides
00:25:48.74\00:25:50.75
are designed to help
you unlock the mysteries
00:25:50.75\00:25:53.25
of the Bible and
deepen your understanding
00:25:53.25\00:25:55.48
of God's plan for
you and our world.
00:25:55.48\00:25:57.99
Study online or
request them by mail
00:25:57.99\00:26:00.46
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:26:00.46\00:26:03.32
- Infinity is a massive
number, a number without limit
00:26:04.69\00:26:07.66
and it's fun to think about
infinity when you're doing math.
00:26:07.66\00:26:11.67
It's fun to think about
a beam of light launching
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.90
into space and traveling
in a straight line forever
00:26:13.90\00:26:17.24
continuing to move in one
direction long after you died.
00:26:17.24\00:26:21.64
There's just
something fascinating
00:26:21.64\00:26:23.11
about the concept of
eternity, and sure enough,
00:26:23.11\00:26:26.28
when you turn to
the pages of the Bible,
00:26:26.28\00:26:27.98
you discover that
God planned it that way.
00:26:27.98\00:26:31.02
He says in Ecclesiastes 3:11,
00:26:31.02\00:26:33.32
"He has made everything
beautiful in its time.
00:26:33.32\00:26:36.32
Also, he has put
eternity in their hearts
00:26:36.32\00:26:38.86
except that no one
can find out the work
00:26:38.86\00:26:40.46
that God does
from beginning to end."
00:26:40.46\00:26:43.06
Let me suggest that
when we're reading the works
00:26:44.50\00:26:47.47
of human philosophers, we
find incredibly useful ideas
00:26:47.47\00:26:51.67
because those people
were really intelligent.
00:26:51.67\00:26:55.08
But when you open the
Bible, you find the ideas
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.18
of the philosophers
are really the shallow end
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.72
of the pool when
compared to the ideas
00:27:00.72\00:27:03.39
that emerged from the
heart and mind of God.
00:27:03.39\00:27:05.75
There's just something about
the Bible that really speaks
00:27:07.22\00:27:09.56
to the heart, that satisfies
our hunger to know things.
00:27:09.56\00:27:14.46
If this book really is the voice
00:27:14.46\00:27:16.30
of an infinite God
trying to communicate with us
00:27:16.30\00:27:19.87
that would mean it's
probably worth your time to
00:27:19.87\00:27:22.47
really investigate him
carefully, honestly, prayerfully
00:27:22.47\00:27:27.48
because maybe, just maybe,
the God who inspired this book
00:27:29.34\00:27:34.35
is bigger than the questions
you've had all your life.
00:27:35.78\00:27:38.85
You know that same chapter
00:27:38.85\00:27:40.19
in the book of
the Ecclesiastes says,
00:27:40.19\00:27:42.12
"I know that whatever God
does, it shall be forever.
00:27:42.12\00:27:46.03
Nothing can be added to
it and nothing taken from it.
00:27:46.03\00:27:50.43
God does it that men
should fear before him."
00:27:50.43\00:27:53.94
Thank you for listening.
00:27:54.97\00:27:56.00
I'm Shawn Boonstra,
00:27:56.00\00:27:57.51
and this has been
another episode of "Authentic."
00:27:57.51\00:28:00.74
[upbeat music]
00:28:00.74\00:28:03.38