Einstein, Hubble, Dark Energy and God
I was just reading an interesting opinion piece by New York Times writer Brian Greene entitled "Darkness on the Edge of the Universe". This article concerns the fact that over the past decade or so, through precise observations of distant supernovae, astronomers have apparently confirmed that not only is our Universe expanding, but it appears that distant galaxies are also moving away from each other, and away from our region of space, at an increasingly accelerated rate of speed.
As Greene's article points out, the belief in an expanding Universe, as opposed to a fixed, static Universe, received substantial support during the 1920's due to astronomical discoveries which were made by famous American astronomer Edwin Hubble. As you may surmise, it is in honor of this man that the Hubble Space Telescope is named. Hubble also has a lunar crater named after him, as well as other posthumous honors.
At this point, I must mention noted theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. It is the year 1917. While through his now-famous General Theory of Relativity, Einstein realized that both space and time bend, twist and warp, that physical space both expands and contracts, and that the size of the Universe changes over time, this simply was not acceptable to him. Neither were such notions supported by the prevailing wisdom of that era, which likewise promoted the belief in a static, unchanging Universe. In fact, to give you a greater understanding of scientific thought at that time, consider that the prevailing belief of that time was that the entire Universe consisted of the Milky Way Galaxy, and nothing more. This was not even a century ago. I am again reminded of the following verse that is found in the Book of Daniel:
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."Daniel 12:4, KJV
While the previous verse may be referring to understanding and knowledge concerning God's prophetic Word, no one can deny that human knowledge has also increased dramatically in the areas of science and technology, as I discuss in the article "Science And Technology: The Forbidden Knowledge?".
But to continue, in order to substantiate and strengthen the belief that the Universe was fixed and unchanging, Einstein set about to rework his General Theory of Relatively. Stated another way, Einstein wanted to use his mastery of the fields of mathematics and physics to push forward his own mistaken theories, rather than simply accept what his own equations were plainly telling him concerning the true nature of the Universe.
In the end, the result was that he proposed a new concept: the existence of antigravity, and an invisible energy which fills Outer Space, which he referred to as the "cosmological constant". By readjusting his equations, Einstein posited that the gravity waves which are created by physical bodies in the Universe -- such as stars, planets, nebulae, etc. -- pull on other objects, while the antigravity waves that are theoretically produced by the invisible "dark energy" push objects away. In simple terms, what Einstein was proposing was an invisible tug-of-war in the Universe, in which both teams -- gravity and antigravity -- were of equal strength, or at least balanced in such a way, that they resulted in a static, unchanging Universe, which is exactly what he wanted to believe; but it was dead wrong, as further evidence would soon reveal.
As history records, it was only about a decade later in 1927, while conducting research concerning the degree of redshift in the light spectra of certain distant galaxies on the newly constructed 100-inch Hooker telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory, that astronomer Edwin Hubble realized that the Universe is expanding. In fact, only a few years earlier, as a result of studying variable stars in some distant nebulae, Hubble arrived at the conclusion that what he thought were nebulae within our own galaxy -- the Andromeda Nebula, for example -- were in reality entire galaxies located outside of our own galaxy. Hubble, together with fellow astronomer Milton Humason, eventually formulated what has become known as Hubble's Law. It states that the greater the distance is between any two galaxies, the greater their relative speed of separation is as well.
Edwin Hubble's discoveries and announcements during the mid to late 1920's, of course, left Albert Einstein embarrassed. While Einstein could try to manipulate his own equations in order to make them say what he wanted them to say, mounting scientific evidence was quickly revealing the flaws in his own thinking, and he was soon forced to withdraw his theory concerning the "cosmological constant" from the discussion arena. In fact, such was Einstein's embarrassment, that upon learning of Hubble's discoveries, he stated that trying to adjust his equations in order to prove a static Universe was "the biggest blunder of my life".
While modern astronomers, physicists, etc., continue to grapple with the deep mysteries of our Universe -- such as black holes, quasars, pulsars, dark energy, dark matter and antigravity -- I propose that there is a much simpler answer which has been available to us all for literally thousands of years. That answer is revealed to us in such Scriptures as the following:
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3-4, KJV
"And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:" Acts 14:15, KJV
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands . . . For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
Acts 17:24, 28 KJV
"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11:36, KJV
"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." 1 Corinthians 8:6, KJV
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:" Ephesians 3:9
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Colossians 1:16-17, KJV
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" Hebrews 1:1-3, KJV
"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 2:10, KJV
"For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." Hebrews 3:4, KJV
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:3, KJV
"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:"
2 Peter 3:5, KJV
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11, KJV
