LightGrams
March 11, 2021
Volume 25, Number 10
A story carried by Reuters last month caught my attention. Kit Yates, a math expert at London’s Bath University, projected the number of COVID-19 virus particles in the world at the height of the pandemic. I won’t list all the steps he went through, but the bottom line of his calculations is that there are 2 quintillion (2 billion billion) SARS-CoV-2 particles in the world at any given time. A massive amount, right? Yates says these are so small that all of them (in the world!) would fit inside a soft drink can.
The question then came to me, How much DNA is in the average human body? A web site named “askanacademic.com” should have the answer, one would think. They calculate the body’s 37.2 trillions cells each having 2.14 meters (just over 7 feet) of DNA. All of the DNA in each of our bodies, they conclude, would reach from the earth to the sun 530 times, although it would only weigh just over 5 pounds.
These are incredible figures to me. Whether virus particles or DNA molecules, they’re invisible to the eye. Humanity was not even aware of the existence of such objects until relatively recent times. Yet who will deny that COVID-19 exists, or that the genes within our bodies determine our hair color, gender, height, etc.? Clearly, they exist.
Was Paul talking nonsense when he wrote in Romans 1:20 about something that is invisible, yet “clearly seen”? Here’s the verse: “For since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead …”
God is invisible to the human eye, but does that mean He doesn’t exist? Paul said to observe the world and then answer the question. How is it that our solar system operates in such a way as to make life on earth possible? What enables birds to migrate each year following the same routes? How is it that we have enough air and water to keep our bodies functioning?
A thousand years before Paul wrote to the Romans, David mused on the same idea: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). David saw plenty of evidence of God just by looking in the sky.
Hebrews 3:4 should be considered: “For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.” Can I show you a house that “just happened”, with no human design or intervention? Preposterous! Nor can I point out to you a universe that “just happened”. There is too much elegant design in this universe to make such a claim.
Viruses and DNA molecules exist, despite our ability to see them without a microscope. By using the Bible we’re able to “see” the One who made these and everything else.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2021, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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