" Searching for intelligent life"
A recent search was done of potentially habitable solar systems, for signs of radio signals, to see if they could fine radio -emitting intelligent life on earth like planets. Their conclusion was less than one percent of all potentially habitable exoplanets likely to host intelligent life. Their clarification of this finding, less than one in a million stars in the Milky Way currently host radio- emitting civilizations.
Man has always been interested in new things to hear and see. The Apostle Paul faced this on his first trip to Athens, which was the cultural center of Greece. At it's shinning moment in history, Athens was home to the most renowned philosophers in history, including Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Two other philosophers taught there, Epicurus, founder of the Epicureanism, and Zeno, founder of Stoicism, both were dominant philosophers in that day.
Paul had gone to Athens to wait on Silas and Timothy, to continue on their missionary journey. The bible tells us that Paul's spirit was stirred in him when he saw the whole city given over to idolatry. He began to dispute with the Jews in the synagogue, and with religious people, and in the market place daily with those that met with him. He preached Jesus Christ, him crucified, and risen again. This is where Paul encountered the Epicureans and Stoics. They called him a babbler the bible says, which means seed picker.They believed him to be a amateur philosopher, but Paul was drawing his knowledge and wisdom from Almighty God. They took him to a place called Mars Hill, so they could hear of this new doctrine that Paul was preaching. The bible says in Acts 17:21; For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.
Paul begin to preach to them about the Unknown God they had inscribed on an altar. He declared to them the one true God who made heaven and earth. He told them God didn't dwell in temples made by men's hands. The bible says in Isaiah 66:1; Thus saith the LORD, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Paul told them God had created all nations from one blood, meaning we all came from Adam, who God created. Paul went onto say, God had determined the times or seasons before appointed, and bounds of their habitations. God in his infinite wisdom and knowledge is in control of the rise and fall of nations, and who he lets rule those nations, even sets the boundaries for those nations. Paul was speaking to men of a nation that had it's shinning moment in history, before the Roman Empire came on the scene. King Nebuchadnezzar, who's kingdom had grown great in his day, was brought low by the Almighty God, because of the words he had spoken one day while admiring his palace and city. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 12:35; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The pride in Nebuchadnezzar's heart came out that day when the most High took away his kingdom for seven years. The king had spoke these words, is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and the honour of my majesty? The bible says a voice fell from heaven and spoke to the king. The kingdom is departed from thee.
Nebuchadnezzar would live the next seven years, like a wild beast. His body would even take on the appearance of a wild beast. The hair on his own body would grow to a length that was described to look like eagle's feathers. His nails would grow to look like bird claws. This man was brought low by the Almighty God. The bible says when he came to his senses, when understanding had returned to him, he blessed th most High. This was his confession in Daniel 4:34; I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.
The Apostle Paul was conveying the same message, that the most High rules in the kingdom of men. Paul reminded them that in Him we live and have our being. God has given us a living soul, because he has breathed the breath of life into us, when he took and made Adam out of the dust of the ground. Why do we search for intelligent life? Why do we try to create our own knowledge about the creation of life?
Mankind has falling from God's grace. What do you mean preacher? From the day Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and break God's commandment, they have gone their own way, not acknowledging their Creator, who gives to them the breath of life. They have chosen the evil way of knowledge, to create their own philosophy, to create their own religions, their own way to life eternal. Mankind is always looking for some new thing to occupy his heart and mind except the one true God. Romans 1:28 says; And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. Reprobate means depravity, and depravity comes in many forms. What ever has you in this state, you have given yourself wholly to it.
King Nebuchadnezzar was given over to pride in his heart. He did not acknowledge his true Creator, but gods that he and his countrymen had created in their own imaginations. The same with the Epicureans and Stoics, within themselves they were proud of their achievements. They truly believed their way of philosophy on life was the true way, or did they? The bible tells us the eye is never satisfied, so as the bible says, the Athenians and foreigners did nothing but spend there time telling or hearing some new thing, and their thing was the philosophy on life. Philosophy is the study or science of the truths or principles underlying all knowledge and being(or reality). The bible says the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.
The unsaved man does not want to retain God in his knowledge. Why preacher? This is the reason, John 3:19 says; And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Jesus Christ is that light, that came into this world. John 3:16 says; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Paul preached Jesus Christ and him crucified and risen again that day at Mars Hill. The bible says some mocked him, some said we will hear this another time, and some believed. My prayer for you my friend is that you will believe and escape the judgement of those who have not retained the knowledge of God. What do you mean preacher? The intelligent life you seek is within your reach. Jesus said; Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man here my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me. You my friend might say, what must I do to be saved? Romans 10:9 says; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. He paid our sin debt that we could not pay. He said, if the Son shall set you free ye shall be free indeed. He is the intelligent life you search for.
