The book of Job is considered the oldest written document we now possess. It’s a debate over two questions, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” And “Where is God when bad things happen to good people?” Job and his three friends toss those questions back and forth until, in the 38th chapter, God steps into the fray.

“[2] Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words? [3] Now stand up straight and answer the questions I ask you.”

What follows is a series of questions establishing God’s sovereignty over his creation — who would argue with an artist about the meaning of his painting? Or who would argue with a poet about the meaning of his poems? Or who would argue with God about his creation? Yet many scientists “use” God’s creation to “prove” God didn’t create his creation.

“[4] Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it. [5] Who decided how large it would be? Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers? [6] What holds up the pillars that support the earth? Who laid the cornerstone of the world? [7] In the dawn of that day the stars sang together, and the heavenly beings shouted for joy.” (Job 38)

I was fascinated recently, while watching a television special about Stephen Hawking, when he said pastors shouldn’t dabble in science while he felt perfectly free to dabble in faith. He declared as a scientist that God did not exist? I was, in fact, a scientist before I was a pastor. And it was my interest in science that led me to the God who created what I was interested in and had been studying for most of my life.

The Bible never claimed to be a book about science. But it does, without a doubt, declare that God created us and everything around us as far as the ends of the universe and beyond. Even if you believe in the Big Bang, you have to ask about the origins of the original materials. Even if you believe in evolution, the question remains, who created what everything else evolved from? I finally came to the conclusion that everything I’d learned or seen or studied as a scientist confirmed my belief that God created me and everything around me. Nothing I’d learned or seen or studied offered even a shred of evidence that God didn’t create me and everything around me.

Remember the second question, where is God? He’s right now working to re-create his creation after the devil’s introduction of evil into the Garden of Eden.