Breaking the Silence

For 50 years, astronomers have been sweeping the skies with radio telescopes in the hope of stumbling across a message from an alien civilization.

In 1960, Cornell University astronomer Frank Drake performed the first modern SETI experiment, named "Project Ozma", after the Queen of Oz in L. Frank Baum's fantasy books. Drake used a 26-meter-diameter radio telescope at Green Bank, West Virginia, to examine the stars Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani near the 1.420 gigahertz marker frequency. A 400 kilohertz band was scanned around the marker frequency, using a single-channel receiver with a bandwidth of 100 hertz. The information was stored on tape for off-line analysis. He found nothing of great interest.

As of June 28, 2009 the SETI@home project has over 180,000 active participants volunteering a total of over 290,000 computers. These computers give SETI@home an average computational power of 617 teraFLOPS,[10] making it more powerful than Tianhe-I, the fifth most powerful computer in the world.

The processing power of this effort enables them to analyze a billion radio frequencies at the same time.

One commentator said that the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence is like looking for “A needle in a haystack search with no guarantee that there is even a needle in the haystack.”

A movie produced a number of years ago called “Contact” follows the possibility of receiving such a signal.

Recently I listened as an Arizona State University physicist and astro-biologist questioned the process of listening for these signals from extra-terrestrial civilizations. This scientist, Paul Davies, recently authored a book called “The Eerie Silence”.

In this book he examines the whys and wherefores concerning the absence of positive results over the last 50 years of trying. Paul Davies states that we have not heard with our instruments because they (the ET's) would not even be using frequencies that we would use.

He further states that if there are such civilizations, they likely do not even know that we are here. Paul Davies even declares that we are looking in the wrong places and using the wrong methods. He affirms that we should be looking for other signs of “intelligent life”, while at the same time suggesting that it is possible that we are indeed all alone in this universe. He further suggests that we should even look within the human body for messages from these superior civilizations.

From a biblical point of view, there is much folly in this and similar efforts. The reality is that messages have been sent to the earth for many years; the problem is that most people choose to ignore the message or are simply looking in the wrong places or with the wrong equipment.

Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

(ESV)

As verse one affirms, God has spoken in many ways, and at many times.

The "Eerie Silence" was broken from before there ever was anything visible or invisible beyond God Himself. In fact all that is visible and invisible is the result of God breaking the Celestial Silence with a spoken word! God said, “Let there be”... and there was, ... and it was GOOD!

God spake in many other ways.

• Face to face with Adam.
• Through an angel to Abraham and Lot
• In a cloud with Moses.
• Through a still small voice to Elijah.
• Through the Urim & Thimmin to the priests.
• By dreams and visions to others.

Yet in all the many ways that God did speak, no one received a complete revelation. Rather God spoke in snippets.

To Noah the quarter of the world to which Messiah should belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; to Daniel, the exact time; to Malachi, the coming of His forerunner, and His second advent; through Jonah, His burial and resurrection; through Isaiah and Hosea, His resurrection. Each only knew in part... (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)

The Silence was broken, by the cry of a baby, and continues to be broken by the sword of the Spirit, proceeding out of the mouth of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus, the full and complete revelation of the mighty God, is the only message that God is communicating to the world today.

Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus is the full and complete revelation of the mighty God. He is the sole message that God is sending to the world today. You can hear nothing of God outside of Him!

How do I hear this voice, this message, this man?

You can use all of the high-tech equipment that you choose, yet God responds and speaks to the cry of a hungry heart. Unless man will humble himself, he will never hear the "still, small voice" of Almighty God. There is something about the hungry heart that touches God and breaks the Silence that hovers over lost humanity.

Revelation of John 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches