From Formless Void to Eternal Order: Gravity, Black Holes, and God’s Sustaining Hand in Creation
Genesis 1:2
"The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."
In all the vastness of space, the vast universe, there is chaos and unstable energy. And throughout all that universal space one rule, one law, one force governs it all, or maybe it's better to say one force orders it all, and that force in science is known as gravity. Across scripture, ancient wisdom, and modern science: amid the vast chaos and unstable energies of the cosmos, gravity emerges as the singular force imposing order, shaping everything from galaxies to black holes. In biblical terms, this mirrors God’s act of bringing structure from formlessness, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was "formless and void" (tohu wa-bohu, a Biblical Hebrew phrase meaning, chaotic void), until divine command-imposed harmony.
Scientifically, gravity is the architect that tames the post-Big Bang chaos, clumping matter into stars and planets while dark matter’s gravitational scaffolding amplifies this ordering on cosmic scales.
Dark matter, comprising about 27% of the universe’s mass-energy, acts as the gravitational "scaffolding" that shapes galaxies and cosmic structures, much like the firmament in Genesis 1:6-8; a crystalline "dome" separating waters above and below, symbolizing order from chaos. Biblically speaking, light represents divine revelation and divine order (Genesis 1:3), but dark matter’s defining trait is its non-interaction with electromagnetic radiation; it remains "dark" because it doesn’t couple with photons, the particles of light. This seeming invisibility echoes theological ideas of God as an "occult light" [event horizon] or hidden essence, as described in Kabbalistic traditions where the divine source projects intelligence through unseen streamers of light to govern the universe. Some modern interpretations posit dark matter as part of the “darkness” God separated from light, not as evil, but as a nurturing, unseen force holding creation together; much like how dark matter’s gravity enabled the clumping of ordinary matter after the Big Bang, allowing stars and light to form.
In Genesis, God’s first act; "Let there be light", separates illumination from the chaotic darkness, imposing order. Gravity enabled the formation of stars, where nuclear fusion births light from compressed, chaotic gas clouds. Theologically speaking, some interpret gravity as a manifestation of divine providence, as in Newton’s view that it reflects God’s free will arranging the cosmos, not inherent to matter but bestowed or imposed by the Creator. In ancient Egyptian and Gnostic texts, they describe creation as emerging from invisible waves; subtle energies ordered by a higher force, much like gravity’s unseen pull on light-bending space and time.
In my mind, gravity isn’t mere natural physics; it’s the divine hand tempering chaos to allow light’s revelation. Which seems to mean to me that God's power is actuating Himself in His creation. God’s power is not a distant decree but an active, immanent force permeating and sustaining His creation; much like gravity’s pervasive pull that orders the cosmos without being overtly visible.
This idea of divine actuation aligns with panentheistic undertones in scripture and philosophy, where God is both transcendent (beyond creation) and immanent (within it), continually expressing Himself through natural laws. Genesis 1:3’s "Let there be light" isn’t a one-time event but the initiation of ongoing divine involvement, separating chaos into ordered realms. Gravity, in this lens, becomes something like a metaphor/mechanism, for God’s self-actuation, tempering unstable energies to birth stars and light.
Scripture portrays God as dynamically involved in His creation, not merely setting it in motion but continually upholding it, especially when describing the Lord Jesus, the One through whom all things were made.
Hebrews 1:3
"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"
Theologically speaking, this means God’s power isn’t static [deism]; it’s dynamically self-expressing, as in,
Acts 17:28
"In him we live and move and have our being."
We humans are made in the image of God, and science unveils for us these mechanisms of divine immanence, inviting us to discover God and be in awe at how God actuates Himself in every gravitational embrace, from black holes, orbiting planets, and human DNA. God’s power is indeed actuating in creation, not as a puppeteer but as the very fabric of reality, where forces like gravity serve as His self-revelation. Far from a deistic "wind-up clock," this suggests that God is very personally involved in His creation. He is beyond creation yet permeates it, actuating Himself through the natural laws that science can observe.
Hebrews 1:3 positions Christ as the ultimate revelation of God, superior to angels and prophets, with His sustaining role emphasizing continuity from creation to redemption. He is the right hand of God, an ongoing, dynamic involvement in creation’s maintenance, much like a governor steering a ship through turbulent waters, ensuring the universe’s coherence amid chaotic energies. This "word of his power" echoes John’s Logos (John 1:1-3), where Christ is the divine utterance that spoke creation into being and now maintains it, preventing dissolution back into formlessness. Jesus is divine wisdom permeating and ordering all creation.
Wisdom of Solomon 7:25-27
"For she [Wisdom] is a breath of the power of God and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God and prophets,"
Prefiguring Christ’s role as the immanent sustainer.
Colossians 1:17
"And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
In Christ, laws like gravity reflect God’s logical imposition on creation. Laws of thermodynamics, for instance, confirm biblical creation by showing entropy’s increase, pointing to a beginning upheld by Christ's divine maintaining power. Christ as creations sustainer integrates with evolutionary processes or gravitational formation, where God actuates through "natural" mechanisms without supernatural intervention at every step, yet His word remains the ultimate ground for all being.
I mean, it seems obvious to me that the Holy Spirit, and Christ Jesus are at work in all this creative expression. And I see this divine influence in conjunction with science written into scripture. For instance, Hebrews 1:3 elevates gravity’s role in forging crystalline structures and black holes as part of Christ’s sustaining word; dark matter’s gravitational scaffolding, for example, holds galaxies together as an invisible expression of divine coherence. In inter-dimensional theories, this word might bridge realms, with Christ actuating across hidden dimensions, tempering unstable energies into light’s revelation. Ultimately, this invites us to worship Him: seeing gravity not as an impersonal force but as the echo of Christ’s powerful word, continually separating chaos into ordered realms for our redemption and awe. The Father is building our homes in His kingdom. Imagine what that means.
So, wow!
This is a lot to think about and really causes me to think even more deeply about how wonderful and marvelous our God is.
I like thinking like this, so, let's continue.
Continuing our devotional exploration of the cosmos through scripture and ancient texts, I think about black holes, and they seem to emerge as profound symbols of divine mystery, power, and order; they're regions where gravity’s dominion warps spacetime, swallowing up light and matter, yet potentially birthing new realities.
Biblically speaking, they seem to evoke the "outer darkness" (Matthew 8:12) or the abyss of chaos from which God speaks forth creation, as in Genesis 1:2’s formless void transformed by His divine Word. Theologically speaking, black holes aren’t mere cosmic accidents but expressions of God’s providence, sustaining the universe’s entropy and recycling energy in ways that reflect His infinite wisdom and care. Scientifically, they are born from stellar collapse under gravity; God’s "hand" again, imposing structure, as Newton envisioned. These black holes are like birthing rooms, giving life to crystalline cosmic webs, dark matter halos, and inter-dimensional possibilities.
Food for thought:
In Revelation 20:3, Satan is cast into a bottomless pit, evoking the inescapable event horizon; some theologians see black holes as metaphors for "outer darkness" where the unrepentant are separated from God’s light (Matthew 22:13). Speculatively, they symbolize the cross: devouring sin (matter) to birth resurrection light, contrasting darkness with divine glory. Think about this, what if the thing that separates humanity from the spiritual realm is like a blackhole. And the divine command ensures that nothing unholy can travel into and beyond that blackhole. Unholy light is swallowed up by it. And therefore, for them it becomes the abyss, outer darkness, the bottomless pit. But for those bathed in the Holy light of Christ, he becomes their conduit, passing through into the Glory of God. Like I said, food for thought.
Christ upholds all things by His word, and black holes manifest God’s immanence, sustaining cosmic balance through entropy storage, preventing universal heat death and evidencing divine care. Black holes form when massive stars collapse under self-gravity, creating singularities where laws break down, echoing God’s transcendence over the natural order. Supermassive blackholes at the galaxy centers, like Sagittarius A* [at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way], anchor stellar orbits, fostering life-friendly structures; without them, galaxies might disperse into chaos, thwarting creation’s purpose. For me, I don't see blackholes as dangerous or evil, but for me they radiate God’s glory by hinting at unified physics, and I see quantum gravity as divine harmony. Nothing is lost in a blackhole but is preserved, repurposed, or trapped. And who knows, maybe they're life forms or portals into the divine kingdom, aligning with spiritual teachings, guidance, insights, and revelatory messages of rebirth through light portals.
Black holes devour light, yet their horizons glow with Hawking [electromagnetic] radiation, symbolizing God’s separation of light from darkness (Genesis 1:3-4) and His ultimate victory over the void. Crystalline structures form in accretion disks, ordered by gravity’s divine actuation, as in Ezekiel’s "awesome crystal" firmament. And dark matter provides the mass fueling their growth, acting as unseen scaffolding. These creative structures and strategies all speak to me about God's wisdom, power, and glory.
As divine expressions, black holes remind us of God’s sovereignty: creating through chaos, upholding via laws, and revealing glory in the unseen.
Romans 1:20
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities; his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
Creation truly reveals God to us. If you can't see God in the vast glory of the universe, you're not being honest. It's a choice you make. You're trying really hard to not see Him. He's in all of it, you can't miss Him.
Colossians 1:16-17
"For by [means of] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Black holes, dark matter, the chaos of the formless void, aren’t voids of despair but testaments to God’s creative genius; tempering chaos with gravity, storing entropy for renewal, structuring and forming creation, and pointing to eternal realities beyond the event horizon. As we ponder them, may they draw us to worship the One who "determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name" (Psalm 147:4), seeing in their depths the radiance of His sustaining word.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Creator of the vast cosmos and Tamer of chaos, we thank You for revealing Your eternal power through the unseen forces that order the universe; from gravity’s gentle embrace birthing stars to black holes’ mysterious depths echoing Your transcendent wisdom. As Your Spirit hovered over the primordial waters, so may Christ, the Word who upholds all things, draw us closer to Your immanent presence. Open our eyes to see Your glory in every gravitational pull and hidden void, that we might worship You with awe and live in Your redeeming light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.