Paranormal: Aliens (Extraterrestrial) and the Bible

Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Ten questions about Aliens in the Bible

1. Are aliens mentioned in Bible? No. (Angels are not aliens.)
2. UFOs in Bible? (Ezekiel 1, e.g., where the vision is of the Ark of the Covenant on supernatural wheels, indicating that God had left Jerusalem and its Temple, and was accommodating the exiles in Babylon.) No!
3. Is there scientific evidence for life in outer space? No, though there is some (ambivalent) evidence for prebiotic conditions – e.g. water on Mars or Europa….
4. Is E.T. scientifically possible? Sure, assuming life-supporting conditions.,
5. If E.T. is discovered, would this cause a problem for Bible believers? No. It's not necessarily a theological issue,
6. How would the aliens be saved? The question assumes they are morally fallen, and that they have sufficient intelligence to rebel against God’s moral order in the first place. In any case, the effects of Cross are cosmic – read Colossians and Ephesians.
7. Would they look like us? Probably… DNA, carbon-based 3-dimensionality, brains, locomotion, body members for manipulation of tools etc...
8. Will we meet them in our lifetime? Vast interstellar distances make it seem unlikely anyone would ever be able to make the journey –without being fried! – so may be little point in pursuing this further. But this does make for fascinating reading, movies, etc…
9. Are they good or bad? Depends on whether they exist and whether they are moral.
10. Is there is government conspiracy, a cover-up? (E.g. Roswell, New Mexico) Probably not. (Not that governments don't occasionally conceal the truth from those they govern.)

Conclusion

• In the Middle Ages, people believed in pixies and trolls. In our day, belief in aliens has become respectable, and increasingly common. Superstition seems to be with us for good.
• Most things about our universe are not discussed in the Bible: from Pluto to the periodic table, from dinosaurs to DNA…. But the Lord has told us what we need to know. The Bible is primarily a book about relationship: with God, and with others.
• Speculation is okay, but let’s never devote more energy to speculation than to serious study of God’s word!
• Further reading suggestion: C. S. Lewis, Perelandra. For a humorous (and reverse angle) take on the subject, read the blog by Kim Pullen here.