Mr. Minderhoud is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan.

This past year the international physics community set aside the year 2005 as the World Year of Physics (WYP). It has been primarily a centennial celebration of the work of Albert Einstein, but also of the many important advances in physics in the twentieth century. The year has been filled with pertinent programs and activities drawing the interest of many around the world. It is a celebration that pricks our interest too. We marvel at the scientific and technological changes that have taken place in the past one hundred years. These tremendous changes interest us because, as we saw in our previous article, they demonstrate something of the amazing power of our Creator, and of the unfathomable depths and riches of His creation. But it is also an opportunity for us to see the providential hand of God directing all of these events, including the works of man in order that His divine purpose with man might be fulfilled.

We also concern ourselves with this celebration in order that we may be faithful in our calling to be awake and watchful in these last days. We must recognize the foolish mindset of the world in its celebration and properly separate ourselves from it. It ought not be a celebration that will exalt man and his work over against God, the Creator and sovereign Governor of all things. It ought not be a celebration of a security and trust in what man can do rather than in Almighty God. But it must be an opportunity to consider the sovereign majesty of God. May God give us the grace properly to view the developments in the world about us, and to celebrate in a way that brings honor to Him.

What the world celebrates

This year the world celebrates the intellectual creativity of man that has led to many amazing developments. They celebrate the “leaps of imagination, the intuition, the new modes of thought in physics and mathematics.”¹ The WYP celebrates many accomplishments of the past century, but especially the products that find their roots in the work of Albert Einstein.

In 1905, as the world was contemplating horseless carriages and putting themselves in flight, Albert Einstein was contemplating other marvels. In that year he wrote three papers that had remarkable, far-reaching consequences. In one paper he explained that light behaves not only like a wave, as had previously been taught, but also as a stream of particles, called photons. In a second paper he demonstrated in concrete ways that matter really is composed of tiny particles called atoms and molecules. In the third paper he explained that nothing can travel faster than light, and that “no matter how fast you are moving toward or away from a source of light, the speed of that light beam will appear to be the same, a constant 186,282 miles per second.”²

Each of Einstein’s papers directly led to fascinating practical applications. Einstein’s first and second papers of 1905 led to a better understanding of atoms, molecules, and light. A better understanding of these areas has led to many technological advances, especially in the last number of years. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and other such medical imaging techniques rely on a basic understanding of the atom and its nucleus in order to image the various organs of the body. Basic technologies, from smoke detectors to solar-powered cells to lasers, find connections to radiation or light. Also, nuclear power, whether used in nuclear weapons or nuclear power plants, is connected to Einstein’s third paper of 1905. In a supplement to that paper, Einstein “showed that energy and matter were different faces of the same thing, their relationship described by the most famous equation in all of physics: energy equals mass multiplied by the speed of light squared, E=mc2. Although not exactly a recipe for an atomic bomb, it explained why one was possible.”³

These inventions are but a few examples of the multitude of items we use daily that are direct applications of the understanding of the creation and its basic powers that were particularly unveiled by Albert Einstein.

However, the world’s celebration of the WYP involves much more than the products directly attributable to Einstein’s work in 1905. Part of Einstein’s work in the later years of his life was the task of developing a simple mathematical expression that would tie together all the aspects of reality. Today, many modern scientists, like Einstein before them, seek for what they refer to as the “holy grail.” They desire a “theory of everything”—a simple theory that combines all the aspects of reality into one mathematical expression. Their ultimate goal is to discover what fundamentally unites all of creation without acknowledging the Almighty God and the Christ “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created…: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:15-17). Their desire is to make themselves and their “theory of everything” to be their god. For many this is what the celebration of the World Year of Physics is all about. It is about man and his pursuit of the gods of his own imagination.

Why a celebration?

It is obvious from the writings of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the United Nations, and the US Congress that their goal in declaring and promoting 2005 as the World Year of Physics was not to arouse in the world an awareness of Jehovah, the one and only God. Rather, the stated goal of the WYP is to “raise the worldwide awareness of physics and physical science”4 and to “make the public aware of the glories of physics.”5 But why does the scientific community at large feel it is sonecessary to promote physics with the WYP celebrations? The ultimate answer lies in the fact that they believe that physics has had an important impact on society and has the power to relieve the world of many of its problems. The US Congress passed a resolution that resolved to encourage many organizations and agencies to “give enhanced recognition to the role of physics in social, cultural, and economic development as well as its positive impact and contributions to society.”6 The desire is to make society see that physics can play a “vital role in addressing many 21st century challenges.”7

One cannot read the writings that commemorate the WYP without coming face-to-face with the humanism that permeates much of our society. Man wants no part of Jehovah—no part of a mighty God who created all things. Rather, they desire to place their trust in man. In the Humanistic Manifesto (2000) we read, “For the first time in human history we possess the means provided by science and technology to ameliorate the human condition, advance happiness and freedom, and enhance human life for all people on this planet.”8 In short, the WYP desires to get the attention of the public by promoting the work accomplished in the field of physics so that more exposure and popularity may be brought upon the physics realm. This desire stems from the belief that science, and in this case physics, has the tools necessary to solve the societal ills of the twenty-first century. Therefore, so thinks the world, if one wants to solve the problems of the world (i.e., how to continue in this world of sin without suffering from its consequences), then he must promote the means that best will aid in “solving” the problems, namely physics. And a great way to promote this is to make a grand celebration extolling what has already been done and encouraging others to carry on the work. This, the world has set out to do. This, it seems, is the ultimate impetus behind the World Year of Physics.

A Vain Celebration

A WYP celebration without God is a vain celebration. Many have joined the WYP celebrations this year and have ignored the sovereign and all-powerful God. Those who celebrate the accomplishments from this perspective will vainly place their hope in these accomplishments and their trust in what science, or more particularly physics, can do. And the Bible tells us that in the last days man will be capable of accomplishing many great wonders (II Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:11-14).

By these wonders they will deceive themselves in their sin, with the hope of escaping the consequences of that sin. This certainly reminds us of the age in which Enoch lived. Professor H.C. Hoeksema declared the following about the age in which Enoch lived.

The picture here drawn by the scriptures is that of the world approaching the zenith of its glory. The glory of man is the glory of the world. At the very point when the world before the flood reaches its zenith of its glory, it also becomes great in wickedness….

And it is this very strong and swift development of natural life that constitutes a significant element in accounting for the rapid decay and development in sin of the first world.9

When we consider all the developments in the last century (not only in the area of physics, but also in genetic engineering and medicine, for example), we must acknowledge that our age truly is approaching the zenith of its glory. As the world approaches the zenith of its glory, man will press all these new powers at his fingertips into the service of sin rather than the service of God. Man finds newer ways to manifest his sinful desires. He follows in the ways of his spiritual fathers—Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain—to develop all aspects of creation for his own glory and for the satisfaction of his sinful desires.

The more that sinner grows in power and the more he grows in gifts, the more he develops that power and employs those gifts in the sphere of natural, earthly existence, and correspondingly grows in the ability, and the means wherewith to commit sin.10

Sin develops! And man fills the cup of iniquity. God gives the wicked many good gifts—even the powers in the creation. And man uses these good gifts for his own destruction. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castest them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors” (Ps. 73:18-19).

We know from the testimony of Scripture and from our own experiences that man’s goal is to develop a great earthly kingdom—without God. This was the goal of the men at the tower of Babel. This is the goal of the anti-Christian kingdom. This is even the goal of many in the nominal church world today. As the world rushes to the point of the establishment of an anti-Christian kingdom it will seek to press all things into the service of establishing that earthly kingdom. The celebrations of WYP seem to fit perfectly. It is man-seeking, man-serving, man-glorifying, and God-denying. Sinful man desires to promote physics and its advancement in order to help in the furtherance of their earthlykingdom. For a world void of God, these many advances bring their only “hope” and “security.” “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands…. They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusteth in them” (Ps. 115:4, 8). What vanity!

Our Response

To the Maker belongs all honor and glory for the wonders seen in creation and for the amazing applications of its power. It is God who directs all things—even these amazing discoveries. We must recognize these wonders and the “discoverers” of such wonders as the meansthat God uses to reveal His power and Godhead. They must be recognized as only that—means; instruments in the hand of God, and nothing without Him. God has chosen to display His power throughout the creation. When marvels are uncovered, the world cannot help but see another aspect of the power of God revealed. Herein God is glorified, because His power and Godhead are so openly displayed to all. As we consider the WYP celebrations we must remember that it is the handiwork of God we desire to celebrate.

Besides celebrating the sovereign and powerful work of God in creation and history, we also celebrate the good gifts He gives to us. But we must be careful how we consider and use these gifts. We face the temptation, as do all others, to place our trust in and find our only happiness in earthly things. When we see the marvelous things that are done in the realm of physics we too can be tempted to trust in these things. There is always the danger that we allow the latest technological advances available at our fingertips to give us a false sense of security, and that we place too much confidence in these advances—as far as our health is concerned, for example. Our happiness can be too easily tied to the attainment of more and more of these things. Let us remember that God forbade the kings of Israel to multiply horses lest they put their confidence in them (Deut. 17:16). Thus God teaches us that “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man” (Ps. 147:10).

Furthermore, we must use the products of physics and technology in a proper way and not in the service of sin. The scientific advances are not ends in and of themselves. They are means to an end. We are to use all these good gifts in a way that serves the kingdom of God. They are to be used in a way that draws us closer to God and to His people in fellowship. We must see that God guides man to develop that creation and the powers therein for the highest goal—that we might serve Him and praise Him with it (Belgic Confession, Art. 2). This requires great wisdom! May God grant us that wisdom!

Finally, our response to the WYP celebrations is that of humility. The proud man who celebrates his accomplishments and tries desperately to make the creation and the powers therein to be his god is each of us by nature. We, apart from grace, are that foolish and proud man. God has graciously delivered us, His people, from this folly. We see the same accomplishments, the same advances, and the same practical applications as the world does during its WYP, but with different eyes. By the grace of God alone we have been gifted with heavenly vision, enlightened by the Light of the Word. We are no longer blind and rebellious. We see! For this we are ever thankful.

And so, our response is that of praise to God. Let us bring praise to Him who made all these things and who holds the entire creation, with all of its powers, in the palm of His hand. Those who have been given eyes to see perceive in this the Word of God’s power and His providential care over all. When we consider all that the Lord is doing, praise rises in our hearts and comes from our lips as a tribute to Almighty God. “For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever. Amen.”

1. Zanichkowsky, Stephen. “The Beauty of the Bomb,” Invention and Technology, 21, no. 1, (Summer 2005): 38.

2. Isaacson, Walter. “No Mere Genius,” Discover, 25, no. 9, (September 2004): 14.

3. Ibid.

4. See: http://www.physics2005. org/aboutwyp.html

5. Stone, Chuck. “The World Year of Physics in 2005,” The Physics Teacher, 42, no. 1, (January 2004): 20.

6. See: www.aapt.org/Events/ WYP/wypsupport.cfm

7. Ibid.

8. Humanistic Manifesto 2000, drafted by Paul Kurtz, can be viewed at: http://www.contendermini stries.org/humanism/manifesto 2000.php

9. Hoeksema, Homer C. Unfolding Covenant History: Volume 1, Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2000, p. 248.

10. Ibid, 251.