It’s Tuesday, and also you’re eating a taco. As the satisfying mixture of crunch and softness slides down your gullet, you might be delighted by the savory mix of spices and delicious toppings. As the carbohydrates fill your body and all those pleasure chemicals shoot into your brain, you begin getting philosophical. Does the Bible ever mention tacos?
While James 1:17 may refer to a taco, the query is fairly silly. Of course, the Bible doesn’t mention a taco. Tacos wouldn’t have been known to the biblical writers. Yet, I feel because we’ve got a vague notion that the Bible is sufficient and written by an all-knowing God, we assume it must say something about every part.
You didn’t come here to discuss tacos, though. But tacos are awesome, and you most likely wouldn’t mind. And it helps me to butter you up for what I’m about to say. Your query about aliens being within the Bible is about as silly as asking whether or not tacos are within the Bible. Kind of.
Spoiler alert: The Bible doesn’t say anything about aliens. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t say anything about aliens. Let me explain, but first, some history.
When Did We Start Talking about Aliens?
I’m a toddler of the 80s, so I grew up watching ALF and ET. I used to be an even bigger fan of ALF than ET. I had this hideous-looking ALF watch. This makes me wonder if little boys in Egypt 2,000 years ago had an alien-themed sundial they liked to wear. The reality is that almost all ancient civilizations didn’t consider aliens quite like we do. They spoke of gods and celestial beings but weren’t understood just like the aliens we predict of today.
Greek philosophers, like Democritus and Epicurus, speculated on the existence of other worlds, believing that the vast universe likely housed life outside of Earth. But these were mostly philosophical thoughts until the dawn of contemporary astronomy. The 16th-century Copernican Revolution unseated the Earth as the middle of the universe. This shift in considering opened the door for much more speculation about life on other planets.
By the seventeenth and 18th centuries, thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Christian Huygens expanded on this concept, suggesting that stars could have their planetary systems. These planetary systems could potentially be home to alien life. In the nineteenth century, observations of “canals” on Mars fueled public fascination with the opportunity of Martian civilizations, especially through the works of astronomers like Percival Lowell.
By the twentieth century, science fiction writers like H.G. Wells popularized the thought of intelligent alien life and shaped much of what we predict of as “aliens” today. In the Sixties, the founding of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) brought the thought of alien lifeform closer to the scientific mainstream. Curiosity, conspiracy, and potential have only increased since then.
Recent discussions about UFOs, now commonly called Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), have gained recent traction. Apparently, “flying object” isn’t a cool enough term. From public testimonies by former intelligence officials to reports from Navy pilots, claims that the federal government has evidence of alien spacecraft and possibly even non-human stays have sparked renewed interest in extraterrestrial life.
As we eat our tacos and watch these news reports, we wonder: What does the Bible say about the opportunity of intelligent life beyond Earth? How should believers take into consideration aliens in light of their faith?
Defining the Question: What Do We Mean by “Aliens”?
When we ask whether the Bible mentions aliens, it is vital to make clear what we mean by “aliens.” The term can have different meanings depending on the context. In on a regular basis usage, aliens are considered intelligent, aliens, often depicted in science fiction as coming from other planets or galaxies.
It may come as a surprise then to select up your Bible and skim in Exodus 22:21 that God’s law says, “Do not mistreat or oppress an alien…” Perhaps this verse motivated Willie Tanner to let ALF into his home when the alien crashed through the roof of his garage. But sadly, for Willie, that isn’t what “alien” means in biblical terms. The word within the Bible refers to someone foreign or unfamiliar, equivalent to a foreigner living in a unique land.
So, once we ask if the Bible speaks of aliens within the sense of intelligent life from other planets, we must recognize that such an idea is outside the worldview of the individuals who wrote Scripture. The Bible was written when the vastness of space and the opportunity of life on other planets weren’t topics of concern.
But this doesn’t mean that the Bible is incompatible with the existence of aliens. In fact, it provides foundational truths concerning the universe, creation, and God’s sovereignty that could lead on Christians to contemplate the opportunity of life beyond Earth.
The Bible and the Universe: Is There Room for Life Beyond Earth?
While the Bible doesn’t mention aliens explicitly, it speaks about how big the universe is and its intricacy. Scripture teaches that God is the Creator of every part, not only the Earth but the complete cosmos. Consider these verses:
- Genesis 1:1: “In the start, God created the heavens and the earth.”
- John 1:3: “All things were created through Him, and aside from Him not one thing was created that has been created.”
- Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
The indisputable fact that the Bible focuses totally on Earth and humanity doesn’t mean that God didn’t create other types of life elsewhere. The sheer size of the universe makes it conceivable that life could exist beyond our planet. It doesn’t mean that it does, but that it could.
If you think in angels and demons, you think that there are non-human creatures living in God’s universe. They is probably not hairy creatures with an insatiable appetite for cats (like ALF) or Reese’s Pieces (like ET), but they’re intelligent lifeforms that should not human. If God selected to create other intelligent beings on one other planet, this might be fully inside His sovereign capability. The Bible’s give attention to human history doesn’t preclude the opportunity of other creations; it simply reveals that the biblical narrative centers on God’s relationship with humanity.
Humanity’s Unique Role in Creation
Although Scripture doesn’t deny the opportunity of extraterrestrial life, it does emphasize the unique role of humans inside creation. Genesis 1:26-27 states that humans are made in God’s image. This description is just not given to animals, angels, or other created beings. Even angels, glorious as they’re, should not made in God’s image. The Bible places humans in a special relationship with God, a relationship different from that of every other life form.
Humans are tasked with “dominion” over the Earth (Genesis 1:28), called to steward creation and reflect God’s glory of their rulership. This implies that even when aliens existed, they’d not share the unique image-bearing role that humans possess. Other types of life, equivalent to animals, are still valued and cared for by God (Matthew 10:29-31), but they should not given the identical relational or redemptive status as humans.
The Potential Existence of Aliens: How Should Christians Respond?
If life beyond Earth is ever discovered, how should Christians respond? First, we should always approach the subject with humility. There are many things we have no idea, but it surely is just not our knowledge that moves history. For a few years, people had no concept that tacos existed. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist in God’s mind, nor that God wasn’t moving history along in order that someday we’d create this glorious thing.
Just as there was once a world without tacos, so now there may be (to our knowledge) a world without aliens. But our understanding is restricted. Discovering aliens wouldn’t negate the biblical narrative but would expand our awe of God’s creative power.
Second, we must stay rooted within the central truths of the Christian faith. Even if intelligent life exists elsewhere, the gospel stays the identical: Jesus Christ got here to save lots of sinners and redeem creation. Our hope is in Christ, and our mission to make disciples doesn’t change based on the existence of extraterrestrial life.
Finally, we will rest in God’s sovereignty. God controls the complete universe, and nothing is outside His plan. Whether or not aliens exist, we will trust that God’s purposes will prevail and His plan of redemption will encompass all of creation.
The Bible doesn’t explicitly mention aliens, so it is just speculation. Scripture warns us against empty speculation, especially in being dogmatic about these items or dividing over trivial matters. Yes, I suppose if aliens had unfettered anger like on Independence Day, it could be removed from “trivial.” But as of today, it’s trivial. We simply have no idea, and we do well to go away it there.
We do know that God is big, and His creation is vast. It is crammed with mysteries we’ll spend an eternity unraveling—possibly an eternity that features creatures like ALF, ET, or Mork and Mindy. If aliens do exist, they, too, fall under God’s sovereign rule and are an element of His creative work. They are at His disposal and would testify to the greatness of Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, the existence of aliens wouldn’t change the core truths of the Christian faith. God created the universe, Jesus redeemed humanity, and all creation reflects His glory. Whether we encounter life beyond Earth or not, we will rest assured that God is on top of things.
Enjoy that taco!
Photo Credit; ©Alexander Andrews/Unsplash
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He can be the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the writer of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing house is http://mikeleake.net and you may connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a recent writing project at Proverbs4Today.
