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Q. Is there life on other planets?
A. I get this question a lot, and it’s certainly understandable why. According to scientists’ best estimates, at least 100 billion galaxies populate the known universe, each with as many as 200 billion stars. Given those numbers, it is at least reasonable to conclude that some of those stars have planets that host intelligent beings.
But what does the Bible say on the subject?
First, we know that God created everything we see and can’t see (Colossians 1:16, 17). We also know there are other forms of life—angels, cherubim, and seraphim—that come and go from our planet. We get many glimpses of them throughout the Bible. “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’ ” (Luke 2:13,14; also Genesis 28:12).
Most angels are on God’s side and still serve Him. The “fallen angels” are in league with Satan and were cast out of heaven. They now dwell on the earth. (See Revelation 12.)
It’s interesting to note that angels appear to travel many times faster than the speed of light. In Daniel 9:23, the old prophet was praying when the angel Gabriel appeared. “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved.” That angel made it from God’s throne in the heavens to earth in mere minutes!
But to get to the crux of the matter, I think there are other inhabited worlds that Christ made. I don’t think we can even imagine what they are like. “[God] hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, … by whom also he made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:2, emphasis mine; see also Hebrews 11:3).
All these other worlds are un-fallen and praise God. (See Revelation 5:13.) Perhaps this is why Jesus told this parable: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4). Jesus left the adoration of sinless angels and worlds to come to this one lost world to save the wayward creatures made in His image. The Bible also speaks of an out-of-this-world council meeting in which the “Sons of God” gathered before the Lord—and Satan showed up to represent our planet.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it’” (Job 1:6, 7 NKJV).
Job 38:6, 7 also seems to indicate that these “Sons of God” existed before our world was made.
But while the Bible seems to support the notion that there is life on other worlds, we should be careful to remember that the devil and his angels can easily create illusions to deceive us (2 Corinthians 11:14). Remember that un-fallen worlds are probably restricted from mingling with our sin-diseased planet. That’s why most UFO sightings are likely mere optical illusions or dangerous satanic deceptions. No, E.T. has not been here … yet. After God creates the new earth, we will be able to freely travel and visit with all of His creation (2 Peter 3:13).