Which Will You Choose:  Mars or Heaven?

Where would you choose to spend your future– on Mars or in the Biblical Heaven?

Materialistic man sees himself as his own savior and rejects the obvious reality that the physical realm had to be brought into existence by a supernatural source beyond the physical, the realm of the Eternal God of Genesis 1 and 2; the evidence provided by the physical realm is proof of a supernatural realm.  The first non-existent physical object could not have brought itself into existence! The supernatural realm, God’s realm, is not bound by physical law; God is the creator of the physical world and physical laws.

Recently, Newsweek published an article updating their readers on the interest of some in planting a human colony and culture on Mars.  “Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that humanity needs to become a multi-planetary species within the next century in order to avoid extinction.

“Hawking made the prediction in a new documentary called Expedition New Earth, which is set to be released this summer as part of the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World science season.

“Existential risks include climate change, overpopulation, epidemics and asteroid strikes, according to Hawking. Efforts to create a human colony on Mars are already underway, with billionaire Elon Musk hoping to establish a settlement within the next few decades through his aerospace firm SpaceX. ‘I don’t have a doomsday prophecy,’ Musk said in 2016, ‘but history suggests some doomsday event will happen.’  Elon Musk wants to go to Mars. And he wants you—especially if you are a NASA string-puller or deep-pocketed futurist—to help him get there. Musk outlined SpaceX‘s plan today at the 67th annual International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. It involves a slew of new technology: gigantic, reusable rockets; carbon fiber fuel tanks; ultra-powered engines. Plus, spaceships capable of carrying a hundred or more passengers to the Red Planet, landing, then returning to Earth to pick up more. Musk doesn’t just want to go to Mars: He wants to build a civilization there….By Musk’s admittedly loose estimates, buying yourself a single ticket to Mars right now (using non-existent tech) would probably cost around $10 billion. The same amount of cash could buy you a few square blocks in Midtown Manhattan. But once the so-called SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System is fully operational, he estimates that a person will be able to travel to the Red Planet for around $200,000, roughly the same as a two-bedroom in Madison, Wisconsin.”

There are many problems with this proposal to plant a human society on Mars. Let’s look at a few. (1) It does not address the greatest problem that man faces, death.  (2) It is simply shifting the current problems of mankind to another location.  Sorrow, pain, and suffering would still be intact. (3) Cost would be prohibitive for the vast majority of citizens. (4) Freedom of movement would be extremely limited. (5)  Robert Walker, who studies Mars, was questioned about oxygen on Mars. This was his response: “No, it’s near to a vacuum and would count as a laboratory vacuum on Earth. It’s below the Armstrong limit of 6%. On Mars the pressure is about 1% of Earth’s normal.  It’s far beyond the conditions on Mount Everest. Even with an oxygen supply, you couldn’t breathe. If you just had an oxygen mask, the moisture lining your lungs would boil and the saliva in your mouth,  also, and you wouldn’t survive that for long.” ( Updated Nov 19, 2015.)

In contrast, let’s look at John the Revelator’s description of the new heaven and the new earth in Revelation, Chapter 21: Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Emphasis mine.)  Notice, there will be no sin nor sinners in heaven; sin and its results will be wiped away as those who accept Jesus will exchange mortality for immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:54.)

I invite you to join me in choosing the Biblical heaven where there will be no more pain, suffering, sorrow, nor death, over a humanly proposed Mars civilization where mankind would simply transfer his pain, suffering, sorrow, and death to another location.

Until next week may God richly bless you and yours!

Contact: fhevener@oilart.com; (434) 392-6255; www.guthriememorial.org.

©2017 Fillmer Hevener