What are the laws of nature? - Nature - TouchPoints

Jeremiah 33:25This is what the Lord says: “I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky.”

God’s creation has purpose and order, governed by his laws.

Genesis 1:20-25Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day. Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

Here we see the law of life—all living creatures reproduce “offspring of the same kind.” Without reproduction of the species, life would last just one generation.

Psalm 104:10-20You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth—wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength. The trees of the Lord are well cared for—the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses. High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes. You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.

Here the psalm writer praises God for the order in his creation, with everything living and flourishing, governed by the natural laws God has instituted.

Genesis 8:22“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”

Isaiah 55:10-11“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.”

Amos 5:8It is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is his name!

Theologians and scientists have named these categories of the laws of nature, some of which we can see in the passages above: laws of planetary motion, laws of chemistry, laws of physics, laws of mathematics, and laws of logic. Obviously, certain laws of nature depend on others, and ultimately they all depend on God’s will and power. The universe is organized in a logical and orderly fashion because it was created by God.

Job 38:25-33“Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning? Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up? Does the rain have a father? Who gives birth to the dew? Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens? For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes. Can you direct the movement of the stars—binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?”

At the end of the book of Job, we read God’s answer to Job’s questions about his plight (chapters 38–40). God clearly lays out the truth about his power, sovereignty, and creative works—and the laws of nature. We should respond to the reality of natural law by praising God for who he is, what he has created, and his care for all creation, which includes us. We should respond by respecting and caring for creation, knowing that it all belongs to God. We should respect the laws of nature and plan accordingly (for example, we shouldn’t build homes on flood plains, expect to float instead fall when we step off a building, expect good health after we neglect personal hygiene and eat only junk food, expect to harvest beans after planting corn seeds, and so forth).

Mark 11:22-24Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

James 5:13-15Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Yes, God can and sometimes will suspend natural law a perform a miracle. Our response to this reality is to pray. So we should respond to natural law by praising, planning, and praying.