The Bible does not directly address whether the universe is expanding or not. However, it does provide some clues that are relevant to this question. Here is an overview of what the Bible has to say about the origins and fate of the universe:
God Created the Heavens and the Earth
The Bible opens with the famous statement, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This affirms that God is the creator of the entire universe. The heavens refer to outer space and the celestial bodies within it. The earth refers specifically to our planet. So God created all physical reality, both seen and unseen.
The Universe Has Been “Stretched Out”
There are several verses in the Bible that speak of God “stretching out” or “spreading out” the heavens. For example:
“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it…” (Isaiah 42:5).
“It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22).
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)
These verses use visual imagery of stretching and spreading to describe God’s creation and sustaining of the universe. This indicates a cosmic expansion of sorts, at least from the perspective of an earthly viewer.
The Universe Has Fixed Boundaries
In Job 38, God challenges Job with a series of rhetorical questions about the extent of his knowledge and power compared to the Creator. Two of these questions relate to the boundaries of the universe:
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone?” (Job 38:4-6)
“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?” (Job 38:12-13)
This indicates that even though the universe is expanding from the perspective of an earthly viewer, it still has boundaries and measurements that have been predetermined by God. The universe exists within space and time boundaries that God Himself has set.
The Present Universe Will Be Destroyed
The Bible teaches that the current created world will one day be destroyed and replaced by a “new heavens and new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). Describing this future destruction and renewal, the apostle Peter wrote:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10-13)
This cataclysmic event will bring an end to the current state of the universe as we know it. Just as the universe had a definite beginning, it will also have a definite end according to God’s timing and purposes.
God Continues to Sustain the Universe
The Bible indicates that God not only created the universe at a point in the past, but He continues to uphold and sustain it by His power in the present. Certain verses speak of this ongoing divine action:
“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
“You, O Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)
If God ever ceased His sustaining activity, the universe would likely cease to exist instantaneously. But Scripture indicates He continues to uphold the current heavens and earth until the day when He will usher in the new creation.
Conclusions About an Expanding Universe
Putting these pieces together, we can draw some reasonable conclusions about what the Bible suggests regarding an expanding universe:
- The Bible affirms that God created the entire universe “in the beginning.” This points to the universe having a beginning.
- Verses about God “stretching out” the heavens suggest an expansion from the perspective of an earthly viewer. So general cosmic expansion is compatible with Scripture.
- Yet the universe is not infinite, but has boundaries and dimensions predetermined by God. So there are limits to the expansion.
- The present heavens and earth will eventually be destroyed and replaced. This indicates any expansion will not be eternal.
- God continues to sustain the universe by His power. Any current expansion happens under His divine governance.
In summary, the Bible does not directly state whether the universe is expanding, stationary, oscillating, or even what model best represents its origins. However, the concept of a universe undergoing expansion, at least from an earthly frame of reference, does not contradict biblical revelation. The Bible allows for the possibility of cosmological expansion, within limits established by the Creator. The ultimate beginnings, current sustenance, and final destiny of the universe rest in God’s sovereign hands.