According to Protestantism, why did God make exoplanets?

According to Protestantism, why did God make exoplanets?

God created the universe and other planets as well as exoplanets because “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (NIV). This beautiful statement from Psalm 19:1 (NIV) indicates one of the purposes of the created universe: the universe reveals the majesty of its Creator. Of course, God’s glory can be seen in many different aspects of creation—not just the heavens. Consider the magnificent intricacy of a living cell, the complexity and the amazing diversity of life on earth, and the mathematical precision of the laws of physics and chemistry. These are all indicative of the incomprehensible creativity, intelligence, and power of the Creator. - The Splendor of God’s Creation

God created all in the heavens, not only to contemplate God’s omnipotence, but also to aid man to divide the seasons and separate their years from one another.

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. - Genesis 1:14-18

Contemplating the vastness of the universe will aid us to contemplate the Creator of all things.

Why did God create such a vast universe and other planets if there is only life on Earth?

The question of whether God created life on other planets is certainly fascinating. Psalm 19:1 says that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Everything that God has made, be it you and me, or wildlife, or angels, or stars and planets, has been created for His glory. When we see a breathtaking view of the Milky Way or peer at Saturn through a telescope, we are amazed at the wonders of God!

David wrote in Psalm 8:3, “I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.” When we see the vast number of stars, then read that scientists have discovered thousands upon thousands of galaxies, each containing millions of stars, we should be standing in reverent fear of a God so immense to make all that and call it the work of His fingers! Furthermore, Psalm 147:4 tells us that “He counts the number of the stars, He calls them all by name.” It is impossible for mankind to know how many stars there are, not to mention the “name” of every star! “Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13).

Space and planets were created for God’s glory. We know that stars and planets outside our solar system exist, and these, too, were created for the glory of God. A constantly expanding universe is yet another conjecture that has yet to be proven. The next star farther than the sun is over 4 light-years away, and that isn’t even a measurable fraction of the size of the known universe, expanding or not.

As to whether there is life on other planets, we simply do not know. So far, no evidence of life on the other planets of our solar system has been found. Considering the nearness of the end times, it is unlikely that man will progress far enough to visit other galaxies before the Lord’s return. Wherever life exists or doesn’t exist, God is still the Creator and Controller of all things, and all things were made for His glory.

Besides the contemplation of the immensity of God’s created universe to deepen our faith, God created it in such a way that the heaven can aid to find our bearings at night when lost.

To marvel over God’s universe helps many to see the Creator Himself.

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. - Romans 1:20

Ursa Minor and Ursa Major in relation to Polaris

Use Polaris to find directions

If you stand facing Polaris, then, you’re facing the direction north. If you place Polaris to your back, you’re facing south. You can use Polaris to find directions only in the Northern Hemisphere, however. South of the equator, Polaris drops below the northern horizon.

In the end, remember what Galileo Galilei once said:

The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go.