II. GOD Stretched/Stretches Space

One of the clearer points in Scripture is the FACT that GOD has from the beginning of Creation stretched out (completed action) the universe, and continues to stretch it out (participial -continuing form). There are many Scriptures that bear this out! This fact alone rids our cosmology of the need for Einstein's mysterious "Lambda" force (that keeps all of the mass in the universe from collapsing back together). Other terms like "dark force" become irrelevant as well, since we KNOW that GOD is the source of the "enigmatic, unseen force" that stretches out space. Let's look at several Scriptural witnesses that bear this fact out. We will use the King James Bible to avoid royalty issues. Also, we will frequently freely translate passages for the viewer's consideration:

Qal Perfect (completed action) from נָטָה:
Isa. 45:12 אָֽנֹכִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ וְאָדָם עָלֶיהָ בָרָאתִי אֲנִי יָדַי נָטוּ שָׁמַיִם וְכָל־צְבָאָם צִוֵּֽיתִי׃

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."

Jer. 10:12 עֹשֵׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחֹו מֵכִין תֵּבֵל בְּחָכְמָתֹו וּבִתְבוּנָתֹו נָטָה שָׁמָֽיִם׃

"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion."

Jer. 51:15 עֹשֵׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחֹו מֵכִין תֵּבֵל בְּחָכְמָתֹו וּבִתְבוּנָתֹו נָטָה שָׁמָֽיִם׃

"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding."

Qal Active Participle (ongoing action) from נָטָה:

Job 26:7 נֹטֶה צָפֹון עַל־תֹּהוּ תֹּלֶה אֶרֶץ עַל־בְּלִי־מָֽה׃
"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing"

Isa. 40:22 הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל־חוּג הָאָרֶץ וְיֹשְׁבֶיהָ כַּחֲגָבִים הַנֹּוטֶה כַדֹּק שָׁמַיִם וַיִּמְתָּחֵם כָּאֹהֶל לָשָֽׁבֶת׃

"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"

Isa. 42:5 כֹּֽה־אָמַר הָאֵל יְהוָה בֹּורֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנֹוטֵיהֶם רֹקַע הָאָרֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיהָ נֹתֵן נְשָׁמָה לָעָם עָלֶיהָ וְרוּחַ לַהֹלְכִים בָּֽהּ׃

"Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretches them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:"

Isa. 44:24 כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהוָה גֹּאֲלֶךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ מִבָּטֶן אָנֹכִי יְהוָה עֹשֶׂה כֹּל נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם לְבַדִּי רֹקַע הָאָרֶץ מי אתי

"Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;"

Isa. 51:13 וַתִּשְׁכַּח יְהוָה עֹשֶׂךָ נֹוטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ וַתְּפַחֵד תָּמִיד כָּל־הַיֹּום מִפְּנֵי חֲמַת הַמֵּצִיק כַּאֲשֶׁר כֹּונֵן לְהַשְׁחִית וְאַיֵּה חֲמַת הַמֵּצִֽיק׃

"And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?"

Zech. 12:1 מַשָּׂא דְבַר־יְהוָה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם־יְהוָה נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ וְיֹצֵר רֽוּחַ־אָדָם בְּקִרְבֹּֽו׃

"The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him."