- This mechanical model ('orrery') reproduces the movement of the solar system.
For many years the concept of time has exercised the minds of great
scientists like Albert Einstein, and it is still the subject of debate. Time is
abstract − it cannot be detected by our human senses. However by
observing movement like the hands of a clock we can distinguish one
point or moment from another and use this as a form of measurement
with which to regulate our lives and record our actions.
Time as we have defined it, is related to the rotation of the earth upon its
axis to provide us with day and night. The rotation of the moon
around the earth gives us months and the orbit of the earth around the
sun records the years. How encouraging it is to read that in spite of
gloomy forecasts about environmental issues, the Bible tells us of God's promise:
"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."
Due to the precise movements of the heavens, we can make watches and
clocks which have been designed and manufactured with precision, to
record the division of time with great accuracy. To believe that the
man-made watch has al l the hallmarks of design and precise
planning, and at the same time believe that the God-made movement
which it records is random chance, is absurd, as both must be
viewed using identical standards of enquiry and observation.
We cannot see time and yet we experience it by observation. Time is
the experience of movement, as Leonardo da Vinci said:
"Movement gives shape to all forms. Structure gives form to all movement."
This was his way of saying that a link exists between time and motion.
Objects only have dimension by some form of movement. If time is
recognised by movement and observation, we can understand, for
example, that a person with loss of memory loses their perception of
time because they have no comparison with the present.
Our limitations compared with God
Our whole experience is limited by
our finite concept of time. This is
why it is very difficult for us to
understand that God lives for ever.
As Moses put it in his prayer recorded
in Psalm 90:
"from everlasting to everlasting, you are God"
Our minds find this very
difficult to grasp, like the vastness of
space and the distances to the
farthest stars which are billions of
light years away. So straight away we
see the great truth which lies behind
the findings of scientists, that our
time experiences are only a part of
something greater and more far
reaching.
Time is irrelevant to God, yet in His
dealings with mankind, time has
been introduced. This encompasses
the history of man f rom the
beginning, with the creation of
Adam and Eve to the establishment
of God's kingdom when, at the end
of the Millennial reign of Christ,
everything will be perfectly balanced
and controlled
"that God may be all in all"
Within this timeframe of human
existence, the Almighty has seen fit
to provide details and demonstrate
that a way exists for individuals to
participate in His long-term plan.
The Scriptures are provided for this
purpose and whilst they may not
answer every question we may have,
they nevertheless provide enough
information for a person with faith
to believe His Word.
Milestones in God's plan
The Bible demonstrates that historically,
and into the future, there is
a divine timetable. In God's timetable
definitive milestones have been
provided so that the Bible student
can detect the passage of man's time
by Divine intervention down through
the ages. This is shown by Bible
prophecies concerning people,
events and nations. The greatest
moment in history was the birth of
Jesus. The Apostle Paul tells us that:
"when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law"
This great event and its consequences
will be matched only by one
other future notable date, again
spoken of by Paul as he addressed a
gathering in Athens:
"... (God) has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising him from the dead."
In the Scriptures we learn not only
about God's immortality, but also
that He is present everywhere and
knows everything that is going on.
This is what you would expect of an
Almighty Creator who had the vision
to design and create the intricacies
of all forms of life on this planet.
Paul's words to the men of Athens,
referred to above, remind us of
God's all-pervading power as the
Creator (see Acts 17.22-28). And so
David the Psalmist asked:
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?"
The whole of Psalm 139 is
well worth reading for we are
humbly reminded of our limitations
and of the greatness of God in all
senses of the word.
Where are we going?
Our thoughts naturally lead us to
conclude that our whole experience
in life is bounded by the constraints
of time. This is an artificial element
introduced into the world because of
the limitations of our human nature
and mortality.
Outside our sphere of activity on
earth, God looks upon His creation
without the limitation of finite time
and views it rather like the scientists'
illustration of the time train. If
you were high enough to be far
above the earth, then you could
observe both the starting and the
finishing point of a train journey at
the same time, but the passengers
on the train see only a time sequence
of events along the route.
But how can we imagine eternity
which is God's time? The simple
answer is that we cannot, any more
than an insect whose life span is a
day, would be able to grasp the
significance of day and night, or a
butterfly understand the seasons to
realise that they rotate. James, the
Lord's brother also had an interesting
way of reminding us of the
relationship of time for us and time
in its limitless form:
"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away"
The past and the future
So we find in Scripture that God has
tried to give us some indication of
the vastness of eternity, when, as
Peter wrote:
"one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day"
This principle of a day being
represented by 1,000 years in God's
eyes is a concept which He has
introduced from the very beginning.
When we read of Creation in the
early chapters of Genesis, we note
that God's creative work took six
days, and on the seventh day He
rested (Genesis 2.1-3). So with God's
plan, we see a pattern of events
unfolding over a period of 6,000
years followed by Jesus ruling for
1,000 years after his return to the
earth. This seventh period we call
the Millennium and it is referred to
in the book of Revelation:
"... they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years"
After this the earth will only have an immortal
population and time as we know it
will no longer be relevant.
Whilst we wait for the return of
Jesus, we must recognise that our
finite experiences cannot and do not
in any way limit God, who knows no
bounds. Our whole thinking process
is influenced by our environment
and concept of time, but we must not
be guilty of applying the same
standards to our Creator.
During our short lives we have but a
limited time frame in which to study
the Bible and recognise God's
promise that life can be forever, if
we use our time and opportunity
wisely. We can only achieve this by
fully understanding God's requirements,
applying them during our life
and placing our hope and trust in
Him. As the Psalmist prayed:
"... teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Author John Carpenter
Country Kent, England
Source Light on a New World reprint from Volume 30.4
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