What is time?

[Bendito]

Using the bible, how would one define time? How did time come about? Is time linear? Circular? I do have a point for asking...Not to be shared yet.

Time is spoken of in the bible many times, time and time again, time after time. More than 700 times.

 

[Dovegiven]

When God set this planet in motion in Gen 1 revolving on its axis to establish days and nights (hours), and around the sun on a tight schedule to establish years, and the moon revolving around the earth to establish months, and other signs, man had a means to comprehend time, and measure "Day and Night". Without physical objects to relate to all there could be is eternity, timeless existence without beginning or end, since eternity doesn't depend upon matter. Think of eternity as perpetual "Now". We know that because the Word was before the creation, while we are here but a brief moment relatively.

How could early man measure time? As a Boy Scout I remember one of the first things we did in a camp was to put a stick in the ground to make a shadow, and peg the shadow so we could see how far it moved along the arc until sunset. From that we could construct a sun dial divided into hours, putting a stone at the tip of the noon shadow, the closest part of the arc to the middle stick.. The longest shadows marked morning and evening. Amazingly, the pattern repeated every day while camping.

 

[Bendito]

When God set this planet in motion in Gen 1 revolving on its axis to establish days and nights (hours), and around the sun on a tight schedule to establish years, and the moon revolving around the earth to establish months, and other signs, man had a means to comprehend time, and measure "Day and Night". Without physical objects to relate to all there could be is eternity, timeless existence without beginning or end, since eternity doesn't depend upon matter. Think of eternity as perpetual "Now". We know that because the Word was before the creation, while we are here but a brief moment relatively.

How could early man measure time? As a Boy Scout I remember one of the first things we did in a camp was to put a stick in the ground to make a shadow, and peg the shadow so we could see how far it moved along the arc until sunset. From that we could construct a sun dial divided into hours, putting a stone at the tip of the noon shadow, the closest part of the arc to the middle stick.. The longest shadows marked morning and evening. Amazingly, the pattern repeated every day while camping.

I think that's a good answer Dovegiven. So let me ask another...Did God create time, or is it a natural result of His creating the universe...Of course He would have known.....

 

[RJ]

So let me ask another...Did God create time, or is it a natural result of His creating the universe...

Isn't that the same thing? or do you have two different explanations?

 

[Bendito]

Isn't that the same thing? or do you have two different explanations?

Isn't that the same thing? or do you have two different explanations?

I'm sorry. I think I'm not saying it right....We know that time is the measurement of decay of the material universe...In the spirit universe (if I may put it that way) there is no time because there is nothing to measure. I guess I'm asking you if God created time to measure the material or is it a natural consequence of His making the material world, and I guess, yes it comes out to being the same question. LOL
I can see clearly how God is outside of time and I can clearly see how He can interact anywhere along the timeline, so looking at this I think my question is unanswerable because I can't seem to frame it rightly.

It is fascinating though to see how God can interact anytime..Past present or future.
Let me ask this instead, ignoring the above question,...We've had prophets, Ezekeil for example, who have seen the future...question...Did God take him along the timeline and insert him into the time where he saw the events...Or did God just show him 'vid clips' of the events to come? What do you think?

 

[RJ]

Did God take him along the timeline and insert him into the time where he saw the events...Or did God just show him 'vid clips' of the events to come? What do you think?

Hmmm. no offense but this seems a bit silly the way you put it. You just may have to wait and ask Ezekiel, but be careful...vid-c;ips may be a bit confusing to him!

 

[robaston]

bros, my ten cents is we shouldn't disrespect God by such things, God made time where He made it and to this day maintains it

 

[RJ]

Please how have I disrespected God?

 

[robaston]

you are ok rj, i was too lazy to answer individual posts, please don't take offence, really what you should do is speak heaps in tongues, it builds up your toughness in your spirit, of course i don't really know your personality, natured etc, so relax, all is cool

 

[RJ]

you are ok rj, i was too lazy to answer individual posts, please don't take offence, really what you should do is speak heaps in tongues, it builds up your toughness in your spirit, of course i don't really know your personality, natured etc, so relax, all is cool

You never have, but I don't mind if someone criticizes my point of view but it would concern me greatly if someone thought I was blaspheming God. There are some here that let their pride always gets in the way of meaningful conversations about Jesus, you excluded of course. I have not been gifted with tongues yet , nor have I sought it, though I believe in it. I am fortunate to know the day and hour that I was "Born Again", so I am solid spiritually; I thank God daily for Romans 8:1

 

[robaston]

you have the gift of tongues mate, God has given to you now, just try speaking any unknown language

 

[Bendito]

Hmmm. no offense but this seems a bit silly the way you put it. You just may have to wait and ask Ezekiel, but be careful...vid-c;ips may be a bit confusing to him!

Ok It may seem silly to put it the way I did but I want to keep it simple....Let me ask it this way...Did God time travel Ezekiel? No more far fetched but not as simple.

 

[Bendito]

bros, my ten cents is we shouldn't disrespect God by such things, God made time where He made it and to this day maintains it

Is it disrespectful of God to discuss how He may use time? How is that more disrespectful than discussing how He heals, or blesses us?

 

[robaston]

Is it disrespectful of God to discuss how He may use time? How is that more disrespectful than discussing how He heals, or blesses us?

put like that, i give in...but don't hit me

 

[Bendito]

put like that, i give in...but don't hit me

Ah ya never let's me do nuttin!

 

[amadeus2]

Consider these verses which speak of time:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." Ecc 3:1-11

Who determines in each case where a choice is given, which one is the right one?

Man or God?

I would say that man usually does, but he should have asked God first.

 

[RJ]

Ok It may seem silly to put it the way I did but I want to keep it simple....Let me ask it this way...Did God time travel Ezekiel? No more far fetched but not as simple.

• Of course nothing concerning God is far -fetched, he is omnipotent in every thing he does.
  
• Did Ezekiel time travel? His wheel in the Bible sounds like a craft sighting, I don't know...maybe /probably, did Moses, Elijah? Biblically, it sure sounds like the Apostle John may have.
• God surely set the moon, stars, sun, earth, and they were in the physical and of course their rotation set a physical time. We live in the physical, but there will come a time when we can fully live in the spiritual : 1 Corinthians 13: 6-12 as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; 10 but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.
• After his resurrection, Jesus met the Apostles in the upper room, first the eleven and a second time with the twelve: Mark 16:14 . Luke 24: 36-43 and John 20: 19-23...So, did Jesus time travel?...absolutely because he has the power to transcend the physical and spiritual time and so will we....all created by God!
• So what was your question again?