Friday, July 08, 2005
Notes on eternity
Before I begin, let me preface by saying that I’m neither a scientist in the traditional sense, nor am I a theologian, but I’d like to share some thoughts about the divinity of God and the nature of the universe.
First of all, we as mortal beings are bound by three dimensions. We are trapped in time. Time is a trap because it is simply an illusion created by our inability to perceive everything all at once. This may be enlightening to anyone who has ever wondered about the nature of God, since the Bible tells us that He neither has beginning nor end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (New International Version)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Psalm 90:4 (New International Version)
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Since God has dominion over time, then the passage of time is meaningless to him. Each moment that passes in our lives is eternal. Everything that ever was will always be.
When I was a kid I was frightened by the concept of eternity. Of course, to a child, sitting through a church sermon was an eternity. I’ve heard of women going into labor that lasted for over 24 hours. I can’t even imagine doing something I like for 24 hours, let alone something as painful as childbirth. Imagine what an eternity spent somewhere unpleasant would be like…
Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about this anymore. At the end of our lives we can be like children on their way home from the amusement park. We can sleep in the back seat, fully confident in the knowledge that our dad is behind the wheel and that we’ll get home safely.
Matthew 28:19-21 (New International Version)
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
All Bible references were taken from BibleGateway.com
First of all, we as mortal beings are bound by three dimensions. We are trapped in time. Time is a trap because it is simply an illusion created by our inability to perceive everything all at once. This may be enlightening to anyone who has ever wondered about the nature of God, since the Bible tells us that He neither has beginning nor end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (New International Version)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Psalm 90:4 (New International Version)
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Since God has dominion over time, then the passage of time is meaningless to him. Each moment that passes in our lives is eternal. Everything that ever was will always be.
When I was a kid I was frightened by the concept of eternity. Of course, to a child, sitting through a church sermon was an eternity. I’ve heard of women going into labor that lasted for over 24 hours. I can’t even imagine doing something I like for 24 hours, let alone something as painful as childbirth. Imagine what an eternity spent somewhere unpleasant would be like…
Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about this anymore. At the end of our lives we can be like children on their way home from the amusement park. We can sleep in the back seat, fully confident in the knowledge that our dad is behind the wheel and that we’ll get home safely.
Matthew 28:19-21 (New International Version)
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
All Bible references were taken from BibleGateway.com
