God and Time

    Science today has proven beyond a reasonable doubt, that the rate at which time passes, is relative to where we are located in the universe, and this relativity of time is based on the relative velocities and densities of bodies in space. For example, the rate at which time passes near and in a black hole is very different from the rate, at which, time passes on earth. Even bodies closer to earth like G.P.S. satellites periodically need their clocks reset because of this relative nature of time. But how does this recently established knowledge (within the last 100 years) line up with what the bible says about time? The bible says God created everything in six days. Science says it took billions of years. Can these two viewpoints be reconciled, since science now knows, that the passage of time is relative?

    I believe the bible has already reconciled these two view points. One major reason confusion still exists, concerning the validity of the six days of creation, is because human scientific understanding of time, has lagged behind (As science always will) what the bible has already said about God and time. The other major reason for confusion has to do with the non essential nature of this truth. Knowing the truth about what the bible says about time is way down the line in importance, when considered from an eternal perspective. It pales in comparison with the importance of understanding salvation, the anointing of the Holy Spirit and deliverance. Therefore, the bible does not have a lot to say about time. But what it does have to say is profound. The relativity of time is now recognized by most scientists as an accepted fact, but the bible has already stated aspects of this truth, from God’s perspective, thousands of years ago.   

    The 4^th verse of the ninetieth Psalm, I believe, addresses the relativity of time from God’s viewpoint.

    The ninetieth Psalm says a thousand years in the sight of God is like yesterday when it is past, and also like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4) Yesterday, when it has past, does not exist. A watch in the night is a few hours. How can it be both? Yet the scripture plainly says “In God’s sight” a thousand years is the same as both of these two very different values. The only way it could be equal to both values, is, if time is relative. Since the term, relativity, had not been coined, when the 90th Psalm was written, plainly put, the author is saying “God, who exists outside of time, views the relativity of time, throughout his created universe, and is able to see relative values of time, in different places. This passage of scripture is describing, in ancient wording, the relativity of time, a fact, which man has known, for less than a hundred years. The main purpose of the 90th Psalm, as with the Bible in general, however, is not to teach us a science lesson. This biblical description here of time is a side note. The main idea, inferred, in this verse, is, that God sees time, throughout his created universe, but is unaffected by it, himself, denoting the immutability of God. God, by His very nature can do anything. (Job 42:2)(Mat.19:26) He can have time be whatever relative expanse he wants it to be. He created time and set its relative values, as he pleased. Jesus, being God, said, "Before Abraham was, I am". At first glance, this sentence seems to be grammatically incorrect, until it becomes clear, that Jesus was really saying, " Since I am God, I exist outside the parameters of time". God is spirit. (John 4:24) Time, on the other hand, is a characteristic of the material universe, and has no affect on God. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Heb. 13:8) Although God does not have a material nature and exists outside of time, time is still in his sight. He is able to see the relative passing of time anywhere in the universe. Once again, he is the one who structured these variations in time, before time existed. This last statement, though, is a statement of faith, and will never be able, to be proved, scientifically.

    The main truth being conveyed here in the 90th Psalm, concerning the immutability of God, was written to give the reader more insight into the nature of God, not time. The reference to time is incidental. Never the less, it does give a brief, but clear description, of time's relative values. Here, as elsewhere, in the bible, truths are written, to communicate, with the new heart of man, placed in him by Christ, and not just to his carnal intellect. (Eze. 36:26) What should be note worthy to an objective reader, however, whether he has faith in God or not, is how accurately the writer describes the relative nature of time. Because the Bible confirms the relative nature of time, this truth can now become a prerequisite, to help better understand the six days of the Genesis. The first day of creation, described in Genesis, could have been much longer than our modern period of one day. Since matter was expanding outward, from the point of creation, it was much more concentrated (dense) on the first day, than on the second day. Therefore, time advanced much slower within the sphere of created matter than it does today. One of our present earth days could have been equal to billions of years on that first day of creation. The second day would have been shorter, than the first day, but still much longer than our modern days, because the cosmos was still much more dense, than it is today. As the cosmos continually expanded outward, each successive day would have become shorter than the day before but much longer than the day after. The sum of the length of these days most certainly would have been viewed, from our present reference point, as billions of years. Yet, these six days, when viewed from within each of their individual reference points, could easily and most probably were only one of our present earth days in length. We know this is possible, because man now knows, beyond a reasonable doubt, that time is relative, throughout the material universe, just as the bible indicated in verse 4 of the 90th Psalm thousands of years ago.

    There is also another link between the 90^th Psalm and the 1st chapter of Genesis, which, I believe, adds weight to what I am trying to explain here. Both were written by Mosses, which begs the question, did Moses have a much more sophisticated understanding of the creation, the material universe and the characteristics of time, than anyone ever supposed? I believe he did. He wrote about the relativity of time in the 90th Psalm. If he understood the relativity of time, enough to write about it, it would not be a huge leap, to believe, he also possessed a deep understanding of the relative passage of time in the days of the Genesis. Whether he did or not is a very interesting question that only God can answer, but what we definitely can know for certain from this discussion of time is this: With all aspects of scientific knowledge, not just the topic of time, as our scientific understanding improves, that understanding will more and more be found to compliment Bible truth, instead of disagreeing with it.