Time: Time:

Time is one of the most fundamental concepts humans grapple with, yet it is also one of the least understood. Biblically, time is not just a human construct but a dimension God created and transcends. Exploring how time functions in Scripture, in history, and within God’s eternal plan reveals profound truths about how humanity observes it—and how God operates beyond it.

God is Outside of Time

In 2 Peter 3:8, we are reminded of a startling truth: "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." This verse underscores God’s eternal nature and His existence outside the constraints of time as we know it. For God, time is not linear. He is omnipresent in all moments—past, present, and future—simultaneously. Humanity’s experience of time, however, is linear, segmented into past, present, and future. This discrepancy creates the tension between God’s eternal perspective and our limited view.

Biblical Insights from Enoch and the Essenes

The Bible gives us glimpses of how God’s time intersects with human understanding. Enoch, who "walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24), experienced a unique relationship with time, as he transcended death. Similarly, the Essenes, a Jewish sect contemporary with Jesus, had a remarkable grasp of God’s "heavenly clock." Their calendar was based on the solar year, aligning with the cycles of creation and emphasizing the rhythm of God’s design. They sought to harmonize human timekeeping with divine order, reflecting a yearning to align human life with God’s eternal plan.

Man’s Distortions of Time

While the biblical framework offers clarity, human history has often distorted time. Julius Caesar’s calendar reforms in 46 BC, including the Julian calendar, marked an early attempt to standardize time. However, these adjustments were not perfect. The introduction of BC ("Before Christ") and AD ("Anno Domini" or "Year of the Lord") by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century AD was an attempt to center history on Christ’s birth. Despite its intent, this was based on estimations, and modern scholars suggest Christ was born around 5/4 BC, or 2 BC, not 1 AD. This adjustment highlights humanity’s struggle to pinpoint divine events accurately. 

The distortions continued. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar, correcting a drift in the Julian system by removing 10 days. While this resolved the issue of the equinox drifting over centuries, it also disrupted the rhythm of time as it had been observed for generations. As a result, our modern calendar is now out of sync with God’s original design. For example, the spring equinox has shifted by three days since Christ walked the earth. If we restore the 10 days Pope Gregory removed, the drift would amount to 13 days today, revealing that humanity’s timekeeping is far removed from divine order.

Time and the Enemy’s Distortion

Scripture warns that Satan seeks to “change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25). This statement underscores how the enemy works to confuse humanity’s understanding of God’s divine order. By distorting the measurement of time and obscuring God’s appointed seasons, the enemy creates chaos, making it difficult for humanity to align with God’s timeline. Each historical manipulation of time—whether Julius Caesar’s reforms, Pope Gregory’s adjustments, or the introduction of BC and AD based on estimations—reflects how human constructs deviate from God’s original design.

This distortion highlights a crucial truth: bad data in leads to bad data out. If our understanding of time is flawed, it becomes impossible to determine exact moments, such as the day or hour of Christ’s return. This aligns with Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 24:36: "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Humanity’s attempts to control or predict God’s divine timeline are ultimately futile. Instead, we are called to discern the season of His return, as there will be signs in the heavens (Luke 21:25) to guide us.

Time in the Spirit Realm

Time functions differently in the spiritual realm. God’s perspective is eternal, and His plans unfold according to His divine timeline, not ours. Scripture repeatedly affirms this principle:

• Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

• Psalm 90:4 reflects, "A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night."

These verses remind us that God operates on an eternal schedule, weaving together events across millennia to fulfill His purposes. This challenges humanity’s impatience and short-sightedness, urging us to trust in His timing.

A Misaligned Calendar

When we examine time through tools like timeanddate.com, the deviations in our calendar become evident. The spring equinox—a marker of God’s creation cycles—has drifted significantly since the Gregorian reform. This suggests that our current method of observing time is not only flawed but also detached from the rhythm God intended. The discrepancies are a stark reminder that humanity’s attempts to control time often result in further misalignment with divine order.

Understanding Time Through Christ

Jesus’ arrival into human history reshaped how we understand time. His incarnation marked the "fullness of time" (Galatians 4:4), fulfilling God’s promise of redemption. Yet, even the timing of His birth has been debated, reflecting humanity’s limitations in comprehending God’s precise orchestration. Despite this, Christ’s life, death, and resurrection anchor us in God’s eternal timeline, reminding us that His plans unfold perfectly, even when our calendars falter.

A Call to Align with God’s Timing

As believers, we are called to align our lives with God’s timing. This means recognizing the limitations of human constructs and trusting in His eternal plan. By studying Scripture, observing the patterns of creation, signs in the heavens, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can better understand how to live in harmony with God’s clock.

In the end, time as we know it is a construct of humanity. God’s perspective is eternal, transcendent, and perfect. While humanity’s attempts to measure and control time often fall short, believers can find peace in knowing that God’s timing is always right. Let us embrace His eternal clock, trusting that His plans for us are "good, pleasing, and perfect" (Romans 12:2).