What is God’s relationship to time?

Answer

We inhabit a physical world with its four known space-time dimensions of length, width, height (or depth), and time. However, God resides in a distinct realm—the spirit realm—beyond the perception of our physical senses. It’s not that God isn’t real; it’s a matter of Him not being constrained by the physical laws and dimensions that govern our world “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”, (Isaiah 57:15). Understanding that “God is spirit” “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”, (John 4:24), what is His relationship to time?

In Psalm 90:4, Moses used a simple yet profound analogy to describe the timelessness of God: “For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” The eternity of God is juxtaposed with the temporality of man. Our lives are brief and fragile, but God does not diminish or falter with the passage of time.

In a way, the measurement of time is inconsequential to God because He surpasses it. Peter, in 2 Peter 3:8, urged his readers not to overlook this crucial fact—that God’s view of time differs significantly from that of mankind (Psalm 102:12,24-27). The Lord does not quantify time as we do. He exists beyond and apart from the realm of time. God comprehends all of eternity’s past and future. The time that elapses on earth holds no significance from God’s timeless perspective. A second is no more significant than an eon.

; A billion years pass like seconds to the eternal God.

Although we cannot possibly comprehend the concept of eternity or the timelessness of God, we, in our finite minds, attempt to confine an infinite God to our time schedule. Those who foolishly demand that God operate according to their time frame ignore the fact that He is the “High and Lofty One… who lives forever” «For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.», (Isaiah 57:15). This depiction of God is far removed from man’s condition: “The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” «The days of our years are threescore years and ten; And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.», (Psalm 90:10).

Once again, due to our finite minds, we can only partially grasp the concept of God’s timeless existence. In doing so, we describe Him as a God without a beginning or end, eternal, infinite, everlasting, etc. Psalm 90:2 proclaims, “From everlasting to everlasting You are God” see also Psalm 93:2. He always was and always will be.

So, what is time? Simply put, time is duration. Our clocks mark change or, more precisely, our timepieces are benchmarks of change that indicate the passage of time. We could say, then, that time is a necessary precondition for change and change is a sufficient condition to establish the passage of time. In other words, whenever there is a change of any kind, we know that time has passed. We observe this as we journey through life, as we age.

And we cannot retrieve the minutes that have passed.

Moreover, the field of physics teaches us that time is a property that arises from the presence of matter. Therefore, time only exists when matter is present. However, God is not matter; on the contrary, God created matter. In essence, time commenced when God brought the universe into existence. Prior to that moment, God simply existed. As there was no matter, and because God is immutable, time had no existence and consequently no relevance to Him.

This leads us to contemplate the concept of eternity. Eternity is a term used to describe something that has neither a beginning nor an end. While God is without beginning or end, He cannot be fully encapsulated by eternity, particularly as a measure of time. (God is eternal, but eternity is not equivalent to God. Likewise, God is omnipotent, but power does not define God.) Eternity is one of God’s attributes; however, having established time, He transcends time and exists beyond its confines.

The Scriptures reveal that God dwells beyond the constraints of time as we comprehend it. Our fate was ordained “before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9;Titus 1:2) and “before the world began” (Ephesians 1:4;1 Peter 1:20). “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” «Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. », (Hebrews 11:3). In essence, the physical universe we perceive through our senses was not created from pre-existing matter, but from a source beyond the physical dimensions we can perceive.

“God is spirit” «God is a Spirit: and they that worship

Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”, (John 4:24), and, correspondingly, God is timeless rather than being eternally in time or being beyond time. Time was simply created by God as a limited part of His creation to accommodate the workings of His purpose in His disposable universe (see 2 Peter 3:10-12).

Upon the completion of His creation activity, including the creation of time, what did God conclude? “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” Gen 1:31. Indeed, God is spirit in the realm of timelessness, rather than flesh in the sphere of time.

As believers, we have a deep sense of comfort knowing that God, though timeless and eternal, is in time with us right now; He is not unreachably transcendent, but right here in this moment with us. And because He’s in this moment, He can respond to our needs and prayers.