Time And The Universe

Q

I have a couple of questions for you. These are just thought provokers and not a salvation issue or anything like that. First, is time really going to end? Hebrews 1:12 says that God’s years will not fail and in Revelation 20:10 says that people in Hell will be tormented day and night forever and ever. The alluding to measurements of time here makes me think that the people that live on Earth throughout eternity (anyone not a member of the church) will still observe time. What are your thoughts?

Second, seeing how the solar systems and galaxies are all set up like ours is, meaning having planets; and stars for suns; and moons and etc.., etc.., wouldn’t it seem as though these are going to be used for more than a galactic playground for the church and the angels? Just curious about what you might think. Thank you for the great site. I have been blessed much from it and am considering supporting you since you are so true to the Word of God!!!

A

The Bible was written for the Age of Man. Therefore it doesn’t describe eternity except to say that there will be one. The final chapter in the Age of Man, called The Millennium, is a defined span of time (1000 years) so time based references are used in describing it in Rev. 20-22 where the Bible ends.

It’s important to realize that in Rev. 20 when John described the destiny of Satan and the Great White Throne judgment, events that take place at the end on the Millennium, he was only following them to their conclusion. In Rev. 21 & 22 he went back to the beginning of the Millennium to describe the New Jerusalem and the renewed Earth. We know this because Rev. 21 opens by quoting from the first verse of Isaiah 65:17-25 that describes Israel on Earth during the Kingdom Age, their term for the Millennium. Eternity by definition is the absence of time. The phrase forever and ever is a way of referring to eternity.

Some scientists have hypothesized that our entire Solar System is needed to create the conditions necessary to support life on Earth. A statement like that is way beyond my comprehension, but it’s not like God to create a bunch of useless stuff. I have suggested in the past that one purpose for the universe might be to provide a diversity of experiences for the redeemed through out eternity. That needn’t be its only purpose for existence, but it could well be one of them. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.