I have, currently, seven views of time. These views can seem to contradict each other, but in Reality they are all happening together. I have tried to draw pictures of it but I am not very artistic when it comes to drawing and, honestly, it is difficult to draw an omnidimensional Infinite-Eternity with motion on a still two-dimensional plane.
The view of time with which most Americans are familiar is the time line. This is the simple idea of sequence; of beginning, middle, and end; of past, present, and future.
When viewing existence through this lens, we can experience things in a progressive order. If we only view existence through this lens, we can look at our own lives as non-existent before a certain point. We can look at history starting in the Garden of Eden and continuing up to this present point. We have no access to past or future in this view of time, and we have concepts of becoming and maturing, primacy and order.
The Truth in this view of time is that there is always sequence and progression in what Yahweh does. When He creates, He does set things in order for them to be formed. There is always first, second, third. In the ecclesia (church), for example, He set first apostles, then prophets, and then teachers. Apostles are first and have primacy. This does not mean that they are more important than any other office in the sequence, but rather that they must be established first before the other roles can be established. So it is with events in the time line. You must learn to walk before you can learn to run; you must stand before you can walk. To build a house, you must establish a foundation before putting up walls. March 1 comes before March 2, and January always comes before April.
In linear time we can create new things. Something can "not be," and then, by our actions and joining together of things, they can become. This is something that Yahweh established so that He can create things, because in Eternity, everything already is and always has been.
Linear time is beautiful and amazing, and we are all familiar with its experience. However, we have a false view of Reality if we only experience linear time. In Yahweh, all points on a timeline are equally accessible. I can see and operate in the future (though I haven't done very much of that.) I do not have to regret things in the past because, if we add in another view of time, they are able to be redeemed to the point where they did not happen. Yes, to the point where that which is not Yahweh in the past did not happen. This is not the traditional view of redemption by which He can use something awful in the past to make a better present or future. I mean that He truly undoes (so it never was) that which was not Him in the past...but that's another post.
I feel it is very important to post that only in the linear view of time, there was an Old Testament and a New Testament. In the linear view of time, Yahshua's earthly appearance and all that He did here constitutes a great change in Covenant and in how Yahweh could interact with the world at large. This is only true in linear time. In other views of time, Yahweh was just as active on the Earth before Christ as He is now and could interact with men of faith in the same way. Abraham used a different view of time to access Yahshua's faithful actions on the cross and be judged as righteous, even though it hadn't happened yet. I am not actually sure which time path he took to do that, but scripture makes it clear that he did this by faith.
If you consider the Revelations of Covenant as a progressive order from Noah to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Moses, to David, to Yahshua, you can see how this is a linear concept and one which would indicate that something has grown or become over time. However, this is only one view of these Covenants, which shall be explored later. Basically what I am saying is that there is really only one Covenant, the Original Covenant that Yahshua embodies, and it was slowly revealed in the time line to the fullness of Who it was (He fulfills the Law and the Prophets, after all), but He was always there. Hebrews 1:1-2 states that Yahweh spoke in "times past" (linear time) to the fathers by the prophets, but has in "these last days" (linear time) spoken by the Son.
But Yahshua was the Word in the Beginning (John 1:1), so He was always speaking, no?
I posted about the time line first because it is the easiest to understand and the one with which we are most familiar. I also posted the least about it for that same reason. The other views of time will have their own posts, which will be much longer.
Altogether, my current seven views of time are as follows:
1) Linear Time (time line)
2) Circular Time
3) Spiracular Time (time spiral)
4) Infinite Points on a Linear Plane (or multiple linear planes as the case may be)
5) The Time Web
6) The Unity of All Things
7) The Unity of All Things Within Each of the Other Views of Time
Honestly, I haven't thought that linear time was the only time in so long that sometimes when I am talking to people, I forget that this is their main view of time. If that happens when you are talking to me (or commenting) and you become confused, just ask questions. :)
The view of time with which most Americans are familiar is the time line. This is the simple idea of sequence; of beginning, middle, and end; of past, present, and future.
When viewing existence through this lens, we can experience things in a progressive order. If we only view existence through this lens, we can look at our own lives as non-existent before a certain point. We can look at history starting in the Garden of Eden and continuing up to this present point. We have no access to past or future in this view of time, and we have concepts of becoming and maturing, primacy and order.
The Truth in this view of time is that there is always sequence and progression in what Yahweh does. When He creates, He does set things in order for them to be formed. There is always first, second, third. In the ecclesia (church), for example, He set first apostles, then prophets, and then teachers. Apostles are first and have primacy. This does not mean that they are more important than any other office in the sequence, but rather that they must be established first before the other roles can be established. So it is with events in the time line. You must learn to walk before you can learn to run; you must stand before you can walk. To build a house, you must establish a foundation before putting up walls. March 1 comes before March 2, and January always comes before April.
In linear time we can create new things. Something can "not be," and then, by our actions and joining together of things, they can become. This is something that Yahweh established so that He can create things, because in Eternity, everything already is and always has been.
Linear time is beautiful and amazing, and we are all familiar with its experience. However, we have a false view of Reality if we only experience linear time. In Yahweh, all points on a timeline are equally accessible. I can see and operate in the future (though I haven't done very much of that.) I do not have to regret things in the past because, if we add in another view of time, they are able to be redeemed to the point where they did not happen. Yes, to the point where that which is not Yahweh in the past did not happen. This is not the traditional view of redemption by which He can use something awful in the past to make a better present or future. I mean that He truly undoes (so it never was) that which was not Him in the past...but that's another post.
I feel it is very important to post that only in the linear view of time, there was an Old Testament and a New Testament. In the linear view of time, Yahshua's earthly appearance and all that He did here constitutes a great change in Covenant and in how Yahweh could interact with the world at large. This is only true in linear time. In other views of time, Yahweh was just as active on the Earth before Christ as He is now and could interact with men of faith in the same way. Abraham used a different view of time to access Yahshua's faithful actions on the cross and be judged as righteous, even though it hadn't happened yet. I am not actually sure which time path he took to do that, but scripture makes it clear that he did this by faith.
If you consider the Revelations of Covenant as a progressive order from Noah to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Moses, to David, to Yahshua, you can see how this is a linear concept and one which would indicate that something has grown or become over time. However, this is only one view of these Covenants, which shall be explored later. Basically what I am saying is that there is really only one Covenant, the Original Covenant that Yahshua embodies, and it was slowly revealed in the time line to the fullness of Who it was (He fulfills the Law and the Prophets, after all), but He was always there. Hebrews 1:1-2 states that Yahweh spoke in "times past" (linear time) to the fathers by the prophets, but has in "these last days" (linear time) spoken by the Son.
But Yahshua was the Word in the Beginning (John 1:1), so He was always speaking, no?
I posted about the time line first because it is the easiest to understand and the one with which we are most familiar. I also posted the least about it for that same reason. The other views of time will have their own posts, which will be much longer.
Altogether, my current seven views of time are as follows:
1) Linear Time (time line)
2) Circular Time
3) Spiracular Time (time spiral)
4) Infinite Points on a Linear Plane (or multiple linear planes as the case may be)
5) The Time Web
6) The Unity of All Things
7) The Unity of All Things Within Each of the Other Views of Time
Honestly, I haven't thought that linear time was the only time in so long that sometimes when I am talking to people, I forget that this is their main view of time. If that happens when you are talking to me (or commenting) and you become confused, just ask questions. :)
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