Another Time Problem?

While writing the recent "Time Problem" post, I began to wonder if Jesus suffered the same time restrictions we do while he was living on our time-controlled planet.

It seems there were some time-related questions that he didn't choose to answer, or maybe, couldn't answer because he was stuck with our time limitations.

Let's consider these two occasions:
The Kingdom Question.

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."
[Acts 1 : 6, 7  NIV]

The Lord's Day Question.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
[Matthew 24 : 42, 44  NIV]

I appreciate there are other issues at play here, especially the need for Jesus' disciples to be alert and remain faithful, but I still wonder if there is a time restriction factor involved here.

What do others think?
Blessings, Barry
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Published BLOG at https://barrysgracespace.blogspot.com
Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

The Time Problem

Have you ever wondered how this could have happened?

He (Christ) was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
[1 Peter 1 : 20  NIV]

I have been musing about the sovereignty of God and the eternal realm he inhabits for decades, trying to understand, as a mere creature living in the time realm, our powerful Creator living in the timeless realm.

In a previous post, Understanding Eternity, June 27, 2012, I offered some illustrations to show how God might know events well before they happened in our time-controlled world. But I didn't take the next step and explore God's intervention in our world well before we could see the effect of that action, as described by the Apostle Peter above. 

Let's use the Mother's Basket of Goodies illustration from that previous post.

Mother has a basket of goodies.  When she looks into the basket, she sees all the goodies at the same "time". (Eternity view)
Mother takes items out of her basket, one at a time, and gives them to her children.  They see the goodies as they are given to them, one at a time, and in the order in which they are given. (The Ages view) 

Let's see if we can use this simple illustration to help us imagine God's choosing of Christ before the creation of the world.

God looks into his basket of goodies - all the events that will ever occur in the heavens and on the earth. He sees these all at the same "time". Indeed, he is continuously seeing them - seeing them during all of time.

One of his goodies is Jesus putting on an earth-suit, being humiliated and rejected, removing sin and death from mankind, and restoring mankind to its original God-image nature.

So by the time God handed out the goodie called the creation of the world, he had already placed the Jesus' goodie in his basket, which he then decided to hand out "in these last times".

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
[Galatians 4 : 4  NIV]

Let's look at another "creation of the world" verse.

For he (God) chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
[Ephesians 1 : 4  NIV]

Here's another one of the goodies that was in God's basket long before he handed out the goodie called the creation of the world.

Every event that will happen throughout the ages, and beyond, God has in his basket of goodies - to be handed out at the right time, the time of his choosing.

This way of thinking helps me give meaning to the distinction between the timeless realm, in which God lives, and the realm of the ages, in which we currently live.

Blessings, Barry
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Published BLOG at https://barrysgracespace.blogspot.com
Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day, the day lovers express their affection for one another with greetings and gifts.
It is most popular in United States, Britain, Canada and Australia. It is also the most common wedding anniversary date in the Philippines, with mass weddings of hundreds of couples often occurring on that day.
So where does love actually come from?
Science seems unable to answer that question. Those who believe in the Big Bang and the Theory of Evolution to explain human origins don't seem to have an explanation for the existence of things like love.
Others, who use the Bible to explain human origins, believe that since the Creator God is love, and humankind was made in his image, then the capacity to love, and the desire to be loved, is built into us.
I am so pleased this is so. I love to love and be loved.
Blessings, Barry
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Published BLOG at https://barrysgracespace.blogspot.com
Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

Australia Day

Celebrating Australia Day on January 26 is a tradition that has evolved to honour the Australia's  history, achievements, and diverse culture.

It commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, which marked the arrival of British settlers in Australia, and is a time to celebrate the modern, multicultural society Australia has become, recognising the contributions of all its people, including Indigenous Australians and migrants from around the world.

Indeed, as previous PM Tony Abbott suggested, we could describe Australia as a  country with an indigenous heritage, a British foundation, and an immigrant character.

Almost forgotten, there is another very significant event which occurred on this day. On 26 January 1949, the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 became law and Australian nationality came into existence.

It was the first time that the term "Australian citizen" had been used in any Australian legislation, including the Australian Constitution. (Up to that point all residents, both aboriginal and settlers/migrants, were British subjects and we given British passports when travelling overseas.)

This law meant that all people living in Australia, including Indigenous people, were now Australian Citizens.  And since that day, people who have arrived and want to be an Australian citizen become so at Citizenship ceremonies, most often held on this date as well.
This is why 26th January can really be called Australia Day, and has been since 1949.

Whereas most people focus on the First Fleet arrival, which a few others call an invasion, I like to focus on the recognition of our national identity. 

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Published BLOG at https://barrysgracespace.blogspot.com
Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au