Subject: Was Bible time kept the same way as now |
Bible Note: In his book "Gift of Time: Time and the Kingdom of God", William T. McConnel explains that there are differences in the way people think about time and these views influence our relationship with God. To summarize: In the modern west, we think of time as a series of discreet events, a string of moments one following the other. This has consequences for us in our relationship with God, especially when we try to understand scripture. For us today, time is impersonal and "over before you know it". The past is either irrelevant or drags us down, the present is never where our attention is placed and the future is either to be feared or ours for the making. We cannot understand eternity because we cannot understand now. In the biblical eras, time is understood differently. Events are processes that endure, rather than discrete instances. The attention span is seasons and years, not sound bites, photo ops and microseconds. Events are seen as interconnected and there is meaning behind what happens because of those connections. Past,present and future are a natural progression. Eternity is seen from God's perspective, understood in terms of our insignificance and His glory. Parable |