"Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8) Those who are familiar with what some are calling the "Third Day" Church are well acquainted with this verse from Peter's writings. It is one of the primary verses upon which "Third Day" concepts are built, as many see us moving into the third prophetic thousand year "day" of Jesus Christ. I do believe this is an accurate spiritual picture, however when it comes to our understanding of "time" there may be more to that verse than meets the eye.
Physicist Itzhak Bars, of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California (USC), has an interesting theory. He believes there is another dimension of time (other than the one we are used to) and is conducting research to prove his theory. He explains, “There isn't just one dimension of time. There are two. One whole dimension of time and another of space have until now gone entirely unnoticed by us." Time is no longer a simple line from the past to the future, in a four dimensional world consisting of three dimensions of space and one of time. Instead, the physicist envisages the passage of history as curves embedded in six dimensions, with four of space and two of time.
For many years the scientific community has had a bit of a dilemma, because the theory of relativity and quantum theory do not fit together at all. In other words, the equations used in the study of very large things like planets (theory of relativity) and the equations used in the study of very small things like atoms (quantum theory) are at odds. Some piece is missing in the picture puzzle of physical reality. Itzhak Bars thinks one of the missing pieces is a hidden dimension of time. With two times, Bars believes, many of the mysteries of today’s laws of physics may disappear.
Of course these findings merely reinforce something we have known for many years, because in your Bible there are two different Greek words, both translated as "time." There is chronos time (chronological/ natural), and then there is kairos time. I am beginning to wonder, however, if perhaps there is more to kairos time that just our current definitions as "the appointed time" or the "time of the spiritual realm."
We know that chronos time is linear- a simple line from the past to the future. What if kairos time is indeed more circular or spherical in essence, as implied by the physicist quoted? Recent quantum theory shows additional circular/ spherical dimensions woven within the three dimensions we are used to thinking of. What if indeed, time is the same? This would certainly help explain the following verse that speaks of the way Father perceives things, "Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done..." (Isaiah 46:10 Amplified Bible) I believe this is more than mere prophetic foreknowledge.
Now then, this is all great fodder for contemplation and pontification, but what on earth can it have to do with my everyday life?
When distilled down to its' essence, linear/ chronos time is really the measure of both the growth and the decay of things. Before Adam transgressed, thereby bringing decay and death into all creation, chronos time was basically irrelevant because there was no death and decay. Perhaps Adam lived in an "ever-present NOW" free from the constraints and ramifications of linear time. Perhaps this "ever-present NOW," free from the constraints and ramifications of linear time is where Father wants US to live.
As I have been contemplating this idea of kairos/ circular/ spherical time, words keep coming up in my spirit like restoration and regeneration, or a RE-genesis. This verse is brewing in me, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of RE-GENERATION, and renewing (re-NEW-ing) of the Holy Ghost;" (Titus 3:5 my emphasis in parenthesis)
A re-genesis brings a new REALITY. And what is this new "reality" birthed from a re-genesis?... it is a re-ALL-ity! Allow me to explain with a Scripture verse; "...so that God may be ALL IN ALL [be EVERYthing to EVERYone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of LIFE]. (1Corinthians 15:28 Amplified Bible) I believe that this new re-ALL-ity is available in the "ever-present NOW" that Christ is calling us to.
His desire is to indeed be ALL IN ALL in us, the indwelling and controlling factor of LIFE that is free from the constraints and ramifications of linear time. He makes ALL things NEW in this dimension of the "ever-present NOW." "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make ALL things NEW." (Revelation 21:5)
Once again, this is all great fodder for contemplation and pontification, but how on earth can it become a REALITY in my everyday life? I believe that His intention is not to merely patch things up, to make us better people and try to get things running smoothly again. Rather, this restoration/ regeneration/ RE-genesis He is offering circumvents linear time. Perhaps it might be likened to a "restore" point on your computer.
Every time you download or install a new application, or software update, you make changes to your computer. Sometimes that change may make your system unstable. Have you ever wanted to go back to the way it was? With System Restore, you can. You can use System Restore to remove any system changes that were made since the last time you remember your computer working correctly. System Restore basically puts everything back to how it was before any damage happened. In doing so, you do not lose your current data, you are just put back to a point before any harm was done.
As we look at the mess that some of us are in with very "unstable systems," often it is difficult to envision actually getting patched up enough to where we can function normally. When we look at the healing that is needed, and the issues that need dealing with, sometimes it is easy to get bogged down in unbelief. It is much easier for me to believe that Father can set us to a spiritual System Restore point that puts everything back to how it was before any damage happened, than it is to believe that He can fix such a mess.
Whether it is on a personal scale or a global scale, I don't believe He wants to merely fix our mess. He wants to REAL-IZE His glory in us; "To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of realizing (re-ALL-izing) the glory." (Colossians 1:27 Amplified Bible) And how is His glory realized in us?... I believe that we have a part, and our part in re-ALL-izing the glory is seeing with REAL-EYES; "Since we consider and look NOT to the things that are seen but to the things that are UNSEEN; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are DEATHLESS and EVERLASTING." (2 Corinthians 4:18 Amplified Bible) Did you catch that?... the things that are invisible, the things that we must see with "real-eyes" are DEATHLESS and EVERLASTING!
We must see with "real-eyes" His glory being REALized in us, NOT in the future, but in the "ever-present NOW." This is appropriated by FAITH... not just any kind of faith, but NOW-faith; "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]... By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we SEE was NOT made out of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:1, 3 Amplified Bible)
I love that! What a concept... faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses! More than a concept, it is TRUTH to live by! What is visible to us now, what we SEE, did not start out that way... they were NOT made out of things which are visible!
Jesus said of us, "They are not OF the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:16) This does not merely mean that we are not "worldly" in our behavior. It means that we can operate outside of the constraints and ramifications of linear time in an "ever-present NOW," operating from a spiritual System Restore point.
So, what does all this have to do with prayer? There is a secret found in Matthew 16:19. I believe that Young's Literal Translation says it well, "And I will give to thee the keys of the REIGN of the heavens, and whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth SHALL be HAVING BEEN bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth SHALL be HAVING BEEN loosed in the heavens." Firstly, the "Reign of the Heavens" is what we are establishing upon the earth. Now then we come to such interesting wording- "shall be having been." It almost sounds like a contradiction. "Shall be" sounds like something future, and "having been" sounds like something past. Within the limitations of a "linear time" mindset, this cannot really be reconciled. However, when we shift to a circular/ spherical time of the "ever-present NOW," it makes perfect sense.
I believe that our prayer can be what activates a spiritual System Restore point! Our binding prayer is what takes things back and binds them to a point before disorder occurred- that is the "having been" part. Our loosing prayer is what looses or removes any limitations and ramifications of what the damage/ disorder could have produced- that is the "shall be" part. It is as if our prayer goes "Back to the Future."
"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make ALL things NEW." (Revelation 21:5) I must allow Him to sit upon my "throne" and make all things totally new, a re-genesis of a new reality. The word translated as "new" in this verse is kainos in Greek. Its' meanings include- new, recently made, fresh, unused, unworn, of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of. Father desires to make US a new kind!... unprecedented!... novel!... uncommon!... unheard of!...
"And I SAW a NEW heaven and a NEW earth..." (Revelation 21:1) What do WE see? Do we see with REAL-eyes, and REALize His glory? I believe it is time to step into a NEW heaven and a NEW earth... it IS available as we move into the spherical time of the "ever-present NOW!"
.jpg)
Thanks for the message! I've been pretty discouraged of late. This difinitely gave me hope!!
ReplyDelete