"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
I needed to revise and repost some of what I had previously written because I cannot leave it unsaid. As it is like in the "Parable of the Pearl" the story told by Jesus to illustrate the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven recorded in Matthew 13:45-46. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it—The one pearl of great price, instead of being found by accident, as in the former case, is found by one whose business it is to seek for such, and who finds it just in the way of searching for such treasures. The man is presupposed to have been seeking the “godly pearls” of wisdom, holiness, and truth, and has found them in at least some of their lower forms. Then he is led to the higher knowledge of communion with the life of Christ, and for that is content to resign all that he had before prized most highly.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.
Can we even begin to understand the event of Christmas, the meaning of God coming into our world as "God with us." An entry into time as "Emmanuel" that has allowed us to live with the knowledge we are able to share our lives with our God. In reading William Lane Craig's book on "Time and Eternity" again I have to say I find it difficult reading as there is so much to try to understand. But as an avid reader and follower of science, religion and philosophy I have learnt much about the concepts, the language, the thoughts and theories written. As he attempts to analyse time and eternity I try to make sense of our world, our universe, our lives, GOD and meaning to being both within and outside of time. To say I fully understand his book is like trying to fully understand much of what is written within the bible that doesn't explain the how within his word.
We live in a physical world with its four known space-time dimensions of length, width, height (or depth) and time. However, God dwells in a different realm—the spirit realm—beyond the perception of our physical senses. It’s not that God isn’t real; it’s a matter of understanding His not being limited by the physical laws and dimensions that govern our world (Isaiah 57:15). Knowing that “God is spirit” (John 4:24), what is His relationship to time?
So why then if the biblical data concerning God's relationship to time are indeterminative. Then why it may be asked not simply rest with the biblical affirmation of God's beginningless and endless existence, instead of entering into metaphysics in an attempt to articulate a doctrine of God and time. Well I personally do accept in faith that which is written, but also enjoy discovering confirmation of my faith in the evidence revealed in any number of scientific disciplines. As the world begins to understand the fine tuning of our universe, nature, DNA the Atom and much more, the more we learn the more we understand the truth within the bible.
The “theory of everything” is one of the most cherished dreams of science. If it is ever discovered, it will describe the workings of the universe at the most fundamental level and thus encompass our entire understanding of nature. It would also answer such enduring puzzles as what dark matter is, the reason time flows in only one direction and how gravity works. Small wonder that Stephen Hawking famously said that such a theory would be “the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God”.
But theologians needn’t lose too much sleep just yet. Despite decades of effort, progress has been slow. Many physicists have confined themselves to developing “quantum gravity” theories that attempt to reconcile quantum mechanics with general relativity – a prerequisite for a theory of everything. But rather than coming up with one or two rival theories whose merits can be judged against the evidence, there is a profusion of candidates that address different parts of the problem and precious few clues as to which (if any) might turn out to be correct.
So to come back to Christmas we understand Jesus entered into our time as the incarnate logos the babe in the Manger. William Lane Craig’s book “Time and Eternity: exploring God’s Relationship to Time” is a philosophical exploration of the nature of divine eternity and God’s relationship to time. The book is an analytical work that delves into the two views of divine eternity, divine timelessness, and divine temporality. It is a great resource for anyone who wants to understand more profoundly the nature of divine eternity and God’s relationship to time. However in the bible also reveals much if we just look, like in the Apostle John's gospel how he explains Christ as being not only with but also as God in the beginning;
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. This verse establishes the Word as being both divine and eternal in nature. John continues to expand on this concept for the next eighteen verses in which we learn this Word was with God from the beginning and all that was created was created through Him.
"God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him." John 1:3.
in the New Testament there are a number of very interesting passages that speak of God's existence before time. For example, in the doxology at the conclusion of the book of Jude, verse 25, we read, "To the only God, our saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever." In this passage, in an almost inevitable manner of speaking, the author speaks of God as existing before all time; in some sense, God exists beyond time. If time is finite and had a commencement, then God, being eternal, must in some way exist beyond time.
One of the most important verses in the Bible reads: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Word did not just appear to be human; the Word became flesh. This assertion stunned the Greek mind for whom the separation of the divine spirit and the mundane world (flesh, sarx) was an axiom of belief. But the second phrase is equally stunning for the Jew. This Word dwelt (skenoo) among us and revealed his glory (doxa). This verb for dwelling is employed in the Greek Old Testament for the tabernacle of God.
Hence it is important to note that the question of God’s existence and presence with us has always been as confirmed in Christ's entry into our world to fulfil his mission to reconcile with God. He confirmed this as in his crying out "Tetelestai" -meaning "It is Finished" from the cross In confirmation and with his mission to the world accomplished on leaving said; "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever." So God has never left us on our own He is with us now in the form of the comforter the Holy Spirit.
In Hebrews 13:5, it is written “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. This promise is a message of God’s faithfulness and assurance of His presence and support for His people. It signifies His unwavering commitment to being present in our lives and assures us that regardless of our circumstances or shortcomings, His love, guidance, and support will endure forever within both time and eternity.
"I think, it makes good sense of the relationship of God and time. God is timeless without creation and temporal subsequent to creation. Having entered into time, He is not dependent upon finite velocity light signals or clock synchronization procedures for knowing what time it is. Rather, existing in absolute time, God is, as Newton proclaimed, the Lord God of dominion of His universe. In the words of St. Jude: "To the only God our saviour through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever." William Lane Craig.
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8
So for us we do not need to concentrate on the external arguments in as much as we fail to hear the inner voice of God speaking to our hearts. For those who listen, God becomes a personal reality in their lives because he is a personal God as seen.
Whoever has ears, let them hear.” When Jesus said this the disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them. Isaiah 6:9-11.
I find this astounding surely that the passage quoted in Isaiah was written 700 years before He was born that tells us both the scriptures to be true and that Jesus came from God as our mediator and for Jesus once more confirming what had been written.
"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." Matthew 13:16-17
To finish I again close with what he said to both us and God;
"As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:18-23
Hence now we are able to say;
"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
