What can we know about eternity?
The question to the left has been asked countless times over the years. It is amazing to me how people seem to evade the question! Perhaps the most significant reason one might have for evading this question is that it exposes us abruptly to our mortality. After all, most of us would prefer not to get into a discussion on death, and we hope our lives will last as long as possible for various and sundry reasons. For some it is family and friends, for others pleasure, for others material possessions, and for others spiritual uncertainty. I believe it is equally true that most of us have no concept of eternity or what it entails. I believe there is help for us on this page.....
ETERNITY
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
Time exists in eternity. Eternity is always in the now. To get a better picture of this we
need to see it in a light that is easy to understand. Eternity existed long before time began.
Somewhere in eternity God spoke the worlds into existence and time began. When this
world passes away time will cease, but eternity will continue on. To Illustrate simply:
Eternity Time Eternity
Notice in the graph above that eternity comes before and after time while still existing in
time. The line below the words represents eternity, and time just dropped in for a while.
This is simplistic but should be effective for the purpose of illustration.
need to see it in a light that is easy to understand. Eternity existed long before time began.
Somewhere in eternity God spoke the worlds into existence and time began. When this
world passes away time will cease, but eternity will continue on. To Illustrate simply:
Eternity Time Eternity
Notice in the graph above that eternity comes before and after time while still existing in
time. The line below the words represents eternity, and time just dropped in for a while.
This is simplistic but should be effective for the purpose of illustration.
Consider the following: Imagine that the earth was composed of nothing but millions and
perhaps billions of tiny grains of sand from the core to the surface. Now imagine that a little
bird took one grain of that sand and flew out into space as far as possible and dropped off the
grain of sand and returned for another one. Let's imagine that trip took 30 billion light years
round trip. Consider that if that bird made the same trip with 20 grains of sand it would take
600 billion light years, and the sand he removed would be a drop in the bucket compared to
what was left to remove. Now try to calculate, ( if you can ), how long it would take to move
100, 200, 1,000 or even 10,000 grains of sand over the same distance. It is incomprehensible
to the average mind, and seems inconceivable that such a time exists. 100 grains would take
3,000 billion, and 1,000 grains would take 30,000 billion light years. To attempt to calculate
all the time involved in removing the earth completely defies logic and imagination, yet this
is he amount of time every human soul will spend in eternity. We are speaking here of
time out of mind. It is no longer time, but unending existence that cannot fit into the finite
hemisphere of our brain. The terrible thing about all this is that people somehow believe in
the theory that they have all the time in the world to prepare for this existence and go on
living as if eternity isn't ahead of them! They must understand that this is very real and must
be addressed while they still have life in their bodies. To ignore this is the height of folly!
Many today in and out of the church live carelessly as if God doesn't mean what he says in
his word, the Bible, about Heaven and Hell. They argue that God is too loving to prepare a
place of eternal punishment for anyone, in spite of all the warnings found in the books both
in the Old and New Testaments. We do not realize the depth of sin, and we do not see the
depth of sin as God does, and we try to make sin to be less wicked than it really is. God is
not impressed by our imaginations and his word will stand long after all of us pass into the
realm from which there is no return. Is it really wise for us to be careless concerning this?
What if God really is serious about Heaven and Hell, and what if the time we will be there
is time without end. Would you rather be in a place of eternal torment and eventually in a
Lake of Fire and Brimstone or a place where you are surrounded with love, joy and peace
and where there will never again be any sickness, sorrow, pain or death? Isn't it about time
that you settle it once and for all before you find out too late?
What Then?
By J. Whitfield Green
(John 3:16; Malachi 4:1- Mercy or Judgment?)
When the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work;
When our merchants have sold their last yardage
And dismissed the last tired clerk;
When our banks have raked in their last dollar
And paid out their last dividend;
When the Judge of the earth says, "Closed for the night,"
And asks for a balance - WHAT THEN?
When the choir has sung its last anthem,
And the preacher has made his last prayer;
When the people have heard their last sermon,
And the sound has died out on the air;
When the Bible lies closed on the altar,
And the pews are all empty of men;
And each one stands facing his record,
And the great Book is opened - WHAT THEN?
When the actors have played their last drama,
And the mimic has made his last pun;
When the film has flashed its last picture,
And the billboard displayed its last run;
When the crowds seeking pleasure have vanished
And gone out in the darkness again;
When the trumpet of ages is sounded,
And we bow down before Him - WHAT THEN?
When the bugle's call sinks into silence,
And the long marching columns stand still;
When the captain repeats his last orders,
And they've captured the last fort and hill;
And the flag has been hauled from the masthead,
And the wounded afield have checked in;
And a world that rejected its Savior,
Is asked for a reason - WHAT THEN?
