Messing with the Time-Space Continuum

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v8).

Nobody but nobody messes with the time-space continuum like JJ Abrams. How else was he able to create an alternate universe for the reboot of the “Star Trek” franchise? His use of time travel in “Lost” caused many viewers to be, well, lost. But if you think JJ Abrams likes to jack with the time-space continuum, just wait till you see what Jesus does with it. Then again, He created it. The Apostle Peter lets us in on the fact that Christ views time like nobody else. 1 day=1,000 years. 1,000 years=1 day. Does that make your head hurt like it does mine? Good. It’s supposed to.

Pete doesn’t want us to miss this critical idea. “Do not overlook this one fact, beloved” (V8). Don’t ignore it. Don’t lose sight of it. That’s in total contrast to the trash talkers who “deliberately overlook this fact” (3:5). They intentionally ignore God’s work of creation, His destruction at the flood, and His ultimate judgment of the ungodly (3:5-7). The apostle has a word for those loved by God. Don’t miss the big idea. Here comes the headline.

“With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v8). Before we jump into the divine wormhole, let’s be clear who we’re talking about. “The Lord” is Jesus. That’s very important. This is the very same Man who hopped into Pete’s fishing boat back when everybody knew him as Simon. And his life changed forever that day. Jesus changed everything in Simon’s life. He changed his name to Rocky. He changed his purpose. From commercial fisherman to a fisher of men. Over the course of the next three years, Pete was an eyewitness to the miraculous. After all that he’s seen and heard Jesus do, including that whole crucified-dead-buried-and-resurrected miracle, this whole bending of the time-space continuum seems like a piece of cake.

Like so many folks do, Pete is quoting song lyrics to make his point. He drops a line from a hit tune Moses wrote that back in the day. Man, talk about classic rock! “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past” (Ps 90:4). If anybody knows about our eternal God, it’s Moses. When the Big Mo asked the Voice in the burning bush for some ID, He responded, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex 3:14). God’s very name is Yahweh. It literally means that He’s always been there and He will always be there. And wherever He is, He’s right there in the present tense.

In one of the most jaw-dropping moments in the entire Bible, Jesus announced that He is God Eternal. He made a mind-boggling admission to the religious bullies one day. “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn 8:58). Bad grammar. GREAT theology! This radical Rabbi/Carpenter from the boondocks of Galilee claimed that before Abe ever packed his bags and left Ur, He already existed. And He existed in the present tense. It’s easy for us to miss His point. Jesus has the guts to say that He’s God. He’s the very same God who talked to Moses at the burning bush.

And this wasn’t some random, one-time statement by Christ. When He showed up to visit His buddy John on the island of Patmos, the resurrected Jesus announced over and over that He’s always been around and He’s always going to be around. “I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev 1:8). “Fear not, I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore” (Rev 1:18). He’s “the First and the Last, who died and came to life” (Rev 2:8). “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Rev 22:13). Jesus always has been. Jesus always is. Jesus always will be. 

You see, as God, Jesus doesn’t have the same relationship with time that we do. When you create something, you have authority over it. God created time. He’s outside of it. Think of the Godhead standing on the banks of the river of time. He can see all of it. The Lord can see a thousand years as easily as He can see one day. And He can also make one day last as long as He wants. Think of Neo moving in super-slomo during one of those crazy fight scenes in “The Matrix.” 

At any point in time, Jesus can jump in and get involved. That’s exactly what the Son of God did. Around 2,000 years ago, He dove in and got personally involved. Think of it less of a graceful swan dive into the swimming pool and more of a dumpster dive into the most disgusting mess you can imagine. Our Hero got down and dirty on the greatest rescue mission the universe has ever seen. And when He left, Christ promised an amazing encore. He told us to be ready. He could make His comeback at any moment. But the problem is that it seems like it’s taking a very long time. Pete tells us that our Savior sees time WAY differently than we do. For Him, a millennium is like a Monday. And vice versa. In other words, Jesus hasn’t forgotten about us. His Second Coming hans’t slipped His mind. It’s coming. Better yet, HE’S coming! 

In the meantime, remember that our Lord created time. He can mess with it all He wants. JJ Abrams colors with crayons compared Christ’s masterpiece of time and space.