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Obviously if you are the Supreme Deity with a lot on your plate and as the hymn says "One thousand ages in Thy sight, are like an Evening gone." it is quite easy to forget how we miserable creatures (who are simultaneously God's most Wonderful Creation) have "got a thing about time.
Equally obviously, the Bible speaks from the very start about "days" - in fact "days" were so common in Heaven that we read in Genesis that they were around before the sun.
But, as for measuring time passing, God was all a bit vague. He first mentions it in
Ge:4:3: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
I think that this vagueness does indeed add evidence to the idea that any Being Who is not concerned about time, is not going to be very precise with it.
In the old Testament, God does make mention of the "hour" but is not until the Book of Daniel:
"Da:3:6: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
But this is the only book in the Old Testament that mentions an "hour".
The only real conclusion must be that God did suddenly recall that some people must have expressed, in their prayers, the idea that they wanted "hours" and thus God inspired Daniel to introduce them - even a couple of minutes in a lions' den must seem like hours!
It is therefore clear
(i) that Daniel invented the clock, but
(ii) that they were probably too expensive and
(iii) never became popular in Old Testament times.
Hours did not catch on until Jesus arrived -> M't:8:13: And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Now, if we examine that verse - it could just mean 1/24th of a day - i.e. "a period of time." But that is not the case: because, later, in John, who is very keen on "hours" - he uses the word more than anyone else - we have:
Joh:4:6: Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
and
Joh:4:53: So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
So we know that Jesus had reintroduced the clock and taught everyone to tell the time!
But the word "minute" does not appear at all. And forget about looking for "second" (other than when it means, "the one after the first") - there's not even a hint of it.
So what can we learn from all this?
1. God is not too concerned about time
2. God does listen to the prayers of the just and does offer mechanical help.
3. God does realize that a good idea - something we have prayed for - is worth trying twice (except for flooding the Earth when He said He would not do that again.)
4. Jesus made clocks popular and taught people to tell the time.
5. God thinks we should not be too concerned about time.
If God is not bothered about minutes and seconds, why should we be? And if you think about it, this conclusion is clear: How else can the Bible be interpreted other than in this way?
Equally obviously, the Bible speaks from the very start about "days" - in fact "days" were so common in Heaven that we read in Genesis that they were around before the sun.
But, as for measuring time passing, God was all a bit vague. He first mentions it in
Ge:4:3: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
I think that this vagueness does indeed add evidence to the idea that any Being Who is not concerned about time, is not going to be very precise with it.
In the old Testament, God does make mention of the "hour" but is not until the Book of Daniel:
"Da:3:6: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
But this is the only book in the Old Testament that mentions an "hour".
The only real conclusion must be that God did suddenly recall that some people must have expressed, in their prayers, the idea that they wanted "hours" and thus God inspired Daniel to introduce them - even a couple of minutes in a lions' den must seem like hours!
It is therefore clear
(i) that Daniel invented the clock, but
(ii) that they were probably too expensive and
(iii) never became popular in Old Testament times.
Hours did not catch on until Jesus arrived -> M't:8:13: And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Now, if we examine that verse - it could just mean 1/24th of a day - i.e. "a period of time." But that is not the case: because, later, in John, who is very keen on "hours" - he uses the word more than anyone else - we have:
Joh:4:6: Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
and
Joh:4:53: So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
So we know that Jesus had reintroduced the clock and taught everyone to tell the time!
But the word "minute" does not appear at all. And forget about looking for "second" (other than when it means, "the one after the first") - there's not even a hint of it.
__________________________________________________
So what can we learn from all this?
1. God is not too concerned about time
2. God does listen to the prayers of the just and does offer mechanical help.
3. God does realize that a good idea - something we have prayed for - is worth trying twice (except for flooding the Earth when He said He would not do that again.)
4. Jesus made clocks popular and taught people to tell the time.
5. God thinks we should not be too concerned about time.
If God is not bothered about minutes and seconds, why should we be? And if you think about it, this conclusion is clear: How else can the Bible be interpreted other than in this way?
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