Does God Travel in Time?

Does God Travel in Time?

What if Einstein Was Right!

Chapter 39 Preview: If God “travels in time” then certain occurrences within the scriptures become easier for us, with our limited knowledge, to comprehend. If you believe that Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity essentially proves that “time travel” is possible, then you would not be surprised if it were to have a bearing on both history and prophecy. If you believe that Einstein was wrong and that even God cannot traverse time, then please go on to another chapter. This chapter was written from the premise that the Creator of time has complete mastery of it, so if Einstein miscalculated—well then blame him for the deductions of this chapter. Nothing else in my book is dependent on time travel.

For the last one hundred years the concept of time travel has tantalized the minds of many of us. I happen to easily fit into that category. A pbs.org article, for example, offers this enticement:

“Various researchers have proposed ways in which backward and forward time machines can be built that do not seem to violate any know laws of physics. Remember that the laws of physics tell us what is possible, not what is practical for humans at this point in time. The physics of time travel is still in its infancy. While all physicists today admit that time travel to the future is possible, many still believe time travel to the past will never be easily attainable. Dont believe anyone who tells you that humans will never have efficient technology for backward and forward time travel. Accurately predicting future technology is nearly impossible, and history is filled with underestimates of technology:”

The following thought would aptly explain God’s statement that He “inhabits eternity”.

“Surprising as it may be to most non-scientists and even to some scientists, Albert Einstein concluded in his later years that the past, present, and future all exist simultaneously. In 1952, in his book Relativity, in discussing Minkowski’s Space World interpretation of his theory of relativity, Einstein writes:

“Since there exists in this four dimensional structure [space-time] no longer any sections which represent ‘now’ objectively, the concepts of happening and becoming are indeed not completely suspended, but yet complicated. It appears therefore more natural to think of physical reality as a four dimensional existence, instead of, as hitherto, the evolution of a three dimensional existence.” (outside link)

So perhaps God doesnt exactly travel in time anymore than we see the sun rise—since the earth is actually rising but from our perspective the sun is rising. Another analogy is when a car approaches you on a highway—you only see where you are going while the approaching driver only sees where you have been. Time and space are a matter of perspective. Perhaps God travels to the location that He chooses to and then chooses which vantage point, or points in “time” to view.

We’ve been designed to long for this “beautiful” perspective of “time” and “eternity” but presently “man cant find out”.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man cant find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end. WEB

Other mathematical geniuses have since expanded upon Einstein’s realizations but that is way beyond the scope of this chapter.

There are certainly times when true believers can disagree on whether or not a scripture should be taken literally. I dont think that there should be many of these places, especially in regard to obedience. This has nothing to do with obedience so I’m perfectly happy if you think that figurative explanations for some of the following scriptures were intended.

Just for fun let’s take some scriptures literally that are traditionally taken to be anything but that.

The following verse is the first example of a verse that I take to be literal. It appears that God doesnt actually “travel in time”—He INHABITS time! From wherever He is, He exists in the past, the present and the future of that particular place, all at once!

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to ‘revive’ [Strong’s 2421] the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” WEB

From the above verse we can see that:

The primary meaning of “revive” using the hiphil verb stem (8687) is “to preserve alive, let live”. So under God’s umbrella certain humans can be preserved alive and at least on some level experience what God is experiencing.

Yet no Scripture says that God exists EVERYWHERE at the same time. The concept of “omnipresence” is of pagan origin.

So God actually dwells in eternity. The Hebrew word for “inhabits” above is the same word translated as “dwell” in the same sentence. God said that He lives in a specific “place”. The word for “place” is very often translated as “sanctuary”. So God “inhabits” one place at a “time”—a sanctuary.

Here is a closer look at the word “inhabits” using the appropriate (Qal) verb stem from the Online Bible Hebrew Lexicon:

Furthermore, “eternity” in the Hebrew means past, present and future—just as it does in English.

Notice in the following statement, from God Himself, how He knows, for example, the future of the descendants of Abraham—an aspect of TIME, but when it comes to a location, a specific place in SPACE He must either rely on “reports” or “go ... and see” in Person!

Genesis 18:17-21 [Yehovah’] said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18 seeing that Abraham [shall become] a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of [Yehovah], to do righteousness and justice; to the end that [Yehovah] may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken of him.” 20 [Yehovah] said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to Me. If not, I will know. WEB

Note that the operative word in the following Scripture “declaring” (Strong’s 05046 nagad) is translated as “tell” 222 times in the KJV. So it is not saying that God is necessarily “causing” all of the events of eternity, rather His prophecies “tell” us the end results.

Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me; 10 DECLARING the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.... WEB

This is not to imply that God does not intervene—eliminating certain outcomes that are not to His liking, as He did in Sodom and Gomorrah. God can do anything that He wants to:

Matthew 19:26 Yeshua looked on them, and said, “With men this is impossible, but with Yehovah everything is possible”. NMT

The best minds of science, beginning in 1905 with Albert Einstein, have concluded that “time travel” is not only possible—it is a mathematical certainty (off site).

So if God can travel in time (from our perspective), then can God make people travel in time as well? Do the scriptures ever address that?

The Lord’s Day

Was the apostle John hallucinating, as some believe? Was he dreaming? Scripture says that he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”. It was the real thing—he lived in the future. He literally experienced the events of “the Day of the Lord”! The entire book of Revelation is a first hand narrative. Unlike Daniel, he did not take this lying down. Seven times he said “I saw”: Revelation 1:12; 1:17; 4:4; 5:1; 5:2; 6:1; 6:9.

Revelation 1:9-19 I John, your brother, and partaker with you in the tribulation* and poverty* that are in Yeshua the Messiah, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of Yehovah, and because of the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Yehovah’s day[1]; and I heard behind me a great voice, like a trumpet, that said, 11 “That which you see, write in a book, and send to the seven Assemblies, to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea”. 12 I turned around to look at the voice that spoke to me; and when I had turned, I saw the seven lights of the golden menorah; 13 and, in the middle of the menorah*, one like the Son of man, clothed down to His feet, and clothed about His chest with a belt of gold. 14 His head and His hair were white, like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like fine brass flaming in a furnace and His voice was like *great waves of water[5204]. 16 He had in His right hand seven stars; and from His mouth came a sharp two edged sword. His face*[3799] was like the sun shining full strength. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as tho dead. He laid His right hand on me, and said, “Dont fear, I am the First and the Last; 18 who lives and was dead. Look, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of death and the grave[86]. 19 So, write what you have already seen, and the things that presently are, and the things that are to be in the future[3326][5023]. NMT

[1] The “Lord’s Day” is “The Day of the Lord”—this is no Sunday picnic!

Revelation clearly says that:

My brother told me that according to a very old family copy of Fox’s Book of Martyrs (that I could not stomach reading as a teen) the Apostle John was never martyred. Here is an excerpt from an online copy:

“The “beloved disciple,” was brother to James the Great. The churches [off site] of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.”

But that does not square with what Yeshua said!

Mark 10:35-39 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, and said, “Teacher, we want for You to do for us everything that we ask”. 36 He said to them, “What do you want for Me to do for you”? 37 They said to Him, “Grant to us, that one of us may sit on Your right hand, and the other on Your left, in Your glory”. 38 But He said to them, “You dont know what you're asking for. Are you able to drink from the same cup that I drink from, and be baptized with same the baptism, that I am baptized with”? 39 They said to Him, “We are able”. So Yeshua said to them, “You will drink the from cup that I drink, and you will be baptized with the same kind of baptism that I am baptized with.... NMT

Could it be, as my brother said in our discussion of this topic that John “was” martyred during the coming Great Tribulation?

Visions?

What about the use of the word “vision” in Revelation? Yes, the word “vision” appears once in Revelation:

Revelation 9:17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them.... WEB

Yet it could just as easily say:

Revelation 9:17While I looked on the horses *within view*[3706], and on those who sat on them I saw.... NMT

The primary use of the word “vision” concerns the act of seeing in the sense of sight with the eyes!

At least one of Daniel’s visions appears to be much more than a simple dream because “the men who were with me ... fled to hide themselves!”

Daniel 10:7 I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men who were with me didnt see the vision; but a great quaking fell on them, and they fled to hide themselves. WEB

Occasionally “vision” does utilize the figurative usage, as is done in English. Here is an example:

Acts 12:9 He [Peter] went out and followed him, not knowing that what had been done by the celestial Messenger was a reality; for he supposed, that he saw a vision. NMT

The Fifth Coming of Elijah!

As you probably know, Elijah did not die in ancient Israel—he simply vanished into the sky!

2 Kings 2:11-12 It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” WEB

This “fiery” mode of transportation was not an isolated incident; in fact God has as fleet of such chariots:

Isaiah 66:15 For, behold, [Yehovah] will come with fire, and His chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render His anger with fierceness, and His rebuke with flames of fire. WEB

But what happened to Elijah after his flight? Did Elijah go to pluck on harps in heaven or does the Bible say that he was to appear in the future? I hope to show that he made four more appearances!

I believe that all of these Elijahs are the same person who lived/will live at different points in time. Put another way, if we believe the scriptures literally then we would have to look very hard NOT to believe that Elijah (known in the 1st century as John the Baptizer) was:

Let’s check out #4 first because it is the most represented in the scriptures:

There are three accounts of the “transfiguration”. This event was truly astonishing and should not be dismissed as a curiosity. In each account the “no way taste of death” comment is followed six days later by a “changed into another form” comment. Despite the inconsistency of the people who inserted the chapter breaks, these two events are very connected.

This was no vision. In fact Peter plainly stated much later, in reference to the transfiguration, that they had not fallen for any “fables”. He said that the three of them “were eyewitnesses” and that they also “heard this voice come out of heaven”—so they were also “earwitnesses”!

2 Peter 1:16-18 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Master Yeshua the Messiah], but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. WEB

The key to understanding what actually happened is that Yeshua was literally metamorphasized—changed “into another form”—and that form was light!

With that metamorphosis in mind let’s read the accounts:

Matthew 16:28-17:3 Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” Chapter 17:1 After six days, [Yeshua] took with Him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as the light. 3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with Him. WEB

Mark 9:1-4 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see the Kingdom of God come with power.” 2 After six days [Yeshua] took with Him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and He was changed into another form in front of them. 3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with [Yeshua]. WEB

Luke 9:27-33 But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here, who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Kingdom of God.” 28 It happened about eight days [counting inclusively] after these sayings, that He took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. 29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became white and dazzling. 30 Behold, two men were talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory, and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory, and the two men who stood with him. 33 It happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to [Yeshua], “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three ‘tents’ [tabernacles—Strong’s 4633]: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what He said. WEB

Are there some very old people who never tasted death and are there are some men who actually saw “the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom”. None of these accounts indicate that the “transfiguration” was a “vision”. All represent the information as factual—so why the unbelief? “Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with Him”. This was no parlor trick! Notice that they were “fully awake” when they saw Yeshua in His glorified form, as well as when they saw “Moses and Elijah”. Luke’s account might seemingly indicate that Peter was a bit “rattled” after the event, by his tabernacles comment but perhaps Peter began to perceive a Feast of Tabernacles connection to this occurrence, but let’s go on.

This astonishing experience alone might have lead “Peter, John, and James” to assume that the New Covenant with Israel would be accomplished in their life times. With the advantage of 20/20 hindsight we need to understand what really happened—that both Moses and Elijah had traveled in time to meet with Yeshua! Yet as exciting as this meeting was, they still did not see “the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom”.

Under normal chronology, the “transfiguration” is the fourth coming of Elijah, as I hope to show. We just read that some of those standing with Yeshua would actually live to see “the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom”. Yet that time will be of far more consequence than was the “transfiguration”—it will involve all of the saints and even “the world”:

Mark 13:26-27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 Then He will send out His angels, and will gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky. WEB

Luke 21:25-27 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.” WEB

Lets go back to the statement: “His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as the light.” Herein lies the answer to the mystery. Yeshua was transformed into something like solid light!

The nature of light is the backbone Einstein’s revolutionary theory of relativity:

“What is light? How does it travel, and how fast can it go? Even as a teenager, Einstein was fascinated by the nature of light. When he was just 16 years old, Einstein tried to imagine what it would be like to ride on a beam of light. Could he travel as fast as light? Could he travel faster?”

Yet scientists are now just beginning to describe the kind of solid appearing light that is commonly used in descriptions of God.

“A ‘new theory’, predicts that light could be made to exhibit properties similar to those of matter, although photons dont normally interact with one other, unlike for instance electrons used by computer circuitry.

“A team of scientists made a breakthrough in the field of solid light using only tools that are usually employed to study matter, rather than energy.”

Ordinary light somewhat inhabits eternity, in that it does not experience time. It is almost eternal when we consider the star light that we see came our direction aeons ago.

Mount Sinai

Both Moses and Elijah spoke with God on Mount Sinai during antiquity. In Exodus (18:1-3), when Moses visited God, the mountain was covered with a cloud (19:16). The same thing happened at the transfiguration. Perhaps during the transfiguration, God moved both Moses and Elijah to Galilee where the three disciples were.

Is there a clear precedent for that? Yes, during Ezekiel’s “vision” he saw God moving from “the midst of the city” “to the mountain!”:

Ezekiel 11:1, 22-25 Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of [Yehovah’s] house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.... 22 Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23 The glory of [Yehovah] went up from the midst of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city. 24 The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 Then I spoke to them of the captivity all the things that [Yehovah] had shown me. WEB

How often do you wake up from a “dream” in the very place that you were dreaming about and then tell people about the dream?

Next we see two accounts of Ezekiel traveling both in time and in space:

Ezekiel 8:1-3It happened in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord [Yehovah] fell there on me. 2 Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of ‘fire’ [light]; from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire; and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal. 3 He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north....

Ezekiel 43:4-7 And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7 And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places.” WEB

Moses also had a mountain top experience with the “Great Light”:

Exodus 34:29 It happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moses didnt know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him. WEB

This event corresponds with Luke 9:31 which tells us that during the transfiguration Moses “appeared in glory”. WEB

During the transfiguration, the past, the present and the future all exist in the same location. Under God’s “umbrella” Moses and Elijah from their “times” appear with the disciples in their “time” while Yeshua appears in His futuristic resurrected state!

So why do I call this the fourth coming? Let me attempt to show you the other four comings!

The first scriptural reference to Elijah informs us that he was from an unknown “captive” {08664} city and that he was a “foreigner” {08453}! He was a man who seemingly came out of nowhere—and perhaps he did!

1 Kings 17:1-4 Elijah the Tishbite {08664}, who was of the foreigners {08453} of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As [Yehovah], the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” 2 The word of [Yehovah] came to him, saying, 3 “Go away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. 4 It shall be, that you shall drink of the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” WEB

Right away he was performing miracles. But “after many days” (18:1) God put him to work single-handedly attacking the wicked king Ahab of Israel.

1 Kings 18:1 It happened after many days, that the word of [Yehovah] came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.” WEB

Our first contact with Elijah explains that he was a wanted man—dead or alive. This would be his “first coming”.

Years after his fiery departure on a blazingly lit up chariot he came back at least long enough to pronounce a curse upon another royal administration:

2 Chronicles 21:12-15 A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says [Yehovah], the God of David your father, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself: 14 behold, [Yehovah] will strike with a great plague your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your substance; 15 and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’” WEB

From our perspective this was Elijah’s “second coming”.

Now, Elijah is mentioned thirty times in the New Scriptures (“New Testament”). In the first 28 times the topic concerns either the return of Elijah—a very popular idea at the time, or else the “transfiguration”.

The Scriptures and other historic records repeatedly indicate that the Jews were expecting Elijah and some of the other prophets to reappear!

Matthew 16:13-17 Now when Yeshua came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 [Yeshua] answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. WEB

This would have been Yeshua’s perfect time to say: “thus saith the Lord, ‘you guys are crazy! Elijah is quite dead’”. But on the contrary Yeshua confirmed the astonishing truth! See for yourself:

Matthew 11:12-14 From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. WEB

So Yeshua said of John the Baptizer: “this is Elijah, who is to come”. From our perspective this would be his third coming. Another clue is that no one else in the Bible is describes as wearing this distinctive atire:

2 Kings 1:8 They answered him, “He was a ‘hairy’ [Strong’s 8181: crude animal hide] man, and wearing a leather belt around his waist.” He said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” WEB

Matthew 3:4 Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. WEB

Of course John the baptizer was no more likely to spend his youth calling himself “the Elijah to come” than was Yeshua to go around saying that he was the coming Messiah—before the time was right.

But there is a problem: John did not fulfil of the prophecy concerning the Elijah “who is to come” of Malachi 4—yet! He will come just prior to “the great and dreadful day of the LORD” to prevent God from needing to strike “the earth with a ‘curse’ [Strong’s 2764: utter destruction]”!

Just for argument sake, suppose Yeshua was not kidding—suppose John really was Elijah! Was that a new idea? No! Before John was even born an angel made the same claim:

Luke 1:11-17 An angel of the Lord appeared to him [John’s father], standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Dont be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” WEB

OK, here is why my wife says that I watch too much sci-fi. If John was really Elijah then he would have spent his youth with Yeshua AND THEN WOULD HAVE “GONE BACK IN TIME” TO CHANGE HISTORY!

The Jews of Yeshua's day were looking for Elijah to come again and fulfil Malachi’s prophecy. Lets consider the Elijah “who is to come”. Here are the very last words from the Hebrew Scriptures:

Malachi 4:4 “Remember the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of [Yehovah] comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” WEB

Malachi did not say that God was going to send someone kind-a-sort-a-like Elijah. God said that He was going to eventually send Elijah back to perform an amazing job “before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes” (KJV). That would be his fifth appearance. Once his 21st century work was over the only thing he had left to do was to return to the first century and die at the hands of king Herod.

“John’s Baptism” and the “wrath to come”

Why had people come to John the baptizer for baptism? First notice that it was not for receiving the Holy Spirit!

Acts 19:1-6 It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we havent even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in [Yeshua].” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the [Master Yeshua]. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

These people had to be told long after John baptized them what John’s baptism was about and that his baptism was insufficient for salvation:

So why were “Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism”? The answer to that is that they believed that he was the Elijah to come and that they wanted to be spared “from the wrath to come”! That is a clear reference to Malachi’s prediction: “lest I come and strike the earth with a curse”!

John also believed that God’s devastating wrath was about to be unleashed on the earth:

Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? WEB [also Luke 3:7]

The third and final reference to “the wrath to come” is definitely about surviving the Day of the Lord because the Messiah “delivers us from the wrath to come” when He returns:

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Yeshua, who delivers us from the wrath to come. WEB

Yet even John the Baptizer did not know until quite late in the scheme of things that his cousin Yeshua was the Messiah!

Luke 7:18-20 The disciples of John told him about all these things. 19 John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to [Yeshua], saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” 20 When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you He who comes, or should we look for another?’”

So if John did not know who the Messiah was, why would he have necessarily believed that he himself was the long awaited Elijah to come? In fact he did not know that and he even denied it:

John 1:19-27 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 “It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

I believe that John, in what would have appeared to be but a mere moment, perhaps while he was in prison, lived out the rest of his life in the past and the future—fulfilling all five of the Elijah prophecies!

Many of us will live to see Elijah’s final mission:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of [Yehovah] comes”!

Perhaps people who believe that “time is flat” will some day be in the same category as the one dimentional “earth is flat” crowd.

ADDENDUM: “... nor did His flesh see decay”

On a related topic—Does Yeshua entirely occupy eternity or is He short “three day and three nights” of that?

Yeshua said that He occupies eternity. There is no reason to conclude that He is not, as is His Father: past—present—and future, all at once!

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty”. WEB

Speaking of occupying time and space, even as Yeshua lay in the grave He was still present in a way because there was something unique about His death—His body was not allowed to deteriorate at all. In the Greek, every time that “corruption” is used it is in reference to the lack of deterioration of Yeshua’s dead body, with the sole except for David’s body which “saw corruption” (Acts 13:36).

Notice the detailed explanation of Yeshua’s flesh:

Acts 2:27... Because thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. KJV

Acts 2:31... he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was His soul left in Hades, nor did His flesh see decay. WEB

Acts 13:34 Concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more [the Greek adds: “about”] to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ WEB

Acts 13:35-36 Therefore he says also in another psalm, “You will not allow your Holy One to see ‘decay’” [or ‘corruption’ LIT]. 36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. WEB

Acts 13:37 But He whom God raised up saw NO DECAY. WEB

This detailed description about Yeshua’s body not seeing corruption stems from a prophecy of David, and that prophecy even emphasizes His “flesh”:

Psalms 16:9-10 So My heart is glad, and My glory rejoices; My flesh shall also ‘rest’ [Strong’s 07931: dwell!] in hope. 10 For You will not leave My soul in ‘Sheol’ [the grave]; You will not give Your Holy One to see corruption. LIT

With so much emphasis, this is quite significant. Since Yeshua apparently experienced no more bodily degradation than that which was inflicted upon Him by men, perhaps He did not pass from the realm of always existing. Apparently Yeshua is technically Eternal.

Dont think for a minute that I am saying that He did not die. What I am saying is that as soon as our heart quits beating or our lungs cease to work are bodies begin to “see corruption” and soon we begin to stink. I dont think Yeshua body was allowed to degrade or stink.

Recall that manna, “the bread out of heaven” “bred worms and stank” by morning when people tried to save it. Yet when God wanted it preserved it did not “see corruption” for “generations”!

Exodus 16:19-23 Moses said to them, “Let no one leave of it until the morning.” 20 Notwithstanding they didnt listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them. 21 They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is that which [Yehovah] has spoken, ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to [Yehovah]. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.’” WEB

Exodus 16:33 Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before [Yehovah], to be kept throughout your generations.’ WEB

Interestingly, manna, “the bread of life”, was to be treated like the Passover lamb in that is should not be kept for use the next day during the week.

Exodus 12:10 You shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire. WEB

Yeshua was the “the true bread out of heaven”. And yes His flesh was symbolically eaten at the Passover.

John 6:30-35 They said therefore to Him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do you do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32 [Yeshua] therefore said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, it wasnt Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 They said therefore to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” 35 [Yeshua] said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will not be hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” WEB

There is a parallel to this: if at Yeshua’s Supper you eat the bread in an unworthy manner your destiny may just stink!

There is a Hebrew word that is the equivalent of the Greek word for “corruption”. Here is an interesting use of the word. This appears to be in reference to the resurrection!

Job 33:23-26 If there is beside him an ‘angel’ [messenger], an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him; 24 then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to ‘the pit’, [corruption] I have found a ransom.’ 25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth. 26 He prays to God, and He is favorable to him, so that He sees his face with joy. WEB

Under what other conditions could an adults flesh be of higher quality “than a child’s”? I believe that this is “born again”—spirit composed flesh.

The point is that Yeshua’s body was not allowed to see “corruption” even on the cellular level, so it appears that He was technically eternal even in the flesh.

But there is more. When people die we know nothing, that is we have no consciousness until our resurrection:

Ecclesiastes 9:4-5 For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead dont know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. WEB

This is not to say that Solomon was not aware that God preserves our spirit essence in a safe place until the time of judgment:

Ecclesiastes 12:6 & 12 because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets.... 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. WEB

But only our “spiritual genetic code” goes to heaven:

John 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. WEB

Ecclesiastes 9:9 ... but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. WEB

However with Yeshua, because He is eternal, He was consciously suffering even in death along with the vilest of disembodied spirits who—unlike their less vile companions—are even now being restrained. This was part of the suffering that Yeshua did for us!

1 Peter 3:17-20 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; [simultaneously] 19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. WEB

In due “time” we too will inhabit eternity:

Job 14:13 “Oh that you would hide me in ‘Sheol’ [“hell”, the grave], that you would keep me secret, until Your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my ‘warfare’ [or service] would I wait, until my ‘release’ [literally: change] should come. 15 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands. WEB