with doctrine and purpose.
by Charles H. Welch
No experience is so fundamental to the human consciousness as the necessary relation of time, space and event. The human mind is so constructed that “an event” that took place at no time and in no place is inconceivable. Philosophy may entertain the idea that Absolute Being is unrelated to time and space, and the Scriptural title I AM suggests an eternal present, but the pursuit of this theme is forbidden by Scripture, for we read:
“He hath set the olam (age) in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end” (Eccles. iii. 11).
If this is man’s limitation regarding the “work” of God, how much more must he be limited when the subject is the Person of God Himself.
The various attempts to define the fundamental conceptions of time and space have filled volumes. Time has been defined as “the measure of movement”, and this is certainly true, if not the whole truth. We cannot speak of a speed of “20 miles”; we must say “20 miles per minute, per hour, per day, etc.”. Time, therefore, in this definition, is indissolubly linked with space, which is implied by “movement”, for one can only move from one place to another. However, while recognizing this aspect of our subject, we have no intention of pursuing it. Our theme is by no means a philosophical inquiry.
Time and place, being two of the fundamental conceptions of human thought, must necessarily find their place in a book that purports to speak to the understanding, and we are sure that an acquaintance with the time “when” and the place “where” its events took place, will be a contribution to our understanding of its glorious doctrines. We shall also be obliged to take cognizance of Scriptural chronology, for the O.T. is vitally associated with a chronology that links Adam with Christ. We shall seek to demonstrate the accuracy of that chronology, and deal with some of the problems it raises. We make no pretence, however, to any special qualifications in this science, and shall be content to use the studies of others in so far as they are in harmony with the Scriptures. Where authorities differ and Scriptural harmony is not attainable, we shall be content to leave the matter.
The place where any event took place is also constantly noted in the Scriptures, and this will involve a knowledge of Ancient and Modern Geography. Like chronology, this, too, is a subject for the specialist, and where authorities differ, we must be content to wait. We believe, for example, most surely that a garden was planted in Eden, even though we may be bewildered by the variety of suggestions made by scholars as to the exact place on the map that should be assigned to it.
Before we begin our study of time and place and their relation to doctrine, let us first acquaint ourselves with the different words used by the inspired writers in connection with time. We will take the Hebrew first.
Zeman . . . Translated in the A.V. “season”, “time” and as a verb, “to prepare”.
Zaman . . . Translated in the A.V. “time”, “appointed time”, “season”; and as a verb, “consider”, “think”, “purpose”, “devise”, “imagine”, “plot”.
It is evident that the underlying meaning of this word is “time, with special reference to its fitness”; hence an “appointed time” or “season”.
Yom . . . Translated in the A.V. 116 times “day” and 65 times “time”, together with a great variety of other words, ranging from “weather” to “yearly”. “Day” may be accepted as the fundamental meaning of the word, with the understanding that it is not always limited to a period of twenty-four hours.
Moed . . . Translated in the A.V. “congregation” 149 times, and then “appointed time”, “appointed season”, “time”, “feast”, and allied ideas. This word is derived from yaad, “to appoint, as a place or time”, and so “to meet with others at an appointed place”.
Iddan . . . Translated in the A.V. “time” 13 times. The word is derived from adah, “to go or to pass”. From this comes ad, variously translated “for ever”, “perpetually”, etc. Its basic meaning may be seen in the adverb ad, “till”, “yet”, etc. From adah is also derived:
Eth . . . Translated in the A.V. “time” 257 times, “season”, etc.
Olam . . . Translated in the A.V. “ever” and many other words. The primary meaning of the word is “age”, and carries with it the idea of something hidden, from alam, “secret”—the length of the age being something beyond human knowledge.
Rosh . . . Translated in the A.V. “head” 349 times, and when used of time, “beginning” and “first”.
Dor . . . Translated in the A.V. mostly by “generation”.
Teledoth . . . Translated in the A.V. “generation”, “family”, “origin”, “family history”.
These are the most important words used in the O.T. to denote the conception of “time”. In the N.T. the most important corresponding Greek words are as follows:
Genea, “generation”; hemera, “day”; kairos, “season”; chronos, “time”;
hora, “hour”; aion, “age”; and arche, “beginning”.
With this introduction and list of words we must be satisfied for the present. In our next article we hope to take up the question of Time and Place in relation to Scriptural doctrine.
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(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 33, page 170).
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