Time Travel in the Bible? Explaining the Unexplainable

There are instances in the Bible when men are given visions of the future.

Daniel and the apostle John are examples. It could be argued that John, in the book of Revelation, had an opportunity to “time travel” into the future where he was shown what was going to take place after the rapture of the church, and what was going to take place during the millennium. He was shown the judgment seat of Christ and the great white throne judgment. He was even allowed to see the new heaven and the new earth, and the New Jerusalem coming down. He described the New Jerusalem so beautifully.

How could he describe this unless he time-traveled to that place? Actually, the answer can be found in Revelation 1:9-11. It clearly says that John was shown a vision. However, this vision was not like watching a video where you sit back and just watch it from beginning to end. Instead, it was interactive. During the entire vision, John was still imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos.

A prophetic vision into the future may allow you to see into the future by the Spirit of God, but you are still in the present. That is not physical time travel.

Is Time Travel Possible?

Because of the laws of physics in the real world, time travel, as portrayed in movies, is not possible. As of this writing, the scientists and deep thinkers of our generation have not been able to conceive the thought that it is scientifically possible to travel into the future or the past.

Although time variation and alteration are real events, and it is possible to slow the process of time, for humans to physically move into the future or back to the past remains a scientific impossibility.

What Does the Bible Say About Time Travel?

The Bible does not directly address the idea of time travel as fantasized by modern culture. Although the Bible often prophetically speaks of events occurring on earth in the future, the idea of people changing historical events through time travel is not biblical.

When exploring the biblical view of time travel, we must first agree that God Himself created time and can insert Himself into the timeline at any point in the past, present, or future. However, mankind currently exists on a linear time- line that began at creation and ends at eternity.

Before the creation of time, time did not exist. Time is a substance that was created. God inhabits eternity but He created time for mankind. God existed before the creation of time because He created it.

For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy….(Isaiah 57:15)

In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began (Titus 1:2)

We also know that God knows the end from the beginning. If God is the only one who knows the future, that proves that no one else has been there except Him. This is how God can reveal prophecy to His prophets with such accuracy.

Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish (Isaiah 46:10 NLT).

By this one verse alone, we understand that God Himself can travel through time. Because He can travel through time, then His Spirit who lives in every believer can guide us in the proper direction for our future. Isaiah 48:17 says that God will guide us in the way we should go. How does He know the pit- falls and dangers and the plans of the enemy for our future? It’s because He’s been there and He’s seen them; and by His Spirit, He guides us to navigate around them so that we can live in the fullness of life He has planned for us.

Although the Bible indicates that God is independent of time, He still inserts Himself into the timeline of mankind as He desires. As this may not be a literal type of time travel as perceived by modern culture, it would be fair to say that God does not experience time in the same narrow way that human beings do.

A God-View of Time

Imagine an automobile parked at a railroad crossing as a train passes by. The person in the automobile is only able to see a few box cars as they pass by, and as the cars in front pass out of sight, other cars pass into view, and this continues until the train is completely out of view.

At the same time, someone can be observing this same train from a helicopter. Although the speed and location of the train have not changed, the person in the helicopter sees the engine and the caboose, as well as all the box cars in between, at the same time.

Although this is just an illustration, it is similar to the way God views time. Man is living day by day, watching the days pass one at a time, when God, who is the Creator of days, sees the end from the beginning from His viewpoint.

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” (Isaiah 46:10).

Changing the Way We Think About Time

In the Western way of thinking, time is linear. However, the ancient Hebrew concept of time is that time is circular and eventually circles back upon itself, making it never-ending. In the same way that a traditional clock is not a timeline, but the hands move in a circular motion and eventually return to the same position, the ancient Hebrews of the Bible did not see time with a singularly defined beginning and end. They saw time as a continual cycle of beginnings and endings, like a helix.

A helix is a scientific term describing a three-dimensional spiral curve. In the same way that threads on a bolt continually circle the bolt without touching or overlapping but move upward, the Hebrew concept of time is also circular in nature, with a continual unending movement upward toward God.

Because the Western culture sees time as linear, it’s much more difficult to understand the continual unending con- cept of time. With a circular view of time, our perspective of the beginning and end of earth and man’s days on the earth changes.

The Day the Sun Stood Still

Can the linear timeline of a human be altered? Is it possible that God could alter time or even stop it in order to deliver His people or someone from impending disaster or defeat?

In approximately 1207 BC, Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, had made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. There was a day when the five kings of the Amorites gathered together to make war against Gibeon because they had made peace with Israel. The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us” (Joshua 10:6). Then Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, honored his covenant with the Gibeonites, and took his army to defend them.

After an all-night march, Israel took the enemy by surprise and slaughtered them along the road (Joshua 10:9-10). Then the Lord provided a great hailstorm that killed even more of the enemy and caused mass confusion which gave Joshua even greater advantage (Joshua 10:11). The enemy was being defeated, but the total victory over the Amorites depended on the Israelites continuing their fight for one more day.

So, Joshua called upon the Lord in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon” (Joshua 10:12). The Lord answered Joshua’s request and caused the sun to stand still.

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel (Joshua 10:13-14).

It’s interesting to note that the writer of the book of Joshua said that this story could be verified by reading the account of it in the Book of Jasher.

This biblical story is a true account, but it raises several questions. Was time altered or stopped? Did Joshua experience any type of time travel? Was Joshua able to battle the enemy while time was actually stopped? Was time stopped in the heavens but continued on earth? Is it possible that there could be two separate timelines operating at the same time? What actually happened?

Here’s what we know to be true. God altered time and space and delivered Joshua’s army in battle. Joshua traveled neither forward nor backward in time, but rather used the additional time of daylight God gave him to complete a God-given task.

The understanding of the armies who were fighting the battle was that the sun stood still. Scientifically, in order for the sun to stand still, the rotation of the earth would have to be stopped. In order for that to happen, it would take a direct miracle from God that would defy all of the laws of physics. Gravity itself would have to be altered. Is this possible?

Let’s answer that question with another question. Is it possible for God Himself to do it? And, of course, that answer is yes. The one who created the laws of physics can alter the laws of physics. The parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31), the iron ax-head that floated (2 Kings 6:5-7), and even Jesus Himself walking on the water (Matthew 14:25- 26) are all scriptural instances of the laws of physics being altered. To say that God could not stop the rotation of the earth, but He could cause an ax-head to float is limiting the power of God.

Jeremiah 32:27 asks the question: Is anything too hard for God? Actually, Jesus Himself answered that question when He said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

We must not think that anything is impossible for God. If God has to alter the time/space continuum for you, He can do it. Jesus says in Mark 11:23 (ERV) that if you would say to that mountain, “‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you.”

What did Joshua need? About 24 more hours! He spoke to the sun, and he commanded it to stand still, and lo and behold the sun stood still.

Jesus said what is impossible for man is possible for God (Luke 18:27). When you have your back against the wall and you can’t even think of a way to tell God to get you out, God has a way. He makes a way when there is no way.

So is this an account of time travel? Actually, no. It’s an account of the supernatural, awesome, unlimited power of God to even alter the movement of the universe. When Joshua spoke to the Lord, God honored Joshua’s declaration when he was in a battle to honor his covenant with the Gibeonites (Joshua 10:12).