Time

New Year's Day naturally lends itself to the topic of Time. I was reviewing my old notebooks where I outline and keep notes for articles that I may wish to write someday. I was not looking for a topic to blog about. However, that is what seems to have providentially occurred. Because this particular set of notes was written as the background for a potential Bible study, that may overshadow the tenor of this blog. But I promise, I'll try really hard not to sound too religious, even though there will be quotations from scripture.

And in that vein:
He made known to us the mystery of His will with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times… Ephesians 1:9, 10a

First, understand thet some adverb and prepositional phrases were omitted because, the title of this blog not withstanding, they would lead to a rabbit trail that I don't wish to follow at the moment. Rather, I'd like to emphasize "an administration suitable to the fullness of the times…" You are welcome to go look it up on your own if you are worried that I'm taking something out of context. Far be it from me to stop anyone from chasing down a bunny trail! But the main point for now is that Time is under jurisdiction of God the Father. In fact, one of the names for Him is Ancient of Days.

...thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow
And the hair of His head like pure wool
His throne was ablaze with flames
~from Daniel 7

My notes continue for several pages, giving examples of "proper time" for seeding and harvest, the appearing of Christ, the testimony, the gentile age, for hope to be manifested, for taking possession of the kingdom, and so forth—all laying a foundation to show that set times are integral in God's plans.

And then there was this:
...He will … wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times… ~from Daniel 7:25

The antichrist will attempt to change God's timing. That has to be diabolical.

Imagine that, as Creator of the Universe you had certain asteroids lined up on precisely calculated trajectories so that you could pull off the fulfillment of the revelation that you'd leaked to John so that it will look like a huge mountain, all ablaze, being thrown into the sea. You've balanced the stresses along the fault lines so that your earthquakes will occur exactly when it's time to return. You've structured the elements of the atmosphere to coalesce into hailstones at the particular instant that enemy armies will be pulling flanking maneuvers past Mount Megiddo into the Jezreel Valley. And here comes this immortal enemy hell-bent on altering the schedule.
Just who does the antichrist think he is anyway, God?

… oh, yeah. I guess he does.