More Than Meets the Eye

by Richard Swenson

  Meteoroids, fragments of stony or metallic matter that pervade the solar system, are essentially asteroids on a collision course with Earth. Some have their own independent orbits around the sun; others travel in meteoroid swarms. Most are tiny and burn up upon entrance into Earth’s atmosphere, whereupon they are called meteors or shooting stars. Others survive to strike the earth, whereupon they are called meteorites.

  Cosmic dust also pervades the solar system. Tens of thousands of tons of cosmic dust strike the earth’s atmosphere each year. Included are space diamonds—literal diamonds but only big enough to decorate bacteria, were they so inclined.

  OF WORMHOLES AND WARP DRIVES

  Ever since Star Trek, sci-fi dreamers have fantasized about space travel to distant reaches of the universe. With our current understanding of physics and present level of technology, however, such travel is impossible. At speeds of thirty-seven thousand miles per hour—the speed achieved by NASA’s Voyager spacecraft as it left our solar system—even a trip to our nearest neighboring star would take eighty thousand years. It would thus appear we cannot even travel inside our own galaxy, let alone across the intergalactic universe.

  Nevertheless, research continues. The discovery of relativity and quantum mechanics taught us that science, space, life, and the universe are stranger than we perceive them to be. It is therefore best to stay curious and open-minded.

  Research into space travel takes many directions, but two of the most imaginative involve wormholes and warp drives. Wormholes are postulated shortcut tunnels through space-time. No one knows for sure if wormholes exist. To date, none have been observed.

  Theoretically, however, the possibility of wormholes originates from the theory of general relativity. In the 1930s, Einstein discovered that the equations of relativity allow a black hole to have two “ends” representing a bridge between two regions of space-time. This finding, however, was ignored by all but a few mathematicians until the 1980s.

  Even though wormholes exist in theory, do they exist in reality? If so, are they microscopic or massive? Are they fleeting or persistent? Evidence suggests it would take an astronomical amount of precisely targeted energy to create a wormhole. Once created, wormholes would appear to be very unstable, easily disrupted by anyone or anything attempting to pass through.

  While some scientists peck deeper into wormholes, others are looking into hyperdrives. NASA, for example, is investigating warp-drive possibilities that would allow faster-than-light travel. Here again, the work is purely theoretical and highly speculative. A University of Wales physicist named Miguel Alcubierre has proposed that a ship could exceed the speed of light by compressing space-time in front of it while expanding space-time behind it. To illustrate, if we were on a moving sidewalk our overall speed would be influenced by two factors: the speed at which we walked and the speed at which the sidewalk itself moved. In simplified language, this is how the Alcubierre’s warp drive might function— not by propelling the spaceship itself, but by manipulating the space-time context through which the spaceship was moving.42

  Only God Himself knows what will be the final verdict regarding wormholes, warp drives, faster-than-light speeds, hyperdrives, time warps, and parallel universes. Somehow I have a strange feeling that we have not heard the last from these mysteries of the cosmos. After all, it was the Almighty who first told us to expect things beyond our imagination.

  A REASON TO TRUST

  The universe is a vast, rich, and beautiful place. It is both comforting and fear-inspiring. Every molecule and every magnetar speak of God. “The universe,” said Thomas Carlyle, “is but one vast symbol of God.” All throughout Scripture we read how God forged His creation and then indelibly stamped it with His glory.

  Partly the hand of God is seen through beauty. Aesthetic sensitivity and harmony were not necessarily a given. God decided on beauty. Sunsets and stars, northern lights and meteor showers, blue oceans and green forests … we should rightly be grateful that God ordained such elegance.

  Partly the hand of God is seen through power—whether the extensive power of gravity that holds it all together; the concentrated power of nuclear fusion that fuels the stars and gives us life; or the awesome power of supernovas, quasars, and gamma ray bursts. “Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power, ” said Jeremiah. “Nothing is too hard for you.”43

  Partly the hand of God is seen through precision. There can be little doubt to any objective observer that the universe was indeed a behind-the-scenes, fully-manipulated “put up” job. Our planet’s requirements for sustainable life were impossibly and narrowly defined from the beginning: not too much mass or too little mass; not too far from the sun or too close to the sun; not too far from Jupiter or too close to Jupiter. The gravitational force had to be precise. The number of stars in the universe had to be precise. “Scientists have identified 109 characteristics of our galaxy and solar system that require exquisite fine-tuning for life’s existence and sustenance,” explains astrophysicist Hugh Ross, “and that’s to say nothing, yet, about the possibility of organic matter arising from inorganic.”44

  If He has displayed such lavish beauty, power, and precision, why do we have such difficulty resting in His sovereignty? The abundant witness of a created universe leaves no rational excuse for existential insecurity. If we have a problem with spiritual confidence, it is not from God’s lack of revelation.

  TIME, SPACE, and LIGHT

  ONE of these days, God will get up from the sitting room in Heaven, walk across the floor, and turn off the television set. When He does that, this present age will be over. Everything we know will disappear.

  This is not to say that our present world is an illusion. In fact, it is very real. But there exists an even bigger, more impressive, more dominant reality. And when God says the word, that dominant reality will take over.

  Our present world is real, but temporary. The more dominant world is also real, but permanent. It is infinite and everlasting. This is why the Scriptures so often refer to our present age as “temporal,” and to the age to come as “eternal.”

  When God gives the signal, we will have some surprises in store for us. When He brings down the curtain on the final act, many of us will be stunned to discover what comes next. The new dominant reality will be so unfathomably different and strange that it will take getting used to. The Scriptures have hinted at what it might be like. But nothing can fully prepare us for what awaits us. It is impossible to stretch our imaginations that far.

  “Now we see through a glass, darkly;” wrote Paul, “but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”1 When God says the final word, we will see and know. Things will no longer be obscure, uncertain, vague. Every question will have an answer. Every question mark will be erased.

  If we want a sneak preview into this new reality, there are several possible ways to catch a glimpse. The Scriptures, of course, are the best way to envision the eternal. In addition, we can also benefit by a deeper understanding of the nature of time, space, and light. These three concepts have special properties. To be sure, they help define our present temporal world. Yet in a unique way, they also tether us to the eternal world. As we investigate them more fully, however, be prepared to have the moorings of your preconceptions loosened.

  Einstein’s relativity taught us that time, space, and light were not what we thought them to be. After relativity emerged, all of physics—even all of reality —was open for redefinition. Light, he explained, is not some smooth ubiquitous ray that fills a room, but rather a discrete quantum called a photon. Unbelievably, the photon travels at the same speed for all people in all frames of reference no matter what. In addition, once something accelerates to the speed of light, both space and time begin acting bizarrely. At the speed of light we witness several unearthly phenomena:

  Dimension shrinks to zero.

  Mass increases to infinity.

  Time stands s
till.

  Time, space, light—let’s examine each of these concepts and see if perhaps we might not be permitted a sneak preview into the physics of Heaven.

  TIME

  Time can seem boring. It is the one constant in an otherwise rapidly changing, increasingly cascading world. The seconds plod along, like the steady dripping of a leaky faucet. “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,” wrote Shakespeare, “creeps in this petty pace from day-to-day to the last syllable of recorded time.”

  Time moves only in one direction—forward. Aside from God Himself, no person or event has ever been able to change the direction of that flow. And it moves at the same pace for all people. Whether naked tribesmen in their Irian jungles or bespectacled professors in their Oxford classrooms—it makes no difference. Time is a resource we all share equally. Nobody gets a minute more or a minute less, no matter how we beg or bribe.

  Time just is.

  And then Einstein came along and threw the rulebook into the fire. Einstein proved that time only works in the usual way when we are comfortably in our routine frame of reference. Once we step out of that frame of reference, however, time changes. When in the larger universe—a universe of many frames of reference and great speeds—time warps dramatically.

  By allowing us to glimpse this fact, I believe God is hinting at something. Through Einstein’s relativity, He is allowing us a “sneak peek” revelation into the nature of Heaven. When God hints in such a way, it is usually worthwhile to follow His lead and try to discern His message. Following is a brief discussion of some spiritually relevant notions about time.

  Time versus eternity— There are many theological opinions about God’s exact relationship to time. The orthodox position— and my own belief—is that God stands outside of time. Time was a specific invention of His; in other words, time had a beginning. God created time when He created space and matter. When our age is over, God will un-invent time, and then eternity will take over.

  Time dimensions — Time seems rigid to us because we exist in only one time dimension—a straight line. If we were able to perceive time as having two or more dimensions, many of our questions about God’s miraculous powers would be easily answered. If God operates in more than one time dimension, it means that He can move around within our single time dimension and see everything happening simultaneously.

  This is hard for us to perceive but not at all hard for God to do. We should never fall into the trap of thinking that if something is hard for us to imagine, it is therefore hard for God to do. A grasshopper has a hard time figuring out how a 747 works, but meanwhile the 747 flies overhead. Fortunately, the spiritual universe is neither obligated nor constrained by the meagerness of our comprehension.

  Time dilation— The elasticity of time is not a spiritual apparition, but rather a proven fact of physics and an established observation in psychology. In physics we know that the elasticity of time is related to both velocity and gravity. The faster the velocity or the greater the gravity, the slower time passes. This effect is not simply an observational phenomenon. It really happens. It is called time dilation. The time dilation effect maximizes at the speed of light, when the passage of time stops altogether.

  In psychology, time dilation is noted in the dream state. A dream of but a few minutes can, upon awakening, seem to have taken hours. Opium use can give the impression of an almost nonexistent passage of time.2

  Musical scores and book plots— Works of music and literature are helpful illustrations to better envision how God stands above time. When we sit at a piano and spread out the music, we are, in a sense, acting like a person outside of time. It is possible for us to look at or play any portion of the score whenever we wish. We can also back up or skip forward whenever we wish. We can see the past, present, and future all at once.3

  A book, perhaps a novel, also has several perspectives on time involved: there are the characters in the story, the author of the story, and the reader of the story. Time flows forward as the plot unfolds. Yet perhaps while writing the novel, the author took a break for a week, and then returned to writing again, picking up the story line at the exact moment in the plot where he left off a week before. Meanwhile the reader can begin at the front, middle, or end of the book. And once the reader has begun, it is possible to go back to the beginning and look at a passage again—thus, in a sense, going backward in time.4

  Time and prayer— Many people balk at prayer because they can’t get past the time issues involved. “How,” they wonder, “can God listen to a million people praying all at once?” This is only a problem because of our dimensional blinders. Once these are removed, there are no obstacles left in physics or mathematics that would prevent God from hearing a million prayers simultaneously. As a matter of fact, God can listen to an infinite number of prayers at the same time, and take an infinite amount of time in answering each—all within the bounds of orthodoxy.

  Foreknowledge versus free will— This problem, at least in my own view, is cleared up when we understand the extreme facility with which God operates within time. He lives in the past, the present, and the future all at the same time. “God does not ‘foresee’ you doing things tomorrow; He simply sees you doing them,” explains C. S. Lewis, “because, though tomorrow is not yet there for you, it is for Him.”5

  God might know that something is going to happen to me next year—perhaps a car accident. But such knowledge does not mean He caused it to happen. He didn’t cause it—He merely sees it. There is a difference.

  If I act tomorrow out of my own free will, God already knows what that act is. To Him, being above and outside of all time dimensions, everything happens now. Yesterday happens now, today happens now, and tomorrow happens now. Just because He sees me act does not mean that He causes me to act.

  Time and artificial barriers— That we can only travel in one dimension of time is an artifact, placed there at creation by God. The best way to explain this artificial time barrier is simply to say that God set it up that way and He must have had His reasons.

  Another barrier that I believe to be artificial is the light barrier—the universal law of physics that prevents anything from traveling faster than the speed of light. I am interested to see what God will do with the light barrier in Heaven. Will He keep it intact? Or perhaps will He ordain that every frame of reference will somehow travel at the speed of light and thus never age?

  Another possibility, should God choose it, involves three categories: when we want to go forward in time we will travel less than the speed of light; when we want to go backward in time we will travel faster than the speed of light; and when we want to be stationary in time we will travel equal to the speed of light.

  When God eliminates the time, light, and speed barriers, it will be very interesting to see what kind of existence such a reality will afford us.

  Life as a vapor — The Scriptures often refer to the brevity of life. James, for example, says that life is a “vapor” or a “mist”: “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”6 In essence, what God is saying is that life is like a puff of steam. Throw a drop of water on a hot skillet, stand back, and watch. Poof! That, says God, is your life. I sometimes argue with God on this point. “God, I am a doctor. I went to medical school. I know about life and death. Life is not a vapor, it is seventy or eighty years.” God replies: “Let’s talk about it again in a billion years.”

  David then joins in the discussion, pointing out that our life is merely a “breath”: “The span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”7 Paul contributes as well by calling our afflictions “momentary”: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”8 “Momentary?” I ask God. “Why did You choose that word? These troubles seem anything but momentary. As a matter of fact, they seem interminable.”

  God replies, “I understand. But I am trying to tell you something about the temporary nature of sufferi
ng. I am doing this for your encouragement, to help you get through a fallen world. It might seem to you like a long struggle. But here is a secret: even though it feels to you that your perceptions about suffering are correct, in fact they are not. Troubles are momentary, fleeting, vaporous. You need only hang on for a vapor’s length of time, and then you’ll be Home. A vapor’s length of time is not too long to do what’s right. Trust Me.”

  In the following poem, for example, I am especially struck by the lines: “Pain in itself not hard to bear, But hard to bear so long.” I don’t know the circumstances that led to the writing of this poem. But whatever the circumstances, Faber’s pain is now over. And from his new perspective, he understands why God used the phrase “momentary troubles.”

  “The Thought of God”

  O Lord! I live always in pain,

  My life’s sad undersong,

  Pain in itself not hard to bear,

  But hard to bear so long.

  Little sometimes weighs more than much,

  When it has no relief;

  A joyless life is worse to bear,

  Than one of active grief.9

  FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER (1814–63)

  Time and Heaven —exactly what god has in store for us we cannot know until moving day arrives. but whatever it is, it will be liberating. we will discover how dramatically we underestimated our newfound freedoms simply because our earthbound imaginations could never rise that high.