As we recognize it, Motion requires space. Where, then, did the Living Spirit of God actually reside, before there was physical matter? We don’t know, and we cannot know, but despite all our ignorance it seems there may be two possible answers.
We've presumed there was a time before physical matter when God was All and filled All. Now, the next question is, was there physical space? Was there dimension? It may feel silly to ask this, until we realize that, technically, Space is not physical matter. Earth’s air is predominantly filled up with gaseous molecules (mostly nitrogen), while Space is defined as the absence of physical matter, a complete lack of atomic material.
Since Space is nothing, it may be that Space was/is uncreated. In other words, much like Time, Space is not a "thing" which actually exists. Space, as we conceive it, is merely the void something passes through in-between making contacts with physical matter. Thus, since neither Time nor Space actually exists, except as intellectual conceits to support our understanding of movement, we may as well suppose (with all rational sense) that both Time and Space did "exist", according to God's perceptions, before there was physical matter.
In other words, we might conceive that before there was anything else, God’s immaterial Spirit may have been roaming across limitless Space. That is option #1.
Option #2 would be to consider that God may even predate dimensional space. That is, perhaps Space was indeed created. In other words, it may be that God existed (before all else but Himself) in some God-shaped non-place, or in other words, in some Spiritual realm, or in other words, in some non-dimensional reality - but the fullest nature of such a reality, of course, we cannot possibly imagine.
But if this is/was the case, this could mean that God's Movement occurs in some Spiritual manner that breaks all the bounds of what mortal senses can recognize as "changes in place over time". In other words, God's Movement may not even (or may not always) look like something that we'd expect to call "action".
And yet, God was active. How do we know this? Because God Moves. In all that scripture tells us of God, this is one undeniable aspect of who and what He Is. God Almighty is One who Moves. He does things. He takes initiative! He's a Mover. So, where ever God was, how ever God was... in some Time, before physical matter, and possibly even before there was dimensional Space... God was moving.
To that point, however, God was moving alongside of, and along with, no one but Himself.
To be continued...
6 comments:
This post is causing me to think very intentionally about things I was never taught to think about or even told that it was possible to think about. This post also creates a very good argument for the spirit realm as defined by the creation of space.
Thanks for strengthening my faith :)
You're welcome, Vetta.
Thanks for the comment. :-)
ok...FIRST, I am not going to give you the presumption that there "was a time before physical matter". I don't think there is any real evidence for this, is there? I mean, it seems that matter must be created...but does it? Why can't it pre-exist w/ God? At least I can say this...if you take the JPS reading of Gen. 1:1-2 then you must agree the STORY opens w/ pre-existing matter.
Now, I totally agree that there could exist a dimension in which God is/was that is beyond space/time. Isn't this a pure leap of faith? Which requires greater "faith"...the belief in a God like you describe or a belief in pre-existing matter as science describes (some)? Are both leaps of faith...or does science actually have a leg to stand on?
Not having evidence is precisely why it must be a presumption, Frank. ;-)
Yes, the Biblical Story opens with physical matter already existing within dimensional space. (See my replies to you comments on the last two posts.)
If physical matter has existed for equally as long as God has existed, then throw all that physical matter into "option #1" above.
On your last question, about science, I don't know what you're asking. But yes, we can either discuss these options hypothetically or we can simply place faith in one of them.
Personally, I tend toward "option two", as it makes more sense of the spiritual realm (as testified to by scripture). However, I'd never dream of trying to prove that position - either from Genesis or otherwise.
Does this help answer your questions?
If in the beginning was God, could God be where the space is created? He is not only the container that contains dimensional and undimensional things, but also moves through himself.
All things were created in Him.
God "moves through himself". I like that.
All things are IN God. So "where" is hell? Within God, but insulated from God? IDK. The non-physical isn't quite like the physical, so "hell" may not even be a "place".
But nevertheless, all things are IN HIM... for IN HIM we live, and move, and have our being. :-)
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