Time, Faith, and the Unknown: How Ancient Texts Hold More Than We Realize

Time has always been one of humanity’s greatest mysteries. It dictates the course of our lives, shapes how we understand reality, and yet, the deeper we explore it, the more it seems like something we don’t fully grasp. Ancient texts, especially religious scriptures, describe events and concepts that, at first glance, seem purely mystical. But as modern science advances, some of these writings appear to contain knowledge that was far ahead of their time.

What does this mean? Were these texts divinely inspired? Did ancient civilizations understand more about the fabric of reality than we assume? And how does our growing understanding of time, physics, and consciousness intersect with the wisdom written thousands of years ago?

Let’s explore what both science and theology suggest about time, divine knowledge, and the possibility that some things were understood long before modern civilization put a name to them.

What Science Says About Time and Reality

If time feels like an unbreakable rule, science tells us otherwise. Time isn’t as fixed as we experience it. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity proved that time slows down near strong gravitational fields or for objects traveling close to the speed of light, this is known as time dilation, and it’s not just theory. We’ve seen it happen in experiments with atomic clocks.

Key Scientific Theories About Time

• Time Dilation – If someone traveled at near-light speed, they would age more slowly than people on Earth. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station experience this effect, aging milliseconds less than us each year.
• Wormholes – Theoretical tunnels in space-time could connect different points in time and space, making time travel (at least mathematically) possible.
• Closed Timelike Curves (CTCs) – These suggest that under certain conditions, time loops could exist, theoretically allowing travel to the past.
• Quantum Mechanics and Retrocausality – Some experiments show particles influencing the past, raising questions about whether cause and effect are as straightforward as we think.

If physics suggests time isn’t linear in the way we assume, then the possibility that ancient texts describe time differently becomes even more interesting.

Ancient Writings and the Nature of Time

Religious and historical texts often mix past, present, and future tenses in unusual ways. Could this indicate a deeper understanding of time, or at least, a different way of perceiving it?

Biblical Clues About Time and Creation

• Genesis and the Big Bang – The Bible states that God created “light” before the Sun and Moon existed. If the universe started with an intense burst of energy, this could be an ancient attempt to describe the Big Bang, thousands of years before science confirmed it.
• “Tohu Vabohu” (Void and Formlessness) – Some scholars interpret this phrase from Genesis as describing a pre-creation state, possibly even a black hole.
• Non-Linear Time in Scripture – The Bible sometimes refers to the past as if it’s still happening or describes future events as if they’ve already occurred, suggesting an understanding of time beyond strict cause-and-effect.

Prophecies in religious traditions also raise interesting questions. Some describe events with uncanny accuracy, centuries before they happened. Are these coincidences, divine intervention, or glimpses into a reality where time is less rigid than we perceive?

The Nature of God: Is He Outside of Time?

Many theological perspectives suggest that God is not bound by time at all. Instead, He exists outside of it, experiencing past, present, and future simultaneously.

From a scientific standpoint, this is compelling. One of the core principles in physics is that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. If God is infinite and eternal, it would make sense that He is not confined to the flow of time as we are.

This could explain why divine beings in various religious texts appear and disappear at will, bend natural laws, and have knowledge of the future. If they exist beyond time, they could move through it freely, witnessing all events at once.

But this leads to an even deeper question:

Predestination vs. Free Will: Are We Just Following a Script?

If time isn’t linear and if God already sees the future, does that mean everything is predetermined? Or do we still have the ability to choose?

Religious traditions have long debated this balance between destiny and free will. If God exists beyond time, then technically, He already knows the decisions we will make. But from our perspective, we still experience life as if we are making choices.

Modern physics offers an interesting parallel. Some theories suggest the universe is self-correcting, meaning even if someone traveled back in time, they wouldn’t be able to change major events because reality would adjust. This aligns with the theological idea that some things are destined to happen, while smaller choices remain up to us.

If time travel ever becomes possible, or if it already exists, it could fundamentally change how we view faith, morality, and destiny. But even without time travel, the way time is described in religious texts suggests a view of reality that is still ahead of us.

Ancient Knowledge: How Did They Know?

One of the most fascinating aspects of ancient texts is how much accurate scientific information they contain, things that people at the time shouldn’t have been able to know.

Scientific Accuracy in Religious Texts

• The Kosher Rule About Fish – The Bible states that only fish with fins and scales are permissible to eat (Leviticus 11:9-12). But here’s the interesting part: Every single fish on Earth that has scales also has fins. There are no known exceptions. How could this rule be so precise?
• The “Greater Light” and “Lesser Light” – Genesis 1:16 refers to the Sun and Moon as the “greater light” and “lesser light,” which seems like simple wording, until you realize that the Moon actually reflects the Sun’s light, making it a “lesser” light in a literal sense.
• The Distance Between the Earth and the Moon – Ancient texts contain calculations that, when analyzed, closely approximate the Moon’s actual distance from Earth. How was this known long before modern astronomy?

Many argue these are just coincidences, but others see them as proof that religious texts contain knowledge beyond what ancient civilizations should have had access to.

Final Thoughts: What Does It All Mean?

These discussions aren’t about proving or disproving anything, they’re about exploring ideas that have fascinated humanity for centuries. Whether you view religious texts as divine, metaphorical, or historical, there’s no denying that they contain wisdom that aligns with modern science in surprising ways.

Maybe time is more fluid than we understand. Maybe knowledge, whether from God, divine beings, or human intuition, has always existed beyond what we assume is possible.

The fact remains: ancient texts hold insights that continue to challenge, intrigue, and inspire. Whether through faith or science, our search for understanding is far from over.

What if the answers have been in front of us all along?