Question from a reader:
I am reading this wonderful and thrilling book, Heaven, which you have written. On page 172 you refer to your novel, Edge of Eternity, when Nick Seagrave at last sees Yeshua: "I saw before me an aged, weathered King.” My question to you is, God is also known as The Ancient of Days, but aged could also mean old. Isn’t old age part of the Curse? I have always pictured God to be young, in His prime because there is no curse in Heaven. Please, could you clarify? Thank you.
Answer from Stephanie Anderson, EPM staff:
I’m responding on Randy’s behalf. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the Heaven book!
Here’s that full quote from Edge of Eternity: “I saw before me an aged weathered King, thoughtful guardian of an empire. But I also saw a virile warrior-prince primed for battle, eager to mount his steed and march in conquest. His eyes were keen as sharpened swords yet deep as wells, full of the memories of the old and the dreams of the young.”
I’ve always appreciated how Randy writes that description of Jesus, reflecting both His eternality and also His strength and vitality. We associate the word “aged” with the Curse and with negative aging. But in this case, Randy is using it to refer to the fact that He is both the “Ancient of Days,” who existed before time began, as well as “God…in His prime” as you mentioned.
Jon Bloom writes, “…a being as God operates on a very different timeline than we do—if timeline is even the right word. For God is not constrained by time. He is the Father of time (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16). He is ‘the Ancient of Days’ (Daniel 7:9), existing ‘from everlasting to everlasting’ (Psalm 90:2). God is not in time; time is in God (Acts 17:28; Colossians 1:17). The ‘thousand years’ of Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 is just a metaphor, using a timeframe we can somewhat comprehend to communicate a reality we can’t.”
I like how this writer puts it: “The words ‘Ancient of Days’ are a way of describing that God is a firsthand spectator to the past, present, and future.”
Here’s another interesting article.
Hope this helps. Thanks for your thoughtful question, and God bless you.
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