The times of God, chronos and kairos
Sometimes in the face of what we live we can think that God has forgotten the plan, that we are out of his sight, we wonder if he is with us why does he delay in acting? Am I walking in God’s timing?
Other times we settle for living, giving up dreams, because perhaps we come to the conclusion that they are too big and we too small. But God has the government of all things, and he is Almighty to do his will, God’s time is perfect. Let’s read this important study
God’s timing is perfect, CHRONOS AND KAIROS
“My times are in your hand, deliver me from the hand of my enemies and my persecutors” Psalm 31:15.
As the word of God teaches us, the Lord is the owner of everything, and he has dominion over time. The word “times” is translated from the Hebrew term “Et” which also means: period, determined time, propitious or appropriate. We can say that it refers to a time designed by the hands of the divine architect, in the fulfillment of his purposes. God has complete rule over the times of men.
Our Lord is also called the eternal God, the word “eternal” is translated from the Hebrew term “Olam”: which means eternal or eternity. Time is contained in eternity, as in something from which it receives its being and unity from it.
Eternity is what bases time, it is its base or foundation, eternity is the source from which time flows incessantly and what gives it meaning (something like eternity is the totality, and time is a section). God has the government of all things, so let us keep in mind that everything is possible for the Lord.
It is important when studying the times of God to consider the biblical meaning. In Biblical Greek the most used terms for time are: “Cronos” and “Kairos”. Let’s see the meaning of these two words:
1) Chronos: span of time, length of time. Root of the word stopwatch and its derivatives.
We speak of earthly time, which can be measured. God established with creation the sun, the moon and the stars to measure earthly times (Genesis 1:14-18), and therefore the units of measurement of our time: millennium, century, year, month, day, hours, etc. It is the time of man that we can measure.
Genesis 1:14-18 “Then God said: Let there be lights in the expanse of heaven to separate the day from the night; and let them serve as signs for the seasons, for Days and years… And God made the two great lights. .. one to rule over the day and one to rule over the night .. and to separate the light from the darkness”.
2) Kairos: right measure, occasion, definite period, opportune time, weather favorable, appointed and precise moment. While Chronos marks quantity, Kairos marks quality, Romans 5:6 “For Christ, when we were weak, in due time died for the wicked.”
We can conclude then that Kairos is the opportune time and designed from heaven, where God intervenes in the lives of men in a supernatural and powerful way. Time designed by God in heaven, which manifests itself on earth, for the blessing of men. Here we must watch and be prepared for God’s changes in his perfect timing.
Due to the anxiety and eagerness in the chronos time of men, we can sometimes conclude that God is taking a certain response or miracle, but the Lord knows what, when and how he does it (God’s timing is perfect) .
In the word of God, for example, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” and then Martha, the other sister, said to him: “Lord, it already stinks, because it takes four days,” but Jesus said, “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? Then the miracles or divine interventions do not happen when we want or expect, but in the kairos, that is, in God’s time.
Final reflection: God’s time is perfect, he has everything in his hands. He is not late, and he does not arrive before, he knows how and when to do things. We must follow and love him with all our hearts, trusting in his goodness and power. The complete blessing is in walking in God’s timing.
(I invite you to read: Sermons written to preach).
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It is essential to learn to wait on God, because the greatest blessings come in God’s perfect time.
one facet fundamental in the time of God is to learn to hope in him.
The word of God teaches us that Moses was on Mount Sinai forty days in the presence of God, and before this “delay” the people of Israel were filled with eagerness and anxiety, and decided to worship the golden calf which brought as resulting tragedy and death. Israel did not wait until Moses descended.
The Holy Scriptures emphatically teach us that trusting and waiting on the Lord is vital to our blessing. It is very important to learn to walk according to God’s times. That’s why don’t rush, don’t let yourself be filled with anxiety, rather let the peace of the Lord direct your life, he does everything well in his time.
God’s rest.
1) Resting in the Bible implies spending time with God.
To do this it is important to organize your life schedule. Deuteronomy 5:12-14 “You shall keep the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall do no work, neither you nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your animals…”.
Looking at history and how the Jewish people applied this, we can see that Jewish standards were sometimes extreme. We do not keep the Sabbath day today, because Christ is our rest (like the early church, the church of Acts, we keep the first day of the week, that is, Sunday), but we must consider some important applications for us. today.
At that time, the religious extreme was reached, for example, in some cases, like the scribes, they had to wash their hands seven times to transcribe the name of the Lord. They often overdid keeping the Lord’s day (Sabbath) to such an extent that they did not even do their neighbor good, if this was necessary.
It is precisely for this reason that we see the Lord Jesus confronting the scribes and Pharisees in the gospels, since they often hindered the healings on that day (however, they did rescue one of his sheep when it fell into a hole). This they had turned into heavy religious burdens.
To rest is to reflect and meditate on the marvelous work of God. Deuteronomy 5:15
“Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath.”
So the Old Testament Sabbath for us today indicates a time to meditate or reflect on God’s salvation, as well as on the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ and all that he accomplished on the cross and in his resurrection. It is important to set aside time to meditate on God’s law and His work.
The people of Israel on the Sabbath studied the law, also meditated on the Scriptures, and worshiped the Lord, just like the Lord Jesus who went to the synagogue as was his custom.
So we are talking about a time of encounter with the Lord. The Jews went to the meeting place (ie to the temple or the synagogue). On the Sabbath day, the showbread in the holy place in the temple was also renewed (an action that reminds us of the importance of spiritual renewal for the people of God).
(I invite you to read: Sermons written to preach).
2) To rest is also to trust in the powerful and sovereign work of the Lord:
In the word of God, waiting on the Lord is evidence of faith. Genesis 1:31- 2:2
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
The word “rest” is translated from the Hebrew term “shabbat” which also means: cessation of activity. The Lord did not rest because he was tired, he rested, ceased, finished his creative work. it was the end of the work of creating him.
We must also consider here that the Lord is acting powerfully over his creation, God was working, he knows very well what he is doing and everything is directed towards his purposes, that is why nothing happens by accident. The best work and the most beautiful is the one that the Lord God does, that is why the Bible teaches us: “And God saw everything that he had made, and he was very good” in Genesis 1:31.
(I invite you to read: Man is administrator, God is the owner.).
Scripture also teaches us that rest is a time of God’s blessing. Genesis 2:3
“And God blessed the day seventh, and sanctified it, because in it he rested from all the work that he had done in creation. “.
At the end of his work, the Lord blessed the seventh day. That is why we say that it is a time of blessing. We must follow the example of the Lord, that is, when we cease our works so that he can do his, then he blesses us. God labored for six days, and then He rested.
This reminds us that when we manage to rest in the Lord and hope in him, his works are wonderful. The true blessing comes from the Lord, the perfect time is God’s. God’s times are the best, without a doubt.
3) In God’s rest supernatural things happen:
In the Bible the people of Israel worked six days and the seventh was the day of rest.
Even the rules for the Israelites are for example:
Before Shabbat it is necessary shower, shave and change clothes.
For the entrance of rest the whole family must be changed and arranged.
When we rest in God he performs miracles, Matthew 12:9-14 “Passing from there, he came to their synagogue. And behold, there was one there who had a withered hand; and they asked the Lord Jesus, in order to accuse him: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? He said to them: What man will there be of you, who has a sheep, and if it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, he does not lay his hand on it, and pick it up? For how much more is a man worth than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Then he said to that man: Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored to him as sound as the other. And the Pharisees came out and took counsel against Jesus to destroy him.”
We must point out here that…
