What Did God Do Before Creating The Universe?

[Lenny3]

According to the Bible, God created the universe. If he had to create it, that means there was no universe before doing so. If God is eternal, what was he doing before he decided to create the universe?

 

[The Conductor]

From Augustine's Confessions

Chapter 12 of Book 11: What God did before the creation of the world.

Behold, I answer to him who asks, “What was God doing before He made heaven and earth?” I answer not, as a certain person is reported to have done facetiously (avoiding the pressure of the question), “He was preparing hell,” saith he, “for those who pry into mysteries.” It is one thing to perceive, another to laugh,—these things I answer not. For more willingly would I have answered, “I know not what I know not,” than that I should
make him a laughing-stock who asketh deep things, and gain praise as one who answereth false things. But I say that Thou, our God, art the Creator of every creature; and if by the term “heaven and earth” every creature is understood, I boldly say, “That before God made heaven and earth, He made not anything. For if He did, what did He make unless the creature?” And would that I knew whatever I desire to know to my advantage, as I know that no creature was made before any creature was made.

Chapter 13: Before times were created by God, times were not.

But if the roving thought of any one should wander through the images of bygone time, and wonder that Thou, the God Almighty, and All-creating, and All-sustaining, the Architect of heaven and earth, didst for innumerable ages refrain from so great a work before Thou wouldst make it, let him awake and consider that he wonders at false things. For whence could innumerable ages pass by which Thou didst not make, since Thou art the Author and Creator of all ages? Or what times should those be which were not made by Thee? Or how should they pass by if they had not been? Since, therefore, Thou art the Creator of all times, if any time was before Thou madest heaven and earth, why is it said that Thou didst refrain from working? For that very time Thou madest, nor could times pass by before Thou madest times. But if before heaven and earth there was no time, why is it asked, What didst Thou then? For there was no “then” when time was not.

 

[apogee]

Sudoku mostly

 

[ViaCrucis]

From Augustine's Confessions

Augustine's point is the same one I'd make.

Before the creation of the universe, there was no "when". To ask what God was doing before the creation of the universe assumes a time before time existed, a time when there was no time. Since there was no "when"; the question basically becomes unintelligible. It kind of becomes, "What does the color nine taste like?"

The act of creation, the moment when there was something rather than nothing, is the moment when terms like "when" and "before" and "after" become intelligible. Outside of the created; that is, outside of the cosmos--all there is, was, or ever will be--is God. God being God.

It becomes analogous to asking "What happened before the big bang?" Is the question even intelligible? If in the first moment the cosmos rapidly expanded everywhere all at once, what was before the first moment? Well, there was no "before" the first moment. The first moment is, in fact, the first moment. Everything that has ever been has happened subsequent to the first; there is nothing prior to it. Because there can be no prior to the first.

How many kings of England were there before the very first king of England? There can't be any.

So what happened in the times before the first moment of time? There were no times before the first moment of time. By definition there can't be.

So what does God do outside of all things as being beyond all things? God is God. God not so much "was", but rather is, creating, redeeming, restoring, saving. Paul Tillich refers to God as the "ground of being", it's a helpful bit of language that I'm rather fond of. There is nothing greater, bigger, deeper, before, after, further, nearer than God. God said to Moses, "ehyeh asher ehyeh", that is, "I Am that I Am" or "I Will Be what I Will Be". A solid declaration of preeminent existence, of Being beyond all being. Above all things, beyond all things, apart from all things, God is.

The universe is the created existence that has being from That Which Is. The "That than which nothing greater can be conceived/exist" of St. Anselm's Ontological Argument.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Andrea411]

According to the Bible, God created the universe. If he had to create it, that means there was no universe before doing so. If God is eternal, what was he doing before he decided to create the universe?

As others have mentioned with God there is no time. That is a human need. God says He is love, for there to be love, there has to be an object of His affection, therefore one of the things that most persuades me of the Trinity. So God within Himself is not alone and doesn't suffer from boredom etc etc.

Who knows maybe there are other universes.... God doesn't explain everything. If He did we may not be able to grasp it anyway.

Welcome to CF, hope you have a pleasant adventure. God bless, andrea

 

[TheyCallMeDavid]

According to the Bible, God created the universe. If he had to create it, that means there was no universe before doing so. If God is eternal, what was he doing before he decided to create the universe?

We don't know specifically, but, since he is infinite he did something. Remember, God is made up of 3 distinct Persons : The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit so there was complete harmony for ions before creation of our universe . If you make it to heaven, im sure you can find out specifically how God spent his time . Do you know if your going or not ? Do you know what is required ? Thanks.

 

[Lenny3]

I didn't mention time for the specific reason that it's a man-made construct based on the Earth rotating around the Sun.

If God is eternal, and the universe is not, God had to have existed before he created the universe ... for eternity. What did God do for the eternity before creating the universe?

And even if there are other universes, there still had to be an eternity before the earliest one.

 

[prov1810]

I didn't mention time for the specific reason that it's a man-made construct based on the Earth rotating around the Sun.

If God is eternal, and the universe is not, God had to have existed before he created the universe ... for eternity. What did God do for the eternity before creating the universe?

And even if there are other universes, there still had to be an eternity before the earliest one.

We should define our terms. "Eternity before" assumes that eternity is everlastingness. But others will say that eternity is timeless, so it does not exist on a timescale of before or after other things. And then we have the debate, at least as old as Heraclitus and Parmenides, about the reality of time and change in our own world.

The really meaningful thing about God being "before" the universe is that He caused it. Speculations about the nature of time are not as important.

 

[Hentenza]

If God is eternal, and the universe is not, God had to have existed before he created the universe ... for eternity. What did God do for the eternity before creating the universe?

He existed.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I didn't mention time for the specific reason that it's a man-made construct based on the Earth rotating around the Sun.

If God is eternal, and the universe is not, God had to have existed before he created the universe ... for eternity. What did God do for the eternity before creating the universe?

Time, more specifically, is a constituent part of the cosmos. The way we keep time is relative to the earth, sun, and moon in how we divide days, months, and years (etc); but time itself is part of space-time.

And the thing about eternity is eternity is, as generally defined, timelessness. It thus still remains rather impossible to speak of a "time" before there was time. Which is still the essence of the question.

Here is an imperfect visual analogy that I think might be helpful. Imagine a line, and you are able to see the line extend from its starting point all the way to its end. You are able to put your finger on any point of that line, you are not bound into linear movement of the line from start to finish, but rather are at all points across the line able to see and act.

The line is time, it is the universe you and I are part of, we are constituent parts of the universe and we move along forward on the line. We can look back and see the past, but looking forward we see nothing.

Yet God is in every way outside the line, the same at its beginning and at every point along. What is God doing "before" the line's origin point is what God is doing at every other point of the line. There is no difference, since God is not bound to the linear path of said line.

God is at the origin point of the line, and at its conclusion, and every point in between, and wholly unbounded by it. At every point, its origin and conclusion, and every interval, the same. Unchanging. It is always happening in the "now" of God.

At every point, God is.

And even if there are other universes, there still had to be an eternity before the earliest one.

Eternity isn't a kind of "time" before time; it is the boundless, infinite, timelessness of God. It isn't an infinite regress prior to the beginning; and an infinite progress after the the conclusion. It is the the infinite, everywhen, timelessness of God who is unbounded by said space-time, wholly outside of the cosmos and yet wholly immanent throughout it.

Before all things, God is.
At the end of all things, God is.
In my yesterday, today, and tomorrow: God is.
Immutable, never changing.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ForJesusChrist]

There are infinite questions, but only so many answers. Some answers are out of the humans minds grasp, and I think this falls under that category.

God Bless

 

[Andrea411]

I didn't mention time for the specific reason that it's a man-made construct based on the Earth rotating around the Sun.

If God is eternal, and the universe is not, God had to have existed before he created the universe ... for eternity. What did God do for the eternity before creating the universe?

And even if there are other universes, there still had to be an eternity before the earliest one.

What do you think? God has not shared this with us in the scriptures so it is speculation. Do you have any thoughts. What was there before there was a universe?

 

[Joshua260]

Great answer, ViaCrucis...and a good question, Lenny3. The nature of our space-time existence is a fascinating subject!

 

[Johnnz]

We can't opine that meaningfully about something we are told nothing about. We can infer conceiving and planning our cosmos and a desire to create beings who can participate in its operation in relationship with the Godhead. That's why we exist today.

John
NZ

 

[dcalling]

Great answer, ViaCrucis...and a good question, Lenny3. The nature of our space-time existence is a fascinating subject!

Yep, good answer ViaCrucis. This forum has many knowledgeable people. For some reason this reminded me what a pastor told me sometime ago (not related but somehow this come to me). When he first come to US he was an atheist. He was invited to a fellowship and be befriended an older woman. He said "I am a PHD and she is just an old women, every time they got a discussion about God I always win, and she almost never able to answer his questions, all she can do is pray". And he eventually became a pastor, and a very good one.

 

[Radagast]

From Augustine's Confessions.

In Book XI, Chapter 6 of City of God, Augustine writes: "... then assuredly the world was made, not in time, but simultaneously with time."

 

[Lenny3]

What do you think? God has not shared this with us in the scriptures so it is speculation. Do you have any thoughts. What was there before there was a universe?

I have no idea.

 

[Andrea411]

I have no idea.

This I know, when I ask, God answers. He promises to answer people who earnestly call out to Him.
I suggest instead of trying to understand God, try opening up your heart and asking God.
God, this omnipotent Being isn't very impressed with our arguments. Look around, if you think this universe came about all by an accident, then you have your answer. I believe, God spoke the world's into existence and He says that is His answer BUT the good news. If you want to know Him personally, he answers personally.

When I was an atheist, I was closed to God. Didn't like Christians, yada yada... when I was convinced this world wasn't an accident and actually asked God to convince me of His reality. Not my own, not some churches, if God was real I did really want to know Him. ... then He did. I can't make that happen for others but it does. We are the seekers, He says if we seek Him we shall find.

But if your just trying to argue against religion or God or a creator, then you'll get the usual arguments. I suggest going to the source.

God bless, andrea