How Old Is God?

GOD

Before there was time, there was Him.

We can measure the universe. We can study the cosmic microwave background — the faint radiation left from the Big Bang — and conclude that everything we see began about 13.8 billion years ago.

We can even look deeper into the sky and, with enough mathematics and technology, watch light that has been traveling toward us for billions of years.

But there is one question no telescope can answer:How old is God?

The Universe Has a Birthday. God Does Not.

Science tells us that time itself began with the Big Bang. Before that moment, there was no “before” in the sense we know it. Time, space, matter — all were brought into existence in a single act of creation.

If that is true, and God is the cause behind that creation, then He is not part of the timeline at all. He is not bound by seconds, years, or eons. He does not grow older. He does not wait the way we wait.

From His perspective, all of history — from the first burst of starlight to the last heartbeat of the last human — exists as one complete picture.

The Bible captures this timelessness in Psalm 90:2:

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

God’s View of Time: A Thousand Years as a Day

The Apostle Peter wrote, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

It’s not a mathematical formula — it’s a reminder that God’s relationship with time is not like ours.

When we feel He is “taking too long,” from His vantage point, the timing is exact. When we think events happen “too soon,” He sees them as perfectly aligned with His plan.

This is why the 13.8 billion years of cosmic history do not imply slowness on God’s part. In His eternal perspective, the gap between the first atom and the first man is nothing more than the turning of a page.

The Cosmic Timeline in Perspective

Let’s imagine the universe’s history compressed into a single calendar year:

• January 1 — The Big Bang. Time, space, and matter begin.

• September — Our solar system forms.

• December 25 — Dinosaurs roam the Earth.

• December 31, 11:52 PM — Modern humans appear.

• December 31, 11:59:56 PM — Jesus Christ is born.

From God’s perspective, that last 4 seconds is no accident. It’s the precise moment to send His Son into human history — when civilization was advanced enough to understand His message, yet broken enough to desperately need it.

Why This Matters for Us

Understanding God’s timelessness changes how we see our own lives:

• We live in the middle of the story, not the end. The Author knows the final chapter.

• Delays are not denials. What feels late to us may be perfect to Him.

• Our perspective is limited. We see hours and days; He sees the whole arc of eternity.

This also explains why our existence is so brief compared to the universe’s age. Humanity’s time here is not measured by how long we’ve been around, but by the role we play in the story God is telling.

From the First Star to the Cross

If we could step outside of time the way God can, we would see the entire sweep of history as one continuous moment. The birth of the first star, the rise of civilizations, and the crucifixion of Christ would all be part of a single, seamless design.

In that design, the appearance of Jesus is not an afterthought — it is the focal point. Everything before Him was preparation. Everything after Him is transformation.

Eternity Is Not Endless Time — It’s No Time at All

When we say “God is eternal,” we don’t mean He just lives forever like a being who keeps aging without dying. We mean that He exists outside the very concept of time.

Eternity is not a long timeline — it’s a completely different dimension of existence. God sees the past and future as vividly as we see the present moment.

That’s why His promises hold. If He has spoken it, it is already real in His view — we are simply moving toward the moment when we will see it too.

The Takeaway

The universe has an age. God does not.He was there before the first atom, and He will be there after the last star fades.

When we measure our lives by clocks and calendars, we are thinking in human terms. But when we trust a God who holds eternity in His hands, we learn that the real measure of time is not how long it lasts, but how perfectly it serves His purpose.

“Time began at His command. Eternity is His home. And in His perfect moment, He steps into our world.”