Page - 102 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/02

assumption that unlike the Greek concept of time, which is mainly spatial, the biblical concept of time is temporal and rhythmical, as manifested by its division into fixed periods. These approaches claim that both the Bible and the Greek texts contain examples of these two concepts of time simultaneously. There are even some who claim that the Bible also espouses the cyclical view of time,28 alongside the linear view, as exemplified in the calendar, which is the cyclical time of the seasons in the Land of Israel;29 however, we would be wise to note that the condition for maintaining this schedule is the linear, historical memory. The belief in one, extra-natural, creator God took control away from the wheel of fortune, the forces of nature and the deterministic fate that make up the foundation of the cyclical time paradigm. Linear biblical time places the bib- lical Israelite within specific time; the biblical Israelite is driven through time by God’s will towards a better future at the end of days. The Bible sees linear histo- ry, however, as a process separate from God. Nevertheless, there are two kinds of time in the Bible: the eternal, mystical time relegated to God and the historical, linear time which courses from Genesis to Apocalypse – earthly time. For biblical man, earthly time is unmistakably lin- ear and dependent on obeisance to God’s will; God exists, however, outside of this time, as an eternal being. The Bible paints time as a resource belonging to God,30 which he then dispenses willingly to man. As the composer of the Psalms puts it: “The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun … thou hast made summer and winter” (Ps. 74:16–17). Partaking in the experience of mystical, divine time, which is holy, is given to men on special occasions, instances when man retires from linear, earthly time to experience another kind of time. The creator, who is the master of time, plucks the Sabbath out of ordinary time, out of the linear sequence, makes it holy and relegates it to divine time. Linear time is the time of toil, effort and work towards a purpose. The Sabbath thus becomes a holy day, differentiated from ordinary days and their sequentiality. It is outside of the realm of human activity, for man is not allowed to do as he pleases on the Sabbath and the day is marked by a pro- hibition of work. This tangible distinction of the Sabbath, which is essentially past. In the Indian Hopi language there are no terms that represent the past, the present or the future. In Western culture, where time is an independent dimension, it is independent of the type of activity that takes place in it. A culture of time and fate like that of the Chaldeans, by contrast, has given rise to astrology, because in their perception, time, which is the course of the stars, determines fate. See Zakay 1998, 90–93. 28 Gelander believes that Isaiah presents a cyclical concept of time in his promise that at the end of days when people internalize their faith, the universe will be recreated, with a more perfect world order. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isa. 65:17). Gelander 2001, Book 2, 124. 29 Schweid 1984, 14–15. 30 As Judah Halevi (1075–1141) expressed it: “The slaves of time – slaves of slaves are they.” Time is a slave – it is subjugated to God. 102 | Bina Nir www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/2, 95–116