Is the universe infinite in time?

1. The Universe’s Absolute Beginning

Scripture teaches that the universe is not infinite in time but had a definitive starting point. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) establishes that history commenced at creation, a moment when all matter, space, and time were spoken into existence. This statement sets the biblical view apart from theories that posit an eternal or cyclical cosmos.

Throughout the biblical narrative, there is no hint that creation is timeless or without origin. Instead, passages like John 1:3—“Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made”—reinforce that creation has a source: God Himself. Such language indicates that the universe depends upon a Creator, rather than existing from eternity past.

2. Biblical Witness of Finite Time

The Bible repeatedly alludes to a world with a framework of time that is finite. For instance, Psalm 33:6 states, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth,” emphasizing an intentional act bringing reality into being. There is no biblical indication of an endlessly preexistent cosmos.

The New Testament also attests to this idea. Hebrews 11:3 notes, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” This clarifies that matter itself had a beginning point, formed by divine command.

3. The Chronology of Creation

A literal reading of genealogies found primarily in Genesis 5, 10, and 11 supports a timeline that spans thousands of years, rather than billions. Although there can be small variations in how scholars calculate exact dates, the general structure identifies a world that began only a few thousand years ago. Those following the chronology of Archbishop James Ussher, who charted biblical genealogies systematically, place creation around 4004 BC. The exact number can vary slightly, yet the textual evidence indicates a young creation date rather than an eternal cosmos.

These chronological details are part of a broader matrix of scriptural consistency. Archaeological and textual discoveries, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, have helped confirm the careful preservation of the Old Testament text. In these manuscripts, the genealogies remain consistent, supporting the premise that biblical authors transmitted a finite timeline that traces back to a historical first man, Adam (cf. Luke 3:38).

4. Scientific Observations Supporting a Beginning

Modern science has produced observations that resonate with the notion the universe is not infinite in time. The recognized expansion of the universe (initially detected by Edwin Hubble) leads to the conclusion that matter, space, and time all trace backward to what appears to be a singular starting point. Additionally, the second law of thermodynamics points to the universe running down over time, reinforcing that it had to begin at a finite moment.

Some scientists would place this cosmic beginning far earlier than a few thousand years. Nevertheless, mentions of cosmic background radiation and arguments for design in biology and cosmology highlight the intricate nature of creation at every level, suggesting intentional formation and underscoring the concept of a definite commencement (Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands”).

5. Philosophical and Theological Reasoning

From a philosophical standpoint, an infinite regress of events—meaning an endless chain of causes—raises logical problems. A universe that always existed in time without a beginning would never arrive at the present moment. By contrast, the biblical model solves this dilemma by affirming that time itself had a start when God created. Jesus Himself testifies to a creation event, saying, “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6), again pointing to a definite start.

Both philosophical reasoning and scriptural clarity align around the central concept that an eternal God freely commanded the universe into being. This stands in harmony with the redemptive narrative that flows from Genesis to Revelation.

6. Early Writings and Church History

Early Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (1st century AD) referenced the biblical view of a created cosmos. Many of the early Church Fathers—such as Theophilus of Antioch, Tertullian, and others—reaffirmed the teaching that the world is recent in origin compared to theories of their own era that speculated about cyclical eternities or unending time. These ancient voices lend historical weight to the position that creation is not endless but had a specific veil-lifting moment, with God inaugurating time and existence.

7. Behavior, Purpose, and Salvation

Scripture’s portrayal of a universe created in finite time underscores that life has a purpose. Humanity, made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26), is part of a deliberate plan unfolding from the world’s beginning. The central purpose of human life, according to the Bible, is to know God, glorify Him, and partake of the redemption He offers through Christ (John 17:3).

God’s purposeful creation and subsequent plan of salvation in Christ would make little sense in an eternal cosmos stretching aimlessly into the infinite past. Instead, the biblical narrative shows a progression of redemptive events leading to the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—events rooted in actual history that transform hearts and destinies.

8. Conclusion

When one considers the biblical text, corroborating manuscripts, historical records, philosophical arguments, and scientific hints of a cosmic starting point, the verdict consistently points to a universe that is not infinite in time. The first verses of Scripture declare a moment of divine creation, and the rest of the Bible’s narrative aligns with that claim.

From genealogies that anchor history within a measurable framework to scientific guidelines in thermodynamics suggesting a beginning, the universe appears to have a definite starting moment. Thus, the biblical teaching, supported by both theological and observational data, is that the universe is finite in time, standing as the unique handiwork of the eternal and all-powerful Creator. “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).