In Part 1, we reviewed a sequence of scientific discoveries that revealed the incredible complexity of the atom. Its mysterious nature is beyond comprehension for most of us—at least 10 space -time dimensions are required to mathematically describe it. We benefit from these discoveries because they reveal God’s attributes.
As Creator of the universe and its atoms, logic dictates that God must be more advanced than His creation. If we could grasp a few attributes of the 10(+)-multidimensional God, then perhaps we could better understand His omnipresence. In other words, perhaps we could understand how the Father can hear hundreds of individual prayers simultaneously. But we have a challenge.
God created us as three space-dimensional (3-D) and one time-dimensional beings who live in a 3-D world. We cannot comprehend a fourth space dimension, and especially the concept of a 10(+)-dimensional God. Part 1 concluded with a solution. We can grasp the significance of a single dimension if we step down and examine life in Flatland—a two-dimensional world where we, as three-dimensional beings, are viewed as the “omnipresent.”
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I take no credit for the concept of Flatland. It was a distant place conceived in the mind of Edwin Abbot in 1884. Abbot was a mathematician and a member of the clergy. He despised the ruling aristocracy and their so-called “importance.” He published his book Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions1 to demonstrate the principles of geometry, and also as a satire against the Victorian culture (Wikipeida, 2019; Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland).
Abbot wrote of a two-dimensional place named Flatland, populated by geometric shapes with no concept of a third-dimension. They and their land were absolutely flat. The elite and ‘most important’ residents were those shapes with the most sides, such as an octagon (8-sides) and higher. A peasant was a simple triangle2. Abbot’s satire emerged when the ‘mighty sphere’ entered the world of Flatland. This 3_D being was beyond comprehension and infinitely more advanced than any so-called ‘important’ 2-D octagon. The sphere could view Flatland from afar and create an ever-expanding circle whenever it chose to intersect their land. It terrified and humbled Flatland’s residents.
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You might have sensed hints of God’s omnipresence in Abbot’s story. His book provides a great illustration of a single dimensional change. Chuck Missler used Abbot’s theme in one of his taped lessons. (It was around 2002 when I heard the tape; there were perhaps earlier messages by Missler.) However, Missler himself was the one who intervened in Mr. and Mrs. Flat’s lives as the three-dimensional being. I also follow this format in the Science and Bible lectures. I’ll share a few examples below and relate each one to Scripture.
#1. Flatland and the Flat Family
My wife and I created Mr. and Mrs. Flat in 2008 as hand-scissored, flat paper dolls – one with blonde hair and a dress; the other with short hair and trousers. They live in a file-folder named “Flatland” except for one or two days a year. On those special days they vacation and reappear in another Flatland location. This land is comprised of a veneer surface—a table-top. Their vacation land includes an incomprehensible “wall.” Mrs. Flat can move behind the ‘wall’ and become completely invisible to Mr. Flat if she needs a nap. This incomprehensible “wall” is a three-dimensional piece of dental floss lying on the table-top. The “wall” forms a line on the surface and simply disappears beyond that—there is no height in their two-dimensional world. They have no concept of a third-dimension.
My 3-D Perspective. I created Mr. and Mrs. Flat. I care for them. I look down and see them both, simultaneously, even when they are separated by the “wall.” I watch them both from afar—they have no concept of my consistent and watchful eyes.
God’s Perspective.
The Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place, He watches all who live on earth… (Ps. 33:13-15)
Can anyone hide in secret places so I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” (Jer. 23:24)
#2 The Flat Family and Their Physical Helplessness
Mr. and Mrs. Flat are merely paper with no concept of their physical helplessness or delicacy against the 3-D forces of this world. A simple rain shower would soak them. Once dried, they would shrivel, wrinkle, lose their two-dimensional nature, and meet their demise.
My 3-D Perspective. I created Mr. and Mrs. Flat and I continually protect them. If threatened by a rainstorm, I can place my hands over them both, simultaneously. [In class, I place my hands only an eighth of an inch above them, covering them both.] They have no idea of my presence or covering since I occupy the mysterious third-dimension as their omnipresent creator.
God’s Perspective.
He is not far from each . . .of us (Acts 17:27)
Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it. (Gen 28:16)
Protect me, Lord, from the power of the wicked . . . My Sovereign Lord, my strong defender, you have protected me in battle (Psalm 140: 4,7)
#3 The Flat Family and Their 2-D Limitations
Mr. and Mrs. Flat were not created to live in a three-dimensional world. They have no rigidity. If I lift Mr. Flat to an unsupported, standing (3-D) position he simply falls over. If I hold him in that position for a few minutes, he bends into a three-dimensional form and it destroys him.
My 3-D Perspective. I created Mr. and Mrs. Flat and desire that they know me. However, I cannot transfer them into my 3-D world. Their delicacy against the three-dimensional forces of this world would destroy them. To experience me face-to-face would terrify them, perhaps even to death.
God’s Perspective.
God to Moses – “No one may see me and live” (Ex. 33:20)
Jesus to the apostles – “Where I am going, you cannot come” (John 13:33)
#4 The Flat Family and Their Spiritual Fears and Needs
Mr. and Mrs. Flat are ignorant of my existence. They worry about their welfare, the near future, and their ultimate destiny. They have no idea of what to expect after death.
My 3-D Perspective. I yearn for Mr. and Mrs. Flat to know and accept me as their creator. They need to know me and my concern for them—that I will care for and protect them. Since they cannot exist in my 3-D world, I must try to communicate with them in their 2-D world.
As Mr. and Mrs. Flat approach the edge of the table, I insert my finger into their plane, just off the edge of the table and at a slight angle. Mr. Flat sees a round feature simply “appear” in his plane. Mrs. Flat sees it as well, but at 90 degrees to Mr. Flat, and it appears as an ellipse. They are terrified so I remove my finger and the image disappears. They run to each other and discuss the strange feature. Mr. Flat describes a circular object that simply appeared. Mrs. Flat acknowledges its appearance but is certain the feature was an ellipse. A boisterous argument ensues about the nature of this strange god and its mysterious presence.
I provide them another example of my advanced nature and insert three fingers into their plane up to my hand. They witness three circular features enter their plane, and somehow, beyond comprehension, the three fingers become one large circular feature. Three in one—a trinity of similar objects, and yet one.
God’s Perspective.
“. . .He Himself [Jesus] stood [appeared] in their midst [behind closed doors]. But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled…?” (Lk. 24: 36-38; Jn. 20:19)
“I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)
“. . . baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19)
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I share these analogies in the Science and Bible lectures. They demonstrate the amazing difference between a two- and three-dimensional world. And yet God dwells in at least 10-dimensional space—if He’s even confined by dimensions. At least seven dimensions separate us from the Father. He sees us, surrounds us, hears us, and even dwells within us through His Holy Spirit once we surrender and become his children.
God also solved the communication problem between Him and us. The only one way for me to bridge the gap and communicate with Mr. and Mrs. Flat is to sacrifice my superiority as a 3-D being, enter their two-dimensional plane with their attributes and speak with them directly.
Jesus did just that for us. Consider the following verse (Philippians 2:6-8):
“Although He (Jesus) existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus sacrificed His “equality with God”—His 10-dimensional superiority—and “emptied” Himself to enter our world to teach us and eventually die as the sacrifice for mankind’s sin. The Greek word for “emptied” is powerfully descriptive. It means, “to neutralize, abase, make void, empty.” In other words, He made Himself “as nothing” (compared to His original glory) to abide with us.
God had the power and the willingness to cross seven space dimensions and communicate with us face-to-face, knowing that execution on a Roman cross awaited Him.
Don’t you suppose that He desperately yearns to hear your prayers?
And, hopefully, now you appreciate how He can easily hear them, even amidst 100,000 other simultaneous prayers?
I’ll bet He’s waiting!
1Abbott, E.A. (1992) Flatland A Romance of Many Dimensions; Dover Publications, Inc.; 83 pp. (Original publication: Seeley & Co. Ltd., London, 1884)
2Interestingly, Abbot chose to represent women as segments (lines with two ends). This seems like an insult to the woman. Abbot, however, in true satirical style, gave the segment (woman) incredible power over all other geometric figures. Either of her ends was only one-point wide and could pierce any triangle, octagon, or higher order being, bringing them to instant demise.