Trinity of Trinities

I recently watched a TikTok of Kent Hovind, an evangelist who talks about how God transcends time, space, and matter. He argues that the "trinity of trinities" of time, space, and matter necessitate an all-powerful creator. While Mr. Hovind's theories are controversial in the scientific community, it got me thinking about how our material world trinity is representative of the Holy Trinity of God. Similar to the Holy Trinity, time, space, and matter are not separate, independent concepts that can exist on their own; they are deeply interconnected. In fact, remove one, and the entire framework of existence begins to fall apart.

Time is what allows events to occur. It is the dimension in which change happens, where cause leads to effect, and where movement is even possible. Without time, nothing could happen. There would be no sequence, no growth, no motion—only a frozen, meaningless state. Time gives existence its progression.

Space, on the other hand, is the setting in which everything exists. It provides the dimensions of length, width, and height—the “where” of reality. Without space, there would be nowhere for anything to be. No distance, no separation, no location. Space gives existence its structure and place.

Then there is matter, the substance of the physical world. Matter is what actually exists within space and moves through time. It is what we can see, touch, and experience. Without matter, space would be empty and time would have nothing to act upon. Matter gives existence its substance.

What makes these three so fascinating is that they cannot function independently. Matter must occupy space, and it must exist over time. Space itself is not static—it is measured and experienced through time. And time, as we understand it, is only meaningful because something exists to change within it. Each one depends on the others. Time answers the question of when, space answers where, and matter answers what—but remove any one of those, and the sentence of reality no longer makes sense.

When you begin to look at the structure of the world this way, it’s hard not to notice how creation itself seems to echo something deeper. Scripture tells us that God exists as three in one—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We can see reflections of God’s nature throughout what He has made. The same way time, space, and matter are distinct yet inseparable, the persons of the Trinity are distinct, yet one God.

God the Father is often described in terms that transcend time altogether. In Revelation 22:13, He declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” He is not bound by time the way we are; He exists outside of it, yet He governs it completely. Time, as we experience it, has a beginning and moves toward an end, but God stands over it all. In that way, time itself points to the eternal nature of the Father—the One who was, and is, and is to come.

The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is consistently described as the presence of God—dwelling, moving, filling. In Psalm 139:7–10, David writes, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there… if I dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me.” The Spirit is not confined to a single place, but is present everywhere. Just as space is the “where” of existence—the environment in which everything happens—the Holy Spirit is the ever-present reality of God with us, surrounding, indwelling, and sustaining.

And then there is Jesus Christ, God made flesh. In John 1:14, we are told, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus stepped into the physical world. He could be seen, touched, and heard. He ate, walked, wept, and suffered. Matter—the tangible, physical substance of our world—finds its clearest reflection here. God did not remain distant; He entered into His creation in a form we could experience. In Christ, the invisible became visible.

This does not mean that God is limited to time, space, or matter. He is far greater than what He has created. But it does suggest that creation itself carries His fingerprints. The structure of the world around us is not random—it reflects order, unity, and relationship. And perhaps, in some small way, it points us back to the One who designed it all.