Today in the Bible

The concept of hours is not really mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures.  The New King James version uses the word twice; both instances are in the book of Daniel and they would really be better interpreted as “at that moment” or “at that time” rather than “at that hour.”  Hours are mentioned more often in the Apostolic Scriptures and many of them are used in the same way as the book of Daniel.  However, there are a few examples recorded as specific hours of the day. In Bible times, the daylight hours were broken up into twelve portions and the night was broken up into watches.

Hours of the Day

Daylight hours were identified by the angle of the Sun.  The figure below depicts the Sun’s apparent movement in the sky from sunrise (right) to sunset.  Because the length of daylight changes by season, in this system, one hour in the summer is longer than one hour in the winter.  When translators convert the biblical hours to coincide with today’s method of timekeeping, they will normally equate the 3rd hour with 9 am, the 6th hour with 12 pm, and the 9th hour with 3 pm.

The following scriptures are just a few of which contain references to specific hours of the day:

The 3rd hour and the 9th hour were special times.  In the Mishnah, Tractate Tamid explains that, in the days of the Holy Temple, this is when the morning and evening lambs were placed on the altar. Many congregations today still ring their bells in remembrance of the daily lambs. Understanding this fact adds to the significance of the times mentioned in Mark 15:25 and 15:34 – the time when Jesus was crucified and the time when He died.

In addition to the sacrifices, the 3rd hour and the 9th hour were also times of corporate prayer.  Acts 3:1 tells us that Peter and John went up to the Temple at the 9th hour, the time of prayer. Acts 10:1-8 introduces us to a man named Cornelius, a gentile centurion who feared God. He received a vision of an angel of God at the 9th hour. The angel said to him, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up for a memorial offering before God.” (Acts 10:4) It seems that Cornelius, too, observed the traditional times of prayer – and his prayers were heard by God.

Watches of the Night

As we stated earlier, the daylight was divided into 12 hours; but the night was separated into “watches.”

 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night.  You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. – Isaiah 62:6-7

Watchmen were an integral part of ancient Israel.  Kings utilized them for military purposes, to warn of potential threats.  As Israel’s King, God sent the prophets as a watchman, someone to warn them of impending danger.  To Ezekiel God said, “I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.”[1]  When the captives returned from Babylon, the book of Nehemiah says that, while they were still restoring the wall of Jerusalem, he set a watch both night and day because their enemies were threatening them.[2]  Later, after the wall was completed, Nehemiah set up a watch to keep the gates of Jerusalem shut until the sun was hot.[3]

So, how many watches were there?  It’s not clear…four maybe?  Night watches are referred to in various ways, we have to dig a little in order to study them.  Lamentations 2:19 mentions the “beginning watch”, Judges 7:19, the “middle watch; Exodus 14:24, the “morning watch;” and Mark 6:48, the “fourth watch.”

Jesus tells us that we are to be watchers…

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  – Matthew 24:42

And He blesses those who do…

Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  – Luke 12:37-38

A night watchman’s job may be a thankless one.  Perhaps unnoticed by many.  But, performed properly, it’s a quiet act of devotion.  There are some who don’t need to be in the spotlight.  Their sense of accomplishment comes from knowing that those they love are protected.  There’s something comforting about knowing that someone is keeping watch in the night.  We can sleep securely.  In the days of my childhood, before we had reliable weather forecasts…before super Doppler radar…my grandfather was one of those men.  One night, when visiting my grandparent’s farm in rural Iowa, I remember being awaken in the night, “Bring your pillow and blanket and come downstairs.”  I have memories of Grandpa standing at the window with the curtain pulled back, using the lightning flashes to search the darkness for signs of danger in the approaching storm.  He wanted us nearer to the safety of the cellar door in case we needed to seek shelter quickly.  I use that memory to give me a sense of my Heavenly Father watching over me.  He does not slumber.  He does not sleep.

A song of ascents.  I lift up my eyes to the mountains– where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip– he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD watches over you– the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all harm– he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. – Psalm 121 (NIV)

God appreciates those who watch.  The shepherds were doing just that on the night that Jesus was born; they were privileged to be among the first to know of His birth.[4] The Psalms contain a blessing specifically for the servants of the night…

 A Song of Ascents.  Behold, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who by night stand in the house of the LORD!  Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.  The LORD who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!  – Psalms 134:1-3

Let’s heed the words of our Master, then, and be one of those blessed servants who are keeping watch in these “dark” days.

 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning– yes, more than those who watch for the morning. – Psalm 130:5-6

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[1] Ezekiel 3:17, 33:7

[2] Nehemiah 4:9

[3] Nehemiah 7:1-3

[4] Luke 2:8