Biblical Time
By Hillel ben David (Greg Killian)
In this study I would like to examine the concept of "time" as revealed in the Bible. Lets start by looking at when a day starts and ends:
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:5 God called the light "day," and
the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was
morning--one day.
In this very first use of the word "day" in the Bible. Notice that HaShem begins the day with "evening" and ends the day with "morning". HaShem follows this same pattern as He describes the things He did during the first seven days. Evening begins at sunset, and morning begins at dawn. Notice His repetitious use of "evening" followed by "morning":
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was
morning--the second day.
Bereshit (Genesis)
Bereshit (Genesis)
Bereshit (Genesis)
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was
very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.
HaShem is emphasizing when days begin and end. He is emphasizing that His days begin at sunset and end when the light of day is gone. He will continue to follow this same pattern throughout the scriptures. Lets confirm this by looking at the "Shema", the prayer HaShem's people pray twice a day; one in the evening and once in the morning:
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-9 Hear, O
In the above passage, you will notice that we speak of these commands when we sit in at home. When do we sit at home? We sit at home in the evening. Then we talk of them when we walk along the road. When do we walk along the road? We walk along the road in the morning. The scripture then goes on to tell us to talk of them when we lie down. When do we lie down? We lie down in the evening. Finally, we are to talk about them when we get up. When do we get up? We get up in the morning. So, the pattern holds: "evening" begins the day, and "morning" ends the day.
The reason that we need to understand when a day begins and ends is to help us relate to what HaShem tells us in the Bible, and to understand when we are to begin doing what HaShem commands. Consider: If we don't know when HaShem's day starts, when do we begin to celebrate the Sabbath or any of the other festivals? In order to appreciate the difficulty of changing our day to begin at sunset, try celebrating Sabbath for a few weeks. Try thinking of your birthday beginning at sunset. How about new years day? Changing when your day begins is a radical life style change. Trust me....
Now, lets look at a month. This unit of time is first found in:
Bereshit (Genesis) 7:11 In the
six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the
fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven
were opened.
This unit of time has this Strong's definition:
+---------------------------------+
2320 chodesh, kho'-desh; from 2318; the new moon; by impl. a month:-month (-ly), new moon.
------------------- Dictionary Trace ---------------------
2318 chadash, khaw-dash'; a prim. root; to be new; caus. to rebuild:-renew, repair.
So, a month is defined by the moon, in fact it is a moon cycle; that is from new moon to new moon. The Encarta encyclopedia tells us how long this takes:
For the moon to go from one phase to the next similar phase, or one lunar month, requires 29 days, 12 hr, 44 min, and 2.8 sec[1].
In our current Gregorian calendar, the months have no connection with any celestial motion. In HaShem's calendar, the month is connected to the motion of the moon. The scripture records that the months have numbers and that they are also associated with pagan Babylonian names. The numbers and their relationship to the Babylonian names are:
Nisan |
1 |
|
Iyar |
2 |
|
Sivan |
3 |
|
Tammuz |
4 |
|
Av |
5 |
|
6 |
|
|
Tishrei |
7 |
|
Cheshvan |
8 |
|
Kislev |
9 |
|
Tevet |
10 |
|
Shevat |
11 |
|
Adar |
12 |
We know that Nisan is the first month because HaShem told us this in:
Shemot (Exodus) 12:1-3 HaShem said to Moses and Aaron in
This passage indicates that the month which contains Passover is the first month of the year. Some simple math will show a bit of a problem, though. Since a month is approximately 29.5 days, we will have to alternate months between 29 and 30 days. This is almost what the Jews do today. Six months at 30 days plus six months at 29 days, yields 354 days. This is eleven days short of a solar year. Because the Torah commands us to celebrate Passover in the spring, we must 'account' for the missing eleven days. We do this my adding an extra month in seven out of nineteen years. This intercalated month is called Adar bet or Adar II. This intercalated month effectively synchronizes HaShem's calendar so that Passover always falls in the springtime. This allows us to have a calendar based on the moon that also gives us months that are always in the same relative spot in relation to the sun. This is how HaShem does months!
Now, one of the interesting things that comes from HaShem's time for months, is that we can always tell, approximately, what our date is, during the month, by looking at the moon. For example: If the moon is new, it is always the first day of the month. If the moon is in the first quarter, it is the seventh day of the month. If the moon is full, it is always the fifteenth day of HaShem's month. And so it goes for all the days of HaShem's month. The moon is just a giant calendar declaring HaShem's dates and times.
The calendar that the orthodox Jews use today, is based on the calendar of the Pharisees which Mashiach commanded us to use in:
Matitiyahu (Matthew) 23:1-3 Then Yeshua said
to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers
of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you
must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for
they do not practice what they preach.
You can get one of these calendars from your local Judaica shop. You can also get 'perpetual' calendars that are computer programs.
For those who would like to explore HaShem's time in greater detail, I would recommend that you read the following book: "Understanding the Jewish Calendar", by Rabbi Nathan Bushwick, published by Moznaim Publishing Corporation, 718-438-7680, 853-0525.
HaShem uses this calendar and He expects us to use this calendar. All of His appointments with us are determined by this calendar and by His time. If we want to keep our appointments with the Creator of the Universe, we need to get used to His time. Let's examine these appointments.
DEFINIITION
4150 mow`ed, mo-ade'; or mo`ed, mo-ade'; or (fem.) mow`adah (2 Chron.
Here is the first time we see this word in the TaNaK:
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in
the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the
night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons
and days and years, And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give
light on the earth." And it was so.
This idea is repeated in the Psalm to indicate this relationship of an appointed time marked off by the moon:
Tehilim (Psalms) 104:19 The moon marks off the seasons (moed), and the sun
knows when to go down.
Moed in this next passage alludes to a festival. The rabbinic sages believe that this event occurred on Passover:
Bereshit (Genesis) 17:19-21 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife
Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.
I will establish my covenant with him as an
everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have
heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly
increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve
rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will
establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next
year."
Bereshit (Genesis) 18:10-14 Then HaShem said, "I will surely
return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a
son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was
behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and
Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed
to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will
I now have this pleasure?" Then HaShem said to
Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now
that I am old?' Is anything too hard for HaShem? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a
son."
Bereshit (Genesis) 21:1-3 Now HaShem was gracious to Sarah as he had
said, and HaShem did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and
bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised
him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore
him.
This word "moed"
is often translated "feast". HaShem's "feasts" are appointments with HaShem as we can see in:
Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:4-7 "'These are HaShem’s appointed feasts,
the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed
times: HaShem’s Passover begins at twilight on
the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month
HaShem’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven
days you must eat bread made without yeast...
Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:15-16 "'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave
offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty
days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of
new grain to HaShem.
Vayikra (Leviticus)
Vayikra (Leviticus)
Vayikra (Leviticus)
Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:37 ("'These are HaShem’s appointed feasts,
which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to
HaShem by fire--the burnt offerings and grain
offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day.
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:10-11 Then Moses commanded them: "At the end
of every seven years, in the appointed time of
the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, When all Israel comes to appear before HaShem your God at the
place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:20 Look upon
Our (as opposed to HaShem's) moedim (festivals) are hated by HaShem:
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 1:13-14 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New
Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--I cannot bear your
evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your
appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am
weary of bearing them.
For war:
Yahoshua (Joshua) 8:12-14 Joshua had taken about five
thousand men and set them in ambush between
Shoftim (Judges) 20:36-39 Then the Benjamites
saw that they were beaten. Now the men of
Concerning the
"end times" which will also occur at the moed
which I believe happens on festivals:
Daniel 8:19 He said: "I am going to tell you what will happen later in the
time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the
end.
Daniel 11:25-27 "With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage
against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large
and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots
devised against him. Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to
destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the
same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still
come at the appointed time.
Daniel 12:6-7 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters
of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are
fulfilled?" The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the
river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven,
and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time,
times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been
finally broken, all these things will be completed."
Is the time period 3.5 millenniums or 3.5 festivals?
Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the
end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly
come and will not delay.
Tehilim (Psalms) 75:1-8 {For the director of music. [To the tune
of] "Do Not Destroy." A psalm of Asaph. A song.} We give thanks to
you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful
deeds. You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge
uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its
pillars firm. <Selah> To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the
wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do
not speak with outstretched neck.'" No one from the
east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But
it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. In the hand of HaShem is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very
dregs.
Concerning the
future:
We have feasts being celebrated
in a Temple which has not yet been built because it
is too big for
Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 45:17 It will be the duty of the prince to
provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and
drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and
the Sabbaths--at all the appointed feasts of
the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings,
grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of
Zechariah
Concerning the
Tabernacle, we have a very unusual use of "moed". It is used 140
times!:
Shemot (Exodus) 27:21 In the Tent of Meeting, outside the
curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the
lamps burning before HaShem from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting
ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.
And another unusual
usage concerning the place where HaShem dwells:
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 14:12-14 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son
of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the
nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my
throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of
the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
Tehillim (Psalms) 74:1-4 {A <maskil> of Asaph.} Why have you
rejected us forever, O God? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of
your pasture? Remember the people you purchased of old, the tribe of your inheritance,
whom you redeemed--
Eicha (Lamentations) 2:5-7 The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed
up
Passover usage:
Shemot (Exodus) 13:6-10 For seven days eat
bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold
a festival to HaShem. Eat unleavened bread during those
seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any
yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. On that day tell your son, 'I do
this because of what HaShem did for me when I came out of
Shemot (Exodus)
Shemot (Exodus) 34:18 "Celebrate
the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as
I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for
in that month you came out of
Bamidbar (Numbers) 9:2-3 "Have the Israelites
celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Celebrate it at the appointed
time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with
all its rules and regulations."
Bamidbar (Numbers) 9:7 And said to Moses, "We have become
unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be
kept from presenting HaShem’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed
time?"
Bamidbar (Numbers)
Deuteronomy 16:5-6 You must not sacrifice the Passover in any
town HaShem your God gives you Except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There
you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary
of your departure from Egypt.
2 Divrei Hayamim (II Chronicles) 8:12-13 On the altar of HaShem that he had built in
front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt
offerings to HaShem, According to the daily requirement for offerings
commanded by Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons and the three annual feasts--the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast
of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles.
2 Divrei Hayamim (II Chronicles) 30:21-22 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to HaShem every day, accompanied by
HaShem’s instruments of praise. Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the
Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of HaShem. For the seven
days, of the feast, they ate their assigned portion and offered
fellowship offerings and praised HaShem, the God of their fathers.
So, moed is used, in reference to the Lord's Passover, seven (7) times in the Torah and nine times in the TaNaK. With the exception of a reference to Succoth, below, there is no other feast which is called by name and references "moed". None!
In the Nazarean Codicil we have the following "appointed times" in reference to Passover:
Matityahu (Matthew)
Matityahu (Matthew) 12:1 At that time Yeshua went through the
grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some
heads of grain and eat them.
Matityahu (Matthew) 26:18 He replied, "Go into the city to a
certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed
time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at
your house.'"
Succoth usage:
Hosea 12:9 "I am HaShem your God, [who brought you]
out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your
appointed feasts.
In the Nazarean Codicil we have the Greek word used in the Septuagint to translate moed:
DEFINITION:
2540 kairos, kahee-ros'; of uncert. affin.; an occasion, i.e. set or proper time:-X always, opportunity, (convenient, due) season, (due, short, while) time, a while. Comp. 5550.
------------------ Dictionary Trace -----------------
5550 chronos, khron'-os; of uncert. der.; a space of time (in gen., and thus prop. distinguished from 2540, which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from 165, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extens. an individ. opportunity: by impl. delay:-+ years old, season, space, (X often-) time (-s), (a) while.
Concerning the time
of the Lord's return:
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 Now, brothers, about times and dates
we do not need to write to you, For you know very well that the day of the Lord
will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and
safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a
pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you,
brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the
night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For
those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get
drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be
self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to
suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Yeshua Mashiach. He died for us so that, whether we are awake
or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and
build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Luqas (Luke) 21:5-36 Some of his disciples were remarking about
how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and
with gifts dedicated to God. But Yeshua said, "As for what you see here,
the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of
them will be thrown down." "Teacher,"
they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?" He replied:
"Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not
follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These
things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." Then he
said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and
pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. "But before all this, they will lay hands
on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues
and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on
account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make
up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will
give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist
or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and
friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because
of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life. "When you see Jerusalem
being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let
those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out,
and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of
punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be
in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great
distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword
and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations.
Matityahu (Matthew) 24:42-47 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But
understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the
thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be
broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an
hour when you do not expect him. "Who then is the faithful and wise
servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food
at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds
him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge
of all his possessions.
Marqos (Mark) 12:1-11 He then began to speak to them in parables:
"A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the
winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers
and went away on a journey. At harvest time he sent a servant to the
tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized
him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to
them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent
still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they
beat, others they killed. "He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved.
He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.' "But the
tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed
him, and threw him out of the vineyard. "What then will the owner of the
vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to
others. Haven't you read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has
become the capstone; The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our
eyes'?"
II Luqas (Acts) 1:4-9 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do
not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father
promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at
this time going to restore the kingdom to
Matityahu (Matthew) 8:28-32 When he arrived at the other side in the
region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming
from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. "What
do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here
to torture us before the appointed time?" Some distance from them a
large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Yeshua,
"If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." He said to
them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole
herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.
Matityahu (Matthew) 13:24-30 Yeshua told them
another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed
in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his
enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat
sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's
servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed
in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' "'An enemy did this,'
he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them
up?' "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may
root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At
that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them
in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my
barn.'"
Matityahu (Matthew) 24:20-22 Pray that your flight will not take place
in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be
great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world
until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut
short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be
shortened.
Marqos (Mark) 13:29-33 Even so, when you see these things
happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth,
this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have
happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my
words will never pass away. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even
the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert!
You do not know when that time will come.
Luqas (Luke) 21:7-9 "Teacher,"
they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?" He replied:
"Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name,
claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. When
you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must
happen first, but the end will not come right away."
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed
are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time
is near.
II Thessalonians 2:1-8 Concerning the coming of our Lord Yeshua Mashiach and our being gathered
to him, we ask you, brothers, Not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some
prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day
of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that
day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself
over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up
in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don't
you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now
you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper
time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one
who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And
then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Yeshua will overthrow with
the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
Revelation 11:16-19 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated
on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, Saying:
"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations
were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the
dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those
who reverence your name, both small and great--and for destroying those who
destroy the earth." Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the
ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of
lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
Revelation 12:10-14 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and
the authority of his Mashiach.
For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the
word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink
from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe
to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled
with fury, because he knows that his time is short." When the
dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The
woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that
she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be
taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of
the serpent's reach.
Daniel 12:6-7 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters
of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are
fulfilled?" The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the
river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him
swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times
and half [a time]. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken,
all these things will be completed."
Revelation 22:8-10 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these
things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet
of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not
do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and
of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" Then he told me,
"Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time
is near.
Luqas (Luke) 21:20-28 "When you see Jerusalem
being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let
those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out,
and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of
punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be
in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great
distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword
and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations.
Mashiach's appointed
time:
Matityahu (Matthew) 26:17-18 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Yeshua
and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" He replied, "Go into the
city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher
says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover
with my disciples at your house.'"
Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Mashiach
died for the ungodly.
Marqos (Mark) 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Yeshua went into
Marqos (Mark) 10:28-30 Peter said to him, "We have left
everything to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Yeshua
replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or
father or children or fields for me and the gospel Will fail to receive a
hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters,
mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to
come, eternal life.
Luqas (Luke) 12:54-56 He said to the crowd: "When you see a
cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it
does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it
is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the
sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
Luqas (Luke) 19:41-44 As he approached Jerusalem
and saw the city, he wept over it And said, "If you, even you, had only
known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your
eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment
against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you
to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one
stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming
to you."
Yochanan (John) 7:1-9 After this, Yeshua went around in Galilee,
purposely staying away from
I Tzefet (Peter) 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord
Yeshua Mashiach! In his great mercy he has given us
new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Yeshua Mashiach from the dead, And into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven
for you, Who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last
time.
Matityahu (Matthew) 16:1-4 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Yeshua
and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from
heaven. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair
weather, for the sky is red,' And in the morning,
'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to
interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a
miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Yeshua
then left them and went away.
II Luqas (Acts) 3:18-24 But this is how God fulfilled what he had
foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Mashiach would suffer. Repent,
then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of
refreshing may come from the Lord, And that he may send the Mashiach, who has
been appointed for you--even Yeshua. He must remain in heaven until the time
comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy
prophets. For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet
like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his
people.' "Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken,
have foretold these days.
Ephesians 1:7-10 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace That he lavished on us with all wisdom and
understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Mashiach, To be
put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to
bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Mashiach.
I Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed
time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in
darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will
receive his praise from God.
Concerning Prayer:
Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so
that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of
truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in
place, And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield
of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with
all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind,
be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
So, when are the “appointed” times for prayer? Notice when Daniel prayed:
Daniel 6:10-13 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went
home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to
his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found
Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to
him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the
next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king,
would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree
stands--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be
repealed." Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from
From this we understand the custom of praying three times a day: in the evening, the morning, and in the afternoon. Curiously these are the same times when the Temple had prayer.
Miscellaneous usage:
II Luqas (Acts) 24:24-26 Several days later Felix came with his wife
Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke
about faith in Mashiach Yeshua. As Paul discoursed on righteousness,
self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's
enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send
for you." At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a
bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The
one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap
destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore,
as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to
those who belong to the family of believers.
Bereans (Hebrews) 11:13-16 All these people were still living by faith
when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them
and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such
things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been
thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity
to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city
for them.
John the Baptist was
born at Passover, so:
Luqas (Luke) 1:8-20 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty
and he was serving as priest before God, He was
chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers
were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at
the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled
and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid,
Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and
many will rejoice because of his birth, For he will be great in the sight of
the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be
filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of
Luqas (Luke) 4:9-13 The devil led him to Jerusalem
and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son
of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
"'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; They
will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against
a stone.'" Yeshua answered, "It says: 'Do
not put the Lord your God to the test.'" When the devil had finished all this
tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Luqas (Luke) 12:58 - 13:1 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you ove