How Long is an Hour?

[BABerean2]

The meaning of words is the thing that makes one interpretation of scripture correct and another false.

Sometimes the meaning of one word can completely destroy or verify a Bible doctrine.

In the New Covenant (New Testament) the word "hour" is used 89 times and has tremendous implications in our understanding of the text.

Of those 89 occurrences of the English translation to the word "hour", the Greek word "hora" is used 86 times.

Multiple passages show the word to be a fraction of a day, just as we use the word today.

Below are a few examples...



Mat 20:3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Mat 20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

Mat 20:6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

Mat 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

The purpose of this thread will be to consider the word "hour" or Greek "hora" and its implications on the interpretation of prophetic passages.

 

[LastSeven]

So if 86 out of 89 times the word hora is used, what word is used the other 3 times?

 

[BABerean2]

So if 86 out of 89 times the word hora is used, what word is used the other 3 times?

Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

(In this verse the last word was added for clarity. This first word "hour" is the Gk. "hora".

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1Co 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

G737

ἄρτι

arti

ar'-tee

Adverb from a derivative of G142 (compare G740) through the idea of suspension; just now: - this day (hour), hence [-forth], here [-after], hither [-to], (even) now, (this) present.

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Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

G2256

ἡμιώριον

hēmiōrion

hay-mee-o'-ree-on

From the base of G2255 and G5610; a half hour: - half an hour.

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In each of these three cases the word "hour" still clearly refers to a fraction of a day.

 

[LastSeven]

Presumably you're bringing up all this to address a particular passage. Is there some controversy regarding the length of an hour in scripture?

 

[BABerean2]

Presumably you're bringing up all this to address a particular passage. Is there some controversy regarding the length of an hour in scripture?[/QUOTE]

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There seems to be among some people who try to redefine it, when it destroys their doctrine.

In the following text we see that Christ will judge both those alive and dead at His Second Coming.


Act_10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. (The word "quick" refers to the living.)

2Ti_4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (Christ judges both those alive and dead at His appearing.)



Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
(This is the first resurrection found in John chapter 5. It is a spiritual resurrection, based upon faith in Christ.)

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
(The judgment occurs at the bodily resurrection of the dead.)

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (An hour is coming in which all in the graves will be bodily resurrected. This is the second resurrection found in John chapter 5.)

Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (Christ is the judge.)


In the passage above, we have the bodily resurrection of the dead bracketed by references to Christ being the Judge.

This resurrection and judgment will occur in less than one day's time, based on the use of the Greek word "hora" or "hour" in English.


It is confirmed by Matthew chapter 25.

Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

And Revelation chapter 11.


Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

 

[Brian45]

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

Be interesting to know how long this hour is. I have seen people claim that they did the math on this and came up with three and a half years , but I personally don't know as I never bothered to chase it up.

 

[ivebeenshown]

I'm guessing that a scriptural 'hour' is equal to approximately one idiomatic expression deeply rooted in the culture of the time.

 

[BABerean2]

Like a shadow on a sundial or sand through an hourglass...

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[LastSeven]

This is the key verse right here that I got out of your post BAB.

John 5:25
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

The hour that now is. Meaning that currently, those who hear the voice of the Son are coming to life. Hallelujah! This is the first resurrection. People are being resurrected, coming to life, as we speak. Everyone is born into sin, which is death, inherited from Adam and in need of resurrection.

 

[BABerean2]

This is the key verse right here that I got out of your post BAB.

John 5:25
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

The hour that now is. Meaning that currently, those who hear the voice of the Son are coming to life. Hallelujah! This is the first resurrection. People are being resurrected, coming to life, as we speak. Everyone is born into sin, which is death, inherited from Adam and in need of resurrection.

 

[BABerean2]

The clear passages that use the word "hour" show that Christ will judge both those alive and dead at His Second Coming.

These passages prove the 1,000 year reign of Christ, where sin and death remain, are based on a false understanding of Revelation chapter 20, because they produce a conflict in scripture.
John saw "souls" in heaven reigning with Christ.
Their first resurrection occurred when they were "Born Again", upon faith in Christ.
This is the first resurrection found in John chapter 5. John 5:24

One must ignore or redefine multiple clear passages of scripture to get the Premill doctrine to work.

The word "hour" kills the Premill doctrine.

I never will be able to picture Christ, who destroyed sin and death at the Cross, presiding over a funeral service during a 1,000 year earthly reign.
.

 

[stephen583]

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this ONE thing, that one DAY is with the Lord as a THOUSAND YEARS"
(2 Peter 3:8, KJV).

This one teaching of the Apostle Peter is so critical to understanding the meaning of God's Word, it is mentioned as being of singular importance among all his other teachings. You see, God doesn't reckon time the way we do. Imagine the implications. According to this teaching, the way God reckons time, Jesus was crucified and resurrected a little more than two days ago. Jesus and his Apostles were absolutely correct when they stated the "time was at hand" and the "last days had already begun". They weren't speaking about time the way we reckon it (based on a twenty four hour day), they were speaking Spiritually.

So now the Historists and Futurists can "kiss and make up". They're both right.

If you want to know what a "prophetic" HOUR is.. All you have to do is divide 1,000 years by 24 hours (one day. The answer is 41.6, or forty one and a half years.

 

[stephen583]

"And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings; which have received no kingdom as yet; but recieve power as kings ONE HOUR with the beast" (Revelation 17:12, KJV).

The interpretation revealed by 2Peter 3:8 is the key to understanding the Prophecy of Revelation 17:12. It's a clear case of Scripture interpreting Scripture. If you check the Bible commentary, most conservative scholars agree Rev.17:12 relates to these kings as being described as "dictators". Since the European Union never has had, and most likely never will have "ten" dictators, it's pretty clear the prophecy can not be attributed to the E.U, as some theologians suggest. The question is, has such a beast system, (Daniel 7 relates the term "beast' to systems of government), of ten dictators ever occurred in recent historic times ?! The answer is, Yes.

In March of 1947 then President Truman issued his "Policy of Containment" against the Soviet Bloc of Eastern Europe. This was the beginning of the "Cold War era" beast system in history. The Soviet East Bloc consisted of TEN KINGDOMS. NINE Stalinist dictatorships, composed of the U.S.S.R. (which included the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that voluntarily became republics of the U.S.S.R. in 1941 and only regained their independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union), East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia and Albania.

The "iron" as in "Iron Curtain" of Daniels corresponding prophecy, (Daniel 2:40). The TENTH kingdom consisting of the Roman Catholic population of Eastern Europe representing the "miry clay" (identified as infirm spiritual beliefs in Psalm 40:2, such as the worship of the Virgin Mary), and found in Daniel's prophecy as well, (Daniel 2:41-42).

"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall MINGLE themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not CLEAVE one to another, even as iron is not MIXED with clay" (Daniel 2:43).

Here is a perfect and historically accurate description of the polarized ideology of Stalinism and Marianism (the RCC worship of the Virgin Mary). Recently, in 2015 in Bolivia Pope Francis was presented with a sculpture of a Soviet Hammer and Sickle superimposed with a Cross commemorating and celebrating the Vatican's victory over Stalinism in 1991.

 

[stephen583]

which characterized the Cold War era (beast system), of Eastern Europe.

Remember the Cold War era began in March 1947, or in numerical terms 1947.3. Add to that date 41.6, or forty one and a half years (One Prophetic Hour according to 2 Peter 3:8), and you arrive at the date 1988.9, or September 1988. Headlines from TIME MAGAZINE for that date read;

"EASTERN EUROPE ERUPTS IN ARC OF UNREST, AS YOUNG ACTIVISTS DEMAND REFORM".

Just as the Bible prophesied, the Cold War era (beast system) of Eastern Europe, loses power and begins to collapse exactly forty one and a half years after it began, (ONE PROPHETIC HOUR). The Revelation Prophecy goes on to describe what the fate of these ten kingdoms will be.

"These have one mind, and shall GIVE their power and strength unto the beast.. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and GIVE their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled" (Revelation 17:13-17).

The Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) no longer exists. Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and East Germany, no longer exist as kingdoms either. The Stalinist regimes of Poland, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania all toppled. Only the Vatican State remains to fulfill its' special destiny in Bible Prophecy, (Rev.18).

What are the odds of all this End Time Bible Prophecy being fulfilled historically as a coincidence ?! They're about the same as one person winning the Power Ball Lottery four times in a row. Which any Harvard mathematician will tell you is a mathematical improbability. In other words, it can not logically be attributed to coincidence. It's impossible.

 

[stephen583]

Any other questions ?!

 

[Biblewriter]

In Greek, as in English, the word "hour" means either a well defined part of a day or an indistinct period of time. It is used both ways in both languages, and no amount of arguing can change that indisputable fact.

 

[stephen583]

In Greek, as in English, the word "hour" means either a well defined part of a day or an indistinct period of time. It is used both ways in both languages, and no amount of arguing can change that indisputable fact.

I hardly think using Bible Scripture (2 Peter 3:8) to define what an "hour" represents in Bible Prophecy, (Forty one and a half years), and then showing that time frame is relevant to recent historic events represents an "irrelevant" argument.

Likewise, I believe I have authoritatively "disputed", what you are stating is an "indisputable" fact. Saying something is so, doesn't make it so, simple because someone said it. Remember what the builders of the Titanic said, "This ship is UNSINKABLE". Saying it, didn't make it so. History proved that.

 

[Douggg]

hour in passages like those just means the time will come.

 

[Biblewriter]

I hardly think using Bible Scripture (2 Peter 3:8) to define what an "hour" represents in Bible Prophecy, (Forty one and a half years), and then showing that time frame is relevant to recent historic events represents an "irrelevant" argument.

Likewise, I believe I have authoritatively "disputed", what you are stating is an "indisputable" fact. Saying something is so, doesn't make it so, simple because someone said it. Remember what the builders of the Titanic said, "This ship is UNSINKABLE". Saying it, didn't make it so. History proved that.

The indisputable fact is that in both Greek and English, the word "hour" is sometimes used as a statement of an indistinct period of time. Anyone who denies this is simply discrediting himself as an expositor of scripture.

 

[stephen583]

The indisputable fact is that in both Greek and English, the word "hour" is sometimes used as a statement of an indistinct period of time. Anyone who denies this is simply discrediting himself as an expositor of scripture

I just used 2 Peter 3:8 to DISCREDIT your definition of an "hour" citing Bible scripture. The definition of the word "expositor" according to Webster's Dictionary is (1) "A person who explains complicated ideas or theories". So I fail to see how someone being an "expositor" of scripture is in any way discrediting. The correct way to use the word is as follows, "Albert Einstein was an expositor of physics".

I'm happy to allow the readers of this thread to decide who is the "expositor" and who is the "verbose" (defined as a user of big words) detractor, who doesn't understand the English language well enough to use it correctly.