How Long is an Hour?

[Douggg]

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;

forty one and a half years is a "prophetic hour" ?

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 half years.

 

[Biblewriter]

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.

I am also happy to let the lurkers decide for themselves which position is correct.

 

[Psalm3704]

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.

Albert Einstein wasn't a theologian. But he did called himself an agnostic while holding onto the beliefs of pantheism.









.

 

[stephen583]

Anyone who denies this is simply discrediting himself as an expositor of scripture

You just tried to use a complimentary word "expositor" to insult someone, and you expect anyone to think anything you say is credible ?! Seriously ???

LOL. I just told you, Webster Dictionary defines the word expositor as a "person who explains complex theories and ideas". Dude, try sticking to the little words and the simple ideas and you won't embarrass yourself anymore.

 

[LastSeven]

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.

2 Peter 3:8 does not mean a day is literally a thousand years. Try reading it in context. Peter was just making the point that the Lord is patient and so should we be.

If I told you I was so hungry that I could eat a horse, would you believe that I could actually eat a horse? Or am I just trying to make the point that I'm really hungry?

 

[Brian45]

I have always thought that Peter was referring to 6 days work then 7th day rest equalling 6000 yrs of human history then 1000 yrs rest , with some entering that rest and some not sayeth the lord.

My problem is that if Peter knew this then he would have known that there would be 2000 yrs more to go for the end times and the return of Jesus Christ , and yet his writings show that he believed that he was in the last days and that Jesus would return in his or their generation. This has always been a puzzle to me....

 

[LastSeven]

I have always thought that Peter was referring to 6 days work then 7th day rest equalling 6000 yrs of human history then 1000 yrs rest , with some entering that rest and some not sayeth the lord.

My problem is that if Peter knew this then he would have known that there would be 2000 yrs more to go for the end times and the return of Jesus Christ , and yet his writings show that he believed that he was in the last days and that Jesus would return in his or their generation. This has always been a puzzle to me....

I used to think that too, because the numbers seem to align nicely with a week. Until i realized that we are currently in Jesus "thousand year" reign, which is not a literal thousand years. So there is no thousand year rest. Instead there will be an eternal rest, after the resurrection. Puzzle solved.

 

[Luke17:37]

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.

Revelation 12:6 speaks of one thousand two hundred and sixty days of "the woman" being protected in the wilderness from the dragon. I think the woman is the numbered (144,000) Jewish believers in Jesus who are protected with the special seal (Revelation 7:1-8, also Revelatiom 14:1-). It also says she flees from the serpent and is nourished in the desert for a time, times, and a half a time (Revelation 12:14). Because the dragon is unable to kill these, he turns his attention to the rest of the believers, who I believe refer to Gentile and un-sealed Jewish believers in Jesus. (This seal in Revelation 7, 14 is not the Holy Spirit, but it protects them from being killed by the plagues that come on the earth.)

One thousand two hundred and sixty days is roughly three and a half years, and by context it appears that "a time, times and a half a time" apply to this same period of protection to the Jewish sealed believers in Jesus.

Also, Revelation 13:5 says the beast of the sea was given authority to speak blasphemies for 42 months. This is also 3.5 years. 12 + 12 + 12 + 6 = 42

And Daniel 9, speaking of seventy sevens (shown to be of seven years each by the reference to Messiah at the end of the 69th week) suggests that in the middle of the last seven (Daniel 9:27), there will be the stopping of sacrifice and the abomination that causes desolation. (Halfway through seven years is 3.5 years.) Daniel 11:31 attributes these things to an evil person, not to Jesus (there is some debate about the "he" of Daniel 9:27 but I believe when you compare it with Daniel 11:31, it's obviously talking about an evil person--an Antichrist.)

Daniel 12:7
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

Daniel 12:11 says from the time of the daily sacrifice being removed and the abomination that causes desolation, there will be 1,290 days (again, about 3.5 years). And it says blessed are those who wait 1,335 days.

 

[JoeP222w]

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.

Context is used when defining terms. Many terms have variations in meaning depending on their context.

 

[Luke17:37]

I used to think that too, because the numbers seem to align nicely with a week. Until i realized that we are currently in Jesus "thousand year" reign, which is not a literal thousand years. So there is no thousand year rest. Instead there will be an eternal rest, after the resurrection. Puzzle solved.

Revelation 20 is clear that there is a thousand year reign. And moreover, this millennium where Jesus reigns and takes away the curse in most respects is discussed in other passages such as Isaiah 2, 11, 65, Ezekiel 47-48, Psalm 72. Note in these chapters that there is still childbirth (without pain) and a sea, which is inconsistent with resurrection bodies (Jesus and the Sadducees, Matthew 22:23-33) and the new heavens and the new earth (Revelation 21:1).

Peter is 2 Peter 3 is simply saying that the Lord is not slow in coming even though He appears slow to some. His purpose in waiting a "long time" is so everyone has a chance to repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

Hosea 5:14-6:3 is the only place I know of that suggests Jesus may come back roughly two thousand years after He left, if two days equals two thousand years. Day is obviously used in a poetic sense here, as opposed to other passages that are by context clearly ordinary days (the days of Genesis 1, the days of the global flood, Jonah's three days in the fish, Jesus' three days in the grave, etc.). If so, then maybe Jesus would come anytime from 2033. This would generally equal 6,000 years of history before Jesus reigns for 1,000 years, if He came relatively soon after the "2 days" are finished. It's not exact if the chronologies are counted correctly (for example, Usher puts creation at 4004 BC, so today would be 4004 + 2016 = 6020 years).

 

[Luke17:37]

I have always thought that Peter was referring to 6 days work then 7th day rest equalling 6000 yrs of human history then 1000 yrs rest , with some entering that rest and some not sayeth the lord.

My problem is that if Peter knew this then he would have known that there would be 2000 yrs more to go for the end times and the return of Jesus Christ , and yet his writings show that he believed that he was in the last days and that Jesus would return in his or their generation. This has always been a puzzle to me....

Where do Peter's writings suggest Jesus returning to his generation?

 

[Postvieww]

I used to think that too, because the numbers seem to align nicely with a week. Until i realized that we are currently in Jesus "thousand year" reign, which is not a literal thousand years. So there is no thousand year rest. Instead there will be an eternal rest, after the resurrection. Puzzle solved.

Revelation 20
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

So you believe satan is currently bound? mmmm?

 

[LastSeven]

Revelation 20 is clear that there is a thousand year reign. And moreover, this millennium where Jesus reigns and takes away the curse in most respects is discussed in other passages such as Isaiah 2, 11, 65, Ezekiel 47-48, Psalm 72. Note in these chapters that there is still childbirth (without pain) and a sea, which is inconsistent with resurrection bodies (Jesus and the Sadducees, Matthew 22:23-33) and the new heavens and the new earth (Revelation 21:1).

I know there's a "thousand" year reign. We're in it. Jesus reigns right now, and we with him.

Peter is 2 Peter 3 is simply saying that the Lord is not slow in coming even though He appears slow to some. His purpose in waiting a "long time" is so everyone has a chance to repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

And on this we agree.

 

[LastSeven]

So you believe satan is currently bound? mmmm?

Yes.

 

[Luke17:37]

I know there's a "thousand" year reign. We're in it. Jesus reigns right now, and we with him.


And on this we agree.

The thousand year reign is when Satan is bound so he can't deceive the nations and Jesus basically takes away the curse. That's not true spiritually of today.

Revelation 20:1-3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

The enemy is definitely at work today. It's not the same.

Also, Jesus isn't here, and the dead in Christ don't have their glorified resurrection bodies.

You can read more about the thousand year reign in Isaiah 2, 11, 65, Ezekiel 47-48, Zechariah 14, Psalms 72, to start.

 

[Luke17:37]

Yes.

So people aren't being deceived by Satan? Really? Satan is powerless right now?

 

[LastSeven]

Satan is powerless against the power of Jesus, yes. All authority and power in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus. He reigns over Satan, as do we.

"deceive the nations" in Revelation 20:3 is slightly misleading. The word used for nations is ethnos which means "the gentiles". Satan has been prevented from hindering the gospel to the gentiles.

Do you deny that you have power over Satan?

 

[LastSeven]

Also, Jesus isn't here, and the dead in Christ don't have their glorified resurrection bodies.

No kidding. We don't get resurrected until the last day. The same day that Jesus' reign ends.

 

[Luke17:37]

No kidding. We don't get resurrected until the last day. The same day that Jesus' reign ends.

No, we are raised to reign with Him when Jesus bodily returns (Revelation 20:4-6) and this physical reign will be for the thousand years. After that Satan will be released to deceive some of the people. After that, the second resurrection and white throne judgment will occur. Those without Christ wil be thrown into the lake of fire, and those in Christ will go to the new heaven or the new earth.

 

[LastSeven]

You really are confused, aren't you?