A Biblical Day
A biblical day does not start at sunset (Mainstream Judaism), nor at midnight (Pagan World), but with the new light at sunrise (see Gen 1:5; other proof texts are 1Sam 19:11, Exo 29:39, Lev 22:29-30, Num 11:32, Mat 28:1, Mar 27:45, Joh 20:19, Act 4:3 et al.).
- 1Sam 19:11 made it clear to the Jews: "Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to guard him and to kill him in the morning, but Michal his wife told David, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, then tomorrow you will be killed!"
- Joh 20:19 states: "Now when it was evening on that day - the first day of the week - and the doors had been shut where the disciples were because of fear of the Jews, IESOUS came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace to you."
Act 4:3 makes it crystal clear: "And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening".
- A complete list with 14 corresponding Bible verses affirming the sunrise-sunrise rhythm of an ordinary day can be found in the study 'Creation' (Page 2). I urge you, when reading papers or articles suggesting a different rhythm, to look up the denomination of the university, church or of the person if available. Some very basic 1-minute discernment would save many an enormous amount of time. What often deceives us through many eloquent words and lengthy articles, is refuted above through 3 short verses.
2 out of 7 Sabbath of Sabbaths (Annual Feasts / High Sabbaths / Extraordinary Sabbaths / Ceremonial Sabbaths) are stated to begin at sunset (Passover according to the timing of the Exodus as specified in Deut 16:6 and Num 9:5, and the Day of Atonement specified in Lev 23:32). We do not know if this rather implied only those 2 -, or if all the 7 Sabbath of Sabbaths, but it is absolutely certain that this timing did not affect the Weekly Sabbath or any weekday.
Similar to other exceptions in the Bible, we should be careful to not blindly follow and idolize customs of Jewish Mainstream which are often based on the Word, but sometimes applied incorrectly.
And yes, THEOS obviously worked before the evenings described in Gen 1:5 ff :
[1. THEOS worked during the day] And [2. then] there was evening and [3. then] there was morning, [marking] the [end of the] first day.
And last but not least, all biblical times of a day are counted from sunrise, not from sunset:
- 1st hour of the day = 6-7am (sunrise)
- 3rd hour of the day = 9am (Mat 20:3, Mat 27:45, Mar 15:25, Mar 15:33, Act 2:15)
- 6th hour of the day = 12m (Mat 20:5, Mat 27:45, Mar 15:33, Luk 23:44, Joh 4:6, Joh 19:14, Act 10:9)
- 7th hour of the day = 1pm (Joh 4:52)
- 9th hour of the day = 3pm (Mat 20:5, Mat 27:45-6, Mar 15:33, Luk 23:44, Act 3:1, Act 10:3, 30)
- 10th hour of the day = 4pm (Joh 1:39)
- 11th hour of the day = 5pm (Mat 20:6, 9, the last worker still gets a wage)
- 3rd hour of the night = 9pm (Act 23:23)
Let us read together the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in Mat 20:1-16:
1'For the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth at daybreak [6am] to hire workmen for his vineyard,
2and having agreed with the workmen for a denary a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3'And having gone forth about the third hour [9am], he saw others standing in the marketplace idle,
4and to these he said, Go ye - also ye - to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you;
5and they went away. 'Again, having gone forth about the sixth [noon] and the ninth hour [3pm], he did in like manner.
6And about the eleventh hour [5pm], having gone forth, he found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why here have ye stood all the day idle?
7they say to him, Because no one did hire us; he saith to them, Go ye - ye also — to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous ye shall receive.
8'And evening having come [6pm], the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward, Call the workmen, and pay them the reward, having begun from the last - unto the first.
9And they of about the eleventh hour having come, did receive each a denary.
10'And the first having come, did suppose that they shall receive more, and they received, they also, each a denary,
11and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,
12that These, the last, wrought one hour, and thou didst make them equal to us, who were bearing the burden of the day - and the heat.
13'And he answering said to one of them, Comrade, I do no unrighteousness to thee; for a denary didst not thou agree with me?
14take that which is thine, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to thee;
15is it not lawful to me to do what I will in mine own? is thine eye evil because I am good?
16So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.'