Topical Encyclopedia
Mid-day, often referred to as noon or the sixth hour in biblical terms, holds significant importance in the Scriptures. It is a time of day that is frequently mentioned in various contexts, from divine encounters to moments of prayer and revelation.
Biblical References:1.
Divine Encounters: · One of the most notable references to mid-day is the encounter of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. In
Acts 22:6 , Paul recounts, "About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me." This moment marks a pivotal transformation in Saul's life, leading to his conversion and subsequent mission as the Apostle Paul.
2.
Prayer and Worship: · Mid-day is also a time associated with prayer. In
Acts 10:9 , it is recorded, "The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray at about the sixth hour." This instance highlights the practice of prayer during mid-day, a tradition that aligns with the Jewish custom of praying at set times throughout the day.
3.
Judgment and Prophecy: · The prophets often used mid-day as a metaphor for judgment or revelation. In
Zephaniah 2:4 , the prophet declares, "For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon will lie in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied, and Ekron uprooted." Here, mid-day symbolizes a time of sudden and complete desolation, emphasizing the certainty and swiftness of divine judgment.
4.
Symbolism of Light: · Mid-day, being the time when the sun is at its zenith, often symbolizes clarity, truth, and revelation. In
Psalm 37:6 , it is written, "He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun." This imagery conveys the idea of righteousness and justice being as clear and undeniable as the brightness of the mid-day sun.
Cultural and Historical Context:In the ancient Near Eastern context, mid-day was a time when the sun was at its peak, often associated with heat and rest. It was customary for people to seek shelter from the intense sun, which is reflected in various biblical narratives. The timing of events at mid-day often underscores their significance, as it was a moment when daily activities paused, allowing for divine intervention or reflection.
Theological Significance:From a theological perspective, mid-day serves as a reminder of God's presence and intervention in the lives of His people. It is a time when the natural world is illuminated, symbolizing the spiritual illumination that comes from divine encounters and revelations. The events that occur at mid-day in the Bible often carry themes of transformation, judgment, and the fulfillment of God's promises.
In summary, mid-day in the Bible is more than just a time of day; it is a moment rich with spiritual significance, marking times of prayer, divine encounters, and prophetic declarations.
Greek
3314. mesembria -- noon, the south... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: mesembria Phonetic Spelling:
(mes-ame-bree'-ah) Short Definition: the South Definition: (lit:
midday, hence,
...2250. hemera -- day
... 1), day...another (1), daybreak (1), days (148), daytime (2),midday* (1), time... defined
more or less clearly by the context) -- age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day...
712. ariston -- breakfast, dinner
... breakfast, dinner. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: ariston Phonetic
Spelling: (ar'-is-ton) Short Definition: breakfast or amid-day meal Definition...
3319. mesos -- middle, in the midst
... 3), between (1), between* (3), center (6), forward* (3),midday* (1), middle (6... neuter)
noun) -- among, X before them, between, + forth,mid(-day, -night), midst...
644. aposkiasma -- a shadow
... turning. Typically shadows change according to the changing position of
the sun (being short atmidday and lengthy at nightfall)....
Strong's Hebrew
6672. tsohar --midday, noon... 6671, 6672. tsohar. 6672a .
midday, noon. Transliteration: tsohar Phonetic
Spelling: (tso'-har) Short Definition:
midday.
midday, noonday window
...6672a. tsohar --midday, noon
... 6672, 6672a. tsohar. 6672b .midday, noon. Transliteration: tsohar Short
Definition: noon. Word Origin from an unused word Definition...
4276. machatsith -- half, middle
... half so much,midday. From chatsah; a halving or the middle -- half (so much),
mid(-day). see HEBREW chatsah. 4275, 4276. machatsith. 4277 . Strong's Numbers
3117. yom -- day
... holiday* (3), later* (2), length (1), life (12), life* (1), lifetime (2), lifetime*
(1), live (1), long (2), long as i live (1), long* (11),midday* (1), now (5...
Library
That atMid-Day in his Passion There Should be Darkness.
... Second Book. 23. That atmid-day in His passion there should be darkness.
In Amos: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith...
Tell Me, O Thou whom My Soul Loveth, Where Thou Feedest, Where...
... CHAPTER I. 6. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou
reposest atmidday, lest I should begin to wander after the flocks of thy...
Other Incidents of the Passion Minutely Compared with Prophecy...
... Barabbas Preferred to Jesus. Details of the Crucifixion. The Earthquake and the
Mid-Day Darkness. All Wonderfully Foretold in the Scriptures of the Creator....
How, While He was Praying, God Sent Him a vision of a Cross of...
... Book I. Chapter XXVIII."How, while he was praying, God sent him a Vision of a Cross
of Light in the Heavens atMid-day, with an Inscription admonishing him...
It is Written that in Our Lord's Passion There was Darkness Over...
... To this also you will find the Prophet witnessing, "Thy Sun shall go down at
mid-day." And again, the Prophet Zechariah, "In that day there shall be no more...
Of the Days on Which, when Supper is Provided for the Brethren, a...
... custom ordinarily to have but one meal a day on the fast days (viz., Wednesday and
Friday); this was at the ninth hour; on other days, at the sixth (ie,midday...
On the Words of the Gospel, John x. 14, "I am the Good Shepherd...
... Tell me where Thou feedest, where Thou liest down in themidday; lest haply I light,
as one veiled, upon the flocks of Thy companions." [4145]....
The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!'
... This division of the day for festive purposes was a Rabbinic addition; and, by way
of a hedge around it, an hour beforemidday was fixed after which nothing...
But Now, what Follows from this New Risen Light? Why...
... Would you find a gospel- Christian in all thismidday glory of learning, you may
light a candle, as the philosopher did in themidday sun, to find an honest man...
Of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus; and the...
... is affrighted, and vexed in spirit; her sun is gone down while it was yetmid-day;
she hath... And the veil of the temple shall be rent, and atmidday there shall...
Thesaurus
Midday (11 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) The middle part of the day; noon. 2. (a.) of or pertaining to noon; meridional;
as, the
midday sun. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MIDDAY.
...Mid-day (4 Occurrences)
Mid-day.Midday,Mid-day. Middin . Multi-Version ConcordanceMid-day (4
Occurrences).... (WBS).Midday,Mid-day. Middin . Reference Bible.
Noon (30 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) No. See No. 2. (n.) The middle of the day;midday;
the time when the sun is in the meridian; twelve o'clock in the daytime....
Meridian (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (a.) Being at, or pertaining to,midday; belonging to, or passing through,
the highest point attained by the sun in his diurnal course....
Noonday (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.)Midday; twelve o'clock in the day; noon. 2. (a.)
of or pertaining tomidday; meridional; as, the noonday heat. Int....
Noontide (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The time of noon;midday. Multi-Version
Concordance Noontide (2 Occurrences). Isaiah 38:10 I said, In...
Night (3322 Occurrences)
... 7:4). Since there were no definite measurements of the time of day, the various
periods were indicated by the natural changes of the day; thus "midday" was the...
Journeying (36 Occurrences)
... Acts 22:6 And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus,
that, aboutmid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round...
Journeyed (111 Occurrences)
... Acts 26:13 Atmidday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the
brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me....
Gazing-stock (2 Occurrences)
... "In the morning men are exposed to lions and bears; atmid-day to their spectators;
those that kill are exposed to one another; the victor is detained for...
Resources
What is the Seventh Day Baptist Church, and is it biblical? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is mid-Acts dispensationalism? What is the Grace Movement, and is it biblical? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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