Topical Encyclopedia
The sun-dial is an ancient timekeeping device that measures the passage of time by the position of the sun. In the Bible, the sun-dial is notably mentioned in the context of a miraculous event during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. This event is recorded in the books of 2 Kings and Isaiah.
Biblical References:1.
2 Kings 20:8-11 : In this passage, King Hezekiah falls ill, and the prophet Isaiah tells him that he will recover. As a sign of this promise, Hezekiah asks for a sign from the LORD. Isaiah offers a choice: should the shadow on the sun-dial go forward ten steps or back ten steps? Hezekiah chooses for the shadow to go back, and the LORD causes the shadow to move backward ten steps on the sun-dial of Ahaz, Hezekiah's father. This miraculous event serves as a divine confirmation of God's promise to extend Hezekiah's life.
2.
Isaiah 38:7-8 : This passage parallels the account in 2 Kings, providing additional details about the sign given to Hezekiah. The LORD speaks through Isaiah, affirming that He will make the shadow cast by the sun go back ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz. This miraculous reversal of the sun's shadow is a testament to God's power and faithfulness.
Historical and Cultural Context:The sun-dial, or "stairway" as it is sometimes translated, was likely a series of steps or a sloped surface where the shadow of a gnomon (a vertical stick or pillar) would fall, indicating the time of day. The sun-dial of Ahaz, mentioned in the biblical account, suggests that such devices were known and used in ancient Judah. The movement of the shadow backward was a supernatural event, as it defied the natural order and demonstrated God's control over creation.
Theological Significance:The account of the sun-dial in the Bible highlights several key theological themes:
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Divine Sovereignty: The miraculous movement of the sun's shadow underscores God's sovereignty over the natural world. It serves as a reminder that God is not bound by the laws of nature and can intervene in extraordinary ways to fulfill His purposes.
·
Faith and Assurance: Hezekiah's request for a sign and God's response illustrate the relationship between faith and divine assurance. The backward movement of the shadow provided Hezekiah with tangible evidence of God's promise, strengthening his faith and trust in the LORD.
·
God's Faithfulness: The event is a testament to God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. Just as Hezekiah's life was extended, the sign of the sun-dial reassures believers of God's unwavering commitment to His word.
In summary, the sun-dial in the biblical narrative serves as a powerful symbol of God's miraculous intervention and His ability to transcend the natural order to accomplish His divine will.
Library
From a Hindu Point of view
... Upon it, there is what I thought at first was asun-dial, and I wondered what it
was doing there.... It is not asun-dial, it is an impaling instrument....
The Ambassadors from Babylon
... Only by the direct interposition of God could the shadow on thesundial be made
to turn back ten degrees; and this was to be the sign to Hezekiah that the Lord...
Our Lord's Solemn Enquiry
... sundials. We can tell what is o'clock by thesundial when the sun shines,
but if it does not what is the use of thesundial? And...
Rendering Our Account.
... There is a motto very commonly engraved upon asundial, which means that the moments
of time are perishing, and are being recorded in God's Book....
Under Ban of the Ritual
... sod, and walks of inlaid tile, seats of carved stone, and a single small obelisk,
set on a circular slab, marked with measures for time"the Egyptiansun-dial...
The Same Endeavour and Effort after virginity, with a Different...
... glorified. [2667]. Footnotes: [2664] Matthew 25.p>[2665] In Greek i = ten. The
word employed signifies the index of asun-dial.--Tr. [The...
Another Method of Fixing the Horoscope at Birth; Equally Futile...
... [172] Or, "view.". [173] The clepsydra, an instrument for measuring duration, was,
with thesun-dial, invented by the Egyptians under the Ptolemies....
Why all Things Work for Good
... Or as the traveller does with thesun-dial; if the sun shines upon the dial, the
traveller will step out of the road, and look upon the dial: but if the sun...
The Historical Books.
... Isa.38: 7, 8, and which is expressly ascribed to divine power: "Behold, I will bring
again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in thesun-dial of Ahaz...
Book 9 Footnotes
... [5] As to this regress of the shadow, either upon asun-dial, or the steps of the
royal palace built by Ahaz, whether it were physically done by the real...
Thesaurus
Sundial (1 Occurrence)... Multi-Version Concordance
Sundial (1 Occurrence).
... So the sun returned ten
steps on the
sundial on which it had gone down."'" (WEB).
...Sun-dial (1 Occurrence)
Sun-dial.Sundial,Sun-dial. Sundown . Multi-Version ConcordanceSun-dial
(1 Occurrence).... (See JPS WBS).Sundial,Sun-dial. Sundown . Reference Bible.
Backward (39 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on thesundial, which has gone down
on thesundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps....
Dial (2 Occurrences)
... Probably thesun-dial was a Babylonian invention... the time of day from the shadow
of a style or gnomon on a graduated arc or surface; esp., asundial; but there...
Shadow (72 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on thesundial, which has gone down
on thesundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps....
Sundown (9 Occurrences)
Steps (113 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on thesundial, which has gone
down on thesundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps....
Ahaz (42 Occurrences)
... somewhat of a dilettante in matters of art, and he set up asun-dial, which seems
to... Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on thesundial, which has gone...
Lystra (6 Occurrences)
... and Batasis son of Bretasis having made in accordance with a vow at their own expense
(a statue of) Hermes Most Great along with asun-dial dedicated it to...
Sundered (1 Occurrence)
Resources
What does the Bible say about sun worship? | GotQuestions.orgIs it true that the sun stood still? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that there is nothing new under the sun? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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