Dictionary of Bible Themes The period of darkness between evening and morning. It is generally a time for the cessation of daily activity and for sleep, but, because darkness also gives an opportunity for evil, there is need to be watchful. The term may also be used figuratively to refer to evil or to a period of distress. Night-time also provides opportunity for contemplation and for prayer. Genesis 1:5Night distinguished from day See also Genesis 1:14-18Psalms 74:16 Judges 19:9 Night as a time for rest and sleep Ecclesiastes 2:23Rest from daily activity John 9:4; 11:9-10Genesis 15:12; 28:11 Job 4:13 Sleep Psalms 42:3Activity day and night implies continuity and commitment Jeremiah 9:1; 14:17Weeping Nehemiah 1:6Psalms 88:1 Prayer Luke 18:71 Thessalonians 3:10 Joshua 1:8 Psalms 1:2 Meditation Luke 2:37Acts 26:7 Worship Revelation 4:8; 7:151 Chronicles 9:33 1 Thessalonians 2:9 Work 2 Thessalonians 3:8Lamentations 2:19 The watches of the night In OT times: three watches Judges 7:19the first watch: sunset to midnight Exodus 14:24the second watch: midnight to 3 a.m Mark 13:35the last watch: 3 a.m. to dawn See also In NT times: four watches Matthew 14:25Luke 12:38 pp Mk 6:48 John 13:30Night associated with evil The period when evil is at work See also Job 30:26Night symbolises the darkness in Judas' soul, and denotes, too, the time of activity of the powers of darkness. Proverbs 4:19Luke 22:53 1 Corinthians 4:5 Opportunity for evil See also Proverbs 2:13Evil flourishes under cover of darkness. John 3:19-20Job 24:14 Proverbs 7:8-9 Murder 1 Thessalonians 5:7Adultery Jeremiah 49:9Drunkenness pp Ob 5 1 Thessalonians 5:5Theft See also Believers do not belong to the night John 12:35-36Romans 13:12 Ephesians 5:8 Colossians 1:13 1 Thessalonians 5:6 See also Believers are to remain watchful Matthew 24:42-44; 25:13Mark 13:36-37 Psalms 107:13-14 Night associated with distress Isaiah 9:2; 59:9Gloom caused by distress Psalms 6:6; 30:5Lamentations 1:2 Night as a time of weeping Luke 6:12Night as an opportunity to seek God See also In prayer 1 Samuel 15:11Psalms 22:2; 119:62 Acts 16:25 See also In worship Job 35:10Psalms 42:8; 77:6; 139:1-2; 149:5 Isaiah 30:29 Psalms 63:6 See also In contemplation Psalms 119:55Isaiah 26:9 1 Samuel 3:4 Night as an opportunity to receive revelation God's voice at night 2 Chronicles 7:12Daniel 2:19; 7:2 God's revelation through visions Zechariah 1:8Acts 18:9; 23:11 Genesis 20:3; 31:24 1 Kings 3:5 God's revelation through dreams Job 33:15Revelation 21:25; 22:5 No night in heaven See also 1409 dream4807 colours 4811 darkness, symbol of sin 4918 dawn 4921 day 4936 fate 5056 rest 5533 sleep, physical 8493 watchfulness, believers 8602 prayer 8662 meditation 8734 evil |
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