Bible Watches

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 5
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A watch is for telling the time. This one that I wish to speak about, however, tells about eternity also.
Bible time was different from ours. It was divided into watches, that is, periods of three hours. The Four Watches into which the night was divided are all mentioned in one verse, Mark 13:3535Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: (Mark 13:35)—Even, Mid-night, Cock-crowing, Morning. What can we learn from them?
EVENING (Ex. 12:66And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. (Exodus 12:6))—From 6 p.m. till 9 p.m.-called also “The First watch.” The paschal lamb was slain in the evening. This tells us of the Lord Jesus, who “when the fullness of the time was come” (Gal. 4:44But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4)) came forth to die. In “the end of the world He appeared to put away sin.” (Heb. 9:2626For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26).) The Lamb of God has died. His blood has been shed. Redemption has been accomplished. You have nothing to do; nothing to wait for. Only just to believe on Him; to claim Him as your own.
COCK-CROWING (Luke 22:6060And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. (Luke 22:60))—From 12 a.m. till 3 a.m-The Third watch. This is said to be the name given to the bugle call of the Roman soldier for arousing the camp. To us the cock-crowing call is “Surely I come quickly.” Are you ready to meet the Lord Jesus? Only those who know Him as their Saviour now can welcome Him then.
MORNING (Isa. 21:1212The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. (Isaiah 21:12))—From 3 a.m. till 6 a.m.-The Fourth watch. We read, “In the Fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them.” (Matt. 14:2525And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25).) “The morning cometh.” (Isa. 21:1212The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. (Isaiah 21:12).) The coming of the Lord Jesus for His people will bring the morning. His own word is, “I am the bright and Morning Star.” Happy are they who can say, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
ML-04/20/1980