In dividing the natural day, we call the darkness night and the light day. Gen. 1:5. It was to this division that the Saviour had reference when He said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day ?” John 11:9.
It is used figuratively in 1 Thess. 5:5-8, etc., to represent the condition of the people of God who are living up to all the light which the Lord permits to shine upon their pathway, and who are looking for the personal, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and are preparing for that glorious event. In Ps. 90:4, and 2 Pet. 3:8, 10, it is used to show that time is as nothing with the great Creator, and also to represent the “day of the Lord,” the period when God’s judgments are being visited upon a sin-cursed world.
The word is used symbolically in Num. 14:34, and Eze. 4:6. When so used, as the texts declare, examples of which might be given from different prophecies, it means a year. In all the examples given, the context makes clear the meaning of the text, and restricts it to that meaning alone. How unfair, then, for men to say that the days of creation were millions or thousands of years, or years, just because a day when used symbolically signifies a year, etc.
THE TIME TO BEGIN THE NATURAL DAY. Most all of the nations begin the day at midnight. The Babylonians began the day at sun-rising; the Jews, God’s ancient people, and the ones to whom and through whom he revealed His will, “and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever,” began the day at sun-setting. This is in harmony with the plain teaching of the Scriptures. The following, from “Scripture References,” is worthy of careful examination.
“Every twenty-four hour day begins with the evening. Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Lev. 23: 32; Neh. 13:19.
“The evening begins with the setting of the sun.Lev. 22:6, 7; Judg. 14:12, 18; Josh. 8:29; 10:26, 27.
“Christ healed the sick at even, or sun-set. Matt. 8:16, with Luke 4:40; Mark 1:32.
“The days of creation were natural days. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, and commands us to keep it Holy as a memorial of His creative power. It is folly for any one to try to set it aside. The Saviour said it was made for man.” (Mark 2:27), i. e., for mankind. Nothing could be more becoming to Protestants, and Catholics also, than to turn from the traditions of the church of Rome and observe God’s commandments, and the holy rest day of His appointing—the Sabbath or Lord’s day, Saturday.
The Present Truth Vol. 1 Num. 4 August 1884