Words and Phrases

HOUR

The word-study on “hour” was prompted because a number of brethren in their interpretations of Revelation prophecy (particularly Chapter 18) insist that an hour must be a very short time. Before looking into the prophecies which contain this time-word, it seems wise to learn from a topical study how the word is actually used.

While our conclusion as to the meaning of hour was reached AFTER the topical study, in this summary we will state the conclusion first:

An hour is a NON-SPECIFIC TIME with a certain characteristic.

(NOTE: in this research, as with all good research, we will not speculate on difficult examples; we will utilize only the clear examples to arrive at conclusions. The application to difficult texts will come later.)

HOUR is used two ways in Revelation: (1) it is used without a modifier; (2) it is used with a modifier —the word “one.”

ONE

Because the addition of the modifying word “one” can be significant, it is important to determine its meaning. Revelation uses TWO words for “one.” The word which is used with hour, however, is consistently Strong’s # 3391.

It is used consistently to mean either ONE OF A SERIES or ONE AS IN SOMETHING THAT IS SINGULAR IN NATURE. (It is NOT to mean one as opposed to two.)

It is used much as we might say -“I remember ONE TIME that…” When we use one in that sense, we mean that we remember an incident in our memory which stands out as a singular example.

“One” is combined with “hour” in Rev. 6:1; 9:12; 13:3; 17:12; 17:13; 18:8; 18:10; 18:17; and 18:19. In this last citation, no Greek word is present for “one.”

The word HOUR (Strong’s # 5610 = hora) is not always translated the same. Its use outside of Revelation is revealing. 2 Cor 7:8 is one example of its use by Paul.

“For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.” NKJV

Elsewhere it is translated as an hour, a little while, a season, a short time, and a time.

Here he uses it to refer to a time during which the Corinthian Church was sorrowful. In 1 Thess. 2:17 he uses the word to refer to the time he hadn’t seen the Thessalonian brethren.

“But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.” NKJV

The Apostle John (1 John 2:18) seems to use the word to describe THE ENTIRE GOSPEL AGE!

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” NKJV

The foregoing was taken from the New Albany Notes on Revelation, Appendix B #70

In our next post we will take a closer look at how it is used in the book of Revelation.