Words and Phrases

HOUR continued

In Revelation, the word “hour” has eleven uses as follows:

Rev. 3:3 where it refers to an unexpected time at which the Lord would recompense the Sardis Church for sleeping.

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

Rev. 3:10 speaks of the “hour of temptation” from which the Philadelphia brethren would be kept. Brethren have universally (nearly) applied THIS hour to the entire Harvest period —now over 147 years in length.

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

Rev. 8:1 is subject to interpretation, and will thus not enter into the conclusion. In this instance the Greek prefix for “half” is added to the word. (See Strong’s # 2256).

“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” (We will get more into this as we study the Seventh Seal)

Rev. 9:15 is also subject to interpretation. If, indeed, hour is as general a word as this survey indicates, efforts to make this verse a specific chronological indicator may be faulty in concept.

“So, the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.”

Rev. 11:13 is a text usually applied by brethren to the French Revolution. That was a period of 10 years.

“In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

Rev. 14:7 refers to the “hour of His judgment.” Its context is the judgment on Babylon —a period usually interpreted as the Harvest of the Gospel age (now over 147 years in length).

“…saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Rev. 14:15 clearly refers to the entire Harvest; again, we have hour meaning a period in excess of a century.

“And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

Rev. 17:12 again requires interpretation. The first instance of the use of “one” as a modifier is here. If our definition be correct, the phrase “one hour” here should refer to the fact that this will be a singular time in history (one time, hour or instance in history) —one which will be set apart by its individual characteristics and peculiarities.

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.”

Rev. 18:10 is a verse frequently used to show the shortness of Babylon’s final judgment. While this may or may not be true, the survey of “one” and “hour” would indicate caution in relying on this interpretation. It may very well simply refer to the strange and wonderful time during which the Lord is carrying on His judgment against Babylon. The context of this verse in Chapter 18 could clearly indicate that this is the case.

“…standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’”

Rev. 18:17 is similar.

“For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance.”

Rev. 18:19 again makes the same case. History does seem to indicate that the laying waste of the wealth of Babylon has taken many decades and continues to progress with efficiency.

“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’”

Conclusion restated: An hour seems to represent a non-specific period of time with specific characteristics. when it is re-enforced with “one,” it stresses the peculiarity of the time.

New Albany Notes on Revelation, Appendix B #70