Topical Encyclopedia In the biblical context, "times" refers to various periods, seasons, and appointed moments that are significant within the narrative of Scripture. The concept of time in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing both chronological and kairos (opportune or appointed) moments. The Bible presents time as a creation of God, who exists outside of time and orchestrates the events within it according to His divine plan.Creation and Time The Bible begins with the establishment of time in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This marks the commencement of time as we understand it, with the subsequent days of creation delineating a structured sequence of events. The creation week sets a pattern for the seven-day week, which includes the Sabbath, a divinely appointed time for rest and worship (Genesis 2:2-3). Appointed Times and Seasons Throughout Scripture, God ordains specific times and seasons for His purposes. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." This passage underscores the belief that God has a sovereign timetable for all events. The Israelites were given appointed times for feasts and festivals, such as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, which were integral to their worship and community life (Leviticus 23). Prophetic Times Prophecy in the Bible often involves specific times and periods. Daniel 9:24-27 outlines the "seventy weeks" prophecy, which is a timeline for significant events in Israel's history and the coming of the Messiah. Similarly, the Book of Revelation speaks of "times, time, and half a time" (Revelation 12:14), a cryptic reference to a period of tribulation. The Fulness of Time The New Testament speaks of the "fulness of time" in relation to the coming of Jesus Christ. Galatians 4:4-5 states, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons." This indicates that Christ's incarnation occurred at the precise moment ordained by God. Eschatological Times The Bible also addresses the end times, a period characterized by the return of Christ and the final judgment. Jesus spoke of signs of the end times in Matthew 24, urging His followers to be watchful and prepared. Acts 1:7 records Jesus' words, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority," emphasizing that the exact timing of these events remains within God's sovereign knowledge. Living in Time Believers are called to live wisely within the time allotted to them. Ephesians 5:15-16 exhorts, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." This reflects the biblical principle of stewardship of time, encouraging Christians to use their time for God's glory and purposes. In summary, the concept of "times" in the Bible is deeply intertwined with God's sovereignty, prophetic fulfillment, and the call for believers to live purposefully within the framework of God's divine timetable. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (n.) Plural of Time.International Standard Bible Encyclopedia LAST TIME, TIMES(kairos eschatos, chronos eschatos (also plural), eschaton tou chronou, hora eschate): In the King James Version this phrase occurs in 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:20 (plural); 1 John 2:18 Jude 1:18. The Revised Version (British and American) has, in 1 Peter 1:20, "at the end of the times," and in 1 John 2:18, "the last hour," in closer adherence to the Greek. The conception is closely allied to that of "the last day," and, like this, has its root in the Old Testament conception of "the end of days." In the Old Testament this designates the entire eschatological period as that which the present course of the world is to issue into, and not, as might be assumed, the closing section of history. It is equivalent to what was later called "the coming aeon" (see ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT). In the New Testament, on the other hand, the phrase "the last time" does mark the concluding section of the present world-period, of the present aeon. In three of the New Testament passages the consciousness expresses itself that these "last times" have arrived, and that the period extending from the appearance or the resurrection of Christ until His Second Coming is the closing part of the present age, that the writer and readers are living in "the last times." In one passage (1 Peter 1:5) "the last time" is projected farther forward into the future, so that it comes to mean the time immediately preceding the reappearance of Christ. Both usages can be readily explained. The days of the Messiah were to the Old Testament writers part of the future world, although to the later Jewish chiliasm they appeared as lying this side of it, because differing from the world to come in their earthly and temporal character. To the early Christians the days of the Messiah appeared more closely assimilated in character to the future world, so that no reason existed on this score for not including them in the latter. Still it was also realized that the Messiah in His first appearance had not brought the full realization of the coming world, and that only His return from heaven would consummate the kingdom of God. Accordingly, the days in which they lived assumed to them the character of an intermediate period, marked off on the one hand from the previous development by the appearance of the Messiah, but equally marked off from the coming eon by His reappearance in glory. From a formal point of view the representation resembles the Jewish chiliastic scheme, but with a twofold substantial difference: TIME, TIMES AND A HALF (Daniel 12:7; compare 7:25; Revelation 12:14): A luni-solar cycle. TIMES, OBSERVER OF See DIVINATION; MAGIC. OBSERVER OF TIMES ob-zur'-ver. Greek 1441. hebdomekontakis -- seventy times ... seventy times. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: hebdomekontakis Phonetic Spelling: (heb-dom-ay-kon-tak-is) Short Definition: seventy times Definition ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1441.htm - 6k 2034. heptakis -- seven times 5151. tris -- three times 3999. pentakis -- five times 1542. hekatontaplasion -- a hundred times 3842. pantote -- at all times 4179. pollaplasion -- many times more 4178. pollakis -- often 5073. tetraplous -- fourfold 5070. tetrakischilioi -- four thousand Strong's Hebrew 7659. shibathayim -- sevenfold, seven times... shibathayim. 7660 . sevenfold, seven times. Transliteration: shibathayim Phonetic Spelling: (shib-aw-thah'-yim) Short Definition: sevenfold. ... sevenfold, times. ... /hebrew/7659.htm - 6k 7232a. rabab -- to multiply ten thousand times 7232. rabab -- to multiply ten thousand times 6471. paam -- a beat, foot, anvil, occurrence 4150. moed -- appointed time, place, or meeting 7651. sheba -- seven 6924a. qedem -- front, east, formerly 6049. anan -- to practice soothsaying 4489. moneh -- a counted number, time 865. ethmowl -- yesterday, recently, formerly Library The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Sermons for the Times The "Times of Restitution" Can be Ushered in Only by the Second ... The Prophecy of the Perilous Times. Building in Troublous Times A Fifth Century Tract for the Times Of the Kings and Times of the Earthly City which were Synchronous ... The Signs of the Times The Signs of the Times. (Luke, xii. , 54. ) Of the Last Times, and of the City of Rome. Thesaurus Times (1875 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Time. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. LAST TIME, TIMES. (kairos eschatos, chronos eschatos ... /t/times.htm - 11k Oft-times (3 Occurrences) Off-times (1 Occurrence) Crop (33 Occurrences) Soil (59 Occurrences) Crow (9 Occurrences) Cock's (7 Occurrences) Solemnity (3 Occurrences) Sown (45 Occurrences) Yielded (28 Occurrences) Resources Questions about the End Times (All) | GotQuestions.orgIs an eclipse a sign of the end times? | GotQuestions.org What signs indicate that the end times are approaching? | GotQuestions.org Times: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Times (1875 Occurrences)Times appears 1875 times in 12 translations. You can narrow your search using the Advanced Bible Search. Subtopics Related Terms |
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