Day Starts at Sundown and Ends at the Next Sundown

Created Date: 21-May-2017

It is the Full Night followed by the Full Day

Last updated: 8-Aug-2021
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Sections

1 Day Definition 2 God's Light in the Beginning and Eternity
3 Book of Genesis, before the Fourth Day 4 God states the Creation was in 6 Days
5 Light Prior to the Sun, Moon and Stars 6 God Does Not Provide His Light
7 Book of Exodus, the Day Period Verified 8 Science Reference

Day Definition

God defines the day as:

In our modern world, the day is thought of as an approximate 24-hour period of time.  From science, we know that the day is not exactly a 24-hour period.  An article on UniverseToday.com, has the day is defined as 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.0916 seconds.

God's Light in the Beginning and Eternity

Before the Fourth Day of Creation, there is a debate between many Hebrew Biblical Scholars on the meanings of the words where God states there was Night and then Morning.  The Day is not mentioned until after the Fourth Day, which is when the Sun is created.  This has many conjectures on what the full ramifications of what God was imparting and teaching us.  Clearly, God's light was shining on the Earth to take care of living creatures before the Creation of the Sun which is required for all life to exist.

This author believes the answer is straightforward and verified by Revelation 22:5 that is the start of Eternity with the new Heavens, new Earth, new Jerusalem.  This author's opinions are:

Genesis 1:2 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Revelation 22:5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Book of Genesis, before the Fourth Day

There are a few introductory references that show the definition of the day is evening and then morning.  The question could be asked does "morning" mean 6am until noon according to the tradition of the modern world?  In this author's opinion, it appears from reading the verses in Genesis, it is meaning the Light is the same strength, brightness and clarity of the morning as it is until there is no Light which will be the next day.

Three theories:

  1. Some Biblical Scholars have the interpretation as "morning" reference is when light appeared which is then day and nothing more.   (A possibility but not comprehensive enough)
  2. Then other Biblical Scholars state there is a possibility that the "morning" reference is a time frame of when the morning ends is less than 12 hours, where the next day starts.  (This author's opinion is this is incorrect because of Exodus 20:11)
  3. Some Biblical Scholars, state that the "morning" reference was a twelve-hour period but since the Sun was not created yet, then the Hebrew word that was translated as "morning" is incorrect and has lost its original meaning to us.  The "morning" reference had to be something uniquely different.  (This author agrees with this theory.)

Notice also in Genesis 1:13 that evening and morning is described as the third day also.

Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day." 
Genesis 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:13 And there was evening, and there was morning the third day.

God states the Creation was in 6 Days

Many believers do not believe the Creation occurred in six days.  The problem with their belief is these people are calling God a liar because in Exodus 20:11, God tells us it was six literal days.

Exodus 20;11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.

Light Prior to the Sun, Moon and Stars

What is the source of this light?  The light had to be coming from God, as stated in Genesis 1:3. 

Genesis 1:3 And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light.

God Does Not Provide His Light

After the fourth day, God's Light is no longer given (or provided) to illuminate the world.  Starting in verse four of Genesis 1 through verse 19, we learn it was on the Fourth day that the Stars, Sun and Moon were created. 

As explained in this author's opinion above in this topic, God no longer provided His Light which is possibly because:

  1. Despite the re-creation after Genesis 1:2, there was still the rebellion of Lucifer and the Fallen Angels to finish with a judgment.
  2. God also knew of the future sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

We, as Believers, need to know that God exists outside of all Time Domains so He knows what will happen ahead of time.  At this point in the book of Genesis, it was not time of full restoration of all things which Revelation Chapter 21 and Chapter 22 gives us a glimpse.

Genesis 1:14-15 The Stars are created, "And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so.".
Genesis 1:16-18 The Sun and the Moon are created, "And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,".
Genesis 1:19 And there was evening, and there was morning the fourth day.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

Book of Exodus, the Day Period Verified
As the nation of Israel is leaving Egypt, the day definition is verified again in Exodus 12:8.  Notice the day starts at night time.
 
Exodus 12:8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.  The eating is the next day because it is at night time after the end of the day which was when the sun was visible.
Exodus 20:8-11 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Science Reference

Parts of this are an excerpt from the Long Day of Joshua topic:

Currently, the Earth's day is not exactly 24 hours and zero seconds, depending upon what source of information is being read.  That is how long it takes the Earth to rotate completely on its axis.  From UniverseToday.com the day is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.0916 seconds.  This does not contradict the scriptures as God never states in the scriptures an exact number of hours, minutes and seconds, but describes the day as a period of time, starting and ending from darkness to light. 

After the Long Day of Joshua event in history, the effects of the event caused a change of the days that the Earth revolved around the Sun, and also the number of days that the Moon revolves around the Earth.  The moon's orbit is slowly decaying outwardly over-time, and the Earth's orbit around the Sun is always subject to change from a variety of causes.

The current Earth's Moon cycle is approximately 27.322 days.  This is the number of days it takes the Moon to make one cycle around the Earth, where many Biblical Scholars assert the Moon was previously a 30-day cycle before the Long Day of Joshua and 10 Minutes of 2 Kings event.

What to read next?

See: (a) Time and Time Travel, (b) Time Domains, (c) Kingdom of God, (d) Singularity and the Big Bang Theories, (e) E=mc ,  (f) Ten Dimensions of the Universe, (g) Age of the Earth, Periods that Developed Life, Heavens, (h) Evolution