Beginning of the Day by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 6, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 42.

Beginning of the Day.

By Editor

"Will you please state in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES where in the Old Testament can be found the verse stating when the day was to begin? "E. G. D."

ANSWER: In Lev. 23:32 we read concerning the day of atonement as follows: "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month, at even, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath." Now by referring to Deut. 16:6; Josh. 10:26, 27; Mark 1:32, etc., we learn that "even" is at the setting of the sun. If one day was to begin at even, at the setting of the sun, then of course every day must likewise begin at sunset. When the earth was created—when God "spake and it was"—there was darkness. Afterward God said, "Let there be light, and there was light," and this formed the latter portion of the first day. "The evening and the morning were the first day." Then, as the earth continued to revolve, succeeding days must, of course, follow the same plan; and so we read in the first chapter of Genesis that "the evening and the morning" were the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth days.