Bill Klimek of Spokane shared some more jewels of wisdom with me this week. Sunset is not a reliable way to tell when night starts. Do you count night when the sun touches the horizon? When it is no longer visible on the horizon? Or when you no longer see any sunlight on the horizon?
Bill pointed out that in Scripture, everything important is established at the mouth of two or three witnesses.
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
1 Timothy 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
Can the sun testify to itself? Is the testimony of the sun sufficient to determine day and night? The moon appears happily during day and night. So it cannot be used as a witness. The sheet of daylight which circles the earth is not the same as sunlight. Even when the sun is no longer visible, the sky can be quite light. This is because daylight and sunlight are two completely different things. Daylight is a sheet of fluorescent air, air that is electro-magnetically turned into plasma. Daylight circles the earth dayly. Daylight is ruled by the sun, but does not come from the sun. That is why, even when the sun is on the horizon, the opposite horizon will be bright baby blue, even though the sky directly overhead is a deep dark blue. Because of the properties of daylight, the sun cannot be used to determine the start and end of the day.
This leads us to the two or three witnesses rule. Bill Klimek says that nighttime begins when you can see three stars. The sun may still be visible, but if it is dark enough to see three distinct stars with the naked eye, then it is night time. Conversely, the sun may have gone down, but if it is still too light for stars to appear, then it is still daytime. Stars rule the night. It is by the witness of two or three stars that you can tell when night begins and ends.
Thank you Bill Klimek.
Psalm 136:2,5,9O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
…
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
…
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.