Your computer probably has a little clock down in the bottom right hand corner, and even if it doesn't, your operating system had an internal clock which timestamps everything. Timing and event sequences are important markers when studying a passage of Scripture, especially narrative books like Kings and Chronicles or the Gospels. There are several types of time markers.
1. Straightforward – "And He was there in the wilderness forty day…" Mark 1:13
No interpretation necessary. The verse tells you exactly when or how long.
2. Relative – "Now when Jesus had crossed over again…" Mark 5:21
These relate events to each other and help us see how they fit together to form a big picture. Look for phrases like "after these things"
3. Nonspecific – "But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them…" Mark 2:20
These are used many times in parables or prophecies.
Determining the type of time marker is not nearly as important as recognizing them and using them to deepen your understanding of a Scripture passage. I even mark them in the margin of my Bible with a little clock symbol.
What have you learned from observing time markers in your study?
