The Fourth Watch

Wayne sent this to me in 2006.

God is a God of the Fourth Watch:

This is what James E. Talmage says in Jesus the Christ:

 Watches of the Night.-During the greater part of Old Testament time, the people of Israel divided the night into three watches, each of four hours, such a period being that of individual sentinel duty. Before the beginning of the Christian era, however, the Jews had adopted the Roman order of four night-watches, each lasting three hours. These were designated numerically, e.g. the fourth watch mentioned in the text (see Matt. 14:25), or as even, midnight, cock-crowing, and morning (see Mark 13:35). The fourth watch was the last of the three-hour periods between sunset and sunrise, or between 6 P.M. and 6 A.M. and therefore extended from 3 to 6 o'clock in the morning.

Mark 13

 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about ^afive thousand men.

  45 And straightway he (Jesus) constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

  46 And when he had ^asent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

  47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

  48 And he saw them ^atoiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea

**He saw them struggling! But he waited, until the fourth watch. THEN he came to them with his miracles, his love, his compassion. At times, he lets us TOIL in rowing...