HSP 2021 M SPRING FOR ISSUU

THE DIVISION OF TIME
This planner has been designed around the way time was divided in the New Testament (NT) rather than
the way it was in the Old Testament (OT). The NT division of time is preferable as it highlights all key hours
of prayer (see next page) - including the 9th hour prayer (3:00 p.m.) that was added after the crucifixion of
Yashaya (Acts 3:1).
OLD TESTAMENT VS. NEW TESTAMENT
According to Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, “Jews anciently divided the night into three parts of four hours,
usually called watches”. These watches are mentioned in Lamentations 2:19, Judges 7:19 and Exodus
14:24. However, in the Messiah’s time “they divided the night into four watches, the fourth having been
introduced by the Romans. These watches consisted of three hours each. The first commenced at six and
continued until nine; the second from nine to twelve; the third from twelve to three; and the fourth from
three to six. The first was called evening; the second midnight; the third cock-crowing; the fourth morning,
Mark 13:35”.
THE OLD TESTAMENT DIVISIONS
HOURS 1 to 4 HOURS 5 to 8 HOURS 9 to 12
6:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. 10:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M. 2:00 A.M. - 6:00 A.M.
6:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
THE NEW TESTAMENT DIVISIONS
WATCH SCHEDULING
HOURS 1 to 3 HOURS 4 to 6 HOURS 7 to 9 HOURS 10 to 12
6:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. 9:00 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. 12:00 A.M. - 3:00 A.M. 3:00 A.M. - 6:00 A.M.
6:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. 12:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. 3:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
You will notice that despite the fact that the daily planner is designed based off an eight-part day, it only
contains six blocks. This is because the two “sleep” blocks from midnight to 6:00 a.m. have been left out
with the assumption that they will not be needed.
Also, though I believe the New Testament divisions of time are ideal for laying out your schedule I have left
the exact times off of the daily schedule so that you can feel free to play around with the exact times that
work for you. For example, you might want your morning block to start at 5:00 a.m. to wake before your
family and that is completely up to you.
Remember that that’s part of the beauty of the block schedule - each person gets to make it their own.
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find
watching: [...] And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in
the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants .”
Luke 12:37, 38