Have you ever hoped for something, believing you would receive, but you wait, and you wait, and you wait? It doesn’t come and you tell yourself to be patient. After all, don’t good things come to those who wait?

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. – Bible or Not?

Today’s quote says that hope deferred, or in other words, when you hope for something and then have to wait, it makes the heart sick. Hmmm… is this true? Experience says yes. But is it in the Bible…or Not?

Two questions for our Bible or Not quote today.
    1) Is it true that it’s darkest before the dawn?
    2) Is the “darkest before the dawn” quote found in the Bible? 

“It is always darkest before the dawn.” – Bible or Not? 

I have heard this quote many times, and most of us understand that these are words of encouragement to those going through “dark” times. When all hope is lost, and you feel like your calamity will never lift, it’s encouraging to believe that good times are right around the corner. The meaning of this quote, that even during the worst of times you can have hope, can be very powerful to help us take another step and live another day with hope of a better tomorrow. 

But is it actually true that it’s always darkest before the dawn, and is it in the Bible? 

1) It is not true that it is darkest before the dawn. Scientifically, it is darkest at midnight, i.e., it is darkest at the time which is the midpoint from dusk (sundown) to dawn (sunrise). This is the point at which the sun is on the opposite side of the earth, from the point at which the night is observed. Or in other words, the point that is 180 degrees away from the sun. This is true especially during the new moon when there is no reflective light coming from the moon. 

The Darkest Place at Night is 180 Degrees from the Sun

 2) The origin of the quote “It is always darkest before the dawn” is NOT in the Bible. This quote has been used in many movies, in many books and in many sermons. While there is some disagreement as to the origin of this quote, there is a consensus that it was authored by English theologian and historian Thomas Fuller (1608 – 1661). The actual quote attributed to Thomas Fuller is:

“It is always darkest just before the day dawneth.” -  Thomas Fuller

So, there you have it.

Just saw this quote, do you know if it from the Bible, or not?

“There is no peace without hope, no hope without liberty, no liberty without integrity, no integrity without virtue.” – Bible or Not?

It reminds me a little of this Bible verse:

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” - 2 Peter 1:5-7

So, Bible or not? If so, where? If not who?