Figures of Speech in the Bible

Appointed Times, Seasons, and Divine Calendar Imagery in the Bible

Times and seasons imagery uses appointed dates, fulfilled seasons, or God-governed calendar language to picture providence, waiting, judgment, fulfillment, or redemptive timing.

Simple definition

Times and seasons imagery uses appointed dates, fulfilled seasons, or God-governed calendar language to picture providence, waiting, judgment, fulfillment, or redemptive timing.

Technical nameAppointed time, season, fullness of time, changed seasons, fulfilled time, and divine-calendar imagery
Alternate namesappointed-time imagery; times and seasons imagery; fullness-of-time imagery; divine calendar imagery; season imagery
Reader categoryProvidence, fulfillment, waiting, prophetic timing, creation order, and redemptive history / Times-and-seasons imagery
Bullinger classSupplemental biblical imagery form
Source hintWave 39 draft-normalized time/seasons imagery review; distinguish general chronology from theological timing governed by God’s appointment.
Examples on page10

Technical definition

A temporal-appointment motif in which times, seasons, set dates, fullness, delay, or fulfilled moments signify divine governance of history, prophetic fulfillment, covenant waiting, judgment, or the ordered rhythms of creation and redemption.

Publication note: Examples are curated from the final Wave 46 source state. Some examples carry review notes where final Bible-text stream verification may still be prudent before public release.

Scripture examples

These examples show how Appointed Times, Seasons, and Divine Calendar Imagery functions in biblical language, rhetoric, poetry, prophecy, narrative, or theological imagery.

Gen. 1:14
certain

let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years

Creation lights mark ordered time under God’s governance.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Gen. 18:14
certain

at the time appointed I will return unto thee

The promised son is tied to God’s appointed time, not human ability.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Exod. 9:5
certain

the LORD appointed a set time

Judgment on Egypt arrives according to God’s fixed appointment.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Eccl. 3:1
certain

To every thing there is a season

Season language frames human life under appointed providential ordering.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Dan. 2:21
certain

he changeth the times and the seasons

God’s sovereignty includes the rise and fall of historical seasons.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Hab. 2:3
certain

the vision is yet for an appointed time

Prophetic fulfillment may wait, but it is fixed by God.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Mark 1:15
certain

The time is fulfilled

Jesus announces kingdom arrival as fulfilled redemptive timing.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Acts 1:7
certain

the times or the seasons... the Father hath put in his own power

The disciples are restrained from controlling God’s eschatological calendar.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Gal. 4:4
certain

when the fulness of the time was come

The sending of the Son occurs at the divinely completed moment.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
1 Thess. 5:1
certain

of the times and the seasons

Paul uses times-and-seasons language for eschatological watchfulness.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 39 number/counting/order/time/seasons/generations/watches/first-last imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.

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