It is always darkest at midnight.The darkest hour for mankind can be said to be when Adam and Eve listened to the serpent and disobeyed and betrayed God, in the Garden of Eden, also called the Garden of God, (Ezekiel 28:13). But there was light offered to dispel the darkness when the second Adam was promised that would come and crush the head of the serpent.The darkest hour for the second Adam, Jesus Christ can be said to be when he was betrayed in another garden, at the hands of Judas, (John 18:1-5).The darkest hour for the fate of mankind can be said to be when Jesus Christ was placed dead in a sepulcher in a garden near where He was crucified, (John 19:41). While the Bible does not specifically say, there is biblical support that after his body had been meticulously wrapped in strips of linen held together with 100 pounds of aloe as glue, that He was placed in the tomb at the anniversary of the midnight Pass-over.The darkest hour for the Egyptians can be said to be when the death angel killed the first born of the Egyptians on the first Passover at midnight. Because of this act the Jews were released from the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians.Jesus rose from the grave, which taken at exactly 3 days and 3 nights, would place this event also at midnight. This freed everyone who turns from their sins and calls upon His name from the bondage of slavery to sin.Having said all that, I think the exact middle of the night in Jerusalem for the Rapture has a lot of support. From the 10 virgins story awakening when the bridegroom comes at midnight to the 2nd and 3rd watch of the night sandwiching midnight between them, (is midnight the 2nd watch or is it the 3rd watch?), to the thief in the night.So when is the exact middle of the night, (it is not usually 12:00 AM but varies with locality and time of year).Midnight can be determined from calculating exactly half way between sunset and sunrise:Although, the highest point in Jerusalem is sometimes considered the correct place versus assumed level ground for the published tables:Since I don't know Hebrew I can't understand the tables, but from what it appears, the actual sunrise and sunset can vary by 15 minutes depending on elevation just within Jerusalem. Fortunately, as one goes to higher elevations both sunrise and sunset are pushed to make the day longer on both sides, thus the net effect on mid-night is much less.Still, with a midnight watch for June 7, 2008, anticipating the Rapture, we are actually anticipating that we could be taken up to the Garden of Paradise.He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7Midnight in the Garden!Something indeed to be watching for!Shalom,Ted Porter