“Darkness”\nin both the Old Testament (Hebrew: hasak [J;v’j]) and New Testament (Greek: skotos)\nis an evocative word. If light symbolizes God, darkness connotes everything\nthat is anti-God: the wicked (Pr. 2:13-14; 1 Thess\n5:4-7), judgment (Ex. 10:21; Mt. 25:30), and death (Ps. 8:12). Salvation brings light to those in darkness\n(Isa 9:2). Although darkness is opaque to man, it\nis transparent to God (Ps. 139:12). Indeed, God\ncan veil himself in darkness at moments of great revelation (Dt. 4:11; 5:23; Ps. 18:11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God Rules the Darkness.<\/strong>\nThe biblical view of darkness and light offers a unique contrast. There is no\nthought that darkness is equal in power to God’s light. The absolute, sovereign\nGod rules over the darkness and the powers of evil. This is evident in several\nways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, God knows the\ndarkness. He knows where it is (Job 34:22) and\nwhat it contains (Dan 2:22);<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, God rules over\nthe darkness because he created it (Is. 45:7<\/strong>; cf. Amos 4:13;\n5:8);<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, God uses the\ndarkness for his own purposes: to hide himself from the sight of men (Ps. 18:11; 1 Kings 8:12) and to bring his judgment on\nevildoers (Dt. 28:28-29; Mt. 8:12; 22:13), evil\nnations (Ez. 30:18-19), and false prophets (Jer. 23:12; Micah 3:6; Rev 16:10);<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, God rules over\nthe darkness eschatologically. The time of God’s ultimate judgment, the day of\nthe Lord, is portrayed in both the Old Testament and New Testament as a day of\ndarkness (Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18 Amos 5:20; Zeph 1:15; Mt.\n24:29; Rev 6:12-17 ).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Darkness and Crucifixion.<\/strong>\nIt is against this background that the emphasis on darkness in the crucifixion\nscene may be understood. Luke records, “it was now\nabout the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth\nhour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in\ntwo” (23:44-45; cf. Matt 27:45; Mark 15:33).\nWhile darkness often accompanies the conception of death in Scripture (cf. Job 10:21-22), darkness at the crucifixion scene\ndisplays God’s displeasure on humankind for crucifying his son. It also\nindicates God’s judgment on evil. But the torn curtain exhibits the opening of\nsalvation to all through the death of God’s Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Final Darkness.<\/strong>\nThe Old Testament and New Testament describe the future of the ungodly in terms\nof eschatological darkness, symbolizing perdition (1\nSam 2:9; Matt 22:13; Jude 12-13). “Hell” and “pits of\ndarkness” describe the fate of angels who sinned (2\nPeter 2:4; Jude 6). But for believers darkness will be dispelled by the\npresence of the light of the glory of God (Rev.\n21:23-24; 22:5). It is only through the light of God in Jesus Christ\nthat darkness can be dispelled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Darkness” in both the Old Testament (Hebrew: hasak [J;v’j]) and New Testament (Greek: skotos) is an evocative word. If light symbolizes God, darkness connotes everything that is anti-God: the wicked (Pr. 2:13-14; 1 Thess 5:4-7), judgment (Ex. 10:21; Mt. 25:30), and death (Ps. 8:12). Salvation brings light to those in darkness (Isa 9:2). Although darkness […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[526],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n