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God was.” This was the “thick cloud upon the mount” as a separation
when he spoke to Moses. When the psalmist
(Ps. 97:2)
describes the
inscrutable nature of God’s workings among the sons of men, he says,
“Clouds and darkness are round about him.” God dwells in thick darkness,
which is a metaphor because this darkness is prevalent in the minds of men.
But, in a literal sense the plague of darkness in Egypt is described as a
darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that
“they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen. When
Jesus hung upon the cross, from the “sixth hour there was darkness over all
the land unto the ninth hour.”
These are all symbols of the judgments that announce the coming of the
Lord
(Isa. 13:9, 10; Matt. 24:29);
the question is which Lord? Jesus is LORD of
Lords, so consider carefully the application. Darkness is a symbol of misery
and adversity.
(Job 18:6; Ps. 107:10; Isa. 8:22; Ezek. 30:18)
The “day of darkness”,
caused by clouds of locusts, is a symbol of the obscurity, which overhangs
all Divine proceedings
. (Joel 2:2)
“Works of darkness” are impure actions
(Eph.
5:11).
“Outer darkness” refers to the darkness of the streets in the East,
which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in
contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. Darkness is also a
symbol of ignorance and of death.
(Isa. 9:2; 60:2; Matt. 6:23; Job 10:21; 17:13)
If the message isn’t received or acknowledged in this time, darkness will
prevail in the minds of those lost in the great tribulation. The light of truth
is always suspicious because darkness masquerades as light. Jesus provided
testimony that was perfectly correct, but was rejected by most of humanity–
why? The mystery is revealed when the original intent is understood, but
the mystery [light] is always rejected by what is popular in our world today.
In the days and years following Jesus’ crucifixion, the word “Christian”
applied to those who followed Jesus’ teachings. After all, according to the
darkness of their mocking [Romans and Hebrew], Jesus, as the anointed
one [Christ], was too most people a failure or blasphemer. Jesus did not
save himself, nor were the Hebrews or new followers delivered from the
oppression of the Romans [Judas’ motivation]. Jesus’ efforts seemed like a
failing effort, except to the small minority who contemplated everything
that Jesus said; so His followers [Christians] were considered failures except
to the small minority, who contemplated everything that Jesus said.
Christians were considered radical, but strangely faithful in their pursuit of
the truth. Even Romans torture and death could not stop their faith filled