Miraculous Darkness

1 Peter 2:9

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We’re told that as Jesus was on the cross, darkness covered the entire land, and this was a supernatural darkness. It’s interesting, some people have speculated that maybe there was an eclipse or something that just coincided with Jesus death, but that couldn’t have been possible because to have a solar eclipse, there has to be a new moon and the festival of Passover, the time at which Jesus died, there’s always a full moon because the Hebrews go by a lunar calendar.

And so we know, the Bible teaches us, that this was a supernatural, miraculous event, this darkness that covered the whole land as Jesus was upon the cross. It was a miraculous darkness that God sent upon the whole Earth. And it emphasized, of course, the deity of Christ. But it also was a call to the people there of their need to repent. It was a sign of God’s displeasure of how he was turning his back, especially on Christ because of his sin.

Darkness is scary. And the other night I was putting my five year old to bed and he looked around the room and he said, It’s kind of dark in here, Dad. I’m scared. And I admitted to him, I don’t like the darkness either. Jesus didn’t like the darkness, and yet he was willing to suffer through that darkness. He went into that darkness for you and me. And I love how 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9 puts it.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 EHV)

This is a darkness that our Lord Jesus willingly endured for us, for our sakes. He went into that darkness to call us out of the spiritual darkness of sin. He suffered through the darkness of the cross and the forces of darkness that were against him as he was suffering and dying on the cross. And there he was, taking all of our guilt, all of our sin, all of those things that should subject us to eternal darkness in hell. He pays the full price for them upon the cross so that you and I now don’t have to be afraid of the dark because we have light in store for us. The glorious light of eternal life in heaven.

There’s a story told of a man who was dying, and because of his illness, he had nearly completely lost his eyesight. And as his family and friends were gathered around his deathbed, they asked him, Can you recognize us? Can you see us? And he says, No. Everything before my eyes is dark. But then he pointed to his heart and he said, But everything here is bright, because I have a Savior who has brought light to my life, to my heart, that even here in this dark valley of death, things are looking very bright. What a wonderful reminder to all of us that even as we face dark times, even as we face the darkness of death, we have nothing to fear because our Savior endured all darkness for us. And He’s called us out of that darkness, into the glorious light that we’ll get to enjoy with him in the glories of heaven.

What wonderful news this is that we’ve been called out of that darkness. Our Lord Jesus suffered it for us and that we have the light of eternal life. We pray, thank you, Jesus, for suffering the darkness of the cross, to pay for our sins, so that we might now join you in the glorious light of eternal life. Amen.

God’s peace be with you.