Darkness — William MacDonald

Creation, Light, and Darkness in Genesis

Please turn in your Bibles this morning to Genesis chapter 1. Genesis chapter 1 and We'll read through the first 18 verses. Genesis 1 verses 1 through 18. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was without form and void and Darkness was on the face of the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said let there be light and there was light. God saw the light that it was good.

And God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day at the darkness. He called night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Then God said let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters.

This God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so and God called the firmament heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

Then God said let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place and Let the dry land appear and it was so. God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters He called seas and God saw that it was good.

Then God said let the earth bring forth grass the herb that yields seed and The fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind whose seed is in itself on the earth. And it was so and the earth brought forth grass the herb that yields seed according to its kind and the tree that yields fruit whose seed is in itself according to its kind and God saw that it was good.

So the evening and the morning were the third day. Then God said let there be light in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night let them be for signs and Seasons and for days and years and let them be for light in the firmament of the heavens to give light on The earth and it was so.

Then God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars. Also, God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth.

To rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness and God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. I'd like to speak to you this morning on the subject of darkness.

And I didn't have to bring an object lesson with me this morning because you had one Yesterday when your lights went out. Darkness was the subject on everyone's lips. All kinds of strange things happened yesterday.

If you were working with your computer at the time, you could have had real Problems depending on the type of equipment that you had. The traffic lights weren't working and You really had to inch your way across the intersections darkness came upon.

Great sections of this country from Oregon to the Mexican border in California, Utah Texas, you know, the Bible is a wonderful book. There are threads that go all the way through the Bible and darkness is one of those threads.

You read about darkness here in the very second verse of the Bible. And would you believe that theme goes all the way through to the book of Revelation? That's true with a lot of other subjects. It's true with the subject of light.

You have light here in Genesis 1 and you have light all the way through to Revelation. It's true with the subject of water. It's true with the subject of trees. It's true with the subject of blood. Someone has said no matter where you cut the Bible it bleeds.

Well, that's true. It's absolutely true. No matter where you cut the Bible it bleeds and that bloodline through the Bible Of course is one of the most significant parts of the Word of God. And I think when God causes darkness to come upon a section of our country.

There must be some lessons in it for us. God is always trying to talk to people and Very few are willing to listen. Well, let's just take a little trip through the Bible this morning and just take up a very few of the passages that deal with darkness.

The Origin of Darkness and the Genesis Gap

First of all in the first verse of Genesis you find God creating the heavens and the earth. And we believe that when he created them he created them perfectly. Perfectly because everything that God does is perfect.

But we also believe that something happened between Genesis 1 1 and Genesis 1 2. Why why do you say that brother McDonald because it says the earth was without form and voice. Darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Well, we don't believe that God made it that way. What happened? Well, we don't know what happened if we say we're speculating but it's generally felt that this is when Satan was cast out of heaven and Came down to earth as a result with darkness covering the face of The deep not a very nice situation.

Was it and something that God had to do something about and God did immediately the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the deep. God could not allow that condition to Exist very long and then started the work of creation.

The Mystery of Light Before the Sun

Now there's a problem here in Genesis chapter 1. I'll just give you the problem and you can give me the solution afterwards it says in verse 3 God said let there be light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good and God divided the light from the darkness but then you go and there's a separation of light from darkness and a day the evening in the morning with a First day, but then you go over to verse 14.

It says let there be light in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night. Let them be for signs and seasons of the days of years. Let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth.

And it was so God made two great lights the greater light to rule the days and with the Sun the lesser light to rule the night the moon. He made the stars also and God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth.

Well, it's hard to understand, isn't it? First of all Separate the light from the darkness and the first part of the chapter and then you come over here and it says God set them in The firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth verse 17 verse 18 and to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness and God saw that it was Good.

So the evening in the morning with the fourth day seems to be it's hard to realize how he could separate the light from the darkness and Create day and night in the early verse and then later on he seems to do the same thing.

What is the answer that question. I Do not know. But I know this I know this that there are scientific secrets hidden in the first chapter of Genesis that no man has ever yet plumbed. There's more here than any Scientist or philosopher has ever been able to dig out and no true finding of science will ever contradict a true Interpretation of Genesis chapter 1 or the rest of the Bible for that matter.

Well, that's marvelous, isn't it? The thing first of all of the creation enveloped in darkness and then God spoke let there be light into what's light. Of course we do know today that that the Sun is not the the main source of light in the universe.

There is light apart from the Sun. We know that very distinctly and so that's probably what happened here in the first verses and then later on He put the Sun and the moon up there to register the days and the nights.

Well, that's the first Intimation of darkness you have right at the very outset of the Bible. But then you have a very interesting thing when you turn over to Exodus chapter 10. You remember how? God wanted his people to leave Egypt and the Pharaoh would not allow the people to leave Egypt and so God started to send plagues upon that land.

Judgment Darkness in Egypt

And I'd like you to look in in Exodus chapter 10 Verses 21 and 22 23 even said then the Lord said to Moses stretch out your hand toward heaven. That there may be darkness over the land of Egypt darkness, which may even be felt.

Just think of that now, you know, we were plunged into darkness yesterday weren't we by that blackout by the failure of the electrical system. But it wasn't total darkness. I mean there was a certain amount of light coming from the heavens and the heavenly bodies.

And nobody really had to say stay seated where they were when the lights went out. Did they? This was different. This was a darkness which could be Felt and what that says to me it was total darkness total darkness, I Wonder have you ever experienced total darkness?

Well, there are some caves in the United States and in other countries and they will take tourists down into these caves down deep into the bowels of the earth and they'll turn out the light and Friends that's total darkness.

They will only turn out the lights for a few seconds, you know, why? Because if they do it more than that, the people are apt to go mad. They are they're afraid of the emotional impact on people with if they were left there in that total Darkness.

Well, this is what happened in Egypt. It was a terrible thing. Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt. Darkness which may even be felt. So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Friend that's scary. I Don't know how long your light was out. I think mine went out around 330 and it maybe came back at 8 or 9 o 'clock last night. Candles were very useful. Flashlights were very useful.

However, my smoke alarm is powered by electricity. So it's a good thing my apartment didn't go on fire because the smoke alarm wouldn't have gone on powered by electricity. Notice what it says in verse 23 they did not see one another nor did anyone rise from his place for three days.

Sounds as if they had to stay seated wherever they were. When the lights went out. Not for three hours for three solid Days, this was the judgment of God on the people of Egypt. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

That's marvelous. You know, you cannot explain this plague by any naturalistic means whatever. It was a discriminating darkness. This darkness knew an Egyptian home from a Jewish home, is that wonderful?

Modernists and liberals like to explain away the miracles of the Bible. But they inevitably fail in their explanations. You cannot explain this away by any Natural means whatever the fact of the matter is the houses of Egypt had darkness.

It could be felt. People couldn't see one another. They couldn't see where they were going and it was best for them just to stay seated or in bed. Wherever they happen to be at that moment. And some of those situations could have been very embarrassing and very trying to say the least and Of course this had its desired effect.

I love that Expression the children of Israel had light in their dwelling. Dear friends unsaved homes today are in darkness spiritual darkness and there's light in the dwellings of those who know the Lord and Trust him as their Savior.

Darkness and God's Omniscience in Job and Psalms

Just before I came up here. I was thinking about a passage in Job that has to do with darkness. Would you turn to Job chapter? 38. And this is when God is talking with Job. It's at the end of Job all his trials principle of which were the three friends.

And God is kind of what he God is saying to Job in these last chapters beginning with chapter 38 is Job you've been finding fault with me and the way I run the universe. Well, why don't you put on the robes of royalty?

Why don't you wear the crown of King and you run the universe and see what kind of a job you can do? That's really what God is saying to him. God is saying look Job. You've been sputtering against me.

You've been finding fault with me. I Want you to know I can be trusted. No matter what the circumstances of life may be I can be trusted then he he Says in verse 12 of chapter 38. Have you commanded the morning since your days began?

It's beautiful, isn't it? Never go out from your house Job and say Okay, Don. Time to come now and the dawn comes. That would make Job feel pretty small winners. Imagine commanding the dawn. Well, that's what that's what it's saying.

Have you caused the dawn to know its place that it might take hold of the ends of the earth? That's a picture of the Sun rising in the east and just coming up lighting the sky until pretty soon. The whole right to the horizon.

It's all lighted up. It might take hold of the and the wicked be shaken out of it. Well, that's an interesting very beautiful poetic language. What it's saying is that men love darkness because their deeds are evil.

When do you think the Oakland Police Department is busiest? Well, it's busiest at night. Because that's when men like to commit their crimes. They like to be hidden in committing their crimes. And what this is saying is that when the dawn comes it's like God shaking the wicked out.

It removes them from their place of activity that it might take hold of the ends of the earth and the wicked be shaken out of it. Marvelous, isn't it? Here's your thread of darkness going right through the book of Job and then I think it's beautiful in Psalm 139 when the psalmist is thinking about darkness.

He's saying where can I go from your presence? Where could I go? So that the Lord couldn't see me. Let's say total darkness. Darkness it can be felt. Psalm 139 verses 11 and 12 if I say surely the darkness shall fall on me even the night shall be light around.

As far as God is concerned. As far as God is concerned. Yeah, no difference between darkness and light as far as his eyesight is concerned. Isn't that wonderful? If I say surely the darkness shall fall on me.

Huh? Even the night shall be light about me. I Can't hide from his presence indeed. The darkness shall not hide from you. But the night shines as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to you.

Which means you can't hide from God what it means means that God sees everything we do. He knows everything we think he hears everything we say. All things are open and naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do so as far as God is concerned.

There's no such a thing as darkness as far as his eyesight is concerned. He sees it. Oh. Perhaps the most solemn mention of darkness in the Bible is found in Matthew 27 and verse 45. Matthew 27 and verse 45 and you of course know that this has to do with the crucifixion of our wonderful Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Darkness at Christ's Crucifixion

Matthew 27 verse 45 It says. Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land and About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Eli Lamas the backs and I that is my God My God, why have you?

Forsaken me. Hmm. That's interesting, isn't it? The Savior is dying upon that cross of shame and God covers the earth with darkness and different. I believe it. It wasn't darkness like last night. Like yesterday afternoon.

I believe it was Deep deep darkness and I'd like to ask each of you to think no. Why? Why the poet seemed to have an answer that satisfied him. He said well might the Sun in darkness hide his face from shining in When Christ the mighty maker died for man his creatures sin.

But I ponder that question why what was the purpose of those three hours of darkness? Well, of course they were the three hours when the Lord Jesus was bearing the sins of the world and his body there on the tree.

The darkness could have been a mercy as far as mankind was concerned. It could have been God hiding the unbearable From human sight could have been it could have been that that those people Standing before the cross Looking at the Creator Dying for their sins.

It could have been that would have driven them insane. Could have been. I'm not saying that's the explanation could be an explanation. That's really amazing. Isn't it three hours of darkness on this earth of ours 2nd Corinthians 4 6.

Light Shining Through the Gospel

This is a very favorite verse of mine. They're all favorite verses. I don't know why I say that but 2nd Corinthians 4 6 it says for it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness. Who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face?

Of Jesus Christ, what is that verse saying? Well, there's a lot of precious things in that verse first of all The God who caused light to shine out of the same God that we read about in Genesis chapter 1 who said let there be light and it was like ah Paul is saying I see a spiritual application of that.

What happened in Genesis is what happens in our hearts when we're converted? That's what happens in our hearts when we're saved that same God Who caused light to shine out of darkness back there in Genesis?

He himself has shown in our hearts and that's interesting. I like that. It doesn't say he caused light to shine in our hearts. He's shown in our hearts. That's much more personal than what happened back in Genesis, isn't it?

Where is the God who caused light to shine out of darkness? He has shown in our hearts. Why? Well, it goes on to explain why to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Darby I think has an improvement on this translation. He says he has shown in our hearts for the outshining for the Outshining of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

He's shown in our hearts so that from our lives it will shine out to others. What the verse is saying is that God never intended us to be the terminals of our blessing of the blessing. He expected us to be channels.

He shines in so that the light might shine out from us to others. That's a wonderful thing, isn't it? And that's what happens when we witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. That's exactly what happens the light shines out through us to others.

Walking in the Light and Holiness

Now first John chapter 1 5 to 6 we learn here that Light is physical in a way. But it also has a spiritual meaning connected with it. First John chapter 1 5 and 6 it says this is the message. Which we have heard from him and declared to you that God is light and In him is no darkness at all if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.

We lie and do not practice the truth. Here light and darkness are used in a figurative way. When it says that God is light it means he's pure. Means he's absolutely Holy. It means there's no sin or stain of defilement in him whatever absolute Fury.

God is light. It's not a definition of God. It's telling what God is light in him. There's no darkness at all. What does that mean? It means there's nothing hidden in God. Nothing unworthy that's hidden in him.

Everything is out in the open with God. And that's the way it has to be with those who profess to be his people has to be out in the open With him. I must not have any sin concealed in my life if I'm going to walk in fellowship with God.

I Must be pure. I must be holy. How can two walk together? Except they be agreed notice even as we're coming to the end of the Bible darkness is figuring prominently in the the scriptures. We say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.

We lie and do not practice the truth. Darkness there means moral impurity means sin of any kind. But how how? Grateful we can be for a verse in the Bible like John chapter 8 and verse 12. John Chapter 8 and verse 12 and here you have the lovely Lord Jesus says.

Jesus Christ, the Light of the World

Then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. You know, that's wonderful. People argue today was Jesus really God.

But Jesus really the Son of God. Well, I want to tell your friends if you take these words and put them on the lips of anybody else, they're absolutely foolish. Supposing I stood here this morning and said to you.

I Am the light of the world. You follow me and you won't walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Well, I think somebody would rush out to the phone in the hallway there and call for the Ambulance to take me to the psychiatric ward.

Because I would I'd be lunatic. But you know, they fit perfectly in the lips of the Lord Jesus. Don't they. I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness. But shall have the light of life.

And Many here in the room this morning have proved that to be absolutely true. We walked in darkness when we were unsaved. We didn't know what way to go. Life was a dreariness to us and nothing could satisfy our Heart.

And then the Lord Jesus came and it was just like the light going on. Conversion is like that. It's like the light going on in the life of the person who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ. Just two more passages.

Eternal Light in the Heavenly Home

Revelation 22 and 5 this is a verse that's precious to people. Really precious to people. Why. Well, I think we'll see why. It's speaking about our heavenly home it says and there shall be no night there.

No blackouts there. No failure of the power system there. No, it'll never happen. There'll be no night there. They need no lamp nor light of the Sun for the Lord. God gives them light. They shall reign forever and ever.

That's marvelous, isn't it. You think of night. I think of night now. I think of. I think of dear friends on beds of illness. Suffering great pain and they look at the clock by their bed and they say when is the morning going to come?

Night is the hardest time when you're really suffering. When you're really so ill you can't even pray for yourself. And you just long for the first gleam of the morning light. Friends, there won't be any night there never have to go through that trial in heaven.

There's no night there. Christ is the light. They need no lamp nor light of the Sun for the Lord. God gives them light. They shall reign Forever and ever. It's a wonderful thing to be a Christian. It's a wonderful thing to be saved by the grace of God.

Takes darkness out of your life here. It takes darkness out of your life in eternity as well. But one final verse in Jude. Verse 13 of Jude. Verse 13 of Jude. It says by speaking about apostates. It's speaking about evil men in the latter days days such as we live in right now.

The Final Darkness of Judgment

It says raging waves of the sea foaming up their own shame. Wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. I want to tell you friends. That's a terribly solemn passage the blackness of darkness forever.

Imagine being in a situation where you see nothing forever and ever and ever and ever. It's song. Recently in the San Francisco Chronicle Chronicle Herb Cain columnist who is now afflicted with cancer.

He wrote the following. He said that he He was talking to his old friend Mel Bell. I Mel buys a famous. It was a famous attorney. They call him the king of torts and they were commiserating upon their mutual sufferings and illnesses.

And Melville, I said to Herb Cain Herb You know eternity is a long long time. Heavens he said. Just think of it. Eternity is forever he said means that of course, I don't expect to go to heaven and Herb Cain wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle.

I looked into eyes That were usually twinkling and I saw terror and shortly after that Mel Bell I died his wife said just toward the end. He quit talking about eternity. And all he would say to her is Nancy.

Why does it take so long to die? I looked into those eyes that were normally twinkling as all I saw was terror and this is an unsaved man saying it. The difference is a solemn thing the blackness of darkness forever.

Salvation from Darkness Through Faith in Christ

I Don't want to go to hell. Do you? Well, nobody has to go to hell. The Lord Jesus died to deliver mankind. All we have to do is come in simple trusting faith repenting of our sins and bowing the knee.

Trusting him as Lord and Savior. Have be no darkness for us be no dark valley. When Jesus comes they gather his loved ones home. So if you're here today, and you've never really put your faith and trust in the Savior, that's the message.

Let yesterday's darkness be a lesson to you. Let it be an object lesson to you. That was a dim foretaster. Foretaste of what eternity without Christ. It's like. Shall we pray? Father we think this morning of how full the Bible is of almost any subject that we can think about.

And we thank you for this little object lesson. We had yesterday when the lights went out. We think of that place in the life of a man woman boy or girl where the lights go out on the road to hell. Where it's impossible to renew a person to repentance seeing he crucified to himself afresh the Son of God and put him to an open shame.

And we pray in love today for any in our midst who may still be unsaved. With no hope beyond no harbor waiting where their storm-tossed vessel they might steer. We pray Lord that they will look to the light of the world the Lord Jesus Follow him and never walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

We ask it in his worthy name and for his sake. Amen.