The 9th Plague: Darkness (Ex. 10:21-23)

4/13/2008 8:10 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time           Focus:  The ninth plague:  darkness

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Exodus 10:21-23

            Message of the verses:  “21 ¶  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt."  22  So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.  23  They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.

            The time line of all of these events that happened to Egypt once Moses came back to Egypt is not really clear so there is no way to know how long it was after the plague of the locusts that God told Moses He was going to bring darkness upon all of Egypt with the exception of where the children of Israel were living.  Moses was not sent into Pharaoh so that he would know about this plague of darkness before it happened but Pharaoh would send for Moses after living in complete darkness for three days.  Egypt worshiped two sun gods, Ra and Horus, but they could do nothing about the darkness that fell upon Egypt.  It was amazing that there was light in Goshen where Israel was living, but not in Egypt.  The darkness that came upon Egypt was the kind of darkness that one can feel, it is the kind of darkness one can learn about by going into a cave and have all of the lights turned out.  The darkness lasted for three days.  In John 3:19-21 Jesus has this to say about darkness:  “19  "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  20  "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  21  "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  Jesus also speaks of Him being the light of the world in John 8:12:  “12 ¶  Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  He also repeats this in John 9:5 “5  "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”  A couple more things about darkness and that is that the work (in the MASB) is used seventeen times in the Gospels and darkness came upon the earth for three hours while Jesus was paying for the sins of the world.  Jesus said that He was the light of the world and yet when He became sin there was darkness on the earth for this was the time when He was separated from the Father.  Darkness upon Egypt was not only a physical thing when this plague was sent upon them, but they were also in spiritual darkness.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am not sure if there is any significance between the three days of darkness that was upon Egypt as this plague happened to them, and the three hours of darkness that was upon the earth when Christ became sin for me, but it is interesting to think about.

            It is all because of God’s mercy, grace, and love that I am not in spiritual darkness at this time and I am thankful.  Jesus paid it all when He was thrown into darkness for me while taking the wrath of God while on the cross so that I will not have to face the wrath of God when I die, for the Bible teaches me that I died with Christ when He died and so I do not have to die again.  I am thankful that I am now walking in the Light.

            “5 ¶  This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 ¶  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to walk in the light because I am in the light.  I want to live in the light.