Intro:
This passage discusses the penalties that God levies on a soul that has rebelled against him in sin. Many things are shown
here to be parts of God’s punishment, but one of them is that man will walk in darkness. Darkness is not an entity of
itself, but it is simply the absence of light. Without the presence of light, darkness occurs. Nothing must be produced to
have darkness, but all sources of light must simply be removed. Without some one intervenes by shining a light in the darkness,
it will forever remain. Most of us, if we will admit it, have at least some reservations concerning darkness. There is the
element of the unknown in darkness, and that frightens us. There is also, however, a level of comfort in darkness. When we
become accustomed to the dark, and some one shines a light into it, it is irritating. We have spent long enough in the dark
that we come to prefer the ambiguity and emptiness. These concepts are referred to in the Bible on many occasions. I want
to examine three of them:
I. Natural Darkness: Genesis 1:1-5, before God ever stepped into the situation and set up another
way, this world was dark. Yet the voice of God gave light in the darkness. This was a display of hope that God gave to this
darkened world. This display of hope was even removed on two occasions in the Word of God in order for God to catch the attention
of man. Exodus 10 darkness was the ninth plague just before the death of the firstborn. Matthew 27:45 darkness came to the
earth just before the death of the firstborn. In order to have light after darkness, there had to be the death of the firstborn.
In our lives, when it was revealed to us that we were darkened in sin, if we are to have light, we will have to accept the
death of the firstborn. He has often reminded us that the natural light is a blessing from God and when all the world was
dark and void, God gave us light.
II. Inner Darkness: Thompson Chain c-ref 2179 & 2180, Man’s heart is just like the world
was before God said let there be light. The world was dark until God intervened, and man is darkened until God intervenes,
John 1:9, “(Jesus) was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The light that shines
into us is his spirit. When it shines it:
a. Exposes our condition: many are in darkness and know it not, until the light
shines.
b. Reveals our surroundings: you understand others as well. Men are going to hell.
c. Changes our sight.
If we are exposed to the light,
but try to turn it off, we will see spots of it for yet sometime. But if we will leave the light on and remain in it, we can
see clearly the things that otherwise would be hidden. In the dark there is much to be afraid of, but there are also many
beauties that are never seen. When the light of the Gospel shines on us, it shows us how rotten our sins are, which is frightening,
but it also lets us see how great his grace is, which is comforting.
III. Outer Darkness: Matthew 25:30, “Cast ye the unprofitable
servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” God gave hope when the world was in natural
darkness by creating light. God gave hope when man was in spiritual darkness by sending the Light. But there will be a time
and place, where God will never give hope in outer darkness, for there shall never be a light.
Conclusion: Today is the
time to surrender to the light. You can have hope for a brighter tomorrow, where Jesus Christ himself is the light. You can
escape the darkness of the wicked world and have light and life in him, if you will accept him today. It is high time that
people get scared enough of the dark to get out of it. Are you scared of the dark?
