Mid-day Darkness

(Today’s audio reading on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0bwcSpT8Z2jjXX9jHZw8tl)

By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. (Luke 23:44-45)

I could have also entitled or written this on any one of these themes: Total Darkness, Sudden Darkness, Complete Darkness, Unexpected Darkness, Never-before-seen Darkness. But I have chosen to focus on the darkness occurring extraordinarily in the middle of the day, starting at high noon.

The cross gave way to some supernatural nature events. After the crucifixion was over, graves were opened, and previously-dead people walked about in Jerusalem. But here in Luke 23, right after telling one of the thieves, “Today you will be with me in paradise”, we read that starting at noon, “darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone.”

Two things:

This sent a strong signal to all involved, all bystanders, and alerting all who were unaware: something special, something super-natural was happening (the earth does not go dark at noon, and stay dark for three hours!!). Can’t deny it, no matter how you slice it and dice it: something has happened which is not normal.  And when examining the details of the day, we find that the one who was identified as the Messiah has been crucified at this same time as the eclipse…a coincidence? I don’t think so.

Additionally, is there some metaphor that surfaces regarding this darkness:

The darkness of evil which brought him to trial;

the darkness of sin, for which he sacrificed himself;

the darkness of those who did not have life apart from Him.

Any or all of these indicate serious darkness. And the incredible, total, earth-wide, mid-day, three-hour eclipse of the sun had to be a sign related to this darkness!

Here in northern Alabama, we recently experienced a solar eclipse. It wasn’t total, but about 95%…and our area darkened for a few minutes. Just north of here, there was a total, 100% eclipse not long after noon. Some said it felt like night…but it only lasted for two or three minutes. But for those in the total eclipse, there was a sunset glow on the horizons. The darkness brought out the crickets, but still people had some grasp of light.

The physical darkness accompanying Jesus’ crucifixion for three hours, mid-day, was an incredible phenomenon. But the spiritual darkness for which he was dying to remove was even darker.

“Father, it is clear that you didn’t hesitate to show your power in the midst of nature, and to announce in yet another way to all who would listen that this was your one and only, unique Son.”