darkness Summary and Overview

The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness "which may be felt." It covered "all the land of Egypt," so that "they saw not one another." It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23). When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the "sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) "drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." This was the "thick cloud upon the mount" in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings 8:12), the cloud of glory. When the psalmist (Ps. 97:2) describes the inscrutable nature of God's workings among the sons of men, he says, "Clouds and darkness are round about him." God dwells in thick darkness. Darkness (Isa. 13:9, 10; Matt. 24:29) also is a symbol of the judgments that attend on the coming of the Lord. It is a symbol of misery and adversity (Job 18:6; Ps. 107:10; Isa. 8:22; Ezek. 30:18). The "day of darkness" in Joel 2:2, caused by clouds of locusts, is a symbol of the obscurity which overhangs all divine proceedings. "Works of darkness" are impure actions (Eph. 5:11). "Outer darkness" refers to the darkness of the streets in the East, which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. It is also a symbol of ignorance (Isa. 9:2; 60:2; Matt. 6:23) and of death (Job 10:21; 17:13).

is spoken of as encompassing the actual presence of God, as that out of which he speaks, --the envelope, as it were, of divine glory. #Ex 20:21; 1Ki 8:12| The plague of darkness in Egypt was miraculous. The darkness "over all the land," #Mt 27:45| attending the crucifixion has been attributed to an eclipse, but was undoubtedly miraculous, as no eclipse of the sun could have taken place at that time, the moon being at the full at the time of the passover. Darkness is also, as in the expression "land of darkness," used for the state of the dead, #Job 10:21,22| and frequently, figuratively, for ignorance and unbelief, as the privation of spiritual light. #Joh 1:5; 3:19|

DARK'NESS . The darkness which constituted one of the plagues of Egypt might "be felt." Ex 10:21. This may have been occasioned by a thick, heavy vapor, or other sensible change in the atmosphere, which caused an entire interception of the sun's rays. It was evidently miraculous, and the dread and terror it inspired are vividly described. Ex 10:22-23. So of the darkness that shrouded the earth when our Saviour was put to death, Luke 23:44-45; it was manifestly miraculous, as no natural eclipse of the sun could take place at that period of the moon. "Darkness" is used in a metaphorical sense for ignorance or sin, John 1:5; Rom 13:12; Eph 5:11; for misery, Isa 5:30; Isa 59:9-10; for the final doom, Matt 8:12, God is said to dwell in the thick darkness. Ex 20:21; 1 Kgs 8:12.

The ninth Egyptian plague (Exodus 10:21, etc.). Especially calculated to affect the Egyptians who worshipped Ra, the sun god. Its sudden and intense coming when Moses stretched out his hand marked it as supernatural. Its basis was natural, namely, the chamsin or sandstorm (see Septuagint), from the S.W. desert. It produces a darkness denser than the densest fog, so that no man rises from his place; men and beasts hide until it is over, for it penetrates even through well closed windows. This explains the peculiar phrase "darkness which may be felt." What still more marked its judicial character was (compare Isaiah 13:9-10; Joel 2:31; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29) "the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." The date of Amos 8:9 coincides with a total eclipse visible at Jerusalem shortly after noon, Feb. 9th, 784 B.C.; the date of Micah 3:6 with the eclipse June 5th, 716 B.C. (Dionys. Hal., 2:56); the date of Jeremiah 15:9 with the eclipse of Sept. 30th, 610 B.C. (Herodotus, 1:74,103.) The darkness over all the land (Juaea) from the sixth to the ninth hour during Christ's crucifixion (Matthew 27:45) cannot have been an eclipse, for it would not last three hours, seldom intensely more than six minutes. The eclipse, darkness and earthquake in Bithynia, noted by Phlegon of Tralles, was probably in the year before. This darkness at Christ's crucifixion was nature's sympathy with her suffering Lord; perhaps partly intended by the prophecy Amos 8:9. As the glory of the Lord shone around the scene of His birth (Luke 2:9), so a pall of darkness was fitly spread over His dying scene. By the paschal reckoning the moon must then have been at its full phase, when the sun could not be eclipsed. Darkness is the image of spiritual ignorance and unbelief (Isaiah 60:2; John 1:5; John 3:19; 1 John 2:8). "Outer darkness" expresses exclusion from the brightness of the heavenly banquet (Matthew 8:12). "The works of darkness," i.e. sins (Ephesians 5:11). God dwells in thick darkness; i.e., we cannot penetrate the awe inspiring mysteries of His person and His dealings. But God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5; 1 Kings 8:12; Psalm 97:2).