THE DARKEST OF DAYS
MATTHEW 27:32-27:54
DARKNESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH EVIL. IN EARLY WESTERN MOVIES, THE VILLAIN ALWAYS WORE A BLACK HAT. WHEN SOMEONE IS PORTRAYED BREAKING INTO A HOUSE, THEY ARE ALWAYS WEARING BLACK. THERE IS A NEGATIVE SUPERSTITION ABOUT A BLACK CAT CROSSING YOUR PATH. CRIMINALS HIDE IN THE DARKNESS WHILE WAITING FOR THEIR VICTIMS. DARKNESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH EVIL.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CALVARY, WE CAN CONSIDER IT IN THE SAME MANNER. IT IS NOT THAT JESUS WAS A CRIMINAL, BUT THE EVENTS THAT LED TO HIS CRUCIFIXION WERE UNLAWFUL AND AN INNOCENT MAN PUT TO DEATH. PILATE SAID “I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM,” THEN FOR THE SAKE OF KEEPING THE PEACE, TURNED HIM OVER TO THE CROWD TO CRUCIFY HIM.
THIS WAS THE DARKEST DAY IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY. THERE ARE NONE THAT CAN COME CLOSE TO IT, OTHER THAN THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. IT WAS ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY WHEN EVIL WAS APPARENTLY RULING THE DAY TO THE EXTENT THAT FOR THREE HOURS THE SUN WOULD REFUSE TO SHINE, AND SHED LIGHT ON THE DEATH OF JESUS.
WE LIVE IN A VERY DARK WORLD TODAY. THE CHURCH IS BEING ATTACKED ON MANY FRONTS. THE BUSINESS OF THE WORLD IS BEING USED AS A REASON FOR FAMILIES NOT TO ATTEND CHURCH. WHILE THE WORLD IS TOLERANT TO MANY OTHER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IT IS NOT TOLERANT OF CHRISTIANITY AT ALL. UNPROVOKED AND UNUNDERSTANDABLE VIOLENCE IS INCREASING IN AN ALARMING RATE. PERSONAL PRIVACY IS NO LONGER GUARANTEED IN THE WORLD, AND ALL THE WHILE SATAN SITS BACK AND SMILES AS HE BELIEVES HE IS WINNING.
SATAN WANTED CALVARY. THE UNNATURAL DARKNESS OF THE DAY WAS HIS CALLING CARD. HE WANTED IT FOR HE THOUGHT THAT IF HE COULD NAIL JESUS TO THE CROSS, IF JESUS WOULD DIE, THEN THE OBSTACLE THAT STOOD IN THE WAY OF HIS BEING THE ABSOLUTE RULER OF THE WORLD WOULD BE GONE. PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM. HE WOULD PROVE THAT HE WAS THE SRONGER MORE POWERFUL ONE THAN GOD. IT WAS AT CALVARY THAT THE BATTLE OF THE AGES, FOR THE AGES, WAS FOUGHT.
CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE PATH TO THE CROSS.
JESUS WAS ARRESTED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING, PROBABLY AROUND MIDNIGHT. HE WAS TAKEN TO ANNAS THE HIGH PRIEST AND FOUND GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF BLASPHEMY.
BLASPHEMY WAS A CAPITAL CRIME IN JEWISH LAW, BUT IT HAD NO WEIGHT WITH THE ROMANS. JESUS WAS BROUGHT BEFORE PILATE AND HEROD ON A CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY. THE SANHEDRIN CHARGED THAT JESUS MADE A CLAIM TO BE KING AND THEREFORE WAS GOING TO OVERTHROW THE ROMANS. WHILE JESUS WOULD CLAIM TO BE A KING, HE WAS CAREFUL TO STATE THAT HIS KINGDOM WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD, SO THEREWAS NO MERIT TO THE CHARGE.
AFTER A VARIETY OF RIDICULE METHODS AND TORTURE, PILATE IN ONE LAST MOVE TO TRY TO SATISFY THE CROWD, BROUGHT FORTH A DANGEROUS PRISONER, BARABBAS. THE CUSTOM OF THE DAY WAS TO FREE A PRISONER AND SO PILATE ASKED JESUS OR BARABBAS. MUCH TO HIS SURPRISE THEY CRIED BARABBAS.
NOT WANTING TO EXECUTE AN INNOCENT MAN, AND NOT WANTING THE CROWD TO RIOT EITHER, HE GAVE JESUS OVER TO THE MOB WITH THE AUTHORIZATION TO CRUCIFY HIM.
THE PROCESSION BEGAN, AND JESUS, ALONG WITH THE TWO THIEVES THAT WERE TO BE CRUCIFIED WITH HIM MADE THEIR WAY TO CALVARY. ALONG THE PATH THAT LED TO THE CROSS WERE SCOFFERS AND UNBELIEVERS. THEY SHOUTED INSULTS AND DSPAT UPON HIM. THEY HURLED MANURE AT JESUS.
THERE WERE FRIENDS ALONG THE ROUTE AS WELL THOUGH. PERHAPS IN A CORNER WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS BLIND THAT JESUS MADE SEE AGAIN. THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD WAS THERE. SHE TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT AND WAS HEALED. SHE WAS THERE TO HELP HIM NOW. MARY HIS MOTHER WAS THERE, TEARS STREAMING DOWN HER CHEEKS AS SHE THOUGHT OF THE DEATH HER SON WAS TO DIE.
MANY OF THE CONDEMNED DIED BEFORE THEY WERE EVER NAILED TO THE CROSS, THE BEATING THEY TOOK WAS SO SEVERE. JESUS DIDN’T HAVE THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO CARRY HIS CROSS SO SIMON WAS PRESSED INTO SERVICE.
AT GOLGOTHA THE LARGE BEAMS ARE LAID DOWN ON THE GROUND, AND THE CROSS PIECES PUT IN PLACE. JESUS, AND THE OTHER THIEVES ARE PLACED ON THE CROSSES, WITH THEIR HANDS TIED TO PREVENT THEM FROM FALLING OF THE CROSSES IF THE NAILHOLES ENLARGED DURING THE PROCESS.
JESUS FEET ARE CROSSED, AND THE PLACE FOUND WHERE THE NAIL COULD GO BETWEEN BOTH FEET, YET NOT THROUGH THE BONE TO BREAK IT. THE DULL THUD OF A WOODEN MALLET WAS HEARD AS THE NAIL WENT INTO JESUS FEET, AND BLOOD SPURT FROM THE WOUND. THE PROCESS WAS REPEATED FOR BOTH HANDS.
ONCE JESUS AND THE THIEVES WERE NAILED TO THEIR CROSSES, THE CROSSES WOULD BE LIFTED UP AND DROPPED INTO A HOLE THAT HAD BEEN PREPARED TO KEEP THEM ERECT. THE DROP WOULD STRAIN AND PULL MANY IF NOT ALL THE MUSCLES IN THEIR BODIES. AND THERE THEY WOULD HANG, DEFENCELESS AGAINST THE INSULTS, THE SPITTING, THE CRUELTY OF THE CROWD THAT DAY.
FOR THREE HOURS, FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 12:00 NOON JESUS AND THE THIEVES WOULD ENDURE THIS PAIN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT SEVERAL MIRACLES OCCURRED THAT WOULD CULMINATE WITH THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. THEY WERE:
1. THE SUPERNATURAL TEARING OF THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE.
2. THE EARTHQUAKE AND THE SPLITTING OF THE ROCKS
3. THE OPENING OF THE GRAVES.
4. THE EMPTY TOMB
5. THE RESURRECTION OF MANY SAINTS WHO HAD DIED
THE FIRST OF THESE MIRACLES THOUGH WAS THE SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS THAT WOULD COME TO THE EARTH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. IT WAS A PHYSICAL MIRACLE, BUT WITHOUT PHYSICAL CAUSE.
AFTER JESUS HAD BEEN HANGING ON THE CROSS FOR THREE HOURS, DARKNESS FELL ON THE EARTH.
DARKNESS HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF SIN AND DEATH IN THE BIBLE. GOD USED DARKNESS AS ONE OF THE PLAGUES AGAINST EGYPT.
EXODUS 10:21-22: “21 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt— darkness that can be felt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.”
GOD USES DARKNESS TO PROTECT THE ISRAELITES FROM EGYPT WHEN THEY WERE LED OUT OF EGYPT BY MOSES.
EXODUS 14:19-20:
“19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.”
JOHN USES LIGHT AND DARKNESS TO DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK OF JOHN.
JOHN 1:1-20:
“5 ¶ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
JOHN IN HIS WRITINGS BRINGS DOWN THE VERDICT OR THE CHOICE OF HUMANITY, AND THE NECESSITY FOR THE CROSS.
JOHN 3:19-21:
“19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."”
IT IS NO WONDER THERE WAS DARKNESS ON THAT TERRIBLE YET BLESSED DAY. HUMANITY CHOSE TO LOVE THE DARKNESS, AND ON THAT DAY AT CALVARY, WE EMBRACED THE DARKNESS FOR ALL IT WAS WORTH, AND WOULD FIND THE TRUE POWER IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.
THE EXPLANATION FOR THE DARKNESS, IS FOUND IN JESUS’S LAST STATEMENTS ON THE CROSS. IN TOTAL JESUS MADE EIGHT STATEMENTS FROM THE CROSS, BUT HIS LAST FOUR STATEMENTS INDICATES THE TERRIBLE BATTLE THAT WAS FAUGHT AND WON BY CHRIST THAT DAY. THOSE STATEMENTS ARE:
1. MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME
2. I THIRST
3. IT IS FINISHED
4. INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT
FOR THE REST OF OUR TIME TOGETHER LET US SEARCH FOR THE EXPLANATION OF THE DARKNESS AS A NEWS REPORTER, ASKING THE QUESTION WHO, WHAT, WHEN ,WHERE AND WHY.
POINT ONE: WHO SENT THE DARKNESS?
WE KNOW THAT THE DARKNESS WAS SENT BY GOD. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? BECAUSE THE DARKNESS WAS A FULFILLMENT OF A PROPHECY IN AMOS.
AMOS 8:9: “"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.”
POINT TWO: WHAT WAS THE DARKNESS.
THIS DARKNESS WAS A SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS. WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS AS TO WHY THIS DARKNESS CAME, BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO SO, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT WAS SUPERNATURAL.
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS A SOLAR ECLIPSE. THIS THEORY IS NOT HELD BY MANY AS THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT DAY DO NOT SUPPORT A SOLAR ECLIPSE.
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A GREAT STORM COMING. THERE WAS NO DUST OR RAIN IN THE AIR TO INDICATE THAT A STORM CAME.
WE ARE ONLY LEFT WITH THE EXPLANATION OF THE SUPERNATURAL. THIS WAS A DARKNESS THAT HAD IT’S ORIGIN WITH GOD.
POINT THREE: WHEN?
WE KNOW THAT THE DARKNESS WAS PRESENT WITH THEM FROM THE THIRD HOUR THAT JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS UNTIL THE SIXTH.
THIS TIME IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS THE TIME FROM WHEN JESUS MADE HIS STATEMENT “MY GOD MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” TO THE TIME WHEN HE MADE HIS STATEMENT, “I THIRST.”
POINT FOUR: WHERE
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS DARKNESS WAS A LOCALIZED DARKNESS JUST OVER THAT PART OF THE WORLD, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE CASE.
JESUS TOOK ON THE SIN OF THE ENTIRE WORLD, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS. HE TOOK ON HIMSELF THE SIN OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SIN OF ANIMALS PRESENT IN THE WORLD AS WELL. SINCE THIS BATTLE WOULD INVOLVE ALL OF THESE ASPECTS IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS DARKNESS ENCOMPASSED ALL OF CREATION, FOR HIS DEATH WAS TO PAY THE SIN DEBT OF ALL OF CREATION. I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE WORLD WAS IN DARKNESS FOR THIS PERIOD, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE ETERNITY TO BASK IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD.
POINT FIVE: WHY
THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT IS ON MY HEART TONIGHT, WHY THE DARKNESS? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE DARKNESS? I BELIEVER THERE ARE MANY REASONS:
1. FIRST: I BELIEVE THE WORLD WAS DARK THAT DAY BECAUSE OF THE EVIL THAT WAS PRESENT AT CALVARY. THERE WAS EVIL IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT. SATAN WAS PRESENT AT CALVARY.
2. SECOND: THE WORLD WENT DARK THAT DAY TO SHOW US THE FULL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN. REMEMBER, JESUS UTTERED THESE WORDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DARKNESS NOT AT THE END. WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM DURING THOSE THREE HOURS, SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT HAPPENED TO US FOR ETERNITY.
JESUS FOR THREE HOURS CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THE POWER OF SATAN, INDEED SATAN HIMSELF. THE TERRIFYING PART OF THIS IS THAT HE FACED SATAN WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF GOD THE FATHER. REMEMBER HE HAD FORSAKEN HIM. THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN TO JESUS WHEN HE DIED, IT HAPPENED TO HIM WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS.
JESUS HAD TO FACE SATAN THIS WAY, BECAUSE WITHOUT SALVATION, THIS IS THE WAY THAT YOU OR I WOULD FACE SATAN. WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS WE SEE THE FULLNESS OF HIS HUMANITY AS WELL AS HIS DIVINITY.
IN HIS HUMANITY HE PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO DISPITEFULLY USED HIM. IN HIS HUMANITY HE WOULD THIRST. IN HIS HUMANITY HE WOULD LOVE. IN HIS HUMANITY HE WOULD DIE. WHY? TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR US AND SHOW US THAT IN OUR HUMANITY UNDER HIS LEADING WE CAN BE JUST AS SPIRITUAL.
JESUS FACED SATAN THIS WAY AS A FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE. HEBREWS TEACHES:
HEBREWS 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet was without sin.”
3. FOR THESE THREE HOURS, JESUS FACE THE ANGER OF A JUST GOD. ISAIAH 53:6TELLS US:
ISAIAH 53:6: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
THIS DARKNESS WAS SYMBOLIC OF THE JUDGMENT OF GOD. IT WAS A JUDGMENT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OURS. JESUS TOOK THE JUDGMENT OF GOD IN OUR PLACE. ALL HIS ANGER AND FURY OVER SIN, WAS UNLEASCHED WITHOUT MERCY ON JESUS DURING THOSE THREE HOURS OF DARKNESS.
FOR THREE HOURS THE UNITY OF THE TRINITY WAS BROKEN. JESUS HUNG ALONE ON THE CROSS. THE REASON FOR THE CROSS WAS TO PAY THE SIN DEBT FOR HUMANITY AND SIN MUST BE PUNISHED. JESUS FACED THE FURY OF GOD THAT DAY SO THAT YOU AND I WOULD NOT HAVE TO FACE IT FOR ETERNITY.
DURING THESE THREE HOURS ON THE CROSS, JESUS EXPERIENCED THE SPIRITUAL DEATH AND SEPARATION FROM GOD THAT WE SHOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED FOR ETERNITY. THAT’S RIGHT I SAID SPIRITUAL DEATH. THIS IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN WHICH HE BECAME FOR US.
CONCLUSION:
THE REMAINING WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS INDICATE THAT THE SACRIFICE OFFERED TO GOD ON THE CROSS WAS COMPLETE. JESUS REMAINING FOUR STATEMENTS:
5. I THIRST
6. IT IS FINISHED
7. INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT
INDICATE TO US THAT THE SPIRITUAL CONFLICT IS NOW OVER AND JESUS CAN ADDRESS HIS HUMAN CONDITION. THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE HE WAS SAYING WHEN HE STATED THAT HE WAS THIRSTY.
“TETELESTAI” THE WORD FOR “IT IS FINISHED” HAS THE MEANING OF “PAID IN FULL.” WHEN JESUS SAID THIS HE MEANT THAT THE PERFECT SACRIFICE HAD BEEN MADE FOR OUR SIN. BY HIS DEATH THE WORK OF SALVATION WAS FULLY ACCOMPLISHED AND THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO DO.
IT WAS A WORD TO INDICATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF A MISSION. A FATHER MIGHT SEND HIS SON ON A MISSION AND WHEN THE MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED THE SON WOULD COME BACK TO THE FATHER AND SAY “TETELESTAI” OR MISSION ACCOMPLISHED “IT IS FINISHED.”
JESUS SAID THIS TO HIS FATHER IN THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER IN JOHN 17:4:
JOHN 17:4: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”
THIS FINAL TIME HE WOULD SAY IT ON THE CROSS. FINALLY ALL BEING COMPLETED HE ISSUED HIS LAST STATEMENT.
FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT.”
OSWARD CHAMBERS WROTE:
IN THE CROSS WE MAY SEE THE DIMENSIONS OF DIVINE LOVE. INDEED LOVE TAKES THE INITIATIVE AND BEARS THE BURDEN NECESSARY TO MAKE A RELATIONSHIP RIGHT…THAT’S WHAT GOD DID FOR US IN CHRIST. YOU SEE, THE CROSS OF CHRIST WAS NOT JUST AN INSTRUMENT OF EXECUTION, IT WAS ALSO AN INSTRUMENT OF EXHIBITION – THROUGH THE CROSS WE HAVE EXHIBITED THE LOVE OF GOD FOR A LOST WORLD.”
