DARKNESS

Written by Luz Leigh – 21 March 2008

      It is 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday. Certain churches have special Easter services on this day. Sometimes the bells toll; that mournful sound that rings out to signify death has come.

      Let us think back some two thousand years when our Lord and Savior was crucified. According to some it was on Friday; others believe it to have taken place on Thursday. Whichever day it was, we have the recorded Word of the Lord that tells us that “from the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.” Matthew 27:45 NIV

      About the ninth hour, which would equate to 3:00 p.m. in modern measurement of time, Jesus called out to His Father. “My, God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” After someone in the crowd around the cross had offered Him vinegar to drink, Jesus called out again in a loud voice. Then Jesus gave up His spirit and His earthly body was dead.

      Now during those three hours of darkness, what do you think was going through the minds and hearts of those people that day? Darkness is not an easy thing to deal with, even on good days.

      But, here many of the disciples were, standing afar from the Cross, wondering what is the meaning of all this? 

      udas? What of the betrayer? We know at some point Judas realized how wrong he had been to betray Jesus, even tossing the money back to the ones who had paid him. Was he afraid of being cast into “outer darkness” for his transgression? 

      Mary, the mother of Jesus, along with John the beloved disciple and a few other close followers of Jesus, stood there near the Cross and in the darkness could hear the labored breathing of Jesus. 

      The Roman Soldiers who had accompanied Jesus to Calvary….were they terrified? Did they realize something much worse than they had ever seen happen was transpiring before them? 

      Those pious religious leaders who had conspired to have Jesus crucified so He would not be a threat to their little world….were any of the prophecies found in the Old Testament being brought to their minds? In Psalm 22:18, King David had written, “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing” prophesying about the guards at the foot of the Cross. Did the religious leaders recall how Zechariah wrote “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zech 12:10

      All these people I have alluded to were in some way connected to Jesus and His impending death. 

      But what of all the thousands in the world who knew not of the happenings in Jerusalem? The little children playing outside their home, or those sitting in a class room? The parents who were going about their daily routines only to be plunged into the darkest of night, except this was on a Friday afternoon????

      So once again we see a pattern of three….three crosses there on the hill, three hours of darkness….the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit)….and ahead for Jesus would be the three days in the tomb.

      Think on these things. Do your own research. This is written as a challenge to those who read it. Is what I have written true? You decide.