“And the Lord said unto Moses,

Stretch out thine hand toward heaven,

that there may be darkness over the land

of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”

Exodus 10:21.

We read so often of electric power failing in many places that leaves millions of people in darkness.  That kind of darkness makes one think of the above scripture.

So, at the command of Moses a darkness came over the land of Egypt, even a darkness that could be felt.  Most all of us have been in places where the darkness was so dense that we could not see our ‘nose in front of our face.’  How many of us have been in darkness that could be felt?  The plagues that God sent on Egypt are just a little picture of the events that will take place during the dreadful tribulation days coming on the earth just prior to the revelation of Christ to Israel.  Jesus said, “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”  The prophet Joel speaks of this time as: “A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness”—Joel 2:2.

There is coming a time on earth when it shall not be light nor dark.  We read of this in Zechariah 14:6 – “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass that evening time it shall be light.”  When we have several days of rainy weather people get grumpy.  It seems that they cannot be peaceable.  What a difference the sun makes!  In the coming day of neither darkness nor light people will be so ‘unsettled.’  So, even the coming time of semi-darkness will be terrible.  May we “Watch and pray always, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”—Luke 21:36.

The book of Revelation speaks of the coming time of darkness.  We read there “And...lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood”—Revelation 6:12.  Let us note again, “And the fourth angel  sounded and the third part of the sun was smitten, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise“--Revelation 8:12.  Chapter 16:10 states that, “The seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness.”  This vision of John the revelator is yet future.  Just as Pharaoh’s kingdom was full of darkness so the seat of the anti-Christ will be full of darkness.

Jesus is coming soon.  As He calls home each succeeding rank of His Church the spiritual darkness will worsen.  Not only will there be physical darkness but spiritual darkness as well.  Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world”—Matthew 5:14.  May we let our lights shine that the power of darkness may be held back until He calls us home. 

--Reprint 1966.