Exodus 10:21-23 (KJV) 21 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. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Darkness is mentioned three times in this passage, but it is contrasted to light in the last verse. The darkness here is unusual so we are safe to conclude that the light is also unusual.
Just imagine, the sun did not share its light to the land of Egypt for three days. It was a thick darkness that they did not see one another, nor did they see anything.
This is the first account in the Bible where an unusual darkness occurred. Aside from this, there is an overall three unusual darkness recorded in the Bible.
Matthew 27:45-46 (KJV) 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
This is when Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross, the last seconds of his life when he took the form of a man in the likeness of sinful flesh. Before he gave up his spirit, there was a three-hour darkness that covered the whole land of Israel, from 12pm to 3pm.
Zephaniah 1:14-16 (KJV) 14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
The darkness recorded here is yet to come. This is Zephaniah’s prophecy concerning the plight of Israel and the Gentile world in the future tribulation period—also called as the Jacob’s trouble. It is a day of God’s wrath, a day of darkness, a day when God will declare war with men.
These are the three unusual darkness recorded in the Bible. The first one occurred in the land of Egypt, the second occurred at Christ’s death, and the third one is yet future, when God will pour out his wrath toward all unbelieving men on earth.
Since our focus here is to draw a lesson from God’s wrath upon the unbelieving people of Egypt, let’s go back to the book of Exodus.
Exodus 10:21-23 (KJV) 21 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. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
There are three things we can see in this passage:
1. The darkness was sent by God.
This darkness was sent by God because of Pharaoh’s unbelief.
Exodus 5:2 (KJV) And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
The darkness is not to blind Pharaoh to not see the Lord, but to blind him of what he sees to his gods. The Egyptians worshipped many gods, and the true living God sent them plagues to let them know that he is the Lord, and none other else.
Exodus 9:14 (KJV) For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
But idolatry is not just committed by worshipping statues, remember, anything we value more than God is our god. If we value material wealth and pleasures more than God, then our gods are the material things of this world.
We have been warned many times in the scriptures that idolatry is sin, and every sin has a consequence.
Proverbs 29:1 (KJV) He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2. The darkness made them helpless.
Exodus 10:23 (KJV) They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
The darkness sent by God is a thick darkness that can be felt. For three days they did not see one another, nor did they rise up to work for a living.
In three days there was no fire to produce light, nor fire to cook food. All of them helplessly just laid down on their beds.
Actually, God had a message for them they shouldn’t have missed. The message that says they couldn’t help themselves to escape the wrath of God. Their gods they worshipped are powerless to deliver them.
Yes, no one can escape the wrath of God. Only the one who pours it can deliver us from it.
If you are justified by the blood of Christ, then you are already saved from his wrath.
Romans 5:9 (KJV) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
3. This darkness gives us spiritual significance.
While all Egyptians were in darkness, it is wonderful that all Israelites had light.
Exodus 10:23 (KJV) They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
The Israelites at this time were not far from Egypt, in fact, they were just in Egypt, in the land of Goshen.
Genesis 47:4-6 (KJV) 4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. 5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
So, both the Egyptians and the Israelites were in Egypt, but only the Israelites had light. The spiritual significance is simple: if you are in the presence of God, then you are in the light, even if the people around you are in darkness.
Conclusion
There is physical darkness, and there is spiritual darkness. The world is in darkness because of sin.
John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world, whosoever is in him is not in darkness. He became the light of the world because the world is in darkness. If the world needs light, then it is in darkness.
Are you in the darkness? Do you need light? Remember this, the light that can save you is only found in Jesus Christ!
Pauline Defense 