Darkest Before Dawn

Luke 23:44-45a It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed.

There are many ways to say it. It’s always darkest just before the dawn. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning. I’ve written about darkness before. I’ve written about light before. But I can’t say that I’ve written about the light of the sun failing. The sun’s light failed for three hours while Jesus hung on the cross. He hung on the cross in darkness.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Without fail, this is the pattern that God has set for the movements of the planets, moons and stars. As Jesus hung on the cross, it was supposed to be light. The sun was scheduled to shine. But this time, the sun failed. The light didn’t shine. Did God put his hand in front of the bulb? Did he cover it with a cloth? Or did he simply flip the switch? It was dark when it should have been light.

Now, I suppose I could use this as a great analogy and say, “When have you felt like the sun’s light failed in your life?” But I think that would be doing a great injustice to what took place that Friday. Because in one way, what happened that day is not about you and me. It was about Jesus and what he meant to the Father and to the world that He created. This death on the rugged cross of Calvary meant so much to the universe that the sun couldn’t bring itself to shine. It has not happened since. Since that day, the sun has made its appointed rounds without fail.

In another way, what happened that day is completely about you and me and every person that has ever walked the face of the earth or will ever walk the face of the earth. In that darkness was the oppression of sin. In that darkness was the sin of the world, you and me included. Jesus alone bore the weight of that sin on the cross. In that darkness he hung and the sun failed to shine.

That’s Good Friday. No joy yet. Only darkness. The light of the world, the light of life, the light of men, both the sun and the Son were shrouded in darkness. For now, we wait. “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10. Indeed, in three days, He will be exalted!

Heavenly Father, in darkness the sins of the world of all time and history, were laid on your son. The oppression was so great, the sadness so profound that the very sun failed to shine. Be present in our darkness, according to your word and promise. We wait with repentant joy, in hope for the not yet to be now. In Jesus’ name, amen.