DARKNESS

- Created by God Ps 104:20; Isa 45:7 - Originally covered the earth Ge 1:2 - Separated from the light Ge 1:4 - Called night Ge 1:5 - Caused by the setting of the sun Ge 15:17; Joh 6:17 - Inexplicable nature of Job 38:19,20 - Exhibits God's power and greatness Job 38:8,9 - DEGREES OF, MENTIONED . Great Ge 15:12 . That may be felt Ex 10:21 . Thick De 5:22; Joe 2:2 . Gross Jer 13:16 . Outer or extreme Mt 8:12 - EFFECTS OF . Keeps us from seeing objects Ex 10:23 . Causes us to go astray Joh 12:35; 1Jo 2:11 . Causes us to stumble Isa 59:10 - Often put for night Ps 91:6 - Called the swaddling band of the sea Job 38:9 - Cannot hide us from God Ps 139:11,12 - THE WICKED . The children of 1Th 5:5 . Live in Ps 107:10 . Walk in Ps 82:5 . Perpetuate their designs in Job 24:16 . Are full of Mt 6:23 - MIRACULOUS . On mount Sinai Ex 19:16; Heb 12:18 . Over the land of Egypt Ex 10:21,22 . At the death of Christ Mt 27:45 . Before the destruction of Jerusalem Mt 24:29 - ILLUSTRATIVE OF . Greatness and unsearchableness of God Ex 20:21; 2Sa 22:10,12; 1Ki 8:12; Ps 97:2 . Abstruse and deep subjects Job 28:3 . Secrecy Isa 45:19; Mt 10:27 . Ignorance and error Job 37:19; Isa 60:2; Joh 1:5; 3:19; 12:35; Ac 26:18 . Anything hateful Job 3:4-9 . A course of sin Pr 2:13; Eph 5:11 . Heavy afflictions Job 23:17; Ps 112:4; Ec 5:17; Isa 5:30; 8:22; 59:9 . The power of Satan Eph 6:12; Col 1:13 . The grave 1Sa 2:9; Job 10:21,22 . The punishment of devils and wicked men Mt 22:13; 2Pe 2:4,17; Jude 1:6,13

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The absence of natural light, Ge 1:2, and hence figuratively a state of misery and adversity, Job 18:6 Ps 107:10 Isa 8:22 9:1; also the absence of the sun and stars, and hence the fall of chief men and national convulsions, Isa 13:10 Ac 2:20. "Works of darkness," are the impure mysteries practiced in heathen worship, Eph 5:11. "Outer darkness" illustrates the gloom of those on whom the gates of heaven are closed, Mt 8:12. The darkness in Egypt, Ex 10:21-23, was miraculous; also that which covered all Judea with sympathetic gloom at the crucifixion of Christ, Lu 23:43. This could not have been caused by an eclipse of the sun; for at Passover the moon was full, and on the opposite side of the earth from the sun.

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Darkness. Darkness
The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that “they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23).

When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the “sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”

On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” This was the “thick cloud upon the mount” in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings 8:12), the cloud of glory. When the psalmist (Ps. 97:2) describes the inscrutable nature of God’s workings among the sons of men, he says, “Clouds and darkness are round about him.” God dwells in thick darkness.

Darkness (Isa. 13:9, 10; Matt. 24:29) also is a symbol of the judgments that attend on the coming of the Lord. It is a symbol of misery and adversity (Job 18:6; Ps. 107:10; Isa. 8:22; Ezek. 30:18). The “day of darkness” in Joel 2:2, caused by clouds of locusts, is a symbol of the obscurity which overhangs all divine proceedings. “Works of darkness” are impure actions (Eph. 5:11). “Outer darkness” refers to the darkness of the streets in the East, which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. It is also a symbol of ignorance (Isa. 9:2; 60:2; Matt. 6:23) and of death (Job 10:21; 17:13).

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DARKNESS. → Over the face of the earth Ge 1:2; Job 38:9; Jer 4:23 → Called NIGHT Ge 1:5 → God creates Isa 45:7 → Miraculous
* In Egypt Ex 10:21,22; Ps 105:28
* At Mount Sinai Ex 20:21; Heb 12:18
* At the crucifixion Mt 27:45; Mr 15:33

→ FIGURATIVE
* Of judgments Pr 20:20; Isa 8:22; 13:10; Jer 4:28; 13:16; La 3:2; Eze 32:7,8; Joe 2:2,10; Am 4:13; 5:18,20; 8:9; Mic 7:8; Mt 24:29; Mr 13:24; Lu 23:45; Re 8:12; 9:2
* Outer darkness, Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30
* Power of darkness, Lu 22:53; Eph 6:12; Col 1:13; 1Th 5:5; Re 16:10
* OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS Isa 9:2; 42:16; 50:10; Mt 4:16; 6:22,23; 8:12; Lu 1:79; Joh 1:5; 3:19-21; 8:12; 11:9,10; Ac 26:18; Ro 1:21; 13:12,13; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8,11; 1Th 5:4,5; 1Pe 2:9; 1Jo 1:5-7; 2:8-11
* See BLINDNESS, SPIRITUAL
* The darkness of the Holy of Holies was symbolical of the dwelling place of Jehovah
* See MOST HOLY PLACE, under the topic TABERNACLE
* See also the following scriptures Ex 19:16; 2Sa 22:10-12; 1Ki 8:12; 2Ch 6:1; Ps 18:11; 97:2; Heb 12:18

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darkness. Darkness, n. want of light, obscurity, wickedness

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Dark″ness, n. 1. 1. The absence of light; blackness; obscurity; gloom.
And darkness was upon the face of the deep. Gen. i. 2. 2. 2. A state of privacy; secrecy.
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light. Matt. x. 27. 3. 3. A state of ignorance or error, especially on moral or religious subjects; hence, wickedness; impurity.
Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John. iii. 19. Pursue these sons of darkness: drive them out From all heaven's bounds. Milton. 4. 4. Want of clearness or perspicuity; obscurity; as, the darkness of a subject, or of a discussion.
5. 5. A state of distress or trouble.
A day of clouds and of thick darkness. Joel. ii. 2. Prince of darkness, the Devil; Satan. “In the power of the Prince of darkness.” Locke. Syn. — Darkness, Dimness, Obscurity, Gloom. Darkness arises from a total, and dimness from a partial, want of light. A thing is obscure when so overclouded or covered as not to be easily perceived. As tha shade or obscurity increases, it deepens into gloom. What is dark is hidden from view; what is obscure is difficult to perceive or penetrate; the eye becomes dim with age; an impending storm fills the atmosphere with gloom. When taken figuratively, these words have a like use; as, the darkness of ignorance; dimness of discernment; obscurity of reasoning; gloom of superstition.