Leslie M. John
”Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 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?” (Matthew 27:45-46)
Darkness prevailed on the face of the earth, in the midst of the day light. It was not an eclipse, for it was during Passover that this darkness came upon the face of the earth and it was not the usual darkness that comes at sunset.
It was indeed unusual. During day light hours, a severe darkness was brought about by THE FATHER upon this earth, and more of that on Jesus Christ, His one and only begotten Son. Darkness signifies judgment. Our sin was judged at the Cross.
”Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. (John 5:24)
Darkness was one of the ten plagues that God brought on Egypt. "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. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days" Exodus 10:21,22
”And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night”. (Exodus 14:20)
Darkness is accompanied with fear, sin, and judgment. It is opposed to luster and honor. Darkness is opposed to wisdom; it is associated with confusion, folly, vexation of Spirit, and calamities. An angel shone light towards Israelites and darkness to Pharaoh and his army when Israelites were just about to cross Red Sea. It was the judgment that Pharaoh and his army were about to face while the children of God were about to cross the great river.
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining in the last days.
”The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining”. (Joel 3:15)
Matt. 27:46 is a direct quote from Psalm 22:1. Many years ago David prophesied the death of Jesus Christ. It pleased the Father to bruise Jesus for our sin. The sin had to be judged at the Cross. It was at that time that The Father brought about severest darkness on the face of the earth; it was at that time, Jesus was passing through the darkness; the judgment. Jesus took our punishment on himself and our sin was judged at the Cross. The Father, the Holy One, could not see the sin on Son Jesus Christ and that is why the Father had to forsake the Son. . It is at that time that Jesus Christ cried out, ”My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It is at that time that The Father became God for Jesus. It is at that time, that the Father and The Son were separated from each other. This separation was because Jesus loved us. Oh! It was then, that the darkness, which no one ever saw before came upon Jesus and on the whole land.
Let us worship the Father in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who was crucified, died for our sake, was buried and was raised from the dead on the third day. Jesus ascended into heaven and he is seated on the right hand of the Majesty.