How does Matthew 27:45 illustrate God's power over creation and darkness? Framing the Moment Matthew 27:45: “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.” • The sixth hour is noon; the ninth Isaiah 3 p.m.—the brightest part of the day. • A three-hour, midday blackout cannot be explained by an eclipse (full moons occur at Passover) or weather. Scripture presents it as a direct act of God. Creation Under the Creator’s Command • Genesis 1:3—God’s first recorded words: “Let there be light.” If He can call light into existence, He can just as readily withdraw it. • Psalm 135:6-7—“The LORD does whatever pleases Him… He brings the clouds from the ends of the earth.” • Matthew’s wording portrays Jesus’ crucifixion scene as another display of that same sovereign authority: the sun itself obeys. Echoes of Judgment in the Old Testament • Exodus 10:21-23: the ninth plague of darkness over Egypt. There, judgment fell on Pharaoh; here, it falls while the true Passover Lamb bears sin. • Amos 8:9: “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.” The prophecy finds literal fulfillment at Calvary. • The repeated pattern: when God judges, creation convulses. Darkness as a Moral Symbol • Isaiah 60:2 contrasts deep darkness with the glory of the LORD rising. At the cross the roles reverse—light of the world enters our darkness. • Luke 22:53—Jesus acknowledges “this hour—when darkness reigns.” • The noon darkness dramatizes sin’s weight laid upon Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Victory Over Darkness • John 1:5—“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” • 2 Corinthians 4:6—“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ … made His light shine in our hearts.” • The temporary gloom underscores the permanent triumph: light returns at 3 p.m.; three days later, the risen Son ends night forever (Revelation 21:23-25). Takeaway: God’s Absolute Dominion • Physical: He commands the sun itself. • Prophetic: He fulfills specific warnings spoken centuries earlier. • Redemptive: He allows creation’s darkness so He can banish spiritual darkness for all who trust Christ. |
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