WEBVTT 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:04.240 Welcome to the program Study in the Chapel. 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.599 God's Word is supreme at Chapel Ministries. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:12.400 We consider it absolutely essential to a proper relationship with God. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.760 We study it, we love it, we rely on it every minute of every day. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:22.960 The following program is an edited recording of the regular Bible studies we hold. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:33.759 And we decided to share these with you in the hope that you too will be able to find inspiration, encouragement, and ultimately salvation through discovering Christ in Scripture. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:37.600 Our intention is to travel all the way through the Bible. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:42.719 It will be a challenging journey, but one that will undoubtedly bring you to a decision. 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:48.240 Through this study, you will be faced with either believing or rejecting what God has said to us. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:54.399 It is our intention to provide you with enough knowledge to make an informed decision about God and his word. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:04.879 We strongly encourage you to listen intently and diligently, because though at the moment you may not realize it, these things are truly a matter of life and death. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:09.359 In fact, these are matters of eternal life and eternal death. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:11.599 Never treat what God has said lightly. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.400 There's truly nothing more important to you. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:19.120 Now join us as we seek God's will through his inspired word. 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.599 We are back in our Wednesday night Bible study. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:25.040 We do this every week. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:26.959 We continue to do this every week. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.319 Having said that, we're gonna miss the next two Wednesdays, but don't worry about that. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:32.480 We'll be back in three Wednesdays. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:35.280 Nonetheless, we love to teach God's Word. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.040 We love to learn God's word. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:40.879 It is completely an immersive experience around here. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:47.760 We get to learn all of the details that exist in God's word, and we're taking our time getting through it because it's important. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:49.280 Scripture is important. 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:56.640 God left us this love letter for a reason, and we will continue to digest it as long as he asks us to. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:04.799 And I know he will continue to ask us to do that until Jesus comes, or something else gets in the way, like you know, meeting him in heaven or whatever. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:06.719 We're glad to be teaching God's word. 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:08.400 We're glad that you're with us. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:12.000 We are still in the first few verses of Genesis. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:14.159 We will be here for the next few times. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:15.520 We're gonna start in verse one. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.560 Last time I didn't read verse one, you got your one break. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:20.240 We're gonna start back at verse one. 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:22.400 Here we go, starting with verse one. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:34.159 In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:38.719 And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:46.319 Darkness and light are powerful and persistent symbols in Scripture. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:52.319 And at the very outset, God has to say to us something about those. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.240 He mentions them both. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:58.639 Let's spend a little bit of time talking about that, shall we? 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:07.199 Listen, the Bible isn't giving you the creation story so you can just have some G Wiz info. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:13.759 The story of creation is here to introduce why God created everything. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.439 There's almost nothing about what or how. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:23.120 It is the why of creation that God spends all of his time on. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:31.840 Let me just quickly remind you that when I say, in fact, from now on, when I say creation, I'm really talking about recreation. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:36.159 If you don't know what I mean, go back and listen to a couple of the other lessons. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:37.599 And let's go to verse two again. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:49.439 And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:54.879 Once where there was darkness, God brought light with the word. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.840 I don't mind telling you that over and over. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:03.199 You must get through your head how powerful the word of God is. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:09.360 God spoke and light overpowered and displaced darkness. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:16.879 I never want you to forget that the entire Bible is telling the same story from beginning to end. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:22.560 The entire Bible is reporting the same news, the good news, the gospel. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:23.680 Wait, wait a second. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:28.959 The gospel, even all the way back here in Genesis 1, yes. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:32.560 You want to know what the good news is? 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.800 Do you want to know what the gospel is? 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:36.000 Well, here you go. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:45.360 And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.800 Here comes the gospel. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:51.839 And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:59.759 Where there was once only darkness, God brought light with his word. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:06.639 You know, darkness actually has no substance of its own. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:08.160 It's not tangible. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:14.879 You can't tie a bow on it or slice a piece off of it and put it in your pocket. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:17.600 It has no reality. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:21.680 Darkness is simply the absence of light. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:32.639 And though that is without a doubt true, being in darkness is one of the most dangerous places any human can find himself. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:34.399 Well, why is that? 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:37.759 Why is darkness something to avoid? 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:39.519 Have you ever thought of that? 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.399 Have you ever wondered why darkness is so dangerous? 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.160 Well, I'll tell you why. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.439 It's because evil loves darkness. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:54.720 Evil thrives in darkness, sin thrives in darkness. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:05.199 You see, darkness is perfectly suited as a symbol and a dwelling place for all things evil. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:12.800 And I, in fact, I think darkness is better suited as a biblical motif than even light is. 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:15.360 Now we're going to spend some time here. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:21.439 First, we're going to spend time looking at darkness, and then we'll likewise discuss light. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:27.920 Hey, John, haven't you said we weren't going to get off topic during our Bible study lessons? 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:32.639 Yes, I did say that, but this is not off topic. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:33.759 Listen to me. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:39.439 If you don't understand dark and light, you'll never understand the danger you're in. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:44.319 If you don't understand light and dark, then you'll never understand the gospel. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:51.519 If you don't understand light and dark, you'll never appreciate what Jesus went through for you. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:07:04.160 There's no more appropriate representation of why the Bible is so important to us than the good news that God sent light to dispel the darkness. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:09.920 Now let's dive a little deeper before we move to the next verse. 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:20.319 It may or may not surprise you to know that darkness is referenced approximately 200 times in the Bible. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:27.839 By the way, light is referred to just about the same number of times, which in itself is interesting. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:30.319 But I thought I don't think it was intentional. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:41.279 Some may think there's some hidden, mysterious Da Vinci code sort of message in that, but let us not make such an assumption, shall we? 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:48.879 We have to be careful about getting too caught up in trying to find concealed meanings in the Bible. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:53.040 Such things are not the Holy Spirit's style, I don't think. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:08:04.399 Psalm 119, that enormous poem to love poem to God's word, says in verse 130: the entrance of thy words giveth light. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.839 It giveth understanding unto the simple. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:13.839 The things God has to say to us are plain and uncoded. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:22.160 Of course, the key to the plainness and uncodedness is the Holy Spirit, John 16, 13. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:38.320 Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:53.679 When we get saved, the moment we are saved, we are given the Holy Spirit, and he immediately goes to work, making sure we understand this new Savior of ours. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:05.759 And since Christ is the very subject of all of Scripture, the Holy Spirit opens up even these difficult Old Testament passages to us. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:11.279 Now, does that mean we're going to become all-knowing Bible experts? 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:12.320 Of course not. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:20.399 Believe me, we're going to go to our graves not being able to fully grasp some parts of Scripture. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:25.919 But the things we don't fully understand will not frustrate us. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:34.000 You know, once you become a Christian, a true Christian, fully knowing no longer seems all that important. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.600 Knowing is enough. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:39.759 Knowing that someone else knows fully is enough. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:53.039 Knowing that even though God doesn't give us a complete understanding of certain things, he does give us the faith to trust that he himself understands, and we thank him for that. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.960 Matthew 11, 25. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:10:08.320 At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:17.279 Even so, Father, this is one of my favorite verses in Scripture, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:22.159 What we need to know, God reveals. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:29.440 There are no hidden mysteries that must be pried out by human intellect and scheming. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:36.879 There isn't any sort of treasure map of knowledge just waiting to be unleashed on the world. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:46.799 Now that's not to say there haven't been and still are many theologians and scholars that are searching for such tantalizing possibilities. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:53.279 It's the same old problem of assuming the Bible is not interesting enough in itself. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:11:04.480 Too many within the church seem to be convinced that the simple gospel doesn't have the pizzazz the masses are looking for. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.480 And you know, I hate to say it, but I think they're right. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:15.279 There are lots of churchgoers that want more from church than just church. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:22.639 They don't want just scripture or God word worship or God-centered service. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.120 The crowds want more. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:27.600 They want it to be more exciting. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.440 Have you ever seen a modern music service? 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:38.799 Flashing lights, videos playing in the background, headbanging bands. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:46.000 People forget they're in church, I'm sure of it. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:54.320 Our Lord Himself once lamented this very problem in his own day, John 4 48. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:01.440 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:09.200 Well, the answer to this problem is not to try and manufacture more than is actually there. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.960 As I said, that's been going on since the very beginning. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:20.159 Men have long tried to embellish the gospel in the interest of filling and keeping full the pews. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:23.919 And I think that's cost the church a lot of time. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.200 Listen to me. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:29.200 Preach truth, and God's elect will respond. 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:33.600 Anyhow, soap box topic for another day. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:50.480 In this ministry, we focus on what the Bible actually says and avoid attempting to treat it as some symbolic encrypted message from beyond the beyond that only the smart and clever can figure out. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:54.559 God is not interested in how good of a detective you are. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:59.919 He just wants to tell you an important story so you can tell others. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:12.799 And listen to me, if you'll pay attention and study diligently, make it important to you, you'll know all you need to know in order to bear fruit for the kingdom. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:16.799 And that's how we deal with the entire gospel story. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.320 So back to Genesis. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:34.720 In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:38.879 To this point, that's as far as we've gotten. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:46.559 Now that may not seem like much, but as we said before, these three verses actually cover billions of years. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.360 So a few months doesn't sound too bad. 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:54.080 So at some point, there was darkness upon the face of the earth. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:57.600 It wasn't created that way, it became that way. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:02.879 And then God fixed that by literally bringing light in. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:12.399 As I've said, we're going to do something a little different and spend some time talking about this, talking about two, all right, you can call them side topics. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:19.120 I don't think they're side topics because these are pieces of vital information related to the gospel. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:20.320 Think what you will. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:28.559 For the next little bit, we're going to take a sort of in-depth look at how God uses light and darkness to tell his story. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:33.519 It's not something we normally do in this Bible study, but I believe it's important. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:36.799 So we've already gotten started on darkness. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:40.320 Let's see if we can pick up the pace a little bit. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:47.279 We previously mentioned that darkness doesn't have any real substance. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:52.879 From what we can tell, it doesn't actually have an existence of its own. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:58.480 In fact, scripture doesn't even tell us if it was a created thing or not. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.840 There's no record of darkness being created. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:05.919 Now, of course, that doesn't really mean it wasn't created. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.679 That could just mean that God had nothing to tell us about it. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:18.799 Nonetheless, on the face of it, all we can say is that darkness is nothing more than an absence of light. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.360 But don't let that fool you. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:25.200 It sounds a lot more innocuous than it actually is. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:33.519 Though darkness is defined with such surface innocence, the Bible never treats it as innocent. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:43.600 And to be honest, even outside the Bible, people outside the Bible don't see darkness in such simple, cold terms either. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:53.759 Listen to me, I believe ever since we became aware of ourselves and our surroundings, we've considered darkness a great enemy. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:01.360 In fact, I'd argue, listen to me, the first thing anyone was ever afraid of, I bet, was darkness. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:13.200 As time went on, primitive man began to see light and dark as entangled in a struggle for control of the cosmos. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:17.840 And humans have always sided with light in that warfare. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.399 Nobody sides with darkness. 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:29.039 In fact, right here in Genesis 1, 2 and 1, 3, the impression is this sort of back and forth for dominance. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:34.879 The darkness came in when whatever that calamity was broke upon the earth. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:45.440 Isn't it just like darkness to kick a man when he's down, take advantage of a weakling, swoop in when the opportunity for dominance presents itself? 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:47.600 Darkness is a bully. 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:52.240 Then at that point, the Holy Spirit is seen brooding. 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:59.519 He's seen moving in such a way as in preparation for the sweeping of the darkness out. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:02.240 And verse 3 proves that to be true. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:12.160 But let's take a few more minutes talking about the symbolism, the unmistakable symbolism of darkness, before we readdress verse three. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:26.400 Now we're spending some time here because these two verses are the foundation of God's dealings, God's mercy and grace and power in the reality of the race of mankind. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:31.599 Verse one simply shows God's relationship to the universe in general. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:36.720 It declares he's the boss, he's the owner, he's the manager of the whole thing. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.039 That's good information to know. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.400 That's verse one. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:45.680 And then verse two and three relate directly to us. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:49.680 Now, I know we humans haven't been mentioned yet. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.920 In fact, we don't come along for at least 22 more verses. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:11.759 But what we see here, what we see between the scene of the spirit moving upon the face of the waters and the moment Adam and Eve are created, listen to me, is God preparing this earth to be inhabitable for us. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:21.279 Now I have no idea if before verse two, this place would have been, would have been able to sustain life as we currently know it. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:28.240 But certainly whatever happened between verse one and two made this planet hostile to human life. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.799 And that would not do. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:39.279 So God sets out immediately to make the earth a place where man can be fruitful and multiply. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:44.880 But once again, getting ahead of the story, we still have some prelim work to do. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:53.359 Now, one of the most important points you must gather in from this is that all of this was God's doing. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:19:00.079 We could have done nothing to create for ourselves a home here or anywhere, really. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:13.440 If God didn't intervene after the calamity that struck the earth, it would have remained as lifeless and unfruitful as it was when it was without form and void. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:14.799 Listen to me. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:21.839 Though science disagrees with me, there was a purpose to the creation of the earth. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:24.319 And that purpose is you and me. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:28.480 God created this place for you and me. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:33.519 Hopefully, you're picking up on the point of my dramatic exposition here. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:39.920 God's entire history with us is one of interventional grace. 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:46.559 God has intervened with his grace to make a place for us, his companion. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:54.000 God and God alone entered into a very dead world and gave it life. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.920 And he didn't do it because he needed it to be done. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:59.599 He didn't need anything. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:10.480 And he spends the rest of his word explaining why. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:15.119 But again, getting ahead of the story, let me drop back the verse two. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:24.319 Listen, friends, this study in Genesis, at least in the beginning, is not going to be like our journey through Ephesians. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:29.759 Though you may not have thought so, we skipped a lot of details back then. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:33.680 We won't be doing that here in the early going of Genesis. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.440 There's too much to talk about. 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:43.039 There's too much that's important for us to breeze over, and there are too many misunderstandings. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:49.039 We have to clear the air so that we understand what God is doing. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:56.559 Genesis 1, 2, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.960 Now, this is extremely powerful imagery here. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:08.240 Here, as well as throughout the Bible, darkness has intense meaning. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:22.960 When the prophets envision a time where God's judgment is poured out on the earth, the reappearance of this darkness is a clear sign of the removal of God's grace. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:28.720 When the darkness returns, God's favor is surely not present. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:44.960 In fact, Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, uses strikingly similar language to these early verses in Genesis as he contemplates God's wrath on the backsliding Israelites. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:56.960 The people had rejected God's call to return and response, and in response, he was about to unleash Israel's enemies upon her. 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:59.839 War was imminent, destruction was approached. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.559 Approaching, and Jeremiah says this, chapter 4, verse 19. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:07.599 My bowels, my bowels, don't get caught up in that. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.400 It just means his intestines, it's his inside, his guts, my guts. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:15.039 I am pained at my very heart. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:17.519 My heart maketh a noise in me. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:26.000 I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:32.000 Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is spoiled. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:35.839 Suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:37.039 Verse 21. 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:41.839 How long shall I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:44.160 For my people is foolish. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:45.680 They have not known me. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:50.079 They are sodish children, and they have none understanding. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.240 They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:57.119 Tell me that God does not want us to behave properly. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:00.000 Now listen to this, verse 23. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:02.960 Listen, this is Jeremiah speaking for God. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:09.680 I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void, and the heavens, and they had no light. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:13.200 Precisely the same language. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.880 Sounds familiar. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:24.160 Listen, the imagery of Genesis 1, the calamity of Genesis 1 was not lost on Jeremiah. 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:36.720 He knew that the people saw these things as frightful, and he took them right back there so that they could see that darkness was a sure sign that God was not on the scene. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:46.960 And he uses that imagery to warn the people that they are risking the return of that heavy, foreboding, terrifying darkness. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:24:01.920 Isaiah, about a hundred years before, but living much of the same threatenings as Jeremiah in his day, used the exact same technique to describe the oncoming horror in his own day. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.519 Remember what we're doing here. 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:09.440 We're talking about the symbol of darkness and how it's used in the Bible and what it means. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:15.839 Listen, you and I may take this symbol of darkness lightly, but the children of Israel sure didn't. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:16.799 Listen to this. 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:18.960 Isaiah 5.30. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:24.160 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:27.440 And if one look unto the land, behold what? 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:34.160 Darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:43.839 Everywhere darkness is referred to in the Bible, there is an ominous, almost sinister quality to it. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:56.960 This is especially true in the book of Job, which, by the way, makes extensive use of the strongly negative imagery of darkness to communicate Job's plight. 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:06.720 In chapter 4, Job is describing evildoers and sinners in a way that expresses the sentiment God's word communicates about darkness. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:14.079 He's describing sinners and those that fall short of God's ideal in the same way you would describe darkness. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:24.960 Chapter 24, starting at verse 12, men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out, yet God layeth not folly to them. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:29.920 Verse 13, they are of those that rebel against the light. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.160 They know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.920 They don't know anything about darkness. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:39.680 Sinners, evildoers, they don't know anything about the light. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:45.279 Verse 14, the murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.640 And in night is as a thief. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:58.480 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No su no eye shall see me and disguise his face. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.599 Verse 16. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:05.359 In dark they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in the daytime. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.680 They know not the light. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:11.759 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:13.119 They hate the light. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:17.680 When they see the morning coming, it is as the shadow of death. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:22.480 If one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:34.640 Clearly, Scripture sees the physical properties of darkness as a part of the human problem, the problem of evil, the problem of sin. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:43.440 The absence of light encourages and enables behavior contrary to God's ideal. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:50.400 And certainly, this is an effective metaphor for life lived outside the light of Christ. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:27:00.880 But not only that, in the Bible, darkness is seen as symbolic of many other negative aspects of human existence. 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:02.559 For example, ignorance. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:15.519 Psalm 82, starting at verse 3 defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy, deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the hand of the wicked. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:18.559 They know not, neither will they understand. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.279 They walk on in darkness. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:25.279 All the foundations of the earth are out of course. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:30.799 Darkness is a negative symbol in Scripture everywhere you turn. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:33.759 Darkness is used to represent foolishness. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:36.319 Ecclesiastes 2.13. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:42.640 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness. 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:48.960 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness. 00:27:50.880 --> 00:28:00.720 When God decides to put an end to the revelation of his plans to his prophets, again, the Bible describes this in terms of darkness. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.240 Micah 3:6. 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:07.599 Therefore, night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:11.200 In other words, the prophets will be walking around as if it's night. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.759 They won't be able to see, because God has hidden his revelation from them. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:20.160 And it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:25.839 And the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:32.559 Peter uses similar language in second in his second epistle, chapter one, verse 19. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:48.960 We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well, that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day rise star rise in your hearts. 00:28:49.119 --> 00:29:03.680 In this case, prophecy, in other words, God's revelation to man is responsible for alleviating the darkness, exactly as God did when he said, Light be, and there was light. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:11.279 God's word shines in the proverbial and the actual dark place. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:16.079 When God speaks, darkness flees and light enters in. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:18.880 What are we doing here, John? 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:22.400 We're showing how important Genesis 1:2 is. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:35.680 Darkness has a very nasty reputation in God's way of thinking, and He is in the business of eliminating it so that humanity can serve the purpose he created it for. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:39.680 Okay, but I'm getting kind of tired of talking about darkness. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:42.160 Can we talk about something else? 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:46.640 Sure, but you're gonna have to wait till next time. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:30:02.000 God's word is a great treasure, and it's our belief that a thorough, purposeful study of it will bring all of God's children to an understanding of his eternal plan of redemption. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:05.759 It is our prayer that this will be so for all of our listeners. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.920 Please join us again soon. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:12.559 New content is being added all the time, so make sure you check back often. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:23.759 For more information on Chapel Ministries, including our YouTube channel and podcasts, please visit www.chapelontheweb.com. 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:31.519 And if God has laid it upon your heart to share materially with us, we encourage you to follow the links to our secure giving page. 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:40.400 Please note, Chapel Ministries is not an IRS registered nonprofit organization, and your donations to this program are not tax deductible. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:46.559 It's our hope that you do not rely on taxing authorities to decide for you who is worthy of your generosity.