“Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom …”
(Job 33:24, NKJV)
When Jesus was nailed to the cross at Golgotha there were various highly dramatic moments (to which we shall later return). But, for example: the fact that it was pitch dark for three hours after the crucifixion carries more meaning than just being a dramatic event during this culmination point of world history. We read in Luke 23:44-45 – “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.”
Various historical writers also made note of this natural manifestation, offering possible explanations, including Phlegon (a heathen historian), Eusebius, Tertullianus, and Suidas, who declared that Dionysus the Areopagite had experienced this darkening of the earth in Egypt also.
At first glance the darkening seems like a similar case to what had happened in Egypt when Pharoah did not want the Israelites to leave (Ex 10:21-23), where they suffered from “a thick darkness in all the land” which lasted for three days. During that time the Israelites did however have light in their dwelling places, so it was not at all like the darkness after the crucifixion, where there was no light whatsoever. According to the Zohar the Jews believe that when the Messiah comes a darkening will take place, coming over the earth at midday, as had apparently happened during the destruction of the temple. But this event had escaped their attention, as they had, on account of Jesus’ outrageous statements, seen Him as slandering the name of God. It was his remark about the destruction of the temple that eventually cost Him his life – “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” (Mark 14:58). These words were also used to mock Him when he was hanging on the cross (Mark 15:29).
Luke, the scientist, wrote a version of the events that is quite interesting. He explicitly states that darkness came over the earth AND darkened the sun. There are various Scriptures that see an eclipse as a symbol of mourning (Isa 50:3), and the judgment of God (Amos 8:9), that the great day of the Lord has come (Joel 2:31), as sign of God’s great power (Amos 4:13), etc. But this supposed “eclipse” was very much different than what they were accustomed to, and is thus similar to the darkness of Evil that hovered over the waters at the beginning of creation before the sun was created – Gen 1:2! This was meant to be the triumph of the Prince of Darkness (Eph 2:2) and he had all his forces of hell descending on Christ. It’s what Sydney Carter’s old song Lord of the dance meant by: “I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black – It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.” But not only did all the forces of darkness descend upon Christ, but that day he also carried the entire load of the world’s sin – everything that would be committed in the past, present and future (Isa 53:12). Through that action He became the ransom that would deliver us from the pit of death.
- Sela: Ponder the metaphor of ransom in the context of your life. Also look at Lev 25:52; Prov 13:8 and Matt 16:26.
- Read: Joshua 6; Job 41; Isa 22
- Memorise: Isa 22:22
- For a deeper understanding: Read chapter 5 of Frank Morison’s book Who moved the stone?
