God’s Ministry of Darkness
According to Isaiah 50:10,11; obedient servants who fear the Lord may find themselves walking in darkness. Isaiah is not talking about the darkness of sin; he is talking about the darkness of uncertainty. In the light you know who your friends and enemies are and the path before you is clear as well as the obstacles. It is easy to walk in the light, but in the dark, every natural instinct says sit down or drop out.
God called Abraham out of Ur to the Promised Land and there He made a covenant with him (Genesis 12). God said He would multiply Abraham’s descendants as the stars of the sky and the sands of the sea. So he proceeded to live as though God’s Word was true, but then came years of darkness. So many years went by that Abraham’s barren wife matured beyond the means of natural childbirth. So Abraham thought he would help God fulfill (keep) His covenant by creating his own light. Sari, his wife, supplied the match by encouraging Abraham to go into Hagar, her maidservant (Genesis 16:1-9). That act of adultery resulted in two races of people, Arab and Jew, and to this day the whole world lies down in torment.
The natural tendency during these times of darkness, when we don’t see it God’s way, is to do it our way. According to Isaiah, when we create our own light, God allows it, and misery follows it. While other innocent babies were being slaughtered, God ensured the safety and protection of Moses. God’s plan was to use Moses to set His people free. Years later, Moses sensed the call of God and felt the burden for his people. He pulled out his sword, killed a man and was exiled to the backside of the desert. Moses walked in darkness for forty years before God turned on the light in the form of a burning bush.
During these times of darkness and doubt, Isaiah admonishes us to keep on walking by faith in the light of previous revelation. Never doubt in darkness what God has clearly shown in the light, and be mindful that is often the darkest before the dawn. When you are inclined to believe the night will never end, consider the words of Isaiah: “Someone calls to me from Seir, ‘Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?’ The watchman says, ‘Morning is coming, but also the night’” (Isaiah 21:11). No matter how dark the night or how despairing the circumstances, morning comes. When the temptation to create your own light is overwhelming just hold on to the truth that this too will pass. Avoid making major decisions when you are emotionally down. Disastrous choices are made by those who don’t wait upon the Lord.
God’s ministry of darkness is a lesson in trust. We learn to rely on Him during the hard times. Thank God for the mountain top experiences, but growth takes place in the valleys.
Dr. Neil
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