The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness "which may be felt." It covered "all the land of Egypt," so that "they saw not one another." It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23). When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the "sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) "drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." This was the "thick cloud upon the mount" in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings 8:12), the cloud of glory. When the psalmist (Ps. 97:2) describes the inscrutable nature of God's workings among the sons of men, he says, "Clouds and darkness are round about him." God dwells in thick darkness. Darkness (Isa. 13:9, 10; Matt. 24:29) also is a symbol of the judgments that attend on the coming of the Lord. It is a symbol of misery and adversity (Job 18:6; Ps. 107:10; Isa. 8:22; Ezek. 30:18). The "day of darkness" in Joel 2:2, caused by clouds of locusts, is a symbol of the obscurity which overhangs all divine proceedings. "Works of darkness" are impure actions (Eph. 5:11). "Outer darkness" refers to the darkness of the streets in the East, which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. It is also a symbol of ignorance (Isa. 9:2; 60:2; Matt. 6:23) and of death (Job 10:21; 17:13). is spoken of as encompassing the actual presence of God, as that out of which he speaks,--the envelope, as it were, of divine glory. (Exodus 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12) The plague of darkness in Egypt was miraculous. The darkness "over all the land," (Matthew 27:45) attending the crucifixion has been attributed to an eclipse, but was undoubtedly miraculous, as no eclipse of the sun could have taken place at that time, the moon being at the full at the time of the passover. Darkness is also, as in the expression "land of darkness," used for the state of the dead, (Job 10:21,22) and frequently, figuratively, for ignorance and unbelief, as the privation of spiritual light. (John 1:5; 3:19) Created by God -- Ps 104:20; Isa 45:7. Originally covered the earth -- Ge 1:2. Separated from the light -- Ge 1:4. Called night -- Ge 1:5. Caused by the setting of the sun -- Ge 15:17; Joh 6:17. Inexplicable nature of -- Job 38:19,20. Exhibits God's power and greatness -- Job 38:8,9. Degrees of, mentioned Great. -- Ge 15:12. That may be felt. -- Ex 10:21. Thick. -- De 5:22; Joe 2:2. Gross. -- Jer 13:16. Outer or extreme. -- Mt 8:12. Effects of Keeps us from seeing objects. -- Ex 10:23. Causes us to go astray. -- Joh 12:35; 1Jo 2:11. Causes us to stumble. -- Isa 59:10. Often put for night -- Ps 91:6. Called the swaddling band of the sea -- Job 38:9. Cannot hide us from God -- Ps 139:11,12. The wicked The children of. -- 1Th 5:5. Live in. -- Ps 107:10. Walk in. -- Ps 82:5. Perpetuate their designs in. -- Job 24:16. Are full of. -- Mt 6:23. Miraculous On mount Sinai. -- Ex 19:16; Heb 12:18. Over the land of Egypt. -- Ex 10:21,22. At the death of Christ. -- Mt 27:45. Before the destruction of Jerusalem. -- Mt 24:29. Illustrative of Greatness and unsearchableness of God. -- Ex 20:21; 2Sa 22:10,12; 1Ki 8:12; Ps 97:2. Abstruse and deep subjects. -- Job 28:3. Secrecy. -- Isa 45:19; Mt 10:27. Ignorance and error. -- Job 37:19; Isa 60:2; Joh 1:5; 3:19; 12:35; Ac 26:18. Anything hateful. -- Job 3:4-9. A course of sin. -- Pr 2:13; Eph 5:11. Heavy afflictions. -- Job 23:17; Ps 112:4; Ec 5:17; Isa 5:30; 8:22; 59:9. The power of Satan. -- Eph 6:12; Col 1:13. The grave. -- 1Sa 2:9; Job 10:21,22. The punishment of devils and wicked men. -- Mt 22:13; 2Pe 2:4,17; Jude 1:6,13.
Darkness