Hope in the Darkness

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.” (Exodus 10:21–29 ESV).

 

Have you ever encountered a darkness that can be felt? I recall walking back to my truck from my tree stand after deer hunting one evening. It really wasn’t a very pleasant day, weather-wise. There were dark storm clouds that had been gathering all afternoon and as the sun set, the wind whipped around in all directions, and the temperature dropped quickly. Fortunately I knew my way back to the truck very well and managed to get loaded and in the shelter of the truck just before the blasts of thunder and lightning began with the accompanying downpour of rain. I sat there a while hoping the rain would ease up a bit and realized how I had absolutely no control over the darkness that seemed to engulf everything as far as I could see. You could almost feel the darkness.

 

Our Bible reading today tells part of the story of God’s confrontation with Pharaoh through Moses. Pharaoh had repeatedly resisted letting God’s people go free from slavery, and God had responded with increasingly intense plagues, all of which challenged Pharaoh’s authority and control. This time, God brought a “darkness that [could] be felt” over the whole land of Egypt. Unlike the darkness of a passing storm, this darkness stayed for three days! It’s as if God was saying to Pharoah: “Stop resisting me. You are not in charge. I can even remove the creational boundaries between light and dark, night and day!” But Pharaoh would not listen.

 

While confronting Pharaoh, God reassured Israel by giving them light and hope during the unnatural darkness, and in this God was saying, “You are mine, and Pharaoh cannot separate you from me.” In Advent, we lean into this same hope-filled assurance: in Christ, God will move heaven and earth, night and day, to set us free from all that enslaves us! That is our great Hope!