Apostolic Friends Forum - The Source Of The Darkness

I had a few scriptures running through my head this morning and a few thoughts to go along with them.

Here are the scriptures.

Quote:

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isaiah 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

These scriptures are talking about the coming Messiah (Jesus) because this is when the Gentiles came to the light. So the darkness being spoken of preceded the coming of the Messiah.

Many of the children of Israel had missed the mark by far. You don't exactly crucify your Messiah if you are on the mark spiritually. There many problems in that day and the true word according to the true spirit of God was not the mainstream. Spiritual leaders were caught up in power struggles etc.

Quote:

Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, [and] make [it] gross darkness.
Jeremiah 13:17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for [your] pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.
Jeremiah 13:18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, [even] the crown of your glory.

Once again here... God is telling his people... you're missing the mark... give glory to God or he will cause darkness.

Why was there going to be darkness?

Because God's people were missing the mark.

It make me wonder... can there be darkness when God's people are walking in His way? There can be persecution. We know that. But in the midst of that persecution is often revival. And that revival probably comes because the persecution was caused by or caused God's people to walk the right way.

When a land is in darkness... is it we, God's people, who need to search ourselves? Can there be a land in darkness when His people are walking in His way?

While we curse the darkness I wonder if we should understand that the darkness is a testament of the state of our current light.