“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.”

Was it an eclipse?

There was tremendous excitement in the United States on Monday, August 21, 2017, due to the total solar eclipse that occurred on that day.  Thousands of people traveled varying distances to places along the 70-mile wide path of the shadow of the moon that gradually arced over the continental U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina.  The total solar eclipse on Monday was particularly rare because it was the first time since June 8, 1918, that the path of totality exclusively crossed the continental United States.  People in the path of totality were amazed as the moon blocked all of the light of the sun causing darkness to come at a time when it was normally broad daylight.

The passage above described another time that darkness covered the land.  Was it an eclipse?  Somehow, the sun was darkened or obstructed.  There was something much more important than an amazing astronomical event that was occurring on that day outside Jerusalem around 2,000 years ago.  Observe the text again:

“Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:33-34).

What was happening?  Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was dying on the cross for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2).  Sin separates us from God and leads to our destruction (Isaiah 59:1-2; Matthew 7:13-14).  But God loves us so much that He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins so that we might have the forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

As the Son was suspended between heaven and earth, darkness came upon the land.  Shouldn’t it?  It was truly a dark day when Jesus paid the price for your sins and mine on the cruel cross of Calvary.

Yet because of His sacrificial death, you and I can enjoy the light of His mercy and grace!

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 17:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  The atoning blood that Jesus shed in His death will continue to cleanse those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

Somehow, miraculously, the sun was eclipsed as the Son of God hung on the cross for your sins and mine.  Don’t be amazed by the darkness during the day.  Be thankful for the loving grace that was extended to you and me… and accept it through your trusting obedience.

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org