America and the Ninth Plague: Darkness

 

This morning, as usual, it was prayer, Bible and black coffee, long before the sun.

After the second or third cup, I was still reading the same passage. Over and over, I read and reread about a darkness so thick, it could be felt. (Exodus 10:21) 

Out the window, toward the lake, the sun would soon be turning on the lights and peaking over the east shoreline on the other side of the bay, but just then, it was still black—no signs whatsoever, of the sun.   

Have you ever been in darkness, so thick, it could be felt?

I did, as a kid. We took a trip deep inside Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave. Over 400 miles have been mapped,  but like an endless abyss or a bottomless pit, to this day, they’ve yet to find the end. 

At one point our tour guide warned us he was going to turn off all the lights. “We’ll be in complete and total darkness. So dark in fact that even glow in the dark watches will not illuminate.”

BOOM.

The jaws of the bottomless pit opened. The earth was without form and void and darkness covered the face of the deep. Light, warmth and air vanished. I imagined a thousand, no a million, vampire bats flying into our face, our hair. We shivered, breathing was hard, taking a step out of the question.

The darkness could be felt.  

Ever been there? If not physically, how about emotionally? mentally? Spiritually? That dark day when the light of your world was snuffed out? The relationship went south? The dream turned nightmare? The one you trusted, betrayed, abused, raped, accused you?

Darkness can make what was once simple and clear turn stressful, scary and confusing. Just ask any kid at night when that teddy bear, or pile of clothes, turns into a monster.

Darkness deceives.

The darkness I read about this morning was the ninth plague. Which triggered a memory of my last post, Strange Winds, about Hurricane Isaias, which just happened to start out as Tropical Depression Nine.

A darkness far worse than the one that follows sunset, is the vile hatred spewed on the news. Worse yet is what they hide; the boiling cauldron of sex trafficking and the slaughter of millions upon millions of innocent babies. God hears their blood cry out and HE will avenge them. 

Pay attention: This darkness is the very shadow of death. Following the ninth plague was the pass over of the angel of death; which triggered the Exodus of God's people. 

America is having a dark year. That may be the only thing both sides of the aisle can agree on.

But as bad as it is, nothing can compare to the year Egypt was having, back in the day of the plagues.

The sad part is that it didn’t have to be that way for Egypt…it doesn’t have to be this way for US, either.

The Good news is, we get to choose; whether to walk in darkness, or Light.

For a longtime God blessed Egypt for the sake of His people living in the land. But the Egyptians grew fearful and jealous of the prosperity and wisdom God’s people possessed; so, they oppressed them (any parallels?).

Yes, God is patient, loving and kind, but He’s never apathetic and has a holy hatred toward evil. He’s never allowed darkness to go on too long. He’s always stepped in. He’ll do it again.

In the beginning when the earth became without form and void and darkness covered the face of the deep (what results when devils and demons reign—picture rioting, burning cities) God stepped in and said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. And the darkness, no matter how deep and dark, could not stop or prevent or prevail against the light.

 God showed up in the dark days of Noah, when the hearts of men were wicked. He sent a flood, baptized the world of evil; followed with the light of a rainbow and a promise.  

When the nation harboring His people, Egypt, grew dark, He showed up again and send a man named Moses to tell Pharaoh, “Let MY people go!”

Hard hearted Pharaoh, said “no.”

Thus, began the plagues. Water to blood. Frogs. Lice. Flies. Diseased livestock. Boils. Hail. Locusts….and the second to last plague, number nine: Darkness so thick it could be felt.    

In all of this God protected His people, set them apart, spared them from His wrath. “That you may know that I AM the Lord in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between My people and your people.” 

Under pressure of the plague, time and again, Pharaoh flip-flopped, said he’d repent and set them free; but changed his mind as soon as the pressure eased.

Today, the names and dates have changed, but the fight between Good and evil remains exactly the same. Corrupt minds and dark hearts burn cities to the ground, love dark, hate Light, God and His people.

By the ninth plague, Egypt lay in darkness and ruin. Pharaoh called Moses and offered another compromise.

Moses response is powerful and important. We all go as one; with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds..."not a hoof shall be left behind.” 

Pharaoh had offered his own selfish, twisted, version to Moses. But, God doesn’t submit requests, He makes demands. No compromise.

They say don’t pray in school. No Bibles, either. My body. My life. My right. Don’t legislate it. Don’t talk about it. Stay in your place. No church. No singing. No praising. No praying…

God says, NO COMPROMISE. Don’t eat from that tree, don’t even touch it.

America is in a dark place. She’s being asked to compromise, The Constitution; her very foundation.

Another time, when America was young, she was offered a compromise by King George III. He offered many things, peace, trade, financial assistance, self-rule (under the crown).

But America wasn’t fighting for a new good green deal filled with free stuff, she was fighting for freedom. 

So, after eight days of prayer and seeking God’s wisdom, our little ragtag, worn, weary, cold, hungry group of American Patriots, stood shoulder to shoulder, on bloody bare feet, shivering in the snow, against the mightiest empire on earth and said: 

No. Keep your free stuff, we’ll take our freedom.

Image by Linda Crouse from Pixabay

That day, in 1778, God smiled. 

From that day to this we grew into the brightest, strongest, freest nation the world has ever known. He has used US to reflect His light all the way around the globe.

My friends, family, fellow Americans, we’re facing that day again. The only difference is, the offer of compromise isn’t from without, but within.

What do you choose? 

Free stuff…or freedom? 

Light or dark?

Who do you trust? 

God…or men?

 

 

Jesus has come as the Light of the world; but they chose darkness and hated the Light (John 1 & 3:19)

Let's pray. 

Father, forgive us, we need help. You are our only hope. 

Thank You for Your Light, the greatest disinfectant to cleanse us from sin. We pray for Your Light to penetrate the confused, scared, darkest corners of our mind. 

Forgive us for sheltering in the dark instead of shining Your Light.Give us wisdom, strength and courage to stand up, speak up, show up and fight the Good fight.  

For Your glory, Lord and King Jesus, thank you, amen.

You may also want to read:

Strange Winds

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

Great reference is Dan Crenshaw’s new book, FORTITUDE

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

 

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)