God's Sovereignty in Times of Darkness and Suffering
God's Sovereignty in Times of Darkness and Suffering
The concept of God's sovereignty in times of darkness and suffering is rooted in biblical teachings that portray God as a stronghold in times of trouble [2]. The Bible associates darkness with the presence of God, as seen in Exodus 20:21, where Moses "drew near unto the thick darkness where God was". This theme is also evident in the plague of darkness in Egypt and the darkness that accompanied the crucifixion of Jesus, both of which are described as miraculous events [1, 4].
In times of suffering, believers find comfort in the idea that God reigns supreme over all nations and sits upon the throne of his holiness [3]. The Psalms express this sentiment, with Psalm 37:39 stating that "the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble". Similarly, Psalm 69:29 highlights the psalmist's plea for protection in times of pain and distress.
The New Testament reinforces this concept, with 1 Peter 4:12-19 instructing Christians not to be surprised by the trials they face, but to entrust themselves to their faithful Creator [5]. The apostle Paul also writes about the universal sinfulness of humanity and God's necessary response to sin, emphasizing God's sovereignty over all things, including times of darkness and suffering [6].
Different Christian traditions interpret the concept of God's sovereignty in times of darkness and suffering in various ways. For example, John Gill's Baptist/Reformed interpretation of Psalm 107:9 emphasizes God's deliverance of captives and prisoners from darkness and the shadow of death [8]. In contrast, Matthew Henry's Nonconformist/Puritan commentary on Mark 15:33 views the darkness during the crucifixion as a sign of God's judgment and the blinding of the Jews' eyes [9].
The biblical account of the crucifixion, where darkness covered the land from noon until three o'clock, is seen by some as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as Amos 8:9, which speaks of the day of the Lord as a time of darkness [7]. This event is also associated with the idea of God's judgment and the arrival of the day of the Lord.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Darkness — 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, (”
- Psalms “But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. -- Psalms 37:39”
- King James Version “[KJV] Psalms 47:8 — God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Darkness — 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 t”
- 1 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Peter 4:12: 4:12-19 Peter instructs Christians one last time about the way to face the trials that will inevitably come. 4:12 don’t be surprised: Christians, especially those seeking to lead godly lives, can expect to face the hostility of a sinful world (see John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Rom 8:17; Phil 1:29).”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 27:45: 27:45 Darkness symbolizes the judgment of God or, more specifically, the arrival of the day of the Lord (see Amos 5:18, 20; 8:9-10; also Jer 4:27-28; 13:16; 15:9).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 107:9: Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death,.... This is the second instance of persons in distress calling on the name of the Lord; and who, being delivered, are under obligation to praise him, such as are captives and prisoners. The Targum applies it to the Israelites in the Babylonish captivity; but it is much better to interpret it of prisoners in common; whose prisons are generally dark cells or dungeons, and where they are alone, and deprived of the company of the living; and so are not only in darkness, but seem as if they were in the state of the dead”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 15:33: Here we have an account of Christ's dying, how his enemies abused him, and God honoured him at his death. I. There was a thick darkness over the whole land (some think over the whole earth), for three hours, from noon till three of the clock. Now the scripture was fulfilled (Amo 8:9), I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day; and Jer 15:9, Her sun is gone down while it is yet day. The Jews have often demanded of Christ a sign from heaven; and now they had one, but such a one as signified the blinding of their eyes. It wa”