Using the Sun and the Son to Overcome Spiritual Darkness
Spiritual darkness, often understood as the human condition of sin and separation from God, is a pervasive theme in biblical literature. This darkness is not merely an absence of light but an active state of rebellion and corruption [8, 9]. The Bible presents the "Sun" as a created entity that provides physical light and order, while "the Son" (Jesus Christ) is depicted as the divine source of spiritual light, offering a path to overcome this inherent darkness.
The physical sun is described in Genesis as the "greater light" created by God to rule the day, divide seasons, and provide light [3]. It is a testament to God's creative power and is even said to praise and glorify God [3]. The sun's power and brilliance are often used as metaphors for divine majesty and clarity [3]. However, despite its grandeur, the sun is part of the created order and cannot dispel the spiritual darkness that afflicts humanity.
Spiritual darkness is fundamentally linked to sin. All human beings are considered born sinners, though the godly strive against their sinful nature [4]. Sin is characterized as "vanity" or "all sorts of sinful acts" [5]. The first sin, committed by Adam and Eve, is described as a "heinous and aggravated" act of self-love, dishonor to God, ingratitude, and disobedience, preferring the creature over the Creator [7]. This initial act introduced corruption into humanity [6]. Sin is not merely an action but a state of being, a "corrupt old nature" that adheres to individuals even after conversion [10]. Deliberate sins are committed with an "insolent or arrogant attitude" and are seen as rebellion against God [8]. The Old Testament frequently depicts God's anger as a necessary response to sin, predicting a decisive outpouring of wrath at the end of history [9]. Practices such as making one's son pass through fire, soothsaying, divination, and dealing with mediums and spiritists are explicitly identified as evil acts that provoke God [1]. The book of Job speaks of humanity exploring "the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death," highlighting the profound depth of this spiritual obscurity [2].
In contrast to this pervasive darkness, Jesus Christ is presented as the divine "Son" who brings spiritual light. He is described as the "brightness of his glory," an "effulgence of His glory," and "Light of (from) light" [12]. This imagery emphasizes His essential and pre-existent divine nature, inseparable from the Father, much like light is inseparable from its effulgence [12]. Through Christ, believers are claimed by God [11].
The overcoming of spiritual darkness is achieved through Christ. Those who commit sin are said to be "of the devil," but John clarifies that the devil does not "beget" in the same way God does; rather, individuals become children of the devil by imitating him [6]. The victory over the world, which is a source of spiritual darkness, is achieved through faith in Christ [14]. This victory enables believers to overcome "the strong man armed" (referring to the devil) through Christ, who is "stronger" [14]. Christ's presence and power are such that even after descending from moments of divine glory, He remains accessible and ready to address human needs and miseries, such as healing a child "vexed with a devil" [13]. The concept of overcoming spiritual darkness, therefore, is deeply intertwined with Christ's divine nature and His redemptive work, offering a path from the corruption of sin to the light of God's presence.
Sources
- II Kings “II Kings 21:6 (LEB) — He made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying and divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He increased the doing of evil in the eyes of Yahweh to provoke him.”
- Job “Job 28:3 (Darby) — [Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sun, The — Called the greater light -- Ge 1:16. God Created. -- Ge 1:14,16; Ps 74:16. Placed in the firmament. -- Ge 1:17. Appointed to rule the day. -- Ge 1:16; Ps 136:8; Jer 31:35. Appointed to divide seasons. -- Ge 1:14. Exercises sovereign power over. -- Job 9:7. Causes, to rise both on evil and good. -- Mt 5:45. Causes to know its time of setting. -- Ps 104:19. Made to praise and glorify God -- Ps 148:3. The power and brilliancy of its rising alluded to -- Jdj 5:31; 2Sa 23:4. Clearness of its light alluded to -- Song 6:10. Compared to a bridegroom coming forth f”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
- 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”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 1:3: Who being--by pre-existent and essential being. brightness of his glory--Greek, the effulgence of His glory. "Light of (from) light" [Nicene Creed]. "Who is so senseless as to doubt concerning the eternal being of the Son? For when has one seen light without effulgence?" [ATHANASIUS, Against Arius, Orations, 2]. "The sun is never seen without effulgence, nor the Father without the Son" [THEOPHYLACT]. It is because He is the brightness, &c., and because He upholds, &c., that He sat down on the right hand, &c. It was a return to His divine glory (Joh 6”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 17:14: We have here the miraculous cure of a child that was lunatic and vexed with a devil. Observe, I. A melancholy representation of the case of this child, made to Christ by the afflicted father. This was immediately upon his coming down from the mountain where he was transfigured. Note, Christ's glories do not make him unmindful of us and of our wants and miseries. Christ, when he came down from the mount, where had conversation with Moses and Elias, did not take state upon him, but was as easy of access, as ready to poor beggars, and as familiar with the multitude”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 2:14: young men . . . strong--made so out of natural weakness, hence enabled to overcome "the strong man armed" through Him that is "stronger." Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. This term "overcome" is peculiarly John's, adopted from his loved Lord. It occurs sixteen times in the Apocalypse, six times in the First Epistle, only thrice in the rest of the New Testament. In order to overcome the world on the ground, and in the strength, of the blood of the Saviour, we must be willing, like Christ, to part with whatever of the world belongs to us: w”