It’s hard to
imagine what space would have been like prior to creation. Take away the stars,
planets and other lights and we have to presume darkness. Imagine that! God
wrapped in deep darkness. Does your mind recoil at this as does mine?
There is a
fascinating contrast, even paradox confronting us as we meditate upon getting a
glimpse of God before creation as we know it. I’d like us to preview some
verses together and allow our finite minds to go on a journey. Where will it take
us? Let’s find out.
In Exodus 20
Moses has taken the nation to Mt.
Sinai
Ps.18:9: He (God)
parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
Ps 18:11: He
made darkness his covering, his canopy around him.
Ps.97:2: Clouds
and thick darkness surrounds him.1 Kings 8:12: Solomon said “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud.
Whilst the Lord God had space dressed in blackness it had no part within His nature.
Now let us contrast that with:-
Deuteronomy
4:24: ‘The Lord your God is a consuming fire…’ (Hebrews 12:29).
Ps. 104:2: ‘The
Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment.’
Isaiah 60:19:
The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon
shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be
your glory.’ (Revelation 21:23)
1 John 1:5: ‘God
is light; in him there is no darkness at all.’
1 Timothy
6:15-16: ‘God, the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.’
How can these
two seemingly contradictory concepts be harmonised?
I wonder if the darkness in
which He covers Himself was for our benefit. Because His radiant holiness is as
a consuming fire, unapproachable, God shields humanity by this canopy of
darkness. If we are to meet Him we must be properly dressed to stand in His company. This is only possible when we have been redeemed from ungodliness, dressed in Christ’s
righteousness and indwelt by His Spirit. The Eternal Lord God has made this offer open to all. It is received by a faith commitment of your life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. He has all which is needed to be in the Father's presence and not be consumed.
When Moses went
up to meet God he was enveloped in a dense cloud. When Moses went back down the
mountain he didn’t realised the change in his appearance had occurred. His face
was radiant. (Exodus 34:29-30). How awesome! Encompassed by a cloud, presumably
dark, he had fellowship with the Lord God and it showed. Explain it how you
will, there is a beautiful spiritual insight for life and worship expressed here. In our
times of being shrouded in life’s dark clouds our Lord is willing to meet us
there. When we come out of that darkness there will be an unselfconsciousness
of the Lord’s radiance impacting others. David, the king of Israel and writer
of Psalm 139: 11–12 summed it up so well: ‘If I say, “Surely the darkness shall
cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark
to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.’
My imagination
pictures space before creation as total darkness. And yet the blazing radiance
of the glorious light of the Eternal and holy triune God was there. He and He alone was the focal
point across the whole of space. I wonder if it will something similar when we
are caught up to ‘the Father’s house’ at the end of time. Whilst we will involved in a new heaven and a new earth once again the focal point will be God and God alone.
Therefore until then Psalm 23:4 takes on added significance
and in life's uncertainty I’ll cling to the psalmist’s words: Even though I walk
through the darkest valley (or, the valley of the shadow of death), I will fear
no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ The Lord will walk with us and bring us into the light of His eternal day.
Children: God's special interest
From Eden with Love (about marriage)
Bethlehem's Warrior Baby (Christmas)
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