Library Home>Concise Bible Dictionary>Concise Bible Dictionary: D>Darkness (#80850)

Darkness

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: D By: George A. Morrish

• 1 min. read • grade level: 8

Listen to This Article

Used in various significations in scripture.

1. State of the earth before God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:2²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)).

2. Temporary absence of light in the night (Gen. 1:5⁵And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (Genesis 1:5)).

3. Extraordinary darkness sent by God (Ex. 10:21²¹And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. (Exodus 10:21); Ex. 14:20²⁰And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. (Exodus 14:20); Matt. 27:45⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. (Matthew 27:45)).

4. The darkness by which God shrouded His glory (Ex. 20:21²¹And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:21); Psa. 18:9,11⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. (Psalm 18:9)
¹¹He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. (Psalm 18:11); Psa. 97:2²Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. (Psalm 97:2); Heb. 12:18¹⁸For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, (Hebrews 12:18)).

5. State of death as compared with natural life (Job 10:21-22²¹Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; ²²A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness. (Job 10:21‑22)).

6. Moral darkness as the consequent state of man fallen (Psa. 82:5⁵They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. (Psalm 82:5); Isa. 9:2²The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2); Matt. 4:16¹⁶The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (Matthew 4:16); John 1:5⁵And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5); John 3:19¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19); 2 Cor. 6:14¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14); 1 Pet. 2:9⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)).

7. It characterizes Satan and his agents (Luke 22:53⁵³When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (Luke 22:53); Eph. 6:12¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12); Rev. 16:10¹⁰And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, (Revelation 16:10)).

8. It is the abode of wicked spirits and will characterize the place of punishment of the wicked (Matt. 8:12¹²But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12); 2 Pet. 2:4⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (2 Peter 2:4); Jude 6,13⁶And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 6)
¹³Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 13)). God is light, and Christ came into the world as the true light: everything shut out from God, or opposed to God and to the Lord Jesus, must partake of moral darkness.

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.

Previous Article

Concise Bible Dictionary: D

• Dan, City of

• Daniel, Book of

• Daniel the Prophet

• Darkness

• David, City of