Darkness at the Sixth Hour - Luke 23:44

Luke the beloved physician wrote when Jesus was hanging on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If you be the king of the Jews, save yourself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you be the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, To day shall you be with me in paradise”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse forty-four of his book Luke shared how, “it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth” where we read:

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

The verse reads, “And it was about the sixth hour, ...” Luke began with the words, “And it was” or “and the time of day was”, “about the sixth hour” which means “around the sixth hour of the day or around twelve noon”. Luke shared how it was around “twelve noon” when the following event occurred.

The verse goes on to say, “... and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.” Luke continued with the words, “and there was a darkness” which means “and there existed and came into being a shadiness and obscurity” “over all the earth” or “upon each, every, the whole and every part of the world” “until the ninth hour” which means “till the ninth hour of the day which was about three in the afternoon”. Luke shared how an “obscure darkness” filled the “earth” for three hours or from “twelve noon to three in the afternoon”.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “earth” was in complete “darkness” for three hours the day Jesus hung on the cross. From “noontime” until “three” in the afternoon the whole region was “dark”. We can imagine how ominous this must have been for anyone who was looking upon Jesus. No doubt God designed this event, and we can understand how this time was meant to be a part of the process. God's desire is to share the “light” of His “gospel” in the “darkened hearts” of every person who will yield to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Let all who read these words “yield” to Jesus and come out of the “darkness”.

Next time Luke shares how, “the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".