Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good afternoon, dear people.
We just returned about an hour ago from spending two nights at Seaside with Charlie and Carla Peterson who had a time-share apartment there for the week. We had a great time just hangin’ out and relaxing. I even flew on of my kites yesterday…a stunt kite I’ve never been able to fly before. She performed very well.
Thano just whistled to me to say it’s time to eat. He needs to run off to his shift at Safeway in about 15 minutes.
OK…Blessings on the rest of your day.
Love, Dad/Ray.
I realize that this last statement of today’s reading is simply an indication as to what time of day it was. But I wonder if it also serves to define the real spiritual battle that was raging behind the scenes—out of the view of human perception. It would seem that the kingdom of DARKNESS was intensely active, and making quite an advance. Verse 2 says that “the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.” Verse 27 says, “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered into him.” And then verse 30: “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. AND IT WAS NIGHT.”
Insofar as Judas was concerned, it was now very much NIGHT. He had rejected the LIGHT and thereby allowed himself to become a puppet of DARKNESS. However, had you been able to meet Judas on that night and ask him, “Hey, Judas, are you sure you know what you are doing?” I’m quite sure he would have confidently said something like, “Of course I know what I’m doing!” Well, there’s certainly nothing new about this DARK thinking. The kingdom of DARKNESS has always been the kingdom of DECEPTION. “And no wonder, for Satan himself (the king of DARKNESS) masquerades as an angel of LIGHT” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Let’s be reminded of what Jesus said in the last two chapters on the subject of LIGHT and DARKNESS. John 11:9-10: “Are there not twelve hours of DAYLIGHT? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s LIGHT. It is when he walks by NIGHT that he stumbles, for he has no LIGHT.” John 12:35-36: “You are going to have the LIGHT just a little while longer. Walk while you have the LIGHT, before DARKNESS overtakes you. The man who walks in the DARK does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the LIGHT while you have it, so that you may become sons of LIGHT.”
I’m thinking of the spiritual law expressed in James 4:17. I think the shoe fits. “Anyone, then who knows the good he ought to do (who receives LIGHT) and doesn’t do it (ignores or rejects LIGHT), sins (puts himself in DARKNESS).” So when a man chooses sin over known righteousness, he is virtually turning off the LIGHT.
Paul follows in this perspective: “But you, brothers, are not in DARKNESS…You are all sons of the day (LIGHT). We do not belong to the NIGHT or the DARKNESS. So then, let us not be like those who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at NIGHT, and those who get drunk, get drunk at NIGHT. But since we belong to the day (LIGHT), let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8).