44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Spiritual darkness, ignorance, error, sin and misery prevailed from the sixth hour to the ninth and the sun stopped shining. For three hours darkness reigned. Jesus had previously stated as much:
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour--when darkness reigns." Luke 22:52-53 (NIV)
The prophet Amos also prophesied to us indicating clearly that the day of punishment would also be a day of darkness:
9 "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. Amos 8:9 (NIV)
Certainly not much of a trade off – reigning with darkness for an “hour” compared to reigning with Jesus for eternity! Hell-o, let’s wake up here! Satan is permitted an “hour” to do his worst and do his worst he does yet darkness must give way to light. I am reminded of David’s words in Psalm 30:
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalms 30:5 (NIV)
Make no mistake about it; the power of darkness will be made to give homage to the Prince of Light. Luke also tells us in our verses for today that the curtain of the temple was torn in two. No longer would the sacrificial system be necessary for the Israelites to have access to the Holy of Holies where God dwelt. Prior to this, only once a year and only the High Priest could go behind the curtain and even then with much trepidation. Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we have now been given access to the Father.
3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. Heb 9:3-5 (NIV)
7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. Heb 9:7 (NIV)
Hence the tearing of the curtain indicates our access. The writer of Hebrews tells us:
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Heb 6:19-20 (NIV)
Paul also gives us the following encouraging verses:
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Eph 2:18 (NIV)
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph 3:12 (NIV)
“Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.” Alexander Maclaren
As believers in Jesus we can now approach God both freely and confidently. Again, the writer of Hebrews confirms this by stating:
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Heb 10:19-23 (NIV)
“Do you know who you are? Do you know who you were designed to be? Do you know the Father’s intent for your life? You are meant to hear in your spirit the same thing Jesus heard when he came out of the waters of baptism at the beginning of his ministry: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’...J I Packer puts it simply. ‘What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father’...Our highest privilege and deepest need is to experience the holy God as our loving Father, to approach him with out fear and to be assured of his fatherly care and concern.” Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials