DARKNESS FELL UPON ALL THE LAND

          Long ago on a hill far away darkness fell upon all the land (cf. Mt.27:45 and Mk.15:33).  From noon until three o’clock, the sun was obscured (Lk.23:44).  The God of heaven and earth could not bear to look upon the fertile crescent, and so His very creation aligned to block the gloom and horror of the cross.  The ugliness of sin came to a head - - personified in the self-emptying sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son.  (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor.5:21).  Because our redemption was sealed by His own blood (Heb.9:12), we now view the cross in a totally different light.  Instead of cringing, the cross becomes a source of glory (Gal.6:14).

A thousand years before the cross of Christ, David proclaimed:  the heavens are telling the glory of God (Ps.19:1).  Indeed, for three hours that Fri-day, when Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree (1Pet.2:24), neither heaven nor earth could refrain from underscoring this highest of glories.  

          Tomorrow afternoon you may choose to step outside and witness a highly unusual solar eclipse.  While people everywhere are scrambling to secure a spot that will offer a view of a full eclipse, our region will likely display an eclipse of about 80%.  All observers are being warned to protect your eyes.   My advice would be to open your heart.  For all Christians, this event will transport us back to Calvary - - the place of the skull, where  Christ gave Himself for our sins (Gal.1:4).  On that most historic day, heaven and earth spoke in concert about the drama of Divine redemption.  The  sky was darkened; the earth shook; the rocks were split; the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom; and the tombs were opened.  There is considerable debate as to the nature of this ancient, first-century eclipse.  Was it one whose cycle was predictable and chartable, or was it a special phenomenon ordered by our Creator?  Perhaps the events of that day have best been encapsulated by the statement made by a Roman centurion who was an eyewitness to the atoning death of Jesus:  TRULY THIS MAN WAS THE SON OF GOD (Mk.15:39).          

                                                                                        Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ