Chapter 2: Important things that happen in the dark

[Nicole]

“Once you start noticing how many important things happen at night in the Bible, the list grows fast,” Barbara Brown Taylor writes in Chapter 2. She delves into God’s appearance at Mt. Sinai after the Israelites were liberated from Egypt in Exodus 19: 16-25. Now that you think about it, what other important things happen in the dark in the Bible?

[Jo]

The resurrection!

[Nicole]

For sure! I loved that BBT points out that the resurrection happened IN the tomb, not in the light!

[Jo]

Yes, and the more I look at scripture, the more I see what she is saying about how often important things happen in the darkness. It's also true about our lives. I have an old book that entitled, "Meeting God in the Darkness," by Robert Hudnutt, which says some of the same things. And I find it true about my life as well.

[Tim]

What a great book! I'm part of a men's study that follows the Lectionary and this weeks reading is from Genesis 32:22-31, Jacobs all night wrestling match(literal or metaphorical?)
Then we get to Jesus feeding the 5K-Matthew 14:14, When it was evening, I've never thought of that happening at night but it looks as if it did?

[Jo]

Wow! The Matthew things comes as a surprise to me, too. I haven't see that before. It is amazing how this book has opened up so many insights with scripture!

[Nicole]

That is an amazing connection, Tim. I hadn't ever thought about the feeding of the 5,000 happening at night either. I'm pretty sure my preaching and prayer writing will never be the same after this book! The insights never stop coming!

[Cheryl]

I never thought of how dark it must have been inside the tomb when Jesus was resurrected! It really got me thinking. God met a lot of people in darkness -caves, tombs, dreams, shepherds abiding in the fields, prisons, mountain sides, paths of travel...

[Nicole]

Ya. I've totally been blown out of the water by this little revelation. I don't think I'll ever read these stories the same way again.

[Maria]

i assumed it was lunch or mid-day as well regarding Matthew story of feeding everyone.. interesting!

[Nicole]

I guess I had always imagined it at dusk, but didn't think of the significance of that before. Very interesting thought.

[Jo]

I do think that noticing the places in scripture where darkness occurs and what happens in the dark can certainly change the story for us. Can add to it.