The Cloud and the Darkness

The Cloud and the Darkness.  The same God who “separated the light from the darkness” (Gen. 1:4) at Creation is he of whom it was later written: “he is light and in him is no shadow of darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Light and darkness form a great motif stretching from Genesis to Revelation, especially in the book of Exodus. Although there are only three passages where “darkness” is mentioned in Exodus, they mark three major milestones: at the Ninth Plague (Exo. 10:21-22), at the Red Sea (Exo. 14:19-20), and at Mount Sinai (Exo. 20:21). In each of those instances, darkness is more than the physical absence of light; it is palpable and eerie.

The Egyptians were loathed to experience this other-worldly darkness in the ninth plague. As with all the ten plagues, God effortlessly wielded complete dominance over the entire Egyptian pantheon. The ninth plague toppled the Egyptian’s sun god, Ra. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days” (Exo. 10:21-22).

“A darkness to be felt” must have rattled the Egyptians’ timbers, but not nearly enough to keep Pharoah from changing his mind about releasing the Hebrews and giving pursuit. But the pillar of cloud and of fire that was leading the people of Israel abruptly moved to defending the people of Israel. “Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night” (Exo. 14:19-20). “The cloud” and “the darkness,” were both highly unusual descriptions for the middle of the night. Usually, it was the pillar of fire during the night and of cloud during the day, but here “the cloud” was emphasized. Nighttime would have brought a normal darkness, but here “the darkness” was specifically identified. Perhaps the same kind of supernatural darkness from the ninth plague melted the hearts of the Egyptians again. Either way, although both Israel and Egypt saw the same cloud, each received drastically different glimpses of God. To Israel, God was enlightening and beautiful, a Savior, but to Egypt, God was condemning and terrible, a Judge (Thomas Fuller, Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, p. 148).

The final mention of “darkness” in Exodus again defies physical properties. At the base of Mount Sinai, the Israelites were terrified because a storm of thunder and smoke enveloped the summit. “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die" (Exo. 20:18-19). They weren’t wrong! They had seen, and felt, this supernatural darkness twice before. Now, only Moses was willing to climb up into the darkness, into God’s pillar of cloud and of fire. “The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was” (Exo. 20:21). The Lord of light governs the dark.