Darkness: "Power of Darkness"
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In biblical literature, "darkness" often symbolizes the absence of light, both in a physical and spiritual sense. It is frequently associated with evil, ignorance, and the realm of Satan. The "Power of Darkness" is a term that encapsulates the influence and dominion of evil forces opposed to God and His purposes.

Biblical References and Symbolism

1. Creation and Separation: In the Genesis account, God separates light from darkness, establishing a fundamental dichotomy (Genesis 1:4). This separation signifies God's authority over chaos and disorder, often represented by darkness.

2. Spiritual Blindness and Ignorance: Darkness is used metaphorically to describe spiritual blindness and ignorance. In John 1:5, it is written, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Here, darkness represents the world's inability to comprehend or accept the divine truth embodied in Christ.

3. The Realm of Satan: The "Power of Darkness" is explicitly linked to the dominion of Satan and his forces. Colossians 1:13 states, "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son." This passage highlights the deliverance from the oppressive rule of evil into the liberating reign of Christ.

4. Judgment and Consequence: Darkness is also a symbol of divine judgment. In Exodus 10:21-23, one of the plagues upon Egypt is a palpable darkness, representing God's judgment against Pharaoh's hardened heart. Similarly, in the eschatological visions of Revelation, darkness accompanies the outpouring of God's wrath (Revelation 16:10).

5. Moral and Ethical Implications: The New Testament frequently contrasts light and darkness to delineate moral and ethical living. Ephesians 5:8-11 exhorts believers, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light... Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

Theological Implications

The "Power of Darkness" underscores the reality of spiritual warfare. Believers are called to recognize the pervasive influence of evil and to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel. Ephesians 6:12 reminds Christians, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Victory Over Darkness

The ultimate victory over the "Power of Darkness" is assured through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 8:12 records Jesus' declaration, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." This promise offers hope and assurance that the power of darkness is temporary and will be fully vanquished in the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

In conclusion, the "Power of Darkness" serves as a profound reminder of the ongoing battle between good and evil, light and darkness. It calls believers to live in the light of Christ, resisting the influence of darkness, and to trust in the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom.
Nave's Topical Index
Luke 22:53
When I was daily with you in the temple, you stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Nave's Topical Index

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Nave's Topical Index

Colossians 1:13
Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Nave's Topical Index

1 Thessalonians 5:5
You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Nave's Topical Index

Revelation 16:10
And the fifth angel poured out his vial on the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
Nave's Topical Index

Greek
4653. skotia -- darkness
... darkness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: skotia Phonetic Spelling:
(skot-ee'-ah) Short Definition: darkness Definition: darkness; fig ... darkness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4653.htm - 6k

4655. skotos -- darkness
... darkness. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine; Noun, Neuter Transliteration: skotos
Phonetic Spelling: (skot'-os) Short Definition: darkness Definition: darkness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4655.htm - 6k

1105. gnophos -- darkness, gloom
... darkness, gloom. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: gnophos Phonetic
Spelling: (gnof'-os) Short Definition: darkness, gloom Definition: darkness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1105.htm - 6k

2217. zophos -- deep gloom
... deep gloom. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: zophos Phonetic Spelling:
(dzof'-os) Short Definition: darkness, murkiness Definition: darkness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2217.htm - 7k

4652. skoteinos -- dark
... dark. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: skoteinos Phonetic Spelling:
(skot-i-nos') Short Definition: full of darkness, dark Definition: full of darkness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4652.htm - 6k

4639. skia -- shadow
... shadow. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: skia Phonetic Spelling:
(skee'-ah) Short Definition: a shadow, thick darkness, an outline Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4639.htm - 6k

4656. skotoo -- to darken
... or met.) I darken. Cognate: 4656 -- to darken; (figuratively) to produce a of
moral, spiritual darkness (obscurity, blindness). See 4654 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4656.htm - 6k

1659. eleutheroo -- to make free, fig. to exempt (from liability)
... Cognate: 1659 -- properly, set free, release from bondage; (figuratively) to remove
the restrictions of sin (darkness) because delivered by God (growth). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1659.htm - 7k

541. apaugasma -- radiance
... His eternal light breaks through all the darkness that keeps someone in spiritual
ignorance (bondage), ie every resistance exerted by sin. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/541.htm - 7k

5461. photizo -- to shine, give light
... Cognate: 5461 (from 5457 , "light") -- properly, ; (figuratively) God sharing ,
exposing and overcoming darkness -- like the ignorance (prejudice) caused by sin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5461.htm - 8k

Strong's Hebrew
2825. chashekah -- darkness
... 2824, 2825. chashekah. 2826 . darkness. Transliteration: chashekah Phonetic
Spelling: (khash-ay-kaw') Short Definition: darkness. ... darkness. ...
/hebrew/2825.htm - 6k

2816. chashok -- darkness
... 2815, 2816. chashok. 2817 . darkness. Transliteration: chashok Phonetic
Spelling: (khash-oke') Short Definition: darkness. ... darkness. ...
/hebrew/2816.htm - 6k

652. ophel -- darkness, gloom
... 651, 652. ophel. 653 . darkness, gloom. Transliteration: ophel Phonetic Spelling:
(o'fel) Short Definition: darkness. ... darkness, obscurity, privily. ...
/hebrew/652.htm - 6k

2822. choshek -- darkness, obscurity
... 2821, 2822. choshek. 2823 . darkness, obscurity. Transliteration: choshek Phonetic
Spelling: (kho-shek') Short Definition: darkness. ... darkness, night, obscurity ...
/hebrew/2822.htm - 6k

5890. ephah -- darkness
... 5889, 5890. ephah. 5891 . darkness. Transliteration: ephah Phonetic Spelling:
(ay-faw') Short Definition: darkness. Word ... 1). darkness. ...
/hebrew/5890.htm - 6k

653. aphelah -- darkness, gloominess, calamity
... darkness, gloominess, calamity. Transliteration: aphelah Phonetic Spelling:
(af-ay-law') Short Definition: gloom. ... dark, darkness, gloominess, thick. ...
/hebrew/653.htm - 6k

3990. maaphel -- darkness
... 3989, 3990. maaphel. 3991 . darkness. Transliteration: maaphel Phonetic
Spelling: (mah-af-ale') Short Definition: darkness. Word ...
/hebrew/3990.htm - 6k

3991. maapheleyah -- deep darkness
... 3990, 3991. maapheleyah. 3992 . deep darkness. Transliteration: maapheleyah
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-af-ay-leh-yaw') Short Definition: darkness. ...
/hebrew/3991.htm - 6k

6940. qadruth -- darkness, gloom
... 6939, 6940. qadruth. 6941 . darkness, gloom. Transliteration: qadruth
Phonetic Spelling: (kad-rooth') Short Definition: blackness. ...
/hebrew/6940.htm - 6k

3650. kimrir -- darkness, gloominess
... 3649, 3650. kimrir. 3651 . darkness, gloominess. Transliteration: kimrir
Phonetic Spelling: (kim-reer') Short Definition: blackness. ...
/hebrew/3650.htm - 6k

Library

The Arrest of Christ. --Peter's Haste, and Its Reproof. --The ...
... Section 281. The Arrest of Christ."Peter's Haste, and its Reproof."The Power
of Darkness. ... The power of darkness shuns the light of day. ...
/.../section 281 the arrest of.htm

Darkness Before the Dawn
... Keep up a careful separateness from the works of darkness that are going on all
around us ... as he was, to bear such a testimony as he did bear in the power of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 42 1896/darkness before the dawn.htm

The Gethsemane Prayer
... Alone He must drink the cup, alone He must tread the winepress of God's fierce wrath
and of Satan's power and darkness, and of man's envy, cruelty and ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/xii the gethsemane prayer.htm

Light for those who Sit in Darkness
... the depths of the sea," is a splendid trophy to the conquering power of Almighty ...
the worst cases, there is surely hope for those who sit in darkness, bound in ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/light for those who sit.htm

Light in Darkness.
... LIGHT IN DARKNESS. LIGHT IN DARKNESS. i. ... And to feel, if now around us a desert land
we see,. Without the star of promise, what would its darkness be! ...
/.../borthwick/hymns from the land of luther/light in darkness.htm

There is a Divine Darkness which is not Evil, and which Ultimately ...
... that it hastens to the light and overtakes it, and so at last, after having been
unknown as darkness, undergoes for him who does not see its power such a ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/23 there is a divine.htm

Different Kinds of Light; and of Darkness.
... 20. Different Kinds of Light; And of Darkness. ... The light of men is a generic notion
covering two special things; and with the darkness of men it is the same. ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/20 different kinds of light.htm

How the Darkness Failed to Overtake the Light.
... Book II. 22. How the Darkness Failed to Overtake the Light. Should any ... In
two ways the darkness did not overtake the light. Either it ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/22 how the darkness failed.htm

Unfruitful Works of Darkness
... the Church says, 'So do not I, because of the fear of the Lord,' it will gain a
power, and will be ... 'Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.'. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/unfruitful works of darkness.htm

When Darkness Falls and Night is Here,
... SYNESIUS When darkness falls and night is here,. tr., John Brownlie 8,8,8,8. ... I. When
darkness falls and night is here,. My hymns of praise in silence rise". ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the greek church/when darkness falls and night.htm

Resources
What time was Jesus crucified? What time did Jesus die on the cross? | GotQuestions.org

Why is a day measured from evening to morning in Genesis 1? | GotQuestions.org

How could there be light on the first day of Creation if the sun was not created until the fourth day? | GotQuestions.org

Darkness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Darkness

Darkness of Judgments

Darkness of Spiritual Blindness

Darkness the Following Scriptures

Darkness: "Outer Darkness"

Darkness: "Power of Darkness"

Darkness: A Course of Sin

Darkness: Abstruse and Deep Subjects

Darkness: Anything Hateful

Darkness: Called Night

Darkness: Called the Swaddling Band of the Sea

Darkness: Cannot Hide Us from God

Darkness: Caused by the Setting of the Sun

Darkness: Created by God

Darkness: Degrees of, Mentioned: Great

Darkness: Degrees of, Mentioned: Gross

Darkness: Degrees of, Mentioned: Outer or Extreme

Darkness: Degrees of, Mentioned: That May be Felt

Darkness: Degrees of, Mentioned: Thick

Darkness: Effects of Causes Us to Go Astray

Darkness: Effects of Causes Us to Stumble

Darkness: Effects of Keeps Us from Seeing Objects

Darkness: Exhibits God's Power and Greatness

Darkness: God Creates

Darkness: Greatness and Unsearchableness of God

Darkness: Heavy Afflictions

Darkness: Ignorance and Error

Darkness: Inexplicable Nature of

Darkness: Miraculous in Egypt

Darkness: Miraculous: At Mount Sinai

Darkness: Miraculous: At the Crucifixion

Darkness: Miraculous: At the Death of Christ

Darkness: Miraculous: Before the Destruction of Jerusalem

Darkness: Miraculous: On Mount Sinai

Darkness: Miraculous: Over the Land of Egypt

Darkness: Often Put for Night

Darkness: Originally Covered the Earth

Darkness: Over the Face of the Earth

Darkness: Secrecy

Darkness: Separated from the Light

Darkness: The Grave

Darkness: The Power of Satan

Darkness: The Punishment of Devils and Wicked Men

Darkness: The Wicked are Full of

Darkness: The Wicked: Live In

Darkness: The Wicked: Perpetuate Their Designs In

Darkness: The Wicked: The Children of

Darkness: The Wicked: Walk In

Related Terms

Blackness (13 Occurrences)

Obscurity (10 Occurrences)

Gloom (29 Occurrences)

Death-shade (16 Occurrences)

Shades (29 Occurrences)

Gross (12 Occurrences)

Shines (15 Occurrences)

Noon (30 Occurrences)

Shineth (13 Occurrences)

Walks (51 Occurrences)

Noonday (13 Occurrences)

Outer (98 Occurrences)

Dense (11 Occurrences)

Whither (151 Occurrences)

Twilight (25 Occurrences)

Shine (62 Occurrences)

Noon-day (8 Occurrences)

Nether (19 Occurrences)

Gloominess (2 Occurrences)

Reserved (28 Occurrences)

Eclipse

Daylight (24 Occurrences)

Blackest (5 Occurrences)

Walketh (62 Occurrences)

Black (52 Occurrences)

Skies (36 Occurrences)

Covers (50 Occurrences)

Utter (111 Occurrences)

Shadow (72 Occurrences)

Thick (129 Occurrences)

Wickedness (232 Occurrences)

Light (2869 Occurrences)

Evening (163 Occurrences)

Ninth (35 Occurrences)

Outside (215 Occurrences)

O'clock (16 Occurrences)

Gnashing (10 Occurrences)

Grope (5 Occurrences)

Gnash (12 Occurrences)

Weeping (237 Occurrences)

Weep (97 Occurrences)

Teeth (50 Occurrences)

Reveals (14 Occurrences)

Enlighteneth (6 Occurrences)

Deepest (11 Occurrences)

Midday (11 Occurrences)

Bad (129 Occurrences)

Blinded (15 Occurrences)

Comprehend (9 Occurrences)

Canopy (8 Occurrences)

Attentively (35 Occurrences)

Afternoon (9 Occurrences)

Sixth (45 Occurrences)

Silenced (19 Occurrences)

Swaddlingband (1 Occurrence)

Shade (67 Occurrences)

Shined (9 Occurrences)

Swaddling-band (1 Occurrence)

Clouds (99 Occurrences)

Shone (27 Occurrences)

Wrapped (40 Occurrences)

Evil (1503 Occurrences)

Dark (234 Occurrences)

Lest (282 Occurrences)

Adversity (54 Occurrences)

Fellowship (114 Occurrences)

Paths (65 Occurrences)

Stretch (73 Occurrences)

Blind (91 Occurrences)

Walk (315 Occurrences)

Waited (72 Occurrences)

Dawn (70 Occurrences)

Deeds (309 Occurrences)

Knoweth (152 Occurrences)

Turns (80 Occurrences)

Rises (56 Occurrences)

Sitting (201 Occurrences)

Sheol (64 Occurrences)

Darkness:
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