Topical Bible: Darkness: The Wicked: Perpetuate Their Designs In

◄ Darkness: The Wicked: Perpetuate Their Designs In ►

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In the biblical context, darkness often symbolizes evil, ignorance, and the absence of God's presence. It is frequently associated with the actions and intentions of the wicked, who use darkness as a cover for their malevolent deeds. The Bible provides numerous instances where darkness is depicted as the realm in which the wicked operate, seeking to hide their sinful actions from the light of truth and righteousness.

Biblical References:

1. Job 24:13-17 : In the book of Job, the wicked are described as those who rebel against the light. "They are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight, thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light. For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness."

This passage illustrates how the wicked deliberately choose darkness to carry out their evil plans, believing it provides them with a cloak of invisibility and impunity.

2. Proverbs 4:19 : "The way of the wicked is like the darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." Here, darkness is not only a physical absence of light but also a metaphor for the moral and spiritual blindness that characterizes the path of the wicked. Their actions are shrouded in darkness, leading to inevitable downfall and destruction.

3. John 3:19-20 : Jesus speaks of the preference of the wicked for darkness over light: "And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." This passage underscores the inherent aversion of the wicked to the light, which represents truth and divine revelation. Their preference for darkness is a deliberate choice to avoid exposure and judgment.

4. Ephesians 5:11-12 : The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to "Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret." This admonition highlights the secretive nature of wicked deeds performed in darkness and the responsibility of the righteous to bring such actions to light.

Theological Implications:

Darkness, as used in these biblical texts, serves as a powerful symbol of the moral and spiritual state of the wicked. It represents a willful separation from God, who is the source of all light and truth. The wicked's reliance on darkness to perpetuate their designs is indicative of their rejection of divine authority and their desire to operate outside the bounds of God's moral order.

The Bible consistently contrasts darkness with light, urging believers to walk in the light as a reflection of their relationship with God. The wicked, however, are portrayed as those who not only dwell in darkness but also actively seek it out to conceal their evil intentions. This dichotomy serves as a warning to the faithful to remain vigilant and discerning, recognizing that the deeds of darkness are ultimately futile and subject to divine judgment.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 24:16
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Covenant Duties.
... error of his way; and the obstinately wicked we ought ... to Him to keep entire and
perpetuate, which she ... vows, to enlighten the subjects of darkness, to promote ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iv covenant duties.htm

Boniface, Apostle of the Germans.
... In order to perpetuate the impression of this circumstance, Boniface ... even after its
rising, thou still walkest in darkness? ... "If I say to the wicked, Thou shalt ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/boniface apostle of the germans.htm

Accidents, not Punishments
... one, it keeps people right; let us perpetuate the mistake ... man is poor as well as
the wicked, and that ... of broken timbers, perhaps, not with the darkness of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/accidents not punishments.htm

The Preface
... of the abyss of gross Popish darkness (under which ... and a set of wicked counsellors
overturned the whole ... that when we are endeavouring to perpetuate the memory ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the preface.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... and no human power can much longer perpetuate it ... Christian meekness, to refuse to
obey the wicked laws which ... scourge and the chain, to mental darkness and moral ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... trouble.' 'Now Satan assaults the soul with darkness, fears, frightful ... with the light
and heat of their sun. ... and unless also they left this wicked world behind ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm