3.30.26 ~ Formerly Active Emptiness

Passover is just a couple of days away—the excitement is building! It’s a time for reflection on where we were and where we are now. It’s time to give thanks for our deliverance. It’s time to remember, but never look back to those days. Paul emphasizes this when he states in Ephesians 5:8:

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.”
(Eph. 5:8)

Isn’t that awesome? Did you notice that the imagery doesn’t say, “you were like darkness,” or “you were caught in darkness,” or “you were found in darkness”? No, Paul makes a Hebrew-equivalent statement: You were darkness. Darkness wasn’t merely a description of your state—it was the essence of your being. Remove the darkness, and there would be nothing left. Before we were rescued, through the Passover, through the Lamb of God, we were black holes in the world, pulling creation into the emptiness within us.

When I read this verse, I imagine a person described as alone, without direction, feeling empty, acting immorally, disobedient to God, without light, without hope. I imagine that Paul had these ideas in mind and simply used the summary term darkness (skotos). But that’s my Greek default setting (this is not my specialty). What Paul is really suggesting is this: I and darkness were the same thing. It’s not me, the person, who had a characteristic called “darkness.” I was darkness. I existed as shadow, as action without light, as disorder in the universe.

Now that we have a more accurate perspective on where we have been, we can ask one more question: What does “darkness” mean in the Hebrew worldview? Since Hebrew constructs the universe in terms of purposeful actions, we discover that darkness is active emptiness. It is flow without purpose. It is movement, but movement apart from the light—movement toward chaos. Darkness is the power of disintegration, disorder, and death. Darkness is movement to destroy. It is motion without life-giving purpose. In spite of all the activity that occupied our former lives, we were vessels of destruction. We were the power that undid Yahweh’s creation by bringing disorder into being. How did we accomplish such terrible purposes? Ah, by living what we were: darkness without Light.

Remember? Remember when darkness spoke to you? Remember when you could hear the whisper behind those “natural” choices? Remember when life seemed so clear until you acted, and you were suddenly entombed with consequences? Remember when you were propelled forward as if pushed by a spindly hand in the back? Remember when every direction was down? Remember when you could close your eyes and still see the terrors of the night?

“You were formerly darkness.”
Pote is the word of hope here. Do you see it? Take your time. Look closely :-) It describes both a time in the past and a time in the future. Today, darkness is in the past. Let it remain there with all the other shadows that used to haunt you.

Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.
(Deut. 15:15)

Passover and Unleavened Bread are just a few days away! It’s a great time to remember where you were and where you are now! I’m rejoicing already. Formerly darkness, now light in the Lord—and living for His return!

Chag Sameach Pesach!
Shalom!

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