Treasures hidden in darkness.

 

Wednesday, December 13, 2023


Psalms 28; 62

Isaiah 44:24-45:8

2 Thessalonians 2


Observance: Lucy, martyr and virgin (d. 304)


Treasures hidden in darkness.


Our lives are adventure stories. God has not put us on this earth for no reason. We all form part of the body of Christ, and no person is surplus to requirements. Every believer has a divine task set for them by God, a part of the story of the triumph of God’s kingdom on earth. When things get darkest, God reveals the treasures He has buried there.


And so, after God made judgement on the rebellious people, He sent Cyrus, the Persian king who would release the Jews from their captivity and allow them to return to their homeland. When Isaiah first made this prophecy, no-one could believe him. The outlook was far too bleak. The future was far too dark. Yet 150 years later, just as Isaiah prophesied, a Persian called Cyrus took the throne and did exactly that. Such a marvel was a treasure of darkness, riches hidden in secret places.


Paul tells of more treasures hidden in darkness. The rebellion has swept across the face of the earth. People are allowed to sin themselves into self-destruction, following the lies of the enemy. And yet in the midst of all this, the Lord Jesus came. He came into this darkness: treasures veiled in human flesh. Then, He went to the darkest place, the most hidden place, the place of death, the grave. Breaking it open, He then rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now calls all who hear His voice to join Him in the presence of the Father.


Now, when we go to that dark and hidden place of death, we will find the richest treasure of all: death is now the gate to life everlasting. Buried amongst the scum and grime of pain and death, Jesus has planted Himself, leading us out of it and into His kingdom.


For the Christian, we can happily go into the dark and secret places. We know that it is there that God has hidden riches beyond counting for us to discover. It will not be easy; we will need to be men and women with backbones of faith and strong knees of trust. But we know our Lord is with us, and we know that buried at the bottom are the riches of heaven.

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