Mans darkest hour is seen both in the natural and in the spiritual realm. Yet, we often fail to recognize it. It’s like the ebb and flow of the ocean. A natural occurrence we take little notice of it.

Types of Darkest Hour

There are three types of darkest hour. First, there is a personal perspective for the individual. The one we feel most strongly.

This is the deepest point of suffering, despair and hopelessness. It is the weakest point where there seems to be no answer. The way forward looks impossible with no way back.

It is a time of deep grief and dramatic loss. A time of betrayal or crises. Our whole world is turned upside down and inside out. It comes from a wide range of causes but totally disrupts our way of life.

The Historical Perspective

Historically the darkest hour is a time of widespread destruction, cruelty and enslavement. Despair and hopelessness is rampant. It is a time of genocide, slavery, famine and or injustice.

In the midst of World War II Winston Churchill used the phrase, ‘This is Britain’s finest hour’. Yet, it was said against the backdrop of Britain’s darkest hour, when she was on the cusp of losing the war. London was quickly becoming little more than a heap of rubble. Yet, from the ashes the ‘phoenix’ rose to victory.  

World history is littered with such events, including the Bible. Nero’s persecution of Christians led to the great dispersion of believers of the early church. This spread the gospel far and wide and led to Paul writing his letters to the early church. Israel’s darkest hour was just before her salvation. It took the horror of the Holocaust for the nation of Israel to be reborn.

Nature’s Darkest Hour

The darkest hour is a theme that is seen again and again in nature. Only when the sea recedes to its lowest point, does the tide turn. Having been through the cold of the winter, the earth begins to warm and sap rises in the trees. New life springs forth. Bright new green shoots begin to reappear as the earth replenishes itself following the devastation of a fire.

Often a death will occur when life is at its lowest point, in the early hours of the morning. The soul finally slips away when life is at its lowest ebb. It is the time of the darkest hour before the first fingers of the dawn of a new day begin to creep over the horizon. 

Spiritual Perspective

Man’s darkest hour is when man is furthest from God. Sin and death replaced the perfect world of the Garden of Eden, spiritual as well as physical. It was at that point where God declared what horror was now upon man, for the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23. He also declared man’s eternal salvation, Genesis 3:15. The great I Am that I Am, Exodus 3:15, revealed the full wonder of His mercy and love. He also made the declaration that proves evil cannot win. Genesis 3:15.

The next great darkest hour in man’s checkered history was when the created took the Creator and nailed Him to a cruel wooden cross. Even nature mourned as the sun turned to darkness and the earth shook like never before, Matthew 27:51. It seemed the evil which began long ago in the Garden of Eden had reached its pinnacle. The Prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2:2, appeared to reign supreme. The Son of God hung dead on a manmade cross.

Yet, from those dark depths rose the triumphant resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of Lords, Revelation 19:16. He suffered at the hands of mortal man, so that fallen humanity might receive the Way, John 14:6, to eternal life. Fallen man could now be reunited with his Creator in a covenantal relationship. The atonement for sin was completed in the triumphant cry, It is finished, John 19:30. Did the Satanic world recognize this as their darkest hour that would end in their eternal defeat?

Boundaries

The encouraging thing is that the darkest hour has limitations and boundaries. The ocean cannot recede beyond its natural barrier, Proverbs 8:29, apart from an extraordinary event such as a tsunami following a major earthquake. Spring always follows winter. The sun rises and shines after the darkest night.

God is in control and He alone set the boundaries both naturally and spiritually. Satan can only do what God permits, Job 1. Like the natural world, Satan only has a season, as is clearly revealed in the Word of God.

Current Perspective

The world is in currently in another darkest hour. Chaos reigns supreme both climatically, nationally and personally. Long held values have been eroded and stripped away. We are living in the godless days of Noah, just as Jesus prophesied, Matthew 24:37-39.

While there is a great falling away from the church, there are also revivals happening around the world. True followers of Christ, His Bride, eagerly waits the further fulfilling of the Old Testament prophecies.

Personal Level

On a personal level Satan ensures that the true believer has many distractions. It is necessary to work at finding time to be quiet and wait on God, so our strength is renewed, Isaiah 40:31.

As the clamour of the world gets stronger and stronger the true believer must know he or she is in the world, but set apart from the world, John 17:16-26. We are the light of the world, Matthew 5:14. A light that Satan is determined to cause to grow dim.

It is vital to take the advice of Paul when he said to pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and to be constantly infilled by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 5:18. It is vital to be keenly aware of the indwelling Holy Spirit, John 14:17. Only through the power of the Spirit are we enabled to be overcomers.

Redemption in Mans Darkest Night

Mans darkest night is always followed by breakthrough, redemption and victory. The darkest night may seem long and many have died to gain the full victory. But, their blood cries to us from the ground, Genesis 4:10. We cannot not change the darkest hour, but we can live in faith and the knowledge that God knows what He is doing. He has an eternal plan.

Satan has intensified his attack on the true believers of Christ, as he has done many times before. Yet, as always that which Satan devises for evil, God uses for good, Genesis 50:20. For I Am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning. And from ancient times things which have not been done. Saying, My purpose will be established. And I will accomplish all My good pleasure, Isaiah 46:10.

It is vital to understand that we are in the darkest night and the dawn is about to break. Our task is to encourage those around us that a brighter day is about to begin. Lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near, Luke 21:28.

Photo Source

Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a servant of the Lord who enjoys researching Biblical topics and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God. She asks the hard questions.

Check out our other posts at Whispering Encouragement. We are here to inform and encourage. Subscribe for free so you can keep up to date with what interests you.

________________________Whispering Encouragement_______________________