And It Was Night

John 13:23-30

Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"

Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." 

But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.


Jesus had just told His disciples one of them would betray Him. And Peter wondered who it was.

The Bible has a lot to say about light. Creation began with earth having no form, was void and in darkness, until God brought light into it. And He said it was good. The first mention of good in the Bible...and it's about light. There were no words to say darkness was good...just that light divided it from the darkness.

We see best during the day, when there is light. Jesus is called the Light of the world. We wander daily in darkness (and death) until we see the light of Christ. He opens spiritually blind eyes that they might see. When we allow Him to open our eyes, truth is made known to us. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:19-20)

Evil emerges at night, as was seen by Judas' betrayal. In darkness there is a threat of death. Fear is more likely to also emerge when we cannot see. Nicodemus, a priest who wanted to know more about Jesus, went out at night to meet with Him because he feared being found out by the Pharisees and never again allowed in the temple. Jesus' arrest happened at night (later on that...).

We have been told that Jesus will return one day. Those who have seen and known the Light will rejoice in this. Those who have not known Jesus will not be so glad. The darkness of their lives will be exposed because of the Light. Jesus will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. (1Corinthians 4:5) Evil will be exposed.

We need Jesus. We need to know the truth. If we avoid Him, we live in darkness. We will have more fear...of each day, of our future...because fear lives in darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world. He brings us truth, hope and a life without fear. He brings us His Word, the Bible, filled with truths which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths (Psalm 119:105). We will not stumble because He is the Light that shines before us in the darkness of this world.

I look at all we are seeing in the world...threat of disease, threats of terrorism, the reality of persecuted Christians, even right here in the United States when we are no longer allowed to pray in public or take a Bible to school, and the evil that is Hamas and ISIS, and there's more...and this is the darkness creeping in. If this is fearful, Jesus is the answer. Knowing Him will not remove this evil until He returns. But knowing Him will give one a sense of peace and hope...that we know the truth, we know what will transpire before He returns and we know that in Christ all things will be for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). And ...the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Judas set about to betray Jesus by night. He allowed satan to use him. We all allow ourselves to be deceived by the enemy (into believing, thinking...whatever does not line up with His Word) when we do not walk in the light of Christ. We are all in darkness, a part of the shadow of death, until we receive Christ. Good news is He is still able to be found. We are to seek Him while there is still time and He can still be found. Allow the Light of the world into your life, that you might become His child.

You can see why Jesus is called the Light of the world. He takes the fear of darkness out of lives when we receive Him as our light. All throughout the Bible people came to the light, either of God or Christ. God was a pillar of light by darkness to protect the Israelites as they wandered in their wilderness. He can be the light in the wilderness of this world. He protects us from the deception, evil and death.

John 12:35-36 - Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”