Jesus said He is the light of the world. But He also said, “Night is coming.” – John 9:5, 4b. Surely, night is coming when no man can work. In this write-up, we will detail the modalities of God’s work in the darkness.
Key Verse
| God ordained the moon and the stars – Psalm 8:9 NKJV | God created the moon and the stars to give light on the earth in the night. These lesser lights would also separate light from darkness (Gen 1 vs 18b). They would also serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years (vs 14b). The word ‘ordain’ contains the meaning of being appointed, decreed by order of virtue or superior quality. The moon records time and seasons through its waxing and waning. Each star differs in glory. – 1 Cor 15:41c. God promised Abram that his descendants would be as countless as the stars in the sky. – Gen 15:5 |
Spiritual Significance
| Pay attention to it (the word of the prophets) as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. – 2 Peter 1:19 | A star symbolizes God’s wisdom. Jesus is the bright morning star because He is the light that overcomes darkness. The greater light is the sun that shines by day. The lesser lights are the prophets (moon) and the wise men who know the ways of God. Prophet Daniel said: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” – Daniel 12:3 Lucifer is also referred to as the ‘son of the morning’ or ‘morning star’ in Isaiah 14:12. But he symbolizes the false wisdom of the world. Jesus’ birth was revealed by His star means that He is our wisdom from God. Amen. |
Do Not Worship
| God commanded the Israelites to not be enticed into bowing down to the sun, moon or stars in the sky and worshiping things God had apportioned to all nations under heaven. – Deu 4:19 |
In the end times, wisdom will be corrupted. There will be gross darkness that will confuse and confound. Satan desires to become the Prince of the host. – Daniel 8:11a. Truth is thrown to the ground, the sanctuary surrendered and the host of saints trampled underfoot as a result because evil powers seek to destroy truth and establish their own.
| Daniel 8:10-14 NIV 10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. 11 It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?” 14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” |
The Sun is turned into darkness and the Moon to blood
The moon becomes red to indicate that saints are persecuted and martyred. – Rev 6:9-11 The stars fall to the earth indicates that wise men are humiliated and lose their positions. – Rev 6:13
The purpose of the tribulation
Apostle Paul reveals a mystery in Rom 11:25: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. This means that God is going to use the tribulation to save both Jews and Gentiles. The Holy Spirit who is the greater light will be taken away. Then how will these be saved without the Holy Spirit? God will use the lesser lights by night, namely, the prophets and wise men to separate light from darkness or call those who do not belong to the darkness.
These people have rejected the Lord all along. Their hearts have been hardened by sin. The Jews rejected Jesus and so have the Gentiles. Jesus said to old wineskins, “Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.’ – Luke 13:35. The desolation is the result of rejecting the Lord. The Lord longs to gather His people but they are not willing. This means that He is leaving until they become willing to call Jesus and those who belong to Him as Blessed.
We also see this verse in Psalm 118:26. It follows verse 22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.” Also repeated in the parable of the Tenants. – Mat 21:33-44. The last verse reads, “…but he on whom it (the stone or rock of Jesus Christ) falls will be crushed. This is the work that will be accomplished during the tribulation. Amen
How can they work in the night?
Who are these prophets and wise men? And how can they work in the night? Did Jesus not say, “No one can work in the night.”? Are not all spirit-filled believers going in the rapture? Then how can they work in the night?
The prophets and wise men are appointed from the ‘rest of her offspring’ spoken about in Rev 12:17. They are old wineskins who produce fruit without repentance. (Jesus said He did not know the workers of iniquity in Mat 7:23 though they performed miracles, prophesied and drove out demons.) John sought for sincere believers who would repent of evil doing. – Mat 3:8 The woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and crowned with twelve stars is THE WOMAN – Mother Mary. The dragon makes war with her as we read in Gen 3:15. The sun is her garment of righteousness, the moon indicates the end of time and the twelve stars indicate the twelve tribes (of both covenants). Amen.
The dragon is enraged and goes off to make war against these—note that they are her offspring and obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Amen. The prophets and wise men appointed for the tribulation are the lesser lights and their purpose is to give light in a dark place until the morning star (of wisdom and knowing that Jesus is Lord) dawns on them and rises in their hearts. No work of salvation is being attained but only a separation of light from darkness so that when the Holy Spirit returns in double measure, they are ready. The Holy Spirit will be poured out on all FLESH indicates that they are not yet born-again. Only preparatory work prior to Holy Spirit returning is being done—that will need the tribulation to accomplish.