The Scriptures tell us that: "[God] covers himself with light, as with a garment," (Psalm 104:2) and, "[He] dwells in light that no man can approach unto." (1 Timothy 6:16)
Yet in Psalm 97 we read that: "Clouds and darkness are round about Him." (Psalm 97:2)
These apparently contradictory statements are brought together and harmonized in: "Even the darkness hides not from You, but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139:12)
This does not mean merely that God can see in the dark; but darkness and light are to Him who made them the same thing. This He demonstrated at the creation, when: "[He] commanded the light to shine out of darkness." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
And again when He caused the dark cloud to give light to the children of Israel, "It was a cloud and darkness to them [the Egyptians], but it gave light by night to these [the Israelites]." (Exodus 14:20)
The truth that "The light shines in darkness," (John 1:5) and "out of darkness," (2 Corinthians 4:6) is shown in all nature. It is from the black thunder cloud that the vivid lightnings shoot forth. The black coal, which is storedup sunshine, yields the glaring gas and fire-light. Blackness is but absorption of light, even as whiteness is reflected light. The thick cloud is itself the evidence of sunshine, for it is the sun's rays that draw up the vapors which form the clouds that sometimes veil its glory before they can descend in blessings upon the thirsty land.
This is not merely a bit of scientific curiosity. The story of the clouds and darkness that gave light, and which we see repeated in some form every day, was "written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
The lesson that we are to remember is that: "The light shines in darkness, and the darkness cannot hinder it." (John 1:5)
It is to keep us from ever being depressed by clouds and darkness. It is to show us the reality of the promise that our darkness shall be as the noonday. "And if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noonday:" (Isaiah 58:10)
Though we walk in darkness and have no light, we shall stay on our God, who is light, and so even the valley of the shadow of death will have no terrors for us. "Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." (Isaiah 50:10) "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me." (Psalm 23:4)
Even there our path will be as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4:18)--Present Truth, October 30, 1902--Psalm 139:12.