Bible Commentaries

The Treasures of Darkness

Isaiah 45:3

I. There are Treasures of Darkness.—Darkness is approached from two standpoints in God's Book. From one viewpoint it is something to be feared, dreaded, loathed. But darkness is shown to us from another angle of vision, and then it is desirable, inestimable in worth.

He who knows what is in darkness assures us that He will give us the treasures of darkness. But what is the literal meaning of these words? In the East of old, instead of depositing their wealth with the bankers as we do, they would dig deep pits or excavate and construct subterranean chambers in which they placed their treasures. So that as a matter of fact most of their possessions were "treasures of darkness".

God promises Cyrus that he shall tap the buried wealth of Babylon. But what does this promise mean for us? In an infinitely grander sense God promises to us in the ends of the ages "the treasures of darkness".

1. There are treasures of literal darkness. When darkness covers the earth millions on millions of worlds flash upon our view, all mansions of the Father's house. The stars in their "mystic dance" are treasures of darkness.

Many of life's best gifts are "treasures of darkness". Is not sleep such a treasure?

The world of nature abounds in illustrations of this fact. Every lovely flower is a treasure of darkness: it springs up through the dark earth and blooms a parable of beauty. Every harvest is a treasure of darkness. The whole circle of Nature illustrates abundantly the idea of my text. Our debt to darkness is incalculable.

2. There is mental darkness. In a sphere of darkness we dwell, and but here and there are glints of light Very depressing this darkness Isaiah 45:5

Many things are done without our intelligence. Our intelligence is oftentimes our only difficulty and only danger. It would often be happier for us if we had no heads. We are ruined by what we think we da know, and if any man thinketh he knoweth anything as it really Isaiah 45:15

Compare the words with which Mr. G. T. Romanes closed his Darwin, and after Darwin in1892: "As I said, at the beginning, the religious thought of our generation has been more than ever staggered by the question—Where is now thy God? But I have endeavoured to show that the logical standing of the case has not been materially changed; and when this cry of reason pierces the heart of Faith it remains for Faith to answer now, as she always answered before—and answered with that trust which is at once her beauty and her life—Verily thou art a God that hidest Thyself."

References.—XLV:19.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix. No508. XLV:22.—Ibid. vol. ii. No60; vol. xlviii. No2805; vol1. No2867. David Macrae, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lii1897 , p363. R. J. Campbell, ibid. vol. lvi1899 , p312; see also A Faith for Today, p29. XLV:24 , 25.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xlviii. No2793. XLVI:1-4.—Ibid. vol. xxxiv. No2056. XLVI:4.—Ibid. vol. ii. p. lxxxi. J. D. Jones, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxvii1905 , p407. J. Page Hopps, Sermons of Sympathy, p83. XLVI:4-11.—P. H. Hall, The Brotherhood of man, p157.