Years ago I took a tour of an abandoned gold mine in British Columbia, Canada. The small tour group made our way through the musty caverns appreciating the hard work of those who toiled in them. We marveled at stalagmites and stalactites, took photos of equipment long left idle, and heard the history of the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the belly of the earth.
Perhaps you’ve taken a similar tour. You reach a particular spot in the caverns and the guide explains that the lights are going to be turned off so you can experience the concept of ultimate darkness.
We’re all familiar with darkness, but even our darkest nights still provide some amount of starlight or ambient light. Total darkness within the earth’s bowels is startling. It is so dark that you can actually physically feel the darkness. It was exciting, creepy … frightfully fearful. I am thankful for the light and never want to live in the darkness.
Jesus described a life apart from Him as spiritual darkness (John 12:35, 46). This is the eternal destiny described by Jesus of all those without Him by faith. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12).
The good news, the Gospel, is that I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness (John 12:46).
Where Living Begins 