“For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 – RSV

The concept of darkness can describe everything from the natural to the supernatural. However, both supernatural and natural darkness are used to symbolize Spiritual Darkness, implying that the capacity for clear reasoning and understanding have become ‘darkened’. This ‘darkened’ state of the mind impedes one’s ability to distinguish between right and wrong and if left unrestrained, leads to eternal separation from God. The apostle Paul describes this state-of-mind in people who have rejected God:

“…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

The Talmud (the Hebrew book of Bible exposition) describes the behavior of people with darkened hearts that will exist during the Day of the Lord:

“…In the generation when the son of David [the Messiah] will come, [Bible] scholars will be few in number, and as for the rest, their eyes will fail through sorrow and grief. Multitudes of trouble and evil decrees will be promulgated anew, each new evil coming with haste before the other has ended.’” (Sanhedrin 97a)

“[There will be]… oppressing inflation, unbridled irresponsibility on the part of authorities; centers of learning will turn into bawdy houses; [there will be]… many destitutes begging, with none to pity them; … truth will be abandoned...” (Sotah 49b)

Many people today are feeling that, just as the Talmud says, “each new evil is coming before the other has ended”. The darkened heart of man has even led those in authority to abandon truth and justice and issue evil decrees against the innocent.

"But You [God] are opposed to dishonest lawmakers who gang up to murder innocent victims." (Contemporary English Version Psalm 94:20, 21)

Each successive generation in America (and the World) since World War II has drastically lowered its moral standards. Statistics show that only 4% of America’s current Post Modern generation (born since 1984) have Bible-based values, moral accountability and/or belief in God, indicating that godliness has been all but extinguished in the U.S.

The apostle Paul, the Pharisee and Hebrew scholar of the first century, describes the end of days with similar language to that used in the Talmud passages above. In his letters to Timothy, Paul describes a generation that “… in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

The biblical prescription for overcoming all darkness and evil is to live godly lives and patiently suffer persecution because evil men will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. While we must live in the world, we are admonished not to be of the world. God Himself gave us the prescription for overcoming the darkness in the world:

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” (Exodus 25:8-9 NKJV)

While Moses was given the pattern for an earthly tabernacle, we are to become the sanctuary in which God dwells in our hearts. Our hearts are to be in the Holy of Holies, wherein lies the Ark containing and the tablets of the Commandments (the Word of God, with Yeshua showing us the Way to live), Aaron’s rod that budded (the eternal priesthood of Yeshua, the Truth), and the Manna (Yeshua, the Bread of Life), “a tabernacle made without hands”.

In the tabernacle, God shines His Light (the Menorah) upon the people of God (the Table of Showbread) as we pray and intercede (before the Altar of Incense) on behalf of the lost in this world.

“…that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:15)

The Jewish sages both warn and encourage:

“When you see a generation ever dwindling, hope for Him…when you see a generation overwhelmed by many troubles as by a river, await Him. When you see nations fighting each other, look toward the feet of Messiah.” (Sanhedrin 98A and Bereishit Rabba 42:4)

Yeshua said, “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Matt. 24:34).” Christian scholars believe that it means that the words written there were for the ‘last generation’ before Yeshua’s return (Psalm 102:18). Therefore, as a recent song says, "prepare yourselves to be a living sanctuary for God, pure and holy, tried and true". 

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains." (Joel 2:1-2)