"The Night Cometh"

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" John 9:4.

The question on this passage is: "Why did Jesus say, 'The night cometh?' Does He mean the end of the world?"

No, more than likely, Jesus was not referring to the end of the world. I cannot find one place in Scripture where the end of the world is described as the coming of the night. In fact, it is described as the dawning of the day. Peter writes: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (II Pet. 1:19).

We must not lose sight of the fact, first of all, that these words of Christ were spoken in connection with a question the disciples had concerning a man born blind: "Who sinned? This man or his parents?" Jesus demonstrates the whole significance of His work in His answer. The disciples are concerned about who is responsible for this congenital blindness. Jesus is concerned about helping the man.

In close connection with this startling difference between the disciples and the Lord, we must also remember that Jesus introduces the difference between day and night, between light and darkness, because blindness is a sign of spiritual darkness, a spiritual night. A restoration of the sight of the blind man was a miracle which was a sign of Jesus' power to give spiritual light to His people (vss. 39-41).

In general, Scripture speaks of this present history as being night. History is called night because of the spiritual darkness which has engulfed the world. The light of God's truth has gone out, and men are spiritually blind. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light" (Rom. 13:12). Thus, in contrast to this present night, the glory of heaven is the dawning of the new day of eternal life.

Jesus is, however, the "light of the world." That is, He, in His person and works, reveals the light of the truth as it is in God, causes the light of the truth to shine, and with the light of God's truth, dispels the night of sin and the lie. "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (vs. 5).

In this limited sense, Jesus speaks of His own ministry on this earth as a time when the light shines. This is His teaching in John 12:35: "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth."

It is in that sense of the word that He refers to Himself in this passage. "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." Jesus means that He must, while in the world, complete all the work which the Father had given Him to do.

Yet, this is not the total meaning of the verse. Jesus is referring also to His disciples and to us. This is clear when, in a more general way, He says, "The night cometh, when no man can work."

When Jesus applies these words to Himself, He expresses a certain urgency about His work. There is so much to do; there is so little time to do it. God's work must be done. The time in which to do it is extremely limited. I must be about it. I cannot be bothered with questions such as you disciples ask: "Who sinned?" Do not you see that more important things have to be done?

That sense of urgency about the work of God Jesus conveys to us. The idea is that time passes very swiftly; the opportunity to work is short and fleeting; soon work will no longer be possible. And so we are urged to our tasks as those who, now that Christ is in heaven, represent His cause in the world. That means a number of things.

It means, first of all, that Christ is still the light of the world. But He is the light of the world because He has made His people light. "Ye are the light of the world." They are the light because they represent His truth and His moral perfection in a world of the darkness of moral filth and corruption.

Secondly, this means that time runs swiftly for the whole church of Christ. The night for that church, when the church can no longer work, is the time of persecution when antichrist reigns. But there is so much to do, such a great load of work. The gospel has to be preached to the ends of the earth. The poor have to be cared for. The children of the covenant have to be taught. The truth has to be developed. The witness to the light has to be made everywhere. How can all this work ever be done? It is urgent that the church work because the night cometh in which the church will not be able to work any more.

Thirdly, this is true of every child of God. He too has his calling and responsibility to witness to the light - in his home, his church, his place of employment, society at large. Life is short and fleeting. Much must be done. Can you sense the urgency? The night comes for you too. That night comes when you are unable to work because you lie in a coma ready to die. That night comes when death snuffs out your life, for you are as the grass of the field.

How foolish then to be wasting our times in those things which do not testify of the light, nor in any way show that Christ our light is within us. Let us work while it is yet day, for the night comes in which no man can work. And when the night is past, the light of a new day will dawn for us, where it shall not be night again, forever and ever, world without end.