# 22 LENTEN MEDITATION ~ 2023 ~ for the Preparation of the GREAT PASSOVER ~~~ 6th Hour Prayer in the Temple ~ Darkness Fell at Noon

 

DARKNESS AT NOON

This series of Lenten / Passover Meditations will reflect the 6th Hour Prayer ( noon ) . Today, many liturgical churches continue to observe these ancient prayer hours.  They were based upon the prayer hours in the Temple in Jerusalem.

The 6th Hour Prayer occurred at the same time that the earth was darkened at Noon, on the day The LORD JESUS was Crucified.

 

6TH HOUR (NOON) PRAYER

Heavenly FATHER, We come before YOU at this 6th hour of the ancient day to honor Your Beloved SON+, our LORD. . .  Who+ at this hour remained on the Cross for our sakes, suspended between earth and Heaven, in patient suffering, from the hour of the Morning Sacrifice until this hour . . . to make a perfect sacrifice for us.

We thank YOU that at this hour of His+ patient suffering, YOU sent forth darkness to cover the whole earth . . . as a sign that could not be over-looked nor ignored by anyone.

+  +  +

^{Luke 23:44-45}  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 

+  +  +

And this is the condemnation,

that Light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than Light,

because their deeds were evil.

^{John 3:19}

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I+ am the Light of the world:

he that followeth ME+ shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the Light of life.

^{John 8:12}

+  +  +

They CHOSE darkness   . . . and DARKNESS they received. For three frightening hours, the sun was darkened by GOD, not by an eclipse.

Did the Pharisees and Scribes recall that earlier darkness which GOD had sent centuries earlier ?

Yes, centuries earlier Pharaoh’s Egyptian society chose darkness rather than harkening unto the Word of GOD delivered to them.  They received three DAYS of  thick  darkness which was SO dark that it could be felt. ^{Exodus 10:21}

^{Exodus 10:21}  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. 

^{Exodus 10:22} And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 

^{Exodus 10:23} They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

+  +  +

It is said that the cross was angled particularly so that the sun would beam its unrelenting brilliant rays directly into the eyes of the crucified victim.

GOD the FATHER put a STOP to that at this Noon-time hour. Likely the mucus lining of His+ eyelids had dried to fine sandpaper by that time. 

Thirst was one of the horrible side-effects of crucifixion.

Every cell in the body was dying of thirst, including the bodily parts like the eyes that must have moisture in order to function . 

Every time a victim of crucifixion blinked his eyes, the lining of his now-dried eyelids would rip a layer off of his eyeball.

Crucifixion was a horrible death. A death that  slowly killed the victim layer by excruciating layer, body system by body system.

HE+ did it all that we might have LIGHT and LIFE

and that , abundantly.