The final words of the Lord Jesus to His countrymen, the people of Israel, are accompanied by a final deed which contrasts markedly with what He says. He calls Himself the light, but then hides Himself; He speaks of the light, but ushers in an hour of darkness. Why does the Lord Jesus hide Himself from the crowd at this crucial time, so close to His sacrifice and death? This is in fact, the only time the Lord Jesus does this without an apparent reason. All other cases of withdrawal clearly indicate a threat from the crowd. That may also have played a role here, but it certainly does not stand out.

This leaves only one explanation of Jesus' action here. He deliberately hides Himself in order to confirm the parting words He had just spoken. Word and deed are joined in one final, parting announcement. His departure is not flight. He hides Himself as a sign, confirming the announcement of His imminent departure from the earth. He hides Himself as a testimony to His willingness to obey His Father. He hides Himself to announce the things that must soon take place.

This departure of the Lord Jesus to the Father comprises everything that happens from the moment of His betrayal and arrest onwards, in humiliation and subsequent exaltation, the Lord Jesus is lifted up from the earth to heaven, and all the events of cross, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension are included in the one term He uses, the term "to be lifted up," John 12:32. The gospels also speak of His departure or exodus from Jerusalem in the same way, cf. Luke 9:31, 51. Jesus is to leave the earth and go to His Father. With this departure, the light disappears from the earth, only to return in a different way, and then only to those who believe.

Therefore this final act of the Lord Jesus in the presence of the crowd is the final warning; it has all the marks of warning and judgment. For once the light is gone, darkness only remains, and there is no more hope for those people who saw the light, but loved darkness more than the light. They are left to the darkness. Yet there is warning to all. For Jesus remains on the earth a little longer. Therefore, in His act of hiding Himself, He announces that the time of hesitation and standoffish criticism is over. The time of crisis has come. Now the crowd must choose: believe in the Lord Jesus as the way to life, or reject Him; follow Him on His road to glory and eternal light, or be cast off to outer darkness.

The Lord Jesus was faithful to the end, and departed from this earth in victory. He took the road of complete suffering, the road of humiliation on His way to glory. He left the earth, and the time of fasting was inaugurated for the church, Mark 2:20. To be sure, the church was not left alone. The Lord Jesus returned in a different way, in the power of the Spirit of Pentecost, and He remains present with His people to the last day. Today we may be sons of light, and live in the light of His Spirit! But our joy is not yet full. Our Master is still absent from us, preparing a place for us in heaven.

It's precisely in this time of fasting of the church, the time of her "flight into the wilderness," Revelation 12, that the same rule applies that the Lord Jesus gave just before His departure from the earth. In its new form, the form of its new and richer return, the light may still be with us. We share the light of the holy gospel, the light of the proclaimed truth, the light of inspired Scripture. But just as Jesus hid Himself, so He also regulates the movement of the Word of life. If the church today only holds the living Word at a distance, without true obedience, the Word will be taken away, cf. Revelation 2:5. The light will be put out, and only darkness will remain.

Our Lord ascended in triumph! Darkness came on unbelieving Israel, but the light went up from the church of all nations, the gentiles of all lands. That light is still present! We may sing of His ascension, we may rejoice in its fruits. But for the church today as well, it is only here for a little while. The time of crisis affects us all. We all must choose for the light, or be lost in darkness. And if we fail to choose, we in effect have chosen. We only serve to drive the light of the Word away.

Therefore, as we wait for the full revelation of the light, let us walk as children of light, Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5. For the darkness of tribulation is coming. But those who hold fast to the "lamp shining in a dark place" will see the new day dawn, and morning star rising in their hearts, 1 Peter 1:19. Believe in the light and walk in the light; only then can we all live in the light forever!