The hour of darkness comes as a thief in the night to steal Jesus from His followers and the world. Jesus was in the garden peacefully praying with feeling the stress of what was to come. The disciples understood not what was causing Jesus distress on a peaceful night in the garden. A night they had been asked to keep watch and pray only to keep falling asleep, because of their own fatigue. What were they watching for, why was Jesus being guarded if He would choose to lay down his life? Jesus wanted them to watch to keep falling into temptation that was to come. Temptation to fight verses peacefully taking Jesus to trial. After all Peter would cut off the ear of the high priest Servant. The Gospel Of John tells a story when the soldiers approach they fall backwards to show the authority of God to allow the taking of Jesus. Jesus, by healing the High Priest’s servant ear after loosing it to the sword in Peter’s hand, was choosing peace. If the disciple fought it does not say if those coming to take Jesus captive would be out numbered, but Jesus exercised his authority with his disciples to tell them to lay their weapons down and allow this to happen. Claiming this was the hour of darkness. The hour of evil was to come. It was time for the devil to do, as he desired to Him. No one wants to think of Jesus not fighting against the enemy. No one wants to think of the suffering of Jesus but it was for our benefit. Without the hour of darkness, there was no triumph through the resurrection. Without evil coming the power of good could not win.

When evil comes to your door sometimes you have to allow it to have a moment of triumph so it can be destroyed. Something in life one has to take like a duck and other things are worth fighting for. Peter even wanted to fight for his friend, but his friend said no. Can you imagine what Peter felt as Jesus replaced the ear on the high priest servant. The knowledge of the event to healing did not matter to the high priest servant who took Jesus. Healings brought joy not capture. Healings brought people running to the feet of Jesus or going to the high priest to show they were made whole. Yet this one event seems overlooked by the one coming to seize Jesus. Some perhaps question if that ear being sliced off happened, because the healing was so quick. The question of the truth of healing, never even reached the priesthood door for the only thing that was important is the seizure of Jesus in the garden to them. The seizure with swords, and knives when Jesus could have easily been captured in the city streets when he was daily teaching and ministering. After all God had ordained the capture already and even Jesus’ death.

Was the mockery of the capture with swords and knives only the point that they felt they needed to show their authority to take Jesus with weapons of destruction? The hour was chosen so that the soldiers did not have to fight the crowd. Yet there were still those in attendance that were at the scene, one man that follow would loose his robe in the Gospel of Mark chapter 14. For the soldiers grabbed the man too, who escaped without his cloak. Yet no doubt the hour of darkness had come with less opposition, with less of a following, for Jesus gave them the authority to take him and to do to him at will. Jesus was giving up His life so he could take it up again.

The authority given to the soldiers not because of the knives and swords, but Jesus chose to give them it. The disciples could of fought and perhaps Jesus still be taken, but Jesus allowed it to happen with peace and not war. The time of exile to Babylonian came with siege of Jerusalem. Yet the capture of the city came with swords and even marking of the their kings and leaders of power with the loss of eyes and some even being killed. When a leader goes into enemy camp one can almost assume one’s life might be lost. Abraham feared his own life passing through a country and used his wife to deceive the king. Yet Jesus went willingly to the trial that should never of happened. A trial of the lower court condemns Jesus to the higher court, which the legal law could execute him.

As Obama travels the globe speaking peace to each nation he enters, his goaled to stress of human rights. Going to Cuba a land that would be easily taken because of its size, but instead choosing peace to talks to help its leaders. This is actually a second trip to Cuba. The first time Obama went it was to open talks, Cuba desires peace with our nation. The nation of Cuba was in distress, and now it is rising up once more to show its opposition to our governments proposals. How quick our world changes from one meeting to the next. Aid to quick brings only strength to the opposition. Yet desire for peace and not war must begin somewhere.

For the cross peace began with the resurrection between man and God for all that believed Jesus died for them. Jesus came and taught for forty days after his death before ascending into heaven. That is peace considering what the world did to him. The hour of darkness short lived for the power of God is greater. Diplomacy of peace comes with an hour of darkness to a country, but the peace comes with teaching and education. Our nation has had to go through education of human rights as well and still does. Our nation has to learn to not be abusive, going first to those over our laws.

Did Christ come paying the price of his Father breaking the laws of man? Had not God not killed and still kills today. No it not blaspheme, for God does not have to submit to man’s laws but he did when he went to the cross. A debt he did not owe by His authority, but a debt he owed to man’s authority. Despite how right one is in their eyes, there is authority that is above theirs. Yet God authority has no higher power. Even if God’s people submit to authority of the land they live in God will have the final say on judgment day.

When our country allows and respects the laws of other countries, which happened in Iraq and Iran we still landed up going to war in Iraq but not Iran. Iran is a country that made much improvement in the past ten years. Had the war in Iraq made Iran consider change or was change already coming with education. Education helps allow more human rights but also allows them to keep their laws. Jesus’ cross did not take way human law, but took away the separation between God and man. The separation when the veil was torn in the temple that divided the resting place of the ark from man. A wall built by religious law by God only destroyed by God because of the laws over the land. Our direct communication with God is by the intercessor of his word and authority of His Spirit. His Spirit supercedes any other law.

The cold war was about whose laws in the world’s nation were best. God’s authority says His way is always best. The way is of love, and sacrifice. Jesus going to bare the consequences of allowing man freedom to choose upon the earth. Going to the cross because of allowing man temptation. Man seeing the execution of Jesus being justified because of his claim to be God and the lie of Jesus claiming to be king, but it worked to get him executed by the priesthood. For no government would allow someone to claim that power that is in opposition to theirs, beyond diplomacy. Israel was already under authority and it was seen has uprising. They nailed on the cross the crime of him being the king of the Jews. Yet it was the people, who cried Hail King Jesus, only to turn away when the trial began only to cry crucify. With Man rejection of God, God still teaches man to love to all that follow Him by His Spirit and His Word. Man’s laws only win for time; God’s laws and authority is eternal.

Dear Heavenly Father help us to understand Christ death came by the rejection of your authority in a person’s life only to be regained when man choose your way. In Jesus precious name, Amen.