"And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name" (Isaiah 45:3).
God gave this promise to Cyrus, a pagan king, affirming that He had ordained him to be His instrument to accomplish His will. The promise came true when He conquered the city of Babylon and all its riches.
A spiritual truth is mirrored by the historical event. There are treasures to be found in our darkest times. There are "treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches."
In the dark times God gives us treasure.
He gives us the treasure of trust as we learn to submit to Him, even when we don’t know where the Lord is leading.
"You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness" (Psalm 18:28).
We find the treasure of peace when we rest knowing that He is in control and working out His plan for our lives.
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7, NASB).
We find the treasure of a much deeper fellowship with the Lord. David, in his dark time shares: "For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock" (Psalm 27:5).
Hidden in the darkness is the treasure of God’s special comfort: "For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:5).
In the dark times, there is the treasure of experiencing God’s strength: "But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble" (Psalm 37:39, NASB).
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, NASB).
God says that His purpose in giving you the treasures hidden in the darkness—secret treasures is so that "...you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name."
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Pastor Mark Martin
Calvary Community Church
