In Britain during the darkest...
Illustration
In Britain during the darkest days of WW2, blackout was practiced. The idea was to have not even a single light showing so that if an enemy aircraft was flying overhead the crew would not know that a dense population was below. Imagine the terrible fear that existed during this time necessitating such an exercise!
In that scenario even a seemingly minuscule flame from a lighted match could pierce the darkness so pervasively that the aircraft bombing crew would be "tipped off that there was human activity in their range.
This situation points to an ironic reversal from our usual way of thinking and from what Paul is suggesting in his letter. Because in this case, light is a beacon of death while darkness is the sentry of life.
- Fairlie
In that scenario even a seemingly minuscule flame from a lighted match could pierce the darkness so pervasively that the aircraft bombing crew would be "tipped off that there was human activity in their range.
This situation points to an ironic reversal from our usual way of thinking and from what Paul is suggesting in his letter. Because in this case, light is a beacon of death while darkness is the sentry of life.
- Fairlie
