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The biblical writers picture a God who sometimes creates a perfect and beautiful chaos, and sometimes one that is terrifying.

What we make of this has the potential to help us fathom and, to a degree, live peaceably with chaos within and without.

For one, this biblical picture suggests that sometimes chaos can be embraced as a beautiful darkness that we, like the Spirit, can meditate on in rapt contemplation. Baylor University's Daniel H. Williams, in an upcoming article in Christianity Today, reminds us that there is such a thing as "a luminous darkness," and that such darkness "is one filled with God's presence."

This is the great insight of Eastern Christianity and what is called apophatic theology: We come to know God most deeply when we begin by acknowledging his utter inaccessibility. The famous "dark night of the soul" is not merely the experience of feeling abandoned by God, but part and parcel of the reality of knowing God: He is infinite, we are finite; while we can know him truly in Christ, we can only know him partially, so partially that it can seem like we're looking into darkness. He is the God not only of peace and order, but of a divinity dark and mysterious.

Apophatic theology reminds us that our faith is mere sentimentality if we ever forget the God who first created an earth without form and void.

At the same time, the biblical writers give voice to that deep human yearning for God to bring order out of chaos. We see that in the Genesis narrative, where something remarkable is created from the darkness and void, but also in those prophetic judgments. One example: That frightening vision announced in Joel ends with a picture of peace and order:

In that day the mountains will drip new wine,
and the hills will flow with milk;
all the ravines of Judah will run with water.
A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house
and will water the valley of acacias. (Joel 3:18, NIV)

It is difficult, if not impossible, to discern whether the historical chaos we experience at any given time or place is the result of human sin or the judgment of divine holiness. But in either case, the Prophets tell us that the chaos is not, and never will be, the last word.

In fact, often it is the first word, a divine movement that surprises and alarms, upsets neat theological categories and sabotages sentimental faith. Sometimes chaos comes to remind us of the mysterious, unfathomable nature of our Abba in heaven. Sometimes it is a sign of a terror-filled judgment. But in either case, we are assured that the Spirit is hovering over the turbulence, preparing to create, sooner or later, something remarkable.

Mark Galli is senior managing editor of Christianity Today. His latest book is A Great and Terrible Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Attributes of God (Baker).

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June (Web-only) 2009, Vol. 53