The People Who Walked in Darkness Saw a Great Light

Ahaz, the king of Judah had been told by Isaiah that a terrible disaster would overtake the land in the form of Tiglath-pileser “the King of Assyria" (7:17). The invasion of the Assyrians brought distress upon the land that had not been known “since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah.” With the Assyrians came hunger, darkness and the gloom of anguish. But judgment does not always bring repentance or result in conversion. In fact, it very often serves to harden the hearts of those upon whom the judgment has come. This is what happened in this instance. For in the next chapter the prophet prophesied that in the midst of this judgment the people would curse their king whom they would blame for these conditions, and their God whom they thought had forsaken them.

(Isa 8:18-22) Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.

The darkness that had enveloped the land consisted not only of the hopelessness of their economic situation, but of their spiritual condition too. And it was this spiritual darkness that led ultimately to the physical calamities that the land was about to suffer from the Assyrians.

The people had turned from the living God to false gods created first in the imagination of their hearts and later fashioned by their hands out of wood and stone. They took greater delight out of hearing the words of mediums and the spiritists who claimed to consult “the dead on behalf of the living” rather than hearing the word of the living God. Thus, the Lord was about to bring another darkness into the land that would affect their physical well being. But I would like to stress that the darkness that was about to overtake the land through the Assyrians was miniscule when compared to the spiritual darkness that had already overtaken them.

But the spiritual darkness was not to last forever. A time would come when a great light would break forth dispelling the long night of bitter prostration.

(Isa 9:1-2) But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

The God Abraham has the unique ability to “declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done” (Isa 46:10). Through Isaiah He challenged the gods of stone and wood to compete with Him in this arena – to give an accurate picture of the future (Isa 44:6-8; 46:5-11). He alone accurately declares the future and in Isa 9 He projects the prophet into the future with Him—beyond the present spiritual darkness, beyond the time of the darkness imposed upon the land through the Assyrians. Isaiah is taken to the time when a glorious light would enter the land from the north and ultimately shine not only on the rest of Canaan, but ultimately the world.

Zebulun and the Naphtali (Isa 9:1) were the two northern most tribes. (In NT times this area was known as “upper” and “lower” Galilee.) When Tiglath-pileser invaded land (734-32 BC) Zebulun and Naphtali were the first to bear the brunt of his cruelty and destruction. But now, they who had been “treated … with contempt,” were to be bathed in glory. For as they were the first to witness the darkness imposed upon the land through the Assyrians, they would be the first to witness deliverance which would be wrought by the great light of the world. Through the Spirit of prophecy Isaiah is taken seven hundred years into the future, to the time of the Messiah. He speaks of the days immediately following the imprisonment of His harbinger, John, also known as the baptizer.

(Matt 4:12-17) Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 8:12) was beginning His work. He is “the true light which, coming into the world enlightens every man” (John. 1:9); His life was “the light of men” (John 1:4), and in Him “the sun of righteousness” arose “with healing in its wings” (Mal. 4:2). Jesus began to shine where the gloom had first settled centuries earlier, in Zebulun and Naphtali. The nation shrouded in darkness now had a great light burst upon them.

With the light bursting upon the land the prophet sees the nation multiplying (vs. 3a). No longer would it be a nation composed only of the physical descendants of Jacob, but “all the nations will steam” to it (cf. Isa 2:2). This growth through the Messiah fulfills the promise that God made to Abraham – “in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18).

As the prophet speaks of the growth of the nation, he also sees her rejoicing in the joy in the presence her God. Her joy is compared to the joy of men at the harvest when the barns are full and the vats overflow and to soldiers who rejoice over the spoils of war. The basis of this joy is revealed from the verses that follow.

(Isa 9:4-7) For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Three times the prophet introduces his thought with “for,” and each time he does so as an explanation for the joy being experienced by the nation.

·        (vs 4) For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

Here is a cause for rejoicing – FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION! Though offered to all the physical descendants to Jacob and ultimately to all the sons and daughters of Adam, this freedom is only accepted by a remnant. Those who rejoice in the light that has broken forth upon the land, who rejoice in the coming of Jesus, are delivered from yoke of their burden, the staff on their shoulders and the rod of the slave driver's rule. They are delivered from the bondage of sin:

(John 8:31-36) So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

They are delivered from the enslavement of idolatry

(Gal 4:8-9) However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

They were delivered from the yoke of law:

(Gal 5:1-3) It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

Through His Messiah God has broken the yoke of the oppressor—OUR OPPRESSOR—in the same way that broke the yoke of Midian in the days of the judges. “Israel had served Midian for seven years. Finally, the foreign oppressor was routed and driven out of the land. The deliverance was not achieved by the hand of man, nor was Midian overthrown by the force of an army, but buy the power of God working through a handful of faithful men. By the power of God working through a handful of faithful men Midian had been defeated and destroyed (Judg 7-8)” (Homer Hailey, A Commentary on Isaiah, 101). In a like manner the Lord has now routed the enemy and set us free through His Messiah—the light of the world.

·        (vs 5) For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

Some argue that because it is God who delivers His people from their captivity that “the oppressor may as well burn his implements of war for they will be of no use against God’s people any more” (Paul T. Butler, Isaiah, vol 1, Joplin, MO: College Press). I like this and I even agree with the sentiments, but I don’t believe that this is what the prophet is saying—at least not in this verse. Instead, he is making it known that in kingdom of the Christ—the new Israel—“the boot of the booted warrior” and his “cloak rolled in blood” shall not be found. In this prophecy they are burned, but earlier the prophet said that the implements of war—the swords and the spears—would be hammered “into plowshares … and pruning hooks” and that the nations who come to the mountain would never again “learn war” (Isa 2:2-4). Speaking of the same period God said through Hosea that He would “abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land” and cause the people to “lie down in safety” (Hos 2:18). In Zechariah God says that when the Messiah comes He will “cut off the chariot … the horse … the bow of war … and … speak peace to the nations.”

The kingdom of the Messiah is unlike any other kingdom that has ever existed. Jesus pointed this out when He told Pilate

(John 18:36) … My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.

Though in the world, the kingdom of the Messiah it is not of this world. The Messiah does not lead His people into battle with swords of steal. For “though we walk in the flesh,” says Paul, “we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:3-5). Our battle “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” “Therefore,” says Paul, in Eph 6:12-18

… take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints

The kingdom of the Messiah is a spiritual kingdom with each citizen clothed in a spiritual armor befitting the nature of the conflict that they are involved in with their Lord and King.

·        (vs. 6) For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

The third “for” brings the prophet's hearers to the real basis and cause of their joy: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given" (vs. 6a). The child born, the son given, is the one promised in 7:14, Immanuel – God with us. In that verse He was to be a sign given; in this place He is to be a ruler who brings salvation and deliverance to His people.

“A child will be born to us” identifies Him with humanity. The Messiah would be one of us for He, like the rest of us, was also “born of woman” (Gal 4:4). He would “be made like His brethren (those whom He came to save, KM) in all things” (Heb 2:18). Furthermore, “the government will rest on His shoulders.” At this present time Jesus, the child and son of this prophecy, as this present time He has been given “all authority … in heaven and on earth”(Matt 28:18ff). After Pentecost the apostles exhausted their vocabularies describing the authority Jesus now has. Paul says that after He was raised from the dead God Jesus …

(Eph 1:20-22) … at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.

In his first epistle Peter says that Jesus

(1 Pet 3:22) … is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

And in the Revelation 3:7 Jesus says that He has the key of David which gives Him authority to open that which no once can shut and shut that which no one can open.

The real glory of the one born and His relation to deity is revealed in the name by which He should be called. One’s name stands for all that he is: his qualities of character, whether good or bad, whether strong or weak. The name of the child who would be born and given to us – who would have all authority in heaven and on earth would be “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (vs. 6c). But we will have to put off a discussion of this until another time.

Kieran – kieran53@msn.com