◄ What Does Isaiah 9:2 Mean? ►

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

Isaiah 9:2(NASB)

Verse of the Day

Isaiah was called to prophesy of the great Deliverer Who would save His people from their sins. The people of Israel were steeped in apostasy and walking in darkness and gloom, but Isaiah spoke of a coming Messiah, Who would not only bring light with Him, but would be the Light of lights. He would be the Light of the world to the people who walked in darkness. He would give light to every man coming into the world.

Isaiah's prophecies covered the reign of many kings, but the horizons of his glorious vision of Light stretched into the far distant future and foretold of the arrival of the Messiah in the land of Israel. The Light of which Isaiah spoke was to shine even more brightly. It was to shine beyond the blessed inhabitants of Galilee, who would be the first to witness Incarnate Light walking through their land.

The Light of which Isaiah prophesied was to be so brilliant that it was to embrace every man, woman, and child, born into this world. It was to be a Light that extended back to a time before the worlds were made, and it was to be a glittering Light that reached forward into the farthest extremities and widest dimensions of the eternal ages to come. It was to be a Light that would blaze its illuminating rays throughout this shrouded world, and the dark blackness that envelops the world would never overcome it.

The world in general, and Israel in particular, lived in a state of deep darkness. The mind of man was shackled in sin, enchained in the prison-bars of unbelief, and blinded by gross ignorance. The sad birth-right of all humanity was death's gaping mouth, followed by judgement: "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."

Throughout life, every-man gropes pathetically to become 'master of his own destiny'. Each soul seeks some hidden wisdom or spiritual illumination that would bring in its wake light and life, salvation and peace, fulfilment, love, and hope. But there is none to be found outside the Person of the Lord Jesus and His sacrificial work on the Cross, yet Satan spins his wicked web of deceit to entrap deluded 'seekers'.

God has set out His unique way of life and salvation, peace, fulfilment, love, and hope, in His Word of Truth. For God sent the Incarnate Light into the world to enlighten those who walk in the black gloom of death's dark shadow.

None other than God could have loved fallen humanity so deeply as to send His only begotten Son to become that true, life-giving LIGHT to all who will believe on His name. No other but God is good enough to pay that price of sin, by becoming the perfect sin-sacrifice. Christ alone could unlock the gates of heaven to those who believe on His name.

No surprise that His Name is called Wonderful Counsellor, for His deep love fills angels and men with awe-struck admiration, and His wise counsel generates stunned amazement. Who but the Mighty God of love and justice, could have imagined that the shame and humiliation of the Cross would result in the shattering forever of hell's deep darkness and it's terrifying eternal damnation.

It was the Everlasting Father Who sent the Eternal Son to be the true LIGHT. He came to dissipate the darkness of sin and remove condemnation and death for all who will TRUST in His name. Isaiah penned the life-changing words that have brought such comfort and hope to a world in darkness and distress: "The people that walk about in darkness see a great light. They who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light shines."

It was Israel who were walking in darkness when the Light came into the world, specifically, the people living in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali who were were blinded to the truth. As we read in the Gospel of Matthew: "Jesus moved to Capernaum to fulfil that which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by 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 in the shadow of death, upon them a light dawned."

Jesus came to the lost sheep of the House of Israel as their Messiah and King. But He also came as the sin-substitute for the whole world, for you and for me. He came as the Light of the world, the life-giving Light of men, the bright Light that shines in the darkness. Jesus came as the true Light Who came into the world to enlighten every man: "So that all who believes in Me will not remain in darkness."

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the light of the glorious gospel of grace into my life, and for shining the light of Christ into my heart. Open my eyes more and more to see the Lord Jesus for Who He truly is. Help me to see more clearly what He has achieved in my life. To Him be all praise and glory forever. In the name of Jesus I pray, AMEN.