Light and Darkness in Isaiah

When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark. I still do not like it. It is hard to do things when we can’t see what is around us. It can be dangerous. Fear and dislike of the dark is not uncommon. It makes sense. But there is also such a thing as fear of the light. Some people are just hypersensitive to bright light. But there are those who are truly afraid of the light. When I was a kid, I feared the dark for the monsters it might be hiding from me, but you know who feared the light? Those monsters! People like the dark because it hides them. They fear being seen for who they are. John’s Gospel talks about this in chapter 3:

“19 And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed.”

Light is a good metaphor for good and evil, for God’s way and the rejection of God’s way. Just as darkness is really just an absence of light—a no-thing—evil is just the absence of good—the rejection of God’s way.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Old Testament does not use this metaphor much at all. However, Isaiah does:

In chapter 2, Isaiah describes the certain future when God will reestablish His rule on earth:

The Hope and the Promise of God’s Reign:

Isaiah 2:2-4

“2 Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations and will mediate for many peoples, and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift a sword against a nation, and never will they learn war again.”

In light of this vision, God calls His people to live in this rule already—in the light…

In Light of this Hope, Live in the Light!

Isaiah 2:5

“Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of YHWH.”

Isaiah returns to this theme again and again. Consider near the end of Isaiah, in chapter 60:

Isaiah 60:1,3

“1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples, But YHWH will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

The problem throughout the book of Isaiah—and for us even today—is that people, even God’s chosen people, are not capable of living in the light on their own. In Isaiah’s prophecy, God tells His people that their rejection of His way will plunge them into further, and increasing, darkness:

The Problem that results from rejecting the Light:

Isaiah 5:30 “And it will roar against it on that day like the roaring of the sea. If one looks across to the land, behold, there is darkness and distress; Even the light is darkened by its clouds.”

Isaiah 8:22 “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 solution to our problem is not for us to work harder and become better. It is not for us to generate our own light, or even to find God’s light. The solution has been given to us. God broke into creation and shined His light on us. He has done the work. Our role is to allow His light to shine on us. We are simply not to run away and hide from it.

The Hope Lies in God’s Hands, and in His Messiah, Not Our Strength:

Isaiah 9:1-7
“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 will make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. 3 You will multiply the nation, You will increase their joy; They will rejoice in Your presence as with the joy of harvest, as people rejoice when they divide the spoils. 4 For You will break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. 5 For every boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 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. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or 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 armies will accomplish this.”

Hope
In chapter 8, the remnant of Israel was distinguished by hope. Even as they lived in the same darkness as the rest of Israel, they hoped for the light of God. This poem in chapter 9, even though it is about the future, was written as having already occurred. Hope was certain.

For us today, the Messiah has come. However, we still live in a dark world awaiting God’s kingdom to come in full. We need to live in the light by living in the certain hope of God’s coming rule.

Joy
We don’t just hope. We can rejoice because God has done everything we need. Where He “treated with contempt” He now “treats with honor.” Darkness has been overcome with His light. He gives us His light. He gives us joy. We enjoy the benefits of God’s victory over darkness.

Kingdom
We have an amazing King! With His birth, we have a new reality. As His names demonstrate:

Wonder Counselor:
Not wonderful, but rather wonder—miraculous, supernatural.

The source of true wisdom.

Mighty God:
Immanuel means “God with us.” The Messiah is no mere man. He is God!

The source of true victory and freedom.

Eternal Father:
Not a common picture of Kings in that day. Christ is our true, loving Father.

The source of true and permanent safety.

Peace Prince:
Peace is more than just no more conflict. In Hebrew, Shalom carries the idea of well-being.

The source of true goodness.