The Light of the World

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 8:22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness. 9:1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Let’s start out by reminded ourselves that chapters and verses were a late addition to the Bibles we have today. The Word of God flows through the Bible with no need to specify chapters and verses. They were only added to help us novices find our way around the Scriptures. They are a tool of navigation and that’s all.

(Hint for Pastors and Bible teachers. If you are going to have people look up Scriptures while preaching and teaching, it is expedient to pre-print a handout with said verses written out in advance. Many of your students aren’t as handy at finding Book, chapter, and verse as you are, and teachable moments turn into delays and frustration as your listeners and students struggle to find the Scriptures you are teaching on.)

 

At any rate, we begin chapter nine on the heels of chapter 8 which speaks of a gloomy time where people are experiencing great anguish and driven deeper and deeper into darkness. The deeper one goes into darkness, the more hopeless the situation seems. This period of judgment from God will not be pleasant.

But catch the first word of chapter 9….”NEVERTHELESS!”  This one word ought to give birth to hope for those groping in darkness and reeling from anguish. “Nevertheless!” In spite of this terrible situation, it will get better! Light and relief are on the way! Eventually the Babylonian captivity would end and the people would return to the land.

And to this land, not just any light but a GREAT LIGHT would be coming. This prophecy was fulfilled in Mt 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, He (Jesus) came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

 This Great Light, (Jesus) came then to shatter darkness and lift the gloom of anguish, and He’s still at it today. No need for your soul to languish in anguish, no need to stumble around in darkness, the Light of the world has come. Will you receive Him as Your Lord and Savior this Christmas season? Go ahead, light up your tree, light up your yard, but let Jesus light up your soul!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.