Thursday, December 4, 2014
Isaiah 9:1-2 ... there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress ... in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (4)
Have you ever seen the early dawn? I am sure at one time or another all of you have been awake to see those first faint streaks of morning light. It is a peaceful, welcome sight, especially after a night of deep darkness.
Isaiah the prophet had the opportunity to watch an early dawning too. Although He lived some 700 years before Christ was born, He could see that first glow from the manger appearing on the horizon. He wrote about it when he said: "There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress ... he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles ..."
Galilee saw its share of dark days and troubling times. It was a "stomping ground" for foreign invaders who would often enter Palestine from the north. But Isaiah saw some good news on the way for these people. He saw Galilee as the place where the Messiah would one day live and preach, bringing the soothing message of the forgiveness of sins and promising eternal life to all who trusted in Him. Thus Isaiah saw the dawn. He anticipated Jesus, the Sun of Splendor--and while the Lord was not yet fully in view, the prophet could well enough see and speak about the night times fading and the daylight taking over. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
What an exciting thing for Isaiah to be able to see with the eyes of faith the coming of the Savior; to be at a moment in history when God allowed him to perceive that the sky was leaving its blackness behind and turning to blue and gray!
Today you stand at the early dawn. Soon the Christmas Light will shine in all His glory. And being at the early dawn, you know that means the night has passed away. It means the struggles, trials, and dangers that belong to the darkness are even now as good as forgotten. An avalanche of light is breaking.
