“Darkness Turns to Dawning”
Isaiah 9:1-7
Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor
The first “Christmas Verse” in the Bible is Genesis 3:15, where God promised a future offspring of Eve would crush the serpent’s head, symbolizing the Lord’s defeat the sin’s power over our lives. Other prophetic verses include:
- Numbers 24:17 – “A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter will rise out of Israel.” Since the words “Star” and “Scepter” are capitalized, we know that Moses was referring to a Person.
- Isaiah 7:14 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Immanuel.” God with us!
- Jeremiah 23:5-6 – “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper.”
- Micah 5:2 – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”
- Isaiah 9:6-7 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,” that’s the Lord’s first coming. And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
However, at the time of this writing, the people of Israel lived in a constant state of political turmoil, a constant threat of war, and in a constant state of confusion because of their internal conflicts and idolatry.
- Both the kingdoms had turned from God and were engaging in idolatry, oppressing the poor, and acting unjustly.
- Isaiah warned the leaders of Jerusalem of the consequences of their rebellion against their covenant with God; that the armies of God’s judgment were at the very door, but just like God’s people today, they would not listen to the Prophets.
The Bible uses darkness and light to illustrate the difference the Lord Jesus Christ makes in the lives of those who receive Him as their Savior and surrender unto Him as their Lord.
- Darkness illustrates those who are lost.
- Light illustrates those who are saved.
However, there are several kinds of darkness:
- The darkness of the mind, which is caused by depression, discouragement, or despair. However, when the light of “truth dawns” on them, they are enlightened by new information.
- The darkness of the spirit that is caused by a willful blindness to the Word of God. Those who are in this darkness will wander in their depravity until they allow the light of God’s love to penetrate their heart, expose their sins, reveal their need for a Savior, and show them the pathway to new life.
- In Genesis 1:2-4, Moses described God’s creation as the victory of God’s light over darkness: “The earth was without form, and void: and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, “let there be light”, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”
- When God created man, there was nothing but brightness in his soul because he was made in the image of God! However, when man sinned against God, darkness entered into his soul, and God’s holy brightness was hidden because of man’s sin.
- The darkness of disobedience separated man from God, for God is totally light, and in Him dwells no darkness at all!
- However, because of His great mercy, and His marvelous grace, God once again pierced the darkness with the light of His love, and opened the way for us to be welcomed into His presence.
- That Light of God’s love was Isaiah’s prophecy of the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s only Begotten Son, to be born of a virgin girl named Mary, in the city of Bethlehem, of Judea, in 4 or 5 BC.
As a boy, Isaiah saw the brightness of affluence and prosperity that was shining upon Israel because they were following God’s leadership.
- However, as a man, Isaiah saw the darkness of degeneration permeate the lives of his people as they rejected God’s leadership.
- It was in such a day that God called Isaiah to warn his people of God’s impending judgment.
- In Isaiah 1:2-4, he describes the darkness that was about to come upon his people.
- Verse 4 – “They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away backward.”
- In Isaiah 2:4, he describes the day when the Lord Jesus will rule the earth with truth and grace.
- Verse 4 – “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
- In Isaiah 8:17, Isaiah said the Lord was hiding His face from the house of Jacob.
- In Isaiah 8:21, Isaiah said the people had become so defiant toward God that they had rather curse the darkness than to turn toward the light of God’s love.
- In Isaiah 8:22, Isaiah said, “Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.”
God allowed Isaiah to see 700 years beyond those days when God would pierce the darkness with the light of His love.
- In Isaiah 9:2, referring to the people of Galilee, Isaiah said: “The people that walked in darkness have seen great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”
- In Matthew 4:12-16, the disciple confirmed that Jesus began His earthly ministry in the area called Galilee: “Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.”
What would be that light that would come in the darkest of days?
- Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a child is born.”
- Isaiah 7:14 – “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and call His name Immanuel,” which means “God with us!”
- Isaiah 9:6 – “His name shall be called;”
- “Wonderful” – not of this world.
- “Counselor” – the wisdom of God
- “Mighty God” – omnipotent – all-powerful
- “Everlasting Father” – creator and sustainer of all things
- “Prince of Peace” – the only One who can bring peace upon this earth.
- Isaiah 9:6-7 – “The government shall be upon His shoulder! Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even for evermore.”
- Jesus will take His seat upon that throne when He comes again as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- Luke 1:31-33 – “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Isaiah said:
- There will be His cradle – the place of His birth
- There will be His cross – the place of His death
- There will be His crown – the place of His victory over sin, death, and the grave.
