Out of the Darkness Into the Light :: Isaiah 9:2

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The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (v 2).

Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness. Except that it did in the genesis. In the beginning there was darkness. And God said, Let there be light. And there was Light. And God saw that the light was good. He separated the light from the darkness, and the light he called day, and the darkness he called night (Gen 1:3-5). 

So God gave us time. And it was good. ... Until it wasn’t.

It was in the light that Adam and Eve wanted to know the darkness. They ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and suddenly, they no longer liked what they saw. They knew the darkness of their sin. They used leaves to conceal the darkness of their shame. And when their walk of shame couldn’t get them far enough away, they hid in the shadows of the trees ... until they saw a great light. God came calling, gathering, enlightening. He brought light to the shadows. He put off the old ... what leaves poorly hid and concealed. To the woman who sought the darkness, God promised he would bear in her a saving light. Then he put on the new ... the skin of an animal that completely covered the old, then he drove the man and woman out of the garden to keep them from living in darkness forever.

4.

Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness. Except it did in the Exodus. 

The people of God had been yoked to the bondage of slavery ... darkness ... for four hundred years. That’s when God called Moses through the burning bush to return to Egypt to set the people free ... from the plague of darkness and death into the light of promise. 

As they looked over their shoulder and saw 600 chariots of Pharaoh unleashed on their heels, the people walking in darkness saw a great light. On one side, the Lord put down the darkness by cloud ... dimming the pursuit of Pharaoh to protect the people. On the other side, he set forth the pillar of fire ... lighting the way through the sea to guide the people to safety. And wouldn’t you know it ... God’s people were walking through the waters to freedom with a divine night light, a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. And so God led his people out of the darkness of their sin, past the mountain of his presence and into the light of the Promised Land.

3.

Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness ... except it did in the Exile.

The people of God abandoned the light like we all do to worship our idols. They abandoned the light to embrace immorality and ungodliness. They embraced the traditions of the world. So the glory of God left the temple. And dark evil enveloped the people. The Assyrians and the Babylonians laid waste to Israel and Judah. The people were hauled into the darkness of exile ... But the Light of God shined through the prophets. Isaiah proclaimed comfort to the people. Ezekiel saw the dead being raised to life. Behold, the light of the world reminded the remnant that God would turn the hearts of the fathers to their son, and the sons to their fathers. 

2.

Light isn’t supposed to shine in the darkness ... except it did in the fullness of time. 

Hundreds of years after the people abandoned the light and wandered back into darkness, God sent forth his Light, the True Light of the World in whom there is no darkness. Outside a little town called Bethlehem, shepherds were keeping watch over flocks in the dark. Suddenly they saw a great light as an angel of the Lord spoke good news of great joy. 

Do not fear, for behold, I preach good news of great joy to you that will be for all the people because a savior who is Christ the Lord, has been born to you this day in the city of David. And this to you is a sign: you will find a baby wrapped and lying in a manger. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the hosts of heaven praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and upon the earth peace among men with whom he is well-pleased! (Lk 2:11-14)

The Light of God’s Gospel burst into the darkness. The light came from heaven above to earth below to draw all people to himself, calling all people away from their sin. In the manger, God sent forth his son ... confirming the ancient and angelic message ... Jesus would save his people from their sins. He did that on the cross. God stretched out his own arms ... silencing sin as he died ... in the good darkness of midday ... so that all would see their sin crucified. 

Surely, this is the Son of God, they cried, as Jesus died. 

1.

Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness, except that it does through the resurrection. As the disciples cowered in the darkness of their upper room, afraid to speak about Jesus, afraid of their future, the people in darkness saw the great light ... Jesus standing in their midst, arms outstretched, declaring peace. 

THE LIGHT SHINES FORTH, LEADING US ALL OUT OF THE DARKNESS

We too have real darkness in our time. We too are born walking in darkness. And we use darkness to conceal ourselves. We get lost in the darkness, not knowing what to do. 

But ... Jesus ... the Light of Life ... comes, not just for one glamorous night ... Jesus comes every day and every night, enlightening your new life. His light shines forth through Word and Sacraments, showing you through his Word of how he lived for you, died for you, and has overcome the darkness of death. 

Through faith in him, He separates you from the darkness of ungodliness. Through his sacraments he washes you clean and nourishes you into everlasting life. He opens our eyes and ears to see and hear his holy Word of Absolution. He feeds you with the bread of life and gives you the cup of salvation. 

So now brothers and sisters in Christ, what are we to do. As Peter and Paul both teach us, walk as children of light and proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (Eph 5:8; 1 Pt 2:9) ... in Jesus’ name.

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