Isaiah 8 Records the conception and birth of Mahershalalhashbaz, the son of Isaiah and his prophetess wife. “Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me,” announced the prophet, “we are signs and symbols” (v. 18). Isaiah’s family life was an acted parable of God’s redemption.
If a people do not speak according to God’s word, there is no light to illumine their inner darkness (v. 20). All is gloom. Whenever people turn from “this word,” the “testimony” of God’s truth, and consult “spiritists” and follow men’s fallible notions, they see “only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness” (v. 22).
In chapter 9, Isaiah prophesies of a time when a great light will rise and shine in the region of Galilee, the northern province of the land of Israel. This light will follow the birth of a divine child who will be the long-promised king of David’s line. Isaiah links the rising light with endless “peace” and with “justice and righteousness” (v. 7). Glory to God, peace and joy will come through a “son given” by God Himself. And he stresses that this is a message for “all people” (v. 9).
Zecharias recognized that the holy child in Mary’s womb was the child of prophecy and promise. “The God of Israel has come and has redeemed his people, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:68,77-79).
Six months later, another symbolic fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy took place as described by Luke. Angels appeared to a group of shepherds who were “living out in the fields at night.” In the darkness they suddenly saw a great light. The glory of God shone around them. News of great joy for all people was proclaimed to them. The heavenly host praised God, saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” (Lk. 2:14).
Matthew quotes Isaiah to demonstrate that his prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus taught the gospel of the kingdom of God in the region of Galilee. The people there “saw a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned” (Matt. 4:12-17). As in all his quotes from the Old Testament prophets, Matthew makes a subtle change in the text. Isaiah spoke of the people walking in darkness. By Matthew’s day, the people had almost lost hope and were not walking any more; they were sitting or living in total darkness!
The four themes of Isaiah’s prophecy are light in the darkness, the glory of God, peace, and joy to all people. The early chapters of Luke associate these themes with the birth of Jesus. Matthew associates them with the preaching in Galilee. And John’s record associates them with the table of the Lord. “Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 12:35; 17:1; 14:27; 16:24).
Before the birth of Jesus, men and women in darkness could only hope for the light of the world to come. Now we can walk in the light if we so desire, by our own choice. We can choose to walk forward in the light of the Lord or simply go on living in darkness. Here around the Lord’s table is light. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One