There are “hints” in Isaiah 9:1-5 of a coming, brighter age for Israel. Even though, at the time Isaiah was writing, that nation had rebelled against God! And was facing Assyrian aggression, captivity!
A Nation often called “extinct” by many a commentator … is to be revived and blessed by God!
Hard reading, in a way, so get ready …
“Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.” Isaiah 9:1-5
Read “dimness” (a Hebrew word used only here in all the Bible, thus called a “hapax legomenon”) as a synonym for “darkness.” Spiritually so indeed!
Oh, how far the Northern Kingdom (meaning Israel, the 10 Tribes, but also called Samaria or Ephraim) had drifted from God!
God had chastened her too, sending her “vexation” and “affliction.” Words used in our Passage above.
Isaiah here singles out two geographical identities, for illustration purposes I think. As egregious examples of the Land’s sinning against God … “Zebulun” and “Naphtali.”
Territories way up north in Israel.
Cities and towns lying along the Highway that led from Syria (and points north) down to Egypt (and points south) … a major ancient Eastern trade route, saturated with evil influence from non-Jewish nations!
But … even to these two wayward peoples … God is some day going to do something absolutely great, something restorative!
Our Text today continues: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great LIGHT: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the LIGHT shined.” All I know to tell you about this Line is that it sure is “good news!”
This Verse is framed in what looks like the “past tense,” but it is actually predicting “future” events! (In this sense, these future happenings are so definite … that Isaiah describes them as “having already occurred!” Something like we would call a “done deal!” Or a “sure thing!”)
Light!
Light is coming!
As in John 8:12 … “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the LIGHT of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the LIGHT of life.”
Wow!
Or again, John 12:46 … “I (Jesus) am come a LIGHT into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
Amen!
But there is yet more (good news) in our Text! “Thou (God) hast multiplied the nation (Israel), and not increased the joy: (then later) they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” Verse 3 of Isaiah chapter 9, giving the “before” and after” situation! (Joy not increased at first, when Israel was still under judgment … then joy greatly increased, after God’s Blessings fall!) Like the exuberant joy farmers experience when record-setting (“bumper”) crops are being harvested!
God will so bless Israel!
Look at verse 4 … where God will defeat all Israel’s enemies, particularly some “chief” enemy! “For Thou (Lord) hast broken the yoke of his (Israel’s) burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.” As in the day of Gideon’s great victory over the Midianites!
Here’s a pretty good stab at describing “total defeat” for those aggressors, attackers of Israel … “For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.”
God sends those vicious Jew-hating armies “confusion!”
And massive bloodshed … their own blood!
With both soldier and equipment ultimately being burned with fire!
Wow!
An event yet to occur, I suspect at the Battle of Armageddon … when Jesus comes again to establish the Kingdom of God here on this earth!
First … sin.
Then … clearly after repentance … growth and joy and LIGHT and victory promised to God’s people. To the little Nation of Israel!
Tomorrow, the Lord willing, we shall look at the Specific MEANS of this victory!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Our Text today is not necessarily a PRIME MILLENNIAL TEXT, not yet. But Isaiah is rapidly getting there! I’ll show you later this week, Lord willing.