“The People which sat in Darkness”...the Wayfarer 2/14/14

“The People which sat in Darkness”

 2/14/14

“Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at 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.”
(Isaiah 9:1 & 2)

Despite the great darkness that surrounds us daily, encroaching more and more into our lives and our society, there is still light available to those who bother to seek it!

That light, as promised by Isaiah, is still among us, still bright, shining for all who are able to find their way through the darkness to it.

This chapter of Isaiah is only one of the many scriptures that prophesy the coming of Christ, and that later prove that Jesus is indeed that Christ.

“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 a burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty GodThe everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:3-6)

This people, and in fact most of the world, still walks daily in that darkness spoken of in the opening verses.

Truly, all nations, have in fact increased, since the time of the writing of this scripture, with treasures not even imagined by those of the time.

Still, even with the advent of electricity, and the blessings and curses it has brought, the darkness mentioned is still pervasive, and joy has indeed not increased for the multitude.

To increase that joy, the light must first be found, not the light artificially given through the invention and imagination of man, but a far better light, which I will address in depth later.

The battle rages, still, with the confused noise mentioned. The warriors continue to be bathed in the blood of rejection, and derision of those for whom they would fight, and whom they would defend against the perpetrator of that darkness.

Still the fire placed in the hearts of those warriors cannot be quenched until the light is given to all willing to accept it!

I take you now to the scripture that caught my attention, giving joy to this old preacher which in turn led to that which was just given.

As with a meal, I found that scripture to be merely an appetizer, leading up to the main course which is what in reality satisfies hunger of both body and soul.

“Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the borders of Zabulon, and Nepthalim:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

The people which sat in darkness saw Great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

(Matthew 4:12-17)

Having gone to Matthew so often in my dissertations, I was most reluctant to go there once more, today, and searched diligently for something new to turn to. That something new turned to a mere difference  in purpose of that scripture, as I found myself going to Isaiah which repeated the words that first caught my attention for this day.

Jesus is that light spoken of both here in Matthew, and in Isaiah as well, and that light began to be truly shared with the onset of the ministry of our Lord as described by that passage.

This is the first place in the New Testament that reference is given to that which I preach with my whole heart; redemption through repentance, for any and all willing to hear and accept!

The third chapter of John, from which I preached the first message I was ever given, when the task of doing so fell upon me, also covers eloquently the coming of that light, and the very reason that I had and still have the duty to proclaim it,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth TRUTH cometh to the light, that his deed may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God,”

(John 3:16-21)

The darkness that surrounds us today CAN still be penetrated, CAN still be put at bay by that Light!

Though many may never be touched because of that love of the darkness, there are still many, who I continue to recognize as the reachable and teachable, not yet lost to complete denial of that light, not yet condemned by our Lord, though perhaps given up on by others, who will if properly guided will find not only the light, but also find the TRUTH, THE WAY and THE LIFE provided by that light.

It is those I search for. 

 It is those to whom I address each and every one of these messages.

 It is those who, if actually seeing that light evidenced in the lives of those purporting to be Christian, that will find that TRUTH, find that WAY, and find that LIFE intended for the “WHOSOEVER” that was spoken of in that first message given, and is prominent in all given, and yet to be given.

Yes, there are many who still sit in that darkness, and will continue to do so, unless, and until, they have been shown that light.

I remain, as I always have and must, that same simple sinner saved by grace through faith in that very light, still on that battlefield, still surrounded by that confusion of noise, still rolling garments to bind the wounds of those who would otherwise bleed out, offering instead the blood already given by my Savior in its place, soldier in this fight until it is ended with the promised victory, when that light can no longer be denied by any, including the enemy who daily attempts to quench the torches of those still bearing them to lead others to that light.

I pray that when my torch is extinguished, that another is lit, and takes my place on that battlefield, should I fall before the war is over, and the fight finally completed.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer