Walking from Darkness to See a Great Light
Have you ever been to Zebulun?
Late last night, I found myself driving home, and my husband and I passed through town-after-town, most of the small towns were lit with Christmas lights. Truly, this is a beautiful time of the year to drive and see the twinkling lights.
So, please re-read the question (again) with me: Have you ever been to the land of Zebulun?
Zebulun is a land in Galilee, a Gentile land, located near Jerusalem, a land known for its seafaring and shipping. In order to better visualize Zebulun, see within your mind the land stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee. Furthermore, to put the distance between Zebulun and Jerusalem into perspective, Zebulun is about as far from Jerusalem as Georgia is from North Carolina. So, in retrospect, the word ‘near’ may not be the best word to use when describing where the land of Zebulun is located in relation to Jerusalem. Nevertheless, both the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Matthew are led to use this place as the descriptive way to describe—walking in darkness toward a great light.
“Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.”
(Isaiah 8: 22 NASB)
To understand who ‘they’ refers to within Isaiah’s verse, we must understand earlier verses in The Book of Isaiah.
“Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered;
(Isaiah 8: 9-10 NASB)
And give ear, all remote places of the earth.
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered;
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered.
Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;
State a proposal, but it will not stand,
For God is with us.”
- God promised a remnant of believers from the beginning.
- God promised a few who would remain dedicated to Him.
- God promised a small group who would walk within His light.
To understand how this small remnant of believers traversed from dark to light, we must read even more verses The Book of Isaiah.
“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish;
(Isaiah 9: 1-5 NASB)
in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles.
The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.”
Christians are no strangers to waiting. Let that statement sink in for a second. Consider how long you waited, struggling under the conviction of the Holy Spirit before you accepted Jesus as Savior.
The faithful remnant of believers waited for the Messiah the prophet Isaiah spoke of in his prophecy.
The priest Zachariah waited in silence for his son John the Baptist to be born.
The mother Mary waited in anticipation for this son to be born who the Holy Spirit placed within her womb.
The father Joseph waited until Jesus was born before he intimately knew Mary as his wife.
- Sitting.
- Waiting.
- Walking.
- Walking in Darkness.
- Striving to see the light.
Sitting & Waiting & Walking & eventually Seeing a Great Light.
When Jesus began his earthly ministry, we see prophecy fulfilled, we see the significance of a place called Zebulun.
“Now when Jesus heard that John [the Baptist] had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee;
and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—
THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
(The Gospel According to Matthew 4: 12-17 NASB)
Therefore, please allow me to repeat the questions:
- Have you ever been to the land of Zebulun?
- Why are you resisting?
- Why are you running?
- Why don’t you consider today standing still in the presence of Jesus and responding, “Yes, Lord”?
Say, “Yes, Jesus, today I will begin to walk with You.
Jesus, very God of very God, is the only begotten Son of God, by whom all things were made.
- Jesus came!
- Jesus comes!
- Jesus is coming again to earth!
God’s Word proclaims this so, and God never lies!
Thus, we must ALL be ready!
- Let us not walk in darkness but let us See the Light of Jesus this Christmas.
- Let us pray,
“Lord, I do not understand exactly how You took on human flesh; nevertheless, I believe in You. Help my unbelief. Change me Jesus. Make me brand new. Save me, Lord. Transform my soul so that when the day comes when You come for me, I will be ready to meet You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
(Isaiah 9: 6 NASB)
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”