Isaiah 9:2 “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.”
The Prophet Isaiah prophetically saw the coming of Christ as if it were a scene passing before him. From that scene he declared, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light”. These “people that walked in darkness” were specifically those “in Galilee” (Isaiah 9:1), from whence came many of the Lord’s Apostles. “Galilee” was thought to be the land of “unlearned and ignorant men” (Acts 4:13), they were not the “uptown” folks. Isaiah sees these folks as they “that walked in darkness”, “that dwell in the land of the shadow of death”; that is, those who were in a down-trodden state and had no hope of a better life. This state is typical of a Child of God that has come to know their sinful condition and can see no way to relieve themselves from their pitiful condition. To these, whose hearts are broken by the knowledge of their sin, the Lord Himself is that blessed “great light”! Upon those who, being broken and shamed by their sin, “that dwell in the land of the shadow of death”, this “great light” “hath … shined”. This “great light” is the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), Who brings peace to the hearts broken by the shame and penalty of sin. Paul writes of such people as being “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). He goes on to write, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13). “But now”, by His grace, “a great light” “hath … shined”! “But now”, there is hope where there was none! “But now”, there is peace where there was none. “But now”, we “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8), for with the eyes of our God-given “faith” (Hebrews 12:2) we “have seen a great light”!