Prophecy offers hope, which is one of the reasons the Lord gives these messages. The biblical definition of hope is “confident expectation.”[1] We need hope because we live in a sinful world. These messages help us focus on God and His future for us. Prophesy is to announce a message from God, and the one who does is a prophet.
The prophet Isaiah recorded that the area of Galilee conquered by Assyrians would one day be different. After the Assyrians conquered the area of Galilee, spiritual darkness fell over it. The Jews who once lived there were exiled, while non-Jews were moved there. Over time, the Jews would again live in the area, but the darkness that fell over the area had a lasting effect.
Isaiah 9:2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and, like warriors dividing the plunder. [2]
Darkness and Light
While the sun came up each day in Galilee, the darkness was not physical but spiritual. To walk in spiritual darkness is not having a spiritual relationship with the Lord. The words of Isaiah foretell Jesus’ mission. He would come and proclaim a message of salvation by grace, God’s undeserved love. Jesus would bring this message to those in the deepest darkness and bring it to the entire world, both Jew and Gentile.
Where are you going today along your spiritual walk? To place our faith in Jesus is to go from darkness to light. John 8:12Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life. [3]
When we follow Jesus, He leads us out of darkness and into a new life that is forever different. As believers, we have hope even in the darkness of circumstances because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Life is short; one day, all of us will step into eternity, and with our hope in Jesus as our Savior, we will go to heaven.
Joy in the Messiah
Jesus’s ministry would bring Israel joy and gladness in a way they had not experienced before. Jesus said his ministry was like having a wedding party in Matthew 9:14-15. This is the same joy He wants to bring into your life. Walking in darkness, we stumble, fall, and are unsure where to go. The world tells us walking in darkness is the correct path, but when we do, we lead a life that leads to hopelessness and despair.
When we walk in the Light of Jesus, the Holy Spirit guides us into a new way of life as God unfolds His plan for us. God’s plan may not be easy, but we can rejoice after the hard work like a great harvest.
To learn more about how prophecy gives hope, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/prophecy-of-messiah
[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/hope-Bible.html
[2-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.