This morning, I turned on my Christmas tree and watched as a warm glow overtook the darkness in my living room.
In that instant, my surroundings were transformed.
Shadows and shapes that had looked menacing only a moment before were completely neutralized in the light.
This reminded me of the words in Isaiah 9:2 & 6:
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” … “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (NIV)
Just like in Isaiah’s day, our world feels pretty dark right now.
And darkness is a scary place to be.
Because, in addition to the very real dangers that lurk there, the darkness can also play tricks on our minds.
It can twist a simple shadow into something frightening.
And it can twist our view of God and reality into something untrue.
So as we navigate life in this darkened world, we desperately need a light to give us perspective.
Thankfully, the very same light Isaiah spoke of is available to us.
The light of who Jesus is can transform our darkness.
In verse 6, Isaiah highlighted 4 truths about the promised Savior, Jesus Christ.
And each is a much-needed ray of light for us today.
1. Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor:
The darkness would make us believe that truth is impossible to find and that we are unseen in our struggles.
But knowing that Jesus is our wonderful Counselor brings light into those dark places.
Because Jesus is fully God, His counsel is full of perfect, divine wisdom. He is Truth made accessible to us!
And because Jesus is fully human, having experienced all the trials and temptations of life (yet without sinning), His counsel is full of personal empathy and compassion.
We are not unseen in our struggles.
Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor invites us to come to Him for guidance and comfort.
2. Jesus is our Mighty God:
The darkness would make us believe that evil is winning. But knowing that Jesus is our Mighty God assures us: it’s not.
Though Jesus came and died as a servant, He is anything but weak. Jesus is God Himself, full of the power that enabled Him to conquer sin and death.
One day we will see Jesus for the powerful King He is. He will sit on the throne, “the government will be on His shoulders,” and He will right every injustice.
Jesus, our Mighty God declares that evil is a defeated foe…and justice is coming.
3. Jesus is our Everlasting Father:
The darkness would make us believe that God has abandoned us. But knowing that Jesus is our Everlasting Father corrects that lie.
As Believers, Jesus cares for us like a father cares for his children. He is present in the important moments and the hard moments. He provides for our needs and loves up on our hearts.
And nothing will make Him leave.
Notice that Jesus is called our Everlasting Father.
In Jesus, we find love and care that will never end. Even at death, when friends can go no further with us, Jesus will still be there.
Jesus, our Everlasting Father assures us we won’t face life—or death—alone.
4. Jesus is our Prince of Peace:
The darkness would make us believe that, because of what we’ve been through, we’ll never be whole again.
But knowing that Jesus is our Prince of Peace dispels that dark thought.
The Hebrew Word for Peace in verse 6 is “Shalom.” More than just serenity, it means wholeness and complete well-being.[1]
If we are in relationship with Jesus, we can experience true wholeness and a rooted sense of well-being—even when life is difficult.
Because knowing Him is what we were made for. He is our well-being.
Jesus, our Prince of Peace leads us into wholeness as we walk with Him.
Knowing and believing these truths about Jesus is like flipping on the Christmas lights in a dark room.
In the light of who Jesus is, the things that scare, hurt and overwhelm us are neutralized. We can see them for what they are.
Evil, suffering, injustice—and even death—are no match for God and they are not the end of our story.
May we all live in light of Jesus today.
Putting it into Practice:
Which of these truths about Jesus lightens the darkness you face today?
How might you share this light with someone sitting in darkness this holiday season?
Do you know someone else who needs this encouragement? Please send them a link to this post. I pray that everyone who visits The Well-Worn Bible will be pointed to Jesus and find all they need in Him.
[1] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7965.htm
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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