“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (overcame) it not.” John 1:5
Historians tell us that the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthlim, by the way of the sea, was a land downtrodden by the Assyrians. Their influence, and other invaders of “the nations,” with their ruthless conquests and the foreign worship of gods, left the country in spiritual darkness. Isaiah writes, and the New Testament confirms, that here, “…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.” (9:2) That light we find revealed in the same passage in Isaiah, “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 God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince Of Peace.” (Is. 9:6)
In the New Testament, Matthew writes that when Jesus had heard that John the Baptist had been put into prison, it was at that time that He left Nazareth, and went to Galilee, specifically to a town called Capernaum, which was located on the sea coast, “…in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim.”(4:13) Though Christ announced His eternal mission in the synagogue in Nazareth, which was the fulfillment of Scripture concerning His coming as the Messiah, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord would rest, He found very little receptivity to the declaration. In fact, in Nazareth where He grew up, He would be rejected, and threatened with death. It would be then, with that door closed, that He would move to Capernaum. Here His ministry would begin, not with just the declaration of who He was, and the mission He had come to accomplish, but with the teaching and preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom. The words and manner by which He spoke, were with unusual power and authority, not only to accomplish many miracles of healing and deliverances among the people, but to effect an eternal change in the souls of men. As His fame increased, so did the number of those who heard these marvelous, life-giving words. Souls which were captive to darkness and ignorance, began to live. Men and women, boys and girls, from all walks of life would hear Christ, the testimony and proof of the Spirit of God being upon Him was seen, confirmed by the wondrous, good, and multiple works that He did. Indeed, in this land which historically had been left in darkness, bereft of truth and light, there came a GREAT LIGHT, a living Light…the very Life of the Son of God, God in Christ revealing Himself to men in word, but also in deed. The light came, and though it would be resisted, and in some cases rejected, it could not be extinguished. The eternal Flame would not be put out. It the place where the nations had trod down these people, there would come Christ to begin His ministry. Indeed, “…to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.” (Matt. 4:17)
What does the revelation of Christ coming as the Light of the World mean? It means God has come to reveal Himself to lost men in Christ as the truth, the absolute, eternal truth, by which, a soul can by faith, can come to know God. It also means, as was the example of Christ Himself by His words and deeds, that true life-changing power belongs to God, revealed and given by God to men according to that eternal truth, so that men might truly live. Where there was death, and hopelessness, with no resource by which the darkness could be expelled, Christ come to powerfully give light, truth and power, to those would truly believe in Him.
What does this mean for the believer today? Paul wrote to the Colossians, that the Father, in Christ, “…hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” (1:13) Light has conquered the darkness.
Dear Father, Fill us with Light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.