Favor and Judgement
Background:
To the Jew, being in darkness meant not having the Lord's favor and to be under His judgment. Isaiah makes use of the darkness metaphor and by extension, the blindness metaphor.
Isaiah 59:9-10
Therefore is justice far from us, neither does righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity. We grope for the wall like the blind; yes, we grope as those who have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among those who are lusty we are as dead men.
See also Isaiah 42:7
See regarding blindness: Isaiah 44:18, Isaiah 43:8, Isaiah 42:7, Isaiah 35:5, Isaiah 6:10
Isaiah prophesied that God’s salvation would come to Israel and they would no longer be in darkness. God’s light would shine upon them and they would be a light to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 60:1-3
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh is risen on you. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Yahweh will arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Isaiah 60:1
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh is risen on you.
See also Isaiah 51:17, Isaiah 52
Isaiah 49:6
Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved of Israel?
I will also give you as a light to the nations,
that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
Isaiah 42:6
"I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;
The False Teaching:
Those didn't follow the
Way of the Flesh were in darkness and were blind.
New Testament Response:
John responds to the issue:
John 8:12
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
Related Verses:
Eph. 1:18, Eph. 5:8, Eph. 5:11, Eph. 6:12
